Year: 2024

New York Notes: Nets, Thomas, Irving, Knicks

October 7th, 2021 at 8:30am CST by Luke Adams

The 2025 second-round pick the Nets acquired from the Pacers in the Edmond Sumner trade completed on Wednesday includes some light protection, reports ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).

According to Marks, the 2025 second-rounder – which is actually Miami’s pick, not Indiana’s – will be top-37 protected. If it lands between 38-60, the Nets will get it, but if it ends up between 31-37, the Pacers will hang onto it.

The terms make sense, given that Sumner’s $2.3MM salary is a relatively small number for a salary dump. The Nets had to surrender an unprotected 2024 second-round pick when they sent Sekou Doumbouya and his larger cap hit ($3.6MM) to Houston in a separate trade earlier on Wednesday.

Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York teams:

In a story for The Ringer, Kevin O’Connor takes an in-depth look at how the Nets constructed their roster and the role that talented scorer Cameron Thomas could play for the team in his rookie year. O’Connor also notes that the Nets players with whom he spoke seem “unmoved” by Kyrie Irving‘s vaccination status, suggesting the issue hasn’t become a distraction in the locker room.
In his recap of the Knicks‘ offseason moves and preview of their upcoming season, John Hollinger of The Athletic writes that 2022 will be the first time in a few years that New York won’t have any cap room, but points out that the team projects to be well below the tax line this season and going forward. That flexibility – along with the team’s stash of draft picks – could put the front office in position to take a big swing on the trade market at some point.
The Knicks‘ bench was one of their strengths last season and the team is hoping that bringing back many of the same pieces for 2021/22 will allow that success to carry over to the new season, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post. “I feel like our second unit, because we’re kind of the same as last year, I feel like we’re comfortable playing with each other and it’s just a matter of getting on the court, doing what we have to do to either keep the lead, improve the lead or (get) it back if we’re down a couple of points,” forward Obi Toppin said. “We know when we get onto the court our job is to bring the energy and just fight as much as we can, so when the first unit comes back in, they know they just got to continue off of what we did.”

Bulls Notes: Williams, Ball, Green, Salary Cap

October 6th, 2021 at 9:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls are hopeful that second-year forward Patrick Williams will return for the season opener in Detroit, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times. Williams was expected to miss four-to-six weeks after severely spraining his left ankle in mid-September during an individual workout.

“We’re pretty optimistic,” coach Billy Donovan said. “What the [doctors and trainers] really want to make sure is that the sprain has healed adequately, so we’ll probably be a little bit more on the cautious side, just because I think once [Williams] starts randomly cutting, they’ve got to see how he responds. With as explosive and as powerful as he has been, one of the things they don’t want is [to] have something where he’s not quite stable, he does something and tweaks it, and now he’s having to manage that in the middle of the year.”

We have more on the Bulls:

Chicago’s ball movement in the preseason opener was superior, with the team amassing 36 assists. DeMar DeRozan says that Lonzo Ball is setting the tone with his play-making skills, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes. “When you’ve got a point guard of that magnitude with that IQ that’s as unselfish as he is, he makes the game easier and it makes it fun. And it becomes contagious,” DeRozan said. “You saw the way we moved the ball. It’s been like that all through training camp, and we expect it to keep getting better.”
Guard Javonte Green started in a downsized lineup in place of the injured Williams in that 36-point win over Cleveland. He made a solid case for a rotation spot, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Green posted a stat line of 13 points on 6-for-9 shooting, eight rebounds, four blocks and two steals in 17 minutes. The Bulls re-signed Green on a two-year deal early in free agency.
The team is still in good shape cap-wise despite all the big moves it made, John Hollinger of The Athletic notes in his review of the offseason and preview of the season ahead. The Bulls are $3MM below the tax line, giving them flexibility to make some in-season moves. While Chicago has improved its roster, Hollinger still projects the club to finish 11th in the Eastern Conference.

Trevor Ariza Out At Least Eight Weeks

October 6th, 2021 at 9:29pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lakers forward Trevor Ariza underwent an arthroscopic debridement procedure on his right ankle on Wednesday and will be out a minimum of eight weeks, according to a team statement relayed by Lakers website reporter Mike Trudell (Twitter link).

“Trevor Ariza had an arthroscopic debridement procedure performed on his right ankle today,” the statement read. “He is expected to make a full and complete recovery. Team doctors will reevaluate Ariza in approximately eight weeks, and an update will be provided at that time.”

Ariza was one of the many veteran players signed by the Lakers during the offseason and he was expected to play a prominent role. Ariza was considered the frontrunner for the starting small forward spot.

Seeking a ring, Ariza signed with the club on a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract in August. The 36-year-old finished last season with the Heat following a mid-season trade from Portland. He played in 30 games with Miami, starting in 27, and averaged 9.4 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.0 SPG and 0.6 BPG across 28.0 MPG.

With Ariza out until at least December, Kent Bazemore, Talen Horton-Tucker and Malik Monk project to receive more playing time at the wing.

2021 NBA Offseason In Review: Cleveland Cavaliers

October 6th, 2021 at 8:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2021 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s offseason moves, examine what still needs to be done before opening night, and look ahead to what the 2021/22 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Free agent signings:

Note: Exhibit 10 deals aren’t included here.

Jarrett Allen: Five years, $100MM. Re-signed as restricted free agent using Bird rights.
Lauri Markkanen: Four years, $67.47MM. Fourth year partially guaranteed. Acquired via sign-and-trade.
Kevin Pangos: Two years, $3.42MM. Second year non-guaranteed. Signed using mid-level exception.
Denzel Valentine: Two years, minimum salary. First year partially guaranteed. Second year non-guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Brodric Thomas: Two-way contract. Accepted two-way qualifying offer as restricted free agent.

Trades:

Acquired Ricky Rubio from the Timberwolves in exchange for Taurean Prince, the Wizards’ 2022 second-round pick, and cash ($2.5MM).
Acquired Lauri Markkanen (sign-and-trade; from Bulls) in a three-team trade in exchange for Larry Nance Jr. (to Trail Blazers) and the Nuggets’ 2023 second-round pick (top-46 protected; to Bulls).

Draft picks:

1-3: Evan Mobley
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $36,664,177).

Contract extensions:

None

Departing players:

Matthew Dellavedova
Damyean Dotson
Isaiah Hartenstein
Jeremiah Martin
Larry Nance Jr.
Taurean Prince

Other offseason news:

Hired Sidney Lowe and Nate Reinking as assistant coaches; lost assistant coach Lindsay Gottlieb.
Moved G League affiliate from Canton to Cleveland, renaming the team the Cleveland Charge.

Salary cap situation:

Remained over the cap and below the tax line.
Carrying approximately $133.4MM in salary.
$7,866,822 of non-taxpayer mid-level exception still available ($1,669,178 used on Kevin Pangos).
Full bi-annual exception ($3,732,000) still available.
Two traded player exceptions available, including one worth $4.2MM.

Lingering preseason issues:

The Cavaliers have 11 players on guaranteed contracts and a 12th with a partial guarantee, so they have multiple options with their last few roster spots.
The Cavaliers have an open two-way contract slot. Camp invitees Tacko Fall, Mitch Ballock, RJ Nembhard, and Kyle Guy are among the candidates to fill it.
Collin Sexton is eligible for a rookie scale contract extension until October 18.
Kevin Love is eligible for a veteran contract extension until October 18.
Ricky Rubio is eligible for a veteran contract extension all season (extend-and-trade limitations are in place until December).

The Cavaliers’ offseason:

After winning the draft lottery in 2011, 2014, and 2015, the Cavaliers’ luck had turned in recent years, as they slipped three spots in the lottery in both 2019 and 2020.

In 2021, Cleveland didn’t exactly recapture its previous lottery magic, but the team didn’t need to land the No. 1 pick. Moving up just a couple spots to No. 3 put the Cavs in a position to land Evan Mobley, a prospect with star potential who might’ve been the first player off the board if he’d been draft-eligible in 2020.

Drafting Mobley wasn’t the only major move the Cavs made during the 2021 offseason, but it may be the most impactful in the long term. When I previewed the club’s summer back in June, I noted that Cleveland’s front office had done a decent job of accumulating young talent during its current rebuild, but lacked a franchise-caliber player who could be its centerpiece for the next decade.

Mobley isn’t a lock to be that player, but he’s the best candidate the Cavs have had since LeBron James‘ departure. The former USC big man is a versatile, athletic defender who can protect the rim and shouldn’t be run off the court by smaller lineups. And while it remains to be seen whether he can be a go-to offensive option at the NBA level, he can certainly impact the game on that end of that court, having shown an ability to finish at the rim, knock down jump shots, and find open teammates as a passer.

Whether Mobley’s best fit at the NBA level will ultimately be at the four or the five is an open question. But the Cavaliers signaled that they think he’s perfectly capable of playing alongside another big man when they re-signed restricted free agent Jarrett Allen to a five-year, $100MM contract.

Cleveland likely would’ve preferred to get a look at Allen and Mobley on the court together before making that sort of investment, but Allen was up for a new deal, and after giving up a first-round pick for him in January, there was no chance the Cavs were going to let him walk as a free agent. While Allen’s contract may end up being a slight overpay, it shouldn’t become an albatross — he’ll only be 28 by the time it expires, and the NBA’s salary cap will have increased significantly by then.

The Cavs’ other significant frontcourt change saw them swap out Larry Nance Jr. for Lauri Markkanen, who received a four-year, $67MM+ contract in a sign-and-trade. I’m not convinced Markkanen is a better all-around player than Nance, but he’s probably a better fit for this roster. With Allen and Mobley up front and Kevin Love not in Cleveland’s long-term plans, a floor-stretching big man like Markkanen will help balance the frontcourt and prevent spacing issues. The hope is that whichever center he’s sharing the court with can help cover up his defensive shortcomings.

Finally, the Cavaliers made it a priority this offseason to bring in a veteran point guard after Matthew Dellavedova missed most of the 2020/21 season due to health issues. The club was linked to free agents like Alex Caruso and T.J. McConnell early in the offseason, but ultimately found its answer on the trade market, sending Taurean Prince to Minnesota in a deal for Ricky Rubio.

The swap might leave Cleveland a little short-handed on the wing, but I like what Rubio can bring to the team. Anthony Edwards raved about Rubio’s leadership in Minnesota, and he should have a similar positive influence on Darius Garland and Collin Sexton. Plus, if things don’t work out, his expiring contract could be a useful trade chip at the deadline.

Speaking of trades, Sexton’s name popped up in trade rumors this summer, and while it appears those whispers have quieted with the regular season around the corner, it will be interesting to see how rookie scale extension negotiations between him and the team play out this month. Sexton’s camp may point to his scoring numbers as evidence that he’s worth a max deal, but I doubt the Cavs will be convinced. They might prefer to keep their options open and take their chances with Sexton in restricted free agency next summer.

The Cavaliers’ upcoming season:

There’s a light at the end of the tunnel for the Cavaliers’ rebuild, but I’m not sure it’s as close as the team would like. Despite their playoff aspirations, the Cavs still don’t project to finish in the top 10 of the Eastern Conference entering the 2021/22 season — a lot would have to go right for them to earn a postseason spot.

Still, there’s room for Cleveland to take incremental steps forward over the next six months. Even a modest 26-56 record this season would be the Cavs’ best mark since 2017/18, and I think they can do better than that. The play-in format will allow them to remain in the hunt a little longer than they otherwise would, giving their young core an opportunity to play meaningful games in the second half of the season.

The safe money is on Cleveland to miss out on the play-in and claim another lottery pick in 2022, but this roster has more talent than any Cavs team since the franchise’s last Finals appearance. If the front office can find a way to add a reliable wing or two, the pieces for playoff contention are there.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.

Atlantic Notes: Durant, Irving, Quickley, Stevens, Joe

October 6th, 2021 at 7:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nets All-Star forward Kevin Durant is trying to stay optimistic as the Kyrie Irving situation drags on, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN writes. Irving can’t practice at the team’s facility and will have to miss more than half of its games unless he changes his mind and gets vaccinated. Durant believes Irving will eventually rejoin his teammates.

“I’m envisioning Kyrie being a part of our team,” Durant said. “Maybe I’m just naïve, but that is just how I feel. But I think everybody here has that confidence in themselves, in our group, that if we keep building, we can do something special.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

The Knicks have a crowded backcourt but second-year guard Immanuel Quickley remains part of the team’s plans. Coach Tom Thibodeau believes he can play Quickley in a number of different guard combinations, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic. “The great value with (Quickley) is that he plays with Derrick (Rose) and Alec (Burks), and so really the point (guard) is interchangeable with those guys. They move the ball and they make plays for each other real well,” Thibodeau said. “So, oftentimes, Quickley will bring it up. Derrick will bring it up. Alec could bring it up or we’ll get into dribble-handoffs. … We’re gonna fly around.”
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens doesn’t miss the daily grind of being the head coach, he told A. Sherrod Blakely of Full Court Press. “I haven’t had to worry about practice plan, game plan, none of that,” said Stevens. “I’ve enjoyed watching Ime (Udoka) put the team together and figure out how he wants to play, who compliments who, and all those things that go into that.”
Sixers second-year guard Isaiah Joe is angling for playing time and he’s gotten off to a good start in the preseason, Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. He had 18 points — including four 3-pointers — three rebounds and three steals against the Raptors. “We’ve got to get him on the floor more is what I keep telling our coaches,” coach Doc Rivers said, “because those 10 guys [in the rotation] are playing so much. … I told [Joe], I don’t care what unit you’re on, just keep going back and forth.”

Central Notes: Cavs’ Rotation, Pacers’ TPE, Vaulet, Cunningham

October 6th, 2021 at 6:17pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff is planning on a 10-man rotation but the last two spots could change from game-to-game, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer speculates.

“We’re working our way to what will be probably a 10-man rotation and then there’s different nights that are going to call for different things and we will go to those different guys,” Bickerstaff said.

By process of elimination, Denzel Valentine, Kevin Pangos, Cedi Osman, Dylan Windler, Dean Wade, Lamar Stevens and Mfiondu Kabengele are the players vying for those rotation minutes and each brings a different skill set to the table.

We have more on the Central Division:

The Pacers picked up a $7.33MM traded player exception from the Spurs in the Doug McDermott sign-and-trade but it’s highly unlikely they’ll use it this season, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. They were just $763,905 below the luxury tax line before dumping Edmond Sumner‘s contract on Wednesday, which moved them $2.8MM under the tax line. That’s still not nearly enough incentive to use the exception, since the franchise has no desire to be a taxpayer.
The Pacers received the rights to Juan Pablo Vaulet in the Sumner trade with Brooklyn but he won’t be playing in the NBA this season, Nat Newell of the Indianapolis Star notes. He signed a two-year contract with AEK Athens in July. The 6’6” Vaulet was originally drafted by Charlotte in 2015.
Top pick Cade Cunningham sat out the Pistons‘ preseason opener against San Antonio on Wednesday, Rod Beard of The Detroit News tweets. Cunningham is recovering from a mild ankle sprain.

Warriors Notes: Poole, Wiggins, Looney, Iguodala

October 6th, 2021 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

It was just one preseason game, but Jordan Poole‘s performance on Monday vs. Portland was an incredibly positive sign for the Warriors, writes Kendra Andrews of NBC Sports Bay Area. Poole racked up 30 points – including seven 3-pointers – in just 22 minutes of action.

“This is what he’s looked like in camp,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “Not hesitating, he’s getting to the rim, playing with an unbelievable confidence … He’s earned that confidence.”

As Marcus Thompson of The Athletic writes, the Warriors explored potential trades for stars during the offseason and ultimately didn’t make a move. While Golden State isn’t expecting Poole to become an All-Star, there’s a ton of confidence within the organization that he’s poised to make a major leap and could potentially become the sort of complementary impact player the team sought on the trade market.

“He’s one of our best players,” Kerr said, per Andrews. “I think what we have to determine is how he holds up defensively with the different lineups he’s playing with. But you got a guy that explosive, you got to get him on the floor.”

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Although Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins ultimately agreed to be vaccinated, he made it clear this week that he did so reluctantly, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN. Wiggins, who said he’s the only person in his family to receive the vaccine, expressed concerns about possible long-term effects, but felt as if he had no choice but to get vaccinated. “The only options were to get vaccinated or not play in the NBA,” Wiggins said on Monday. “It was a tough decision. Hopefully, it works out in the long run and in 10 years I’m still healthy.”
John Hollinger of The Athletic isn’t expecting a big bounce-back season from the Warriors, projecting them to finish ninth in the West with a 39-43 record. Within his season preview, Hollinger also explores Golden State’s tax situation, speculating that a Kevon Looney trade could be something the team considers during the season in order to reduce its year-end bill.
Andre Iguodala was an important part of the Warriors’ title teams in 2015, 2017, and 2018, but he’ll turn 38 this season, so it’s unclear how much he’ll contribute to this year’s team, writes Kendra Andrews of NBC Bay Area. Even if they don’t get much out of Iguodala on the court, the Dubs will benefit from having his voice in the locker room, Andrews adds.

Sixers Notes: Simmons, Brogdon, Riller, Defense

October 6th, 2021 at 3:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Recent reports have indicated that Sixers star Ben Simmons and his representatives fully understand the financial ramifications of the 25-year-old’s holdout and are prepared to ride it out, but Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com hears that those financial ramifications are starting to hit home for Simmons’ camp.

According to Neubeck, after Simmons was fined approximately $360K for missing Philadelphia’s first preseason game on Monday, his reps had another conversation with the players’ union. Sources tell PhillyVoice.com that it was reiterated during that discussion that Simmons wouldn’t be able to recoup the money he loses in fines.

As Neubeck writes, Simmons would have the ability to attempt to recoup his lost salary through the arbitration process, but the general belief is that he’d be unsuccessful going that route. The only real path to getting that money back would be reaching a settlement with the 76ers, but the team will have little incentive to negotiate such a deal.

Here’s more on Simmons and the Sixers:

A source tells Neubeck that Simmons’ camp believes the development of the former No. 1 pick has been evaluated on an “accelerated timeline,” since he missed his rookie season and then was expected to be a key part of a contending team almost instantly. Most other top picks join bad teams and don’t face such intense scrutiny early in their careers, Simmons’ camp has contended. While some members of the Sixers are sympathetic to that argument, they believe it “went out the window” after he signed a maximum-salary contract, writes Neubeck.
In addition to discussing Caris LeVert, the Sixers have also inquired about Malcolm Brogdon in their trade conversations with the Pacers, tweets Jordan Schultz of ESPN. Brogdon’s name surfaced in Simmons-related rumors early in the offseason as well.
Grant Riller, who is on a two-way contract with the 76ers, suffered a torn left meniscus on Monday, a team official said today (Twitter link via Derek Bodner of The Athletic). Riller is undergoing surgery and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
Rich Hofmann of The Athletic examines the Sixers’ game plan without Simmons, particularly on defense, where last season’s Defensive Player of the Year runner-up will be missed most. “It’s a collective thing,” swingman Danny Green said. “We’re not going to leave each assignment that Ben has taken on to one person. We’re going to do it as a group.”

Pacers Sign Brad Wanamaker To Training Camp Contract

October 6th, 2021 at 2:55pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

OCTOBER 6: Having completed their trade sending Sumner to Brooklyn, the Pacers have officially signed Wanamaker to his camp contract, the team announced in a press release.

OCTOBER 5: The Pacers will sign free agent point guard Brad Wanamaker to a training camp contract, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Terms of the deal have yet to be disclosed, but it will most likely be an Exhibit 10 agreement.

As Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets, because the Pacers had a full 20-man roster, the club is likely trading away injured guard Edmond Sumner to open up a roster slot for Wanamaker. Agness suggests that Wanamaker could serve as a third point guard in Indiana’s rotation, behind starter Malcolm Brogdon and chief backup T.J. McConnell, assuming he makes the regular season roster.

Wanamaker, 32, is a journeyman reserve who started the 2020/21 season with the Warriors before being dealt to the Hornets. He averaged 5.5 PPG, 2.9 APG and 1.7 RPG across 61 games for both clubs during the year.

The 6’3″ point guard went undrafted out of Pittsburgh in 2011. He played in Europe for a variety of clubs and had stateside cameos for the then-Austin Toros in 2012 and a few Summer League rosters. Wanamaker joined the Celtics as a free agent ahead of the 2018/19 season, and stayed in Boston for two seasons before signing up with Golden State.

Nets Trade Doumbouya To Rockets, Acquire Sumner From Pacers

October 6th, 2021 at 2:06pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

OCTOBER 6: The Nets have now completed both trades, announcing in a press release that their deal with the Pacers is complete.

As we relayed earlier today, Brooklyn and Houston completed their trade on Wednesday morning, with the Rockets waiving Khyri Thomas in order to finalize the move.

OCTOBER 5: The Nets are making a pair of minor trades, according to reports. Brooklyn will send power forward Sekou Doumbouya (and his $3,613,680 salary) and an unprotected 2024 second-round draft pick to the Rockets in exchange for $110K, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link) and Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link). The Rockets will waive Doumbouya, sources inform MacMahon.

In their other deal, the Nets will receive guard Edmond Sumner and a 2025 Heat second-round draft selection from the Pacers, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via Twitter). The Nets will subsequently waive Sumner, who is set to miss the entire 2021/22 season due to a torn left Achilles tendon. The Pacers will receive the draft rights to Juan Pablo Vaulet from Brooklyn in the deal, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Both of these transactions are essentially salary dumps. The Nets and Pacers are each attaching a second-round pick in order to avoid paying a player’s guaranteed salary. Both the Rockets and Nets have trade exceptions that will enable them to take on a new player without sending one out in a deal.

The Sumner deal creates extra breathing room below the tax line for the Pacers, as Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (Twitter link). The Pacers will save $2.3MM, dipping them to $2.8MM below the luxury tax line.

Meanwhile, Marks adds (via Twitter) that the Nets will save a total of $8.1MM as a result of the two deals: $6.8MM in projected luxury tax payments and $1.29MM in salary. Marks notes that Brooklyn was able to compensate for the outgoing 2024 second-rounder owed to Houston by adding the 2025 second-rounder in the Pacers transaction. So ultimately, the star-studded Nets saved $8.1MM while not losing cumulative draft equity.

The 6’8″ Doumbouya, 20, was selected with the No. 15 pick in the 2019 draft. Last season, he averaged 5.1 PPG and 2.6 RPG in 56 games with Detroit, including 11 starts.

Marks adds (Twitter link) that Brooklyn now gains a $3.6MM trade exception via the Doumbouya deal, and will probably use the exception to add Sumner. The Pacers have gained a $2.3MM trade exception.

Luke Adams contributed to this report.

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