- Hawks sharpshooter Marco Belinelli will be eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2018, and recently told Massimo Lopes Pegna of La Gazzetta dello Sport (English link via Sportando) that his goal is to sign a two- or three-year contract. Belinelli left the door open for a possible return to Europe down the road, but it would be a surprise if he left the NBA anytime soon — he’s still just 31 years old, and his .393 3PT% will appeal to potential suitors.
Nearly every NBA team has at least one or two players who will become trade-eligible this month, starting on December 15. In total, approximately 100 players around the NBA who aren’t currently eligible to be moved will have those restrictions lifted before the end of the month. That’s nearly one quarter of the league’s players.
Those trade restrictions apply to players who recently signed new contracts, so in most cases their teams probably aren’t clamoring to shop them. After all, by mid-December, those players will only have spent about two months of regular-season action on their new deals — even rebuilding teams may want a little more time than that with their recently-signed players to assess whether they’ll be part of the club’s future.
Still, a look through the list of players who will become trade-eligible in December – either on the 15th or later in the month – reveals a few interesting names. Here are some players worth keeping an eye on when their trade restrictions lift:
- Nerlens Noel, C (Mavericks): As a player who signed his qualifying offer, Noel would lose his Bird rights if he’s traded, so he has the ability to veto any deal the Mavericks might want to make. Still, the situation in Dallas has turned out to be even more unfavorable for Noel than the one he experienced in Philadelphia, increasing the odds that he’d waive his no-trade clause if the opportunity arose. Noel has averaged just 12.5 minutes per game this season, and with unrestricted free agency looming in 2018, a long-term union with the Mavs no longer appears likely.
- Alex Len, C (Suns): Len is in a similar situation to Noel, having settled for signing his qualifying offer after failing to find a suitable multiyear deal. He also has veto rights on any deal, but might be willing to accept a trade to a team that would give him more consistent playing time — his minutes have fluctuated significantly in recent weeks and he expressed frustration after not playing at all in a couple games. Trading Greg Monroe or Tyson Chandler would help clear the Suns’ logjam at center and could save the team more money, but it might be easier to find a deal involving Len and his inexpensive expiring contract.
- Derrick Rose, PG (Cavaliers): After accommodating Rose’s recent stint away from the team and working to reintegrate him, the idea of trading the point guard may not appeal to the Cavaliers. But it may be the best move for his career. The Cavs have thrived in Rose’s absence, and with Isaiah Thomas due back soon, it’s no longer clear how the former MVP fits into Cleveland’s rotation. If Rose is satisfied with sitting on the bench and waiting for an opportunity, the Cavs could keep him around, but if he wants to play, a trade may be his best path to consistent minutes.
- Amir Johnson, F/C (Sixers): There’s no indication that the Sixers are in any way dissatisfied with Johnson or have any interest in moving him. However, his contract makes him an intriguing trade chip if the Sixers want to make a move before the deadline. At $11MM, Johnson’s salary is an ideal mid-sized amount for potential salary-matching, and because it expires at season’s end, it would be more appealing to a trade partner than Jerryd Bayless‘ deal, which is guaranteed through 2018/19. I’m not expecting Johnson to be moved, but if the team tries to make an impact trade, his name figures to pop up in rumors.
- Dewayne Dedmon, C (Hawks): Dedmon, currently sidelined due to a tibia stress reaction, should be healthy and back on the court well before the trade deadline, barring any setbacks. The veteran center had been enjoying a career year before he went down, with 11.1 PPG and 7.8 RPG in a modest 24.4 minutes per contest. The 5-18 Hawks clearly aren’t contenders this season, making them probable sellers at the deadline, and Dedmon could be the club’s most appealing trade piece. He’s not expensive, at $6MM, and if he continues to play well, he’s a good bet to turn down his $6.3MM player option for next season, which means now would be the time for Atlanta to get something for him. His rim-protecting and rebounding ability could make him a nice, lower-risk target for a team that misses out on an impact center like DeAndre Jordan.
Note: Len becomes trade-eligible on December 23, while the other four players listed above become trade-eligible on December 15.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Here are Saturday’s G League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:
- The Nets have assigned guard Isaiah Whitehead to their affiliate, the Long Island Nets, the team announced in a press release on Sunday. Whitehead has averaged 6.3 PPG, 1.6 RPG and 1.8 APG in eight games with Brooklyn this season.
- The Timberwolves have assigned center Justin Patton to their affiliate, the Iowa Wolves, according to the team’s media relations department (via Twitter). The Timberwolves acquired the draft rights to the 20-year-old Patton in the same deal that sent Jimmy Butler to Minnesota, but he has yet to play this season due to surgery on his left foot.
- The 76ers have recalled guard Furkan Korkmaz from their affiliate, the Delaware 87ers, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter). Korkmaz has appeared in five games for the Sixers this season.
- The Hawks have recalled forward Nicolas Brussino from their affiliate, the Erie Bayhawks, per Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). Brussino has appeared in four games for Atlanta this season.
With Dewayne Dedmon and John Collins sidelined by injuries, Miles Plumlee made his first start today since joining the Hawks, notes Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Plumlee, who was part of Atlanta’s return from the Hornets in this summer’s Dwight Howard trade, had to overcome a right quad injury last month. He had played just two games for Atlanta before today’s start, which saw him post six points and seven rebounds in 19 minutes.
- Rookie power forward Tyler Cavanaugh may also see more playing time in the absence of Dedmon and Collins, Cunningham adds in the same story. The 23-year-old, who signed a two-way deal with the Hawks in early November, is mainly a stretch four, but was used in a lineup today with a point guard and three wings. Cunningham expects that alignment to continue until the front line is at full strength.
- After being assigned to the Erie BayHawks back on November 26, the Hawks have recalled guard Tyler Dorsey back to the team for this afternoon’s game against the Nets, per an official press release from the team. In seven games with the BayHawks, Dorsey is averaging 17.4 PPG.
The Hawks will be without rookie big man John Collins for at least a couple weeks, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical, who reports that Collins has a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder. While an MRI revealed no tear, the young center is expected to be sidelined for sidelined for two or three weeks, per Charania.
While Collins’ ailment shouldn’t be a long-term issue, it’s bad news for a Hawks team that’s already missing starting center Dewayne Dedmon and veteran big man Mike Muscala. While Muscala may return soon, Dedmon is expected to be out for three to six weeks, so Atlanta will likely have to lean on bigs like Miles Plumlee and two-way player Tyler Cavanaugh for the first half of December.
Hawks center Dewayne Dedmon is expected to be sidelined for the next three to six weeks due to a left tibia stress reaction, the team announced today in a press release. That timeline would put Dedmon on track to return in mid- to late-December at the earliest.
Dedmon, 28, inked a two-year, $12.3MM contract with the Hawks back in July. That deal includes a second-year player option worth $6.3MM, so any health issues Dedmon experiences this season could have an impact on whether or not he picks up that option.
So far, Dedmon has been enjoying a career year as the Hawks’ starting center. The former USC standout is playing a career-high 24.4 minutes per game, and his efficiency hasn’t taken a hit as he has assumed that increased role. In 20 games, he has recorded 11.1 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and a .601 FG%.
With Dedmon sidelined, rookie John Collins figures to see more time at center. Miles Plumlee, Ersan Ilyasova, and Luke Babbitt are among the other candidates to receive more minutes in the frontcourt with Mike Muscala still on the shelf as well.
Here are the G League moves from around the NBA today:
- The Grizzlies recalled forwards Jarell Martin and Ivan Rabb from their Memphis Hustle affiliate, the team announced on its website. Martin, who was sent down Saturday, has played 17 games for the Grizzlies and two for the Hustle. Rabb has appeared in six G League games this season and just one in the NBA.
- The Cavaliers have recalled Cedi Osman and Ante Zizic from the Canton Charge one day after they were assigned to the G League team. Both played in Saturday’s game against Long Island, with Osman posting 21 points and eight rebounds and Zizic adding 14 points and seven boards.
- The Hawks assigned rookie guard Tyler Dorsey to their Erie affiliate, tweets Michael Cunningham of The Journal Constitution. Dorsey has played seven games for Atlanta and is averaging 2.3 points per night.
- The Hawks may have found themselves a diamond in the rough in the form of two-way contract signee Josh Magette. ESPN’s Ian Begley tweets that the undrafted rookie, who just posted four points, four rebounds and five assists in 15 minutes on Wednesday, has already impressed people around the league.
There are 25 players around the NBA playing on 2017/18 salaries that aren’t yet fully guaranteed. While having those salaries guaranteed will be a mere formality for some players, others may be at risk of losing their roster spot with decision day nearing. If teams keep non-guaranteed players under contract beyond January 7, their salaries will become guaranteed for the season on January 10, so clubs still have more than a month to decide whether to lock in these players’ full-season salaries.
Listed below is the team-by-team breakdown of the players who are still on non-guaranteed salaries or partially guaranteed salaries. Unless otherwise indicated, each of these players is set to earn the minimum. Partial guarantees are noted if they exceed a player’s prorated salary to date. Any teams not listed below are only carrying players with fully guaranteed salaries.
Atlanta Hawks
- Luke Babbitt: Partial guarantee of $987,080.
- Isaiah Taylor
Brooklyn Nets
Charlotte Hornets
Chicago Bulls
- Kay Felder: Partial guarantee of $456,529.
- David Nwaba
Dallas Mavericks
- Dorian Finney-Smith
- Devin Harris: Partial guarantee of $1,339,662.
- Full salary: $4,402,546
- Jeff Withey: Partial guarantee of $350,000.
Detroit Pistons
- Eric Moreland: Partial guarantee of $1,000,000.
- Full salary: $1,739,333
Houston Rockets
Indiana Pacers
Los Angeles Lakers
Milwaukee Bucks
Minnesota Timberwolves
- Marcus Georges-Hunt: Partial guarantee of $275,000.
New York Knicks
Oklahoma City Thunder
Orlando Magic
- Khem Birch: Partial guarantee of $407,808.
Philadelphia 76ers
Phoenix Suns
San Antonio Spurs
Toronto Raptors
Utah Jazz
Washington Wizards
- Sheldon Mac
- Note: Mac is recovering from a torn Achilles and will continue to be paid his full-season salary until he’s cleared to return.
To keep tabs on these 25 players over the next several weeks, be sure to check back on our regularly-updated lists of salary guarantee dates and of non-guaranteed contracts.
Photos courtesy of Getty Images and USA Today Sports Images. Information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post.