2021 August | Hoops Rumors

Nets Hiring Steve Clifford As Coaching Consultant

August 12th, 2021 at 11:22am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets are hiring veteran NBA coach Steve Clifford as a coaching consultant, reports Malika Andrews of ESPN.

Clifford, who previously spent five seasons as Charlotte’s head coach, coached the Magic for the last three seasons, leading the team to a 96-131 (.423) record and a pair of playoff appearances. With Orlando pivoting toward a rebuild this year, Clifford and the team agreed to part ways in June.

Andrews, who refers to Clifford as the “most sought-after assistant in the marketplace,” points out that he has some history with Brooklyn head coach Steve Nash. Clifford was an assistant for the Lakers in 2012/13 when Nash played for the team.

Although Clifford will only be with the Nets periodically during the 2021/22 season, he’ll lend some much-needed experience to a staff that lost top assistants Ime Udoka and Mike D’Antoni this offseason.

Grizzlies Re-Sign Killian Tillie To Two-Way Contract

August 12th, 2021 at 10:27am CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies have officially re-signed free agent forward/center Killian Tillie to a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release.

Tillie, who went undrafted out of Gonzaga in 2020, caught on quickly with Memphis last fall, signing a two-way deal with the team in November. He played sparingly for the NBA club as a rookie, averaging 3.2 PPG and 1.3 RPG in 18 games (10.1 MPG), but made enough an impression to earn a qualifying offer from the team prior to free agency.

That qualifying offer, which made Tillie a restricted free agent, was equivalent to another two-way deal with a $50K partial guarantee. It’s unclear if the 23-year-old simply accepted his QO or if he and the team negotiated a new agreement with a more significant guarantee.

Either way, Tillie now occupies one of Memphis’ two-way contract slots. Sean McDermott currently holds the other, as our tracker shows.

Southwest Notes: Z. Collins, Grizzlies, Doncic, Pelicans

August 12th, 2021 at 9:32am CST by Luke Adams

Zach Collins‘ new three-year deal with the Spurs, reported to be worth $22MM, will technically come in at $22.05MM, but a significant chunk of the deal is non-guaranteed, reports ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).

According to Marks, Collins will earn a fully guaranteed $7MM salary in 2021/22, but only half of his $7.35MM salary in ’22/23 is guaranteed and his $7.7MM cap hit for ’23/24 is fully non-guaranteed.

Collins, who has undergone multiple foot surgeries during the last two seasons and has been limited to 11 total games during that time, is assured of receiving at least $10.675M on his new contract. However, if he continues to battle health problems, the Spurs could cut ties as early as next summer without a major financial hit.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

In a look at the Grizzlies‘ roster situation, Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian notes that it remains unclear what the team’s plan is for Eric Bledsoe. When Memphis first agreed to its trade with New Orleans in July, a report indicated that Bledsoe likely wouldn’t play for the Grizzlies, but the veteran guard remains on the roster for the time being.
Appearing at Summer League in Las Vegas after returning from Slovenia, new Mavericks president of basketball operations Nico Harrison said the front office’s trip to Luka Doncic‘s home country was “bigger than just a big contract” and was about showing “respect” to the team’s franchise player. Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News has the story.
Exploring the NBA’s investigation into the Bulls’ and Heat’s sign-and-trade acquisitions of Lonzo Ball and Kyle Lowry, respectively, veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein suggests the Pelicans and Raptors may not face any penalties if last year’s Bogdan Bogdanovic case is any indication — Milwaukee was fined and docked a draft pick, but Sacramento wasn’t disciplined. While Stein may be right, I think the Pelicans have reason to be concerned. If the league’s focus is on sign-and-trade acquisitions completed suspiciously quickly, it’s worth noting that New Orleans received Garrett Temple via sign-and-trade as part of the Ball deal.

Markkanen, Hart, Millsap Among Top Remaining Free Agents

August 12th, 2021 at 8:18am CST by Luke Adams

We’re now 10 days into the NBA’s 2021 free agent period, and the list of intriguing names on the open market has shrunk significantly, as has the number of open regular-season roster spots around the NBA.

Before the start of free agency, we listed 75 free agents we were keeping a close eye on this summer — our top 50 players, plus 25 others who earned honorable mention.

Of our top 50 free agents, only four remain unsigned, and three of those four are restricted. Of our 25 names who received honorable mention, just five are still on the board.

Here’s the breakdown of which of those players are still available:

Top 50:

Lauri Markkanen, F, Bulls (RFA)
Josh Hart, F, Pelicans (RFA)
Hamidou Diallo, G, Pistons (RFA)
Paul Millsap, F, Nuggets

Honorable mention:

Avery Bradley, G, Rockets
James Ennis, F, Magic
Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, G, Thunder
J.J. Redick, G, Mavericks
Jarred Vanderbilt, F, Timberwolves (RFA)

The restricted free agents on these lists are the most interesting cases. I’d expect at least two or three of them to return to their current teams, but those standoffs may drag out a little longer, given the lack of leverage available to the players.

Markkanen, meanwhile, has said he wants a “fresh start,” so a sign-and-trade deal sending him elsewhere may be in the best interests of both him and the Bulls. However, it remains to be seen whether a sign-and-trade will come together, given the high asking prices put forth by both Markkanen (in terms of salary) and the Bulls (in terms of the trade return). It’s possible the free agent forward will resort to accepting his $9MM qualifying offer.

As for the veterans on this list, they may not be major impact players, but they should have no problem earning rotation roles in 2021/22 as long as they’re healthy. Millsap, in particular, would be a solid addition for any playoff team looking to fortify its frontcourt with a savvy, defensively-sound veteran.

As our running list of free agents shows, there are plenty of other noteworthy names still on the open market.

Teams seeking more backcourt help may take a look at former lottery picks Frank Ntilikina, Dennis Smith Jr., and Dante Exum, or veterans such as Isaiah Thomas, Langston Galloway, Jeff Teague, E’Twaun Moore, and Tyler Johnson. Jordan McLaughlin shouldn’t be overlooked either, though he’s a Timberwolves RFA who may be difficult to pry away without an overpay.

Shooters like Garrison Mathews, Wesley Matthews, and Denzel Valentine are still on the board, as are defensively versatile wings like Stanley Johnson, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and Andre Roberson.

Ersan Ilyasova, Patrick Patterson, and Mike Scott could be players of interest to teams looking for a frontcourt player capable of stretching the floor. DeMarcus Cousins, Bismack Biyombo, Ed Davis, and Isaiah Hartenstein are among the other big men still available.

What do you think? Which free agents still on the board – either among those we mentioned or those we didn’t – do you believe are capable of moving the needle for NBA teams this season?

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Western Notes: Ingles, Bogdanovic, O’Neale, Conley, Gay, Adelman, Doncic

August 11th, 2021 at 9:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Jazz are well above the luxury tax line after re-signing Mike Conley and adding Rudy Gay in free agency but they don’t plan on dumping any of their mid-salaried players to ease the burden, Zach Lowe of ESPN reports. Lowe names Joe Ingles ($12.4MM), Bojan Bogdanovic ($18.7MM) and Royce O’Neale ($8.8MM) as the type of players that the Jazz could look to dump if they wanted to get below the tax line or reduce the bill. There’s no indication any of them are going anywhere anytime soon.

We have more from the Western Conference:

Conley played a role in convincing Gay to leave the Spurs for the Jazz in free agency, Sarah Todd of The Deseret News writes. Conley said the front office urged him to recruit his former Memphis teammate. “I’ve done it little bit (before) but not at this capacity,” Conley said. “I was like putting babies down for bed and having to drop them and go take a call because I’m trying to make sure we lock up a guy like Rudy. … I was really locked in on that and it was fun.”
David Adelman will be the lead assistant for the Nuggets, Mike Singer of the Denver Post tweets. Jordi Fernandez will be the second assistant under Michael Malone while Popeye Jones, whose addition to the staff was previously reported, will be the third assistant on Malone’s bench.
Luka Doncic‘s new contract extension includes a 15% trade kicker, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. However, the trade bonus would only kick in if the cap rose significantly in the future, since a trade bonus can’t increase a player’s salary beyond the maximum and the All-NBA guard has already qualified for a higher max salary than he’d typically be eligible for. Doncic’s five-year, $207MM extension with the Mavericks became official on Tuesday.

Spurs Sign First-Round Pick Josh Primo

August 11th, 2021 at 9:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Spurs have signed guard and lottery pick Joshua Primo, according to a team press release.

Primo, the 12th overall pick, played one season at Alabama. He was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team, averaging 8.1 PPG and 3.4 RPG while starting in 19 of 30 games. The 18-year-old is currently averaging 12.0 PPG, 2.3 APG and 2.0 RPG in 26.0 MPG over three summer league games.

Assuming he receives the usual 120% above rookie scale, Primo will make $3.95MM in his first season and could earn $18.42MM over the next four seasons.

Primo was one of just two first-round picks who had yet to sign their rookie scale contracts — Usman Garuba is the lone unsigned first-rounder now, and his deal should be done soon too.

Isaac Bonga Signs With Raptors

August 11th, 2021 at 8:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

8:35pm: The signing is official, according to a press release from the team.

5:37pm: Free agent swingman Isaac Bonga is signing with the Raptors, Blake Murphy of The Athletic reports.

Bonga’s deal will likely include a small guarantee and give him a chance to compete for a roster spot in training camp, Murphy adds.

Bonga became an unrestricted free agent when the Wizards declined to extend him a qualifying offer. He has played for Washington the past two seasons after beginning his career with the Lakers.

The 2018 second-round pick started 49 of 66 games in 2019/20, averaging 5.0 PPG and 3.4 RPG in 18.9 MPG. His playing time dropped dramatically this past season, as he played in 40 games (eight starts) and posted modest stats (2.0 PPG, 1.7 RPG in 10.8 MPG). He went scoreless in 10 playoff minutes.

Bonga, 21, projects to be one of a handful of players with partial guarantees vying for roster spots in Toronto, joining the likes of Sam Dekker, Ishmail Wainright, and Yuta Watanabe.

Pacers Sign Isaiah Jackson

August 11th, 2021 at 8:29pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pacers have signed first-round pick Isaiah Jackson, according to a team press release.

Jackson, the 22nd overall pick, was acquired from the Lakers on draft night. That trade was folded into the five-team deal that sent Russell Westbrook to the Lakers.

The 6’10” forward was one-and-done at Kentucky and was named to the All-Southeastern Conference Freshman and Defensive Teams. He averaged 8.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG and 2.6 BPG in 25 games with the Wildcats.

Assuming the usual 120% rate above the rookie scale, Jackson will make approximately $2.45MM in his rookie season and could make more than $12.1MM over the next four years.

The Pacers already signed the No. 13 overall pick, Chris Duarte.

GM Believes Hawks Have Become Free Agent Destination

August 11th, 2021 at 8:12pm CST by Dana Gauruder

President of basketball operations Travis Schlenk believes the Hawks are now a destination for top free agents and All-Star level players seeking a trade, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic writes.

“I think last year kind of put us back on the NBA map as far as a destination,” he said. “Those who want to get traded, they want to go somewhere they think they can win. And I think now that perception of us is out there, because we do have a young core that did show success in the playoffs. So the hope would be when a star player does ask to be traded, we’ll be one of the destinations he’ll be open to coming to.”

Acquiring a second star to pair with Trae Young could be somewhat difficult, though Schlenk sees it as a possibility.

“I still think when you look at the depth of our roster and the young talent that we have, we don’t have draft assets like we have in the past anymore, but we now have guys under contract that you could match some of the bigger salaries,” he said.

The Hawks have one spot open on the 15-man roster, but Schlenk doesn’t plan to fill it right away. The team is close to the luxury tax, so when a 15th player is added, it will likely be on a non-guaranteed deal.

However, if Atlanta is in title contention again, owner Tony Ressler won’t mind paying the tax, according to Schlenk.

“Certainly, Tony is willing to pay the tax if we are going to be a contender,” Schlenk said. “I’m probably more conscious of it than Tony is, to be honest with you. It’s my job to manage his money. He’s got a lot more of it than I do, so I worry about it more than he does.”

Another order of business that the Hawks would like to take care of before the start of next season is reaching an extension agreement with Kevin Huerter, according to Sarah Spencer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He’s one of the NBA players eligible for a rookie scale extension.

The talks should heat up next week, Spencer adds.

Bulls Notes: Caruso, Dosunmu, Simonovic, Valentine, Williams, DeRozan

August 11th, 2021 at 6:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Alex Caruso‘s four-year, $37MM contract has a $3MM guarantee in the fourth season, ESPN’s Bobby Marks reveals in an Instagram video. The Bulls used up $8.6MM of their $9.536MM mid-level exeption for Caruso’s first-year salary, giving them just enough room to sign No. 38 overall pick Ayo Dosunmu, Marks adds.

We have more on the Bulls:

Second-round pick Marko Simonovic had an impressive summer league debut, contributing 13 points and five rebounds in 15 minutes against New Orleans, Sam Smith of the team’s website writes. “This is everything new for me,” said Simonovic, a 6’11” power forward. “I’m coming from Europe and everything is different. But I feel really good and people tell me I look good. I think next season I can help the team.”
The Bulls have renounced their rights to Denzel Valentine and Cristiano Felicio, according to the RealGM transactions log. While that doesn’t rule out the possibility of re-signing those players, Chicago needed to renounce the rights to them and seven other players to complete all its off-season moves. Felicio signed with a club in Germany earlier this week.
Patrick Williams believes he can learn plenty from DeMar DeRozan, Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago writes. “He’s a really good wing in this league. Mostly, I want to be at the level that he’s at,” Williams said. “When he gets here, I’ll definitely ask him some questions about how he plays in the mid-post and kind of what he sees after an important possession. I’m definitely excited to learn from not only him but everyone else as well.” DeRozan was officially acquired on Wednesday.
In turn, DeRozan is impressed with the talent level on the roster, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic writes. “Great organization. The history behind it is definitely amazing. But for sure, the talent,” he said. “Looking at players like Zach (LaVine), I’ve been a fan of Zach since he’s been in the league. Just looking at the overall squad. Seeing (Nikola) Vučević there, that was my teammate in college. So, it’s been great.”

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