Community Shootaround: Potential CBA Changes
Following the Clippers’ game in Sacramento on Tuesday night, NBPA president Chris Paul caught a flight to New York to participate in Wednesday’s meeting between the league and the players’ union, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein (via Twitter). The sitdown was the latest indication that the two sides are making progress on negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
There’s plenty of optimism that the NBA and NBPA will strike a deal well before the opt-out deadline of December 15, and while we don’t know exactly what changes will be made to the CBA, we’ve gotten some hints. We’re not expecting any massive, game-changing alterations to the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, but it seems as if plenty of smaller changes will be implemented to attempt to improve the game.
The league’s rookie scale system is expected to be adjusted so that it aligns more with salary cap increases, rather than increasing at a fixed rate. Veteran contract extensions are expected to be tweaked to make them more appealing to players, giving teams a better chance to lock up potential free agents before they reach the open market. The NBA’s draft and D-League are among the other areas expected to receive attention in CBA talks.
As Howard Beck details in a piece this week at Bleacher Report, the NBA also hopes to include a mechanism in the new CBA to prevent another massive spike in the salary cap, since this year’s $24MM+ increase was viewed as problematic. According to Beck, some team executive believe a new CBA might also adjust the maximum salary concept, making it a little harder for clubs to collect multiple superstars.
For today’s Community Shootaround, we’re asking this: What one change would you like to see the NBA and NBPA make to the CBA? Do you consider it crucial to address one of the areas mentioned above, or is there another are you believe the two sides should be focused on?
Weigh in below in the comments section with your thoughts on the subject, and feel free to get creative in your answers. Got an off-the-wall idea for NBA draft lottery reform or a new-look salary cap? Share it below, even if it’s unlikely to be implemented in the next CBA.
Community Shootaround: 2016/17 NBA MVP
Stephen Curry has won each of the last two NBA Most Valuable Player awards, but his path to a third straight trophy is complicated by the arrival of another former MVP, Kevin Durant. With Durant now a Warrior, both he and Curry could see their scoring averages take a slight hit, and without a clear-cut top star leading the way in Golden State, the duo may split votes during award season.
Both players, of course, are still strong MVP candidates. Offshore betting site Bovada.lv views Curry as a top-three contender for the award, and puts Durant in the next tier behind him. Still, as the site’s odds show, there’s some uncertainty surrounding the MVP race heading into the 2016/17 season.
Russell Westbrook is Bovada’s favorite for the award, and the idea that the point guard will put up massive numbers without Durant has been a popular narrative throughout the offseason. Still, the Thunder are widely expected to take a step back in the standings. Would Westbrook’s candidacy lose steam if Oklahoma City is battling to even make the playoffs in the West?
Along with Curry, LeBron James rounds out Bovada’s top three, but there’s a belief that LeBron will play fewer minutes than ever this season after carrying the team to a title in the spring. James has racked up a ton of miles over the course of his NBA career, and with the Cavaliers clearly atop the pecking order in the East, the team may not need him to play every game, or even to play 30 minutes per game, to snag a top seed.
Bovada’s other top contenders? Anthony Davis, who is already battling an ankle issue; Kawhi Leonard, who has never ranked among the NBA’s top 10 scorers; and James Harden, whose Rockets are coming off a disappointing season. Further down the list, Paul George, Blake Griffin, Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, Carmelo Anthony, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Chris Paul are among the other top candidates, per Bovada.
What do you think? Who will be the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2016/17? Will it be a repeat winner like Curry, Durant, or LeBron, or will a new name be added to the league’s list of MVPs? Is there a long-shot candidate you think has a realistic chance to take home the hardware? Take to the comments section below to weigh in!
Community Shootaround: Duncan, KG, And Kobe
Kobe Bryant‘s final season was one of the NBA’s top stories throughout the 2015/16 season, capped with a 60-point performance in the Lakers’ regular-season finale against the Jazz. However, Bryant wasn’t the only longtime NBA star who called it a career in 2016. Tim Duncan announced his retirement in the summer, and Kevin Garnett did the same this fall.
Bryant, Duncan, and Garnett are three of the most accomplished players of the last two decades, having combined for four MVP awards, 11 NBA titles, and an incredible 48 All-Star appearances. While they were hardly at their best in 2015/16, their career résumés prior to last season were strong enough to ensure they’ll become Hall-of-Famers as soon as they become eligible.
In a community roundtable, the basketball writers at SI.com look at the three retired stars and attempt to determine which one they’ll miss the most. The trio had very different styles of play, with Garnett defined by his intensity on the court, while Duncan was more of a steady, calm presence in San Antonio. As for Kobe, his production was more unpredictable than that of the two forwards, but he also had the ability to put up 50 points on any given night.
As we enter the first NBA season since 1994/95 in which none of these three players will take the court, which one will you miss the most? Bryant, Duncan, or Garnett? Take to the comments section below to weigh in and share your thoughts on the three retiring stars.
Community Shootaround: Pistons’ PG Situation
Last week, one Central division team faced some uncertainty at its point guard spot, when the Cavaliers received news of Mo Williams‘ decision to retire, which left the team with just Kyrie Irving and Kay Felder at the point. Cleveland subsequently signed Toney Douglas to provide veteran depth, and now one of their division rivals is facing similar questions at the same position.
Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy revealed today that Reggie Jackson, who is dealing with knee tendinitis and a bone bruise, could miss up to six to eight weeks of action. According to Van Gundy, Jackson is considering treatment options and will make a decision soon (Twitter link via Keith Langlois of Pistons.com). If the point guard undergoes platelet-rich plasma therapy, his recovery timetable would be in that six-to-eight-week range, but it’s possible he’ll be back before then.
Faced with the possibility of being without Jackson for the first few weeks of the regular season, the Pistons are exploring their options. However, Van Gundy said today that it’s unlikely the team would cut one of its young players to add another point guard to provide short-term coverage (Twitter link via Langlois). He added that a trade is also unlikely, per Rod Beard of The Detroit News (Twitter link).
Still, without Jackson, the Pistons are somewhat thin at the point. Ish Smith would move into the starting role, with someone like Ray McCallum, Lorenzo Brown, or Trey Freeman potentially backing him up. McCallum and Brown are both on non-guaranteed deals, so if the team wanted to keep both players for depth purposes, it would mean waiving a player with a guaranteed contract, as Van Gundy noted today (Twitter link via Vincent Ellis of The Detroit Free Press).
Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net hears that Mario Chalmers and Steve Blake are among the players the free agents the Pistons are considering. Kendall Marshall, Andre Miller, and Kirk Hinrich are also available, and Van Gundy said that the team is keeping an eye on players on other rosters who may be cut before the regular season (Twitter link via Ellis).
What do you think the Pistons should do to address the point guard position, if anything? Are their in-house options fine, or should they add a free agent? If they sign someone, which player would be the best fit? Are Jackson’s knee issues worrisome enough that they should consider adding a veteran guard for the season, rather than for just a few weeks?
Take to the comments section below to weigh in and share your thoughts on the Pistons’ point guard situation.
Community Shootaround: Philadelphia 76ers
After a long summer of trade rumors involving Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor, the Sixers are about to begin the preseason with both players still on the roster. And so is Joel Embiid, who finally looks ready for his NBA debut after being sidelined for two years with complications stemming from a broken bone in his right foot.
The abundance of talent in the frontcourt has been the target of many critics, including Noel himself, who recently called the situation “silly” and said the team doesn’t need three starting centers. The Sixers tried to use Noel and Okafor together last season with limited success, and Embiid’s arrival only complicates that situation.
The knocks against all three have been repeated often. Noel has no shooting range and limited offensive skills in general. Okafor doesn’t play defense and had too many troubling off-court incidents as a rookie. Embiid isn’t dependable and didn’t work hard enough to rehab his injuries.
Regardless of those criticisms, all three are exceptional talents. In fact, the Sixers have done very well in each of the past four drafts. Noel probably would have been the first player taken in 2013 if not for a severe ACL tear. Embiid drew comparisons to Akeem Olajuwon in college and was picked third in 2014 behind Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker. Okafor was projected to go second in 2015, but slipped to third when the Lakers opted for D’Angelo Russell.
Then there’s the Sixer who was a No. 1 choice, Ben Simmons, who is also the latest to join the disabled list. Simmons will need surgery after breaking a bone in his right foot at Friday’s practice and could be out of action three months or more.
That brings us to tonight’s question: Will Embiid, Noel, Okafor and Simmons ever play a game together as Sixers teammates? Simmons’ injury should keep him sidelined until at least early January, and the late-February trade deadline will be approaching by then. If Embiid looks healthy early in the season, Philadelphia may pull the trigger on a deal involving Noel or Okafor, especially considering the October 31st deadline for Noel to receive a rookie contract extension. If no deal is reached, he will be a restricted free agent next summer and the Sixers may have to decide whether to match a hefty offer sheet.
Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the Sixers’ future. We look forward to what you have to say.
Community Shootaround: Nik Stauskas’ Future
In July 2015, the Sixers acquired Nik Stauskas in a trade with the Kings, just a year after Sacramento had used the 8th overall pick in the 2014 draft to land the Michigan standout. It looked like an ideal fit for Stauskas, who would get to play more minutes in Philadelphia, but wouldn’t necessarily be under any more pressure, since the Sixers weren’t viewed as a playoff contender.
For the season, Stauskas appeared in 73 games for the 76ers, starting 35 of them. He did indeed play more minutes (24.8 per game), and his other averages increased along with his playing time. However, his 8.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, and 1.9 APG marks weren’t all that impressive, and he continued to struggle with his shot, making 38.5% of his attempts from the floor, including just 32.6% from three-point range.
Heading into his third NBA season, Stauskas knows he has to take a big step forward. While he’s not likely to lose his roster spot prior to the regular season, there’s no guarantee that the Sixers will exercise his $3.81MM option for 2017/18 within the next month, so it could become a contract year for the Canadian guard.
“Coming into my third year now, I can’t really make excuses anymore, like I’m young and trying to figure things out,” Stauskas said this week, per John Smallwood of The Philadelphia Daily News. “It’s time for me to make the improvements that I’ve been trying to make over the last two years. It’s time to show that.
“I think there were times last year when I showed glimpses where I was getting to the basket well, shooting well and finishing,” Stauskas added. “But I think I let my confidence waver throughout the year. I think I am mentally stronger. I know I belong now. My first two years, there were so many times when I wondered if I belonged. I’d get to be wondering if I really belonged here. Is this where I’m meant to be? This is the first time in my NBA career where I’ve said I know I belong here. I know I can compete at this level.”
Head coach Brett Brown stressed that the team believes Stauskas still has “great potential,” and the Sixers’ backcourt isn’t nearly as crowded as its frontcourt, meaning the 22-year-old (23 next Friday) should have the opportunity to claim a significant role if he plays well. But if he struggles out of the gate, it’s not clear how much patience the Sixers will have.
What do you think? Is Stauskas poised for a breakout year, or is the former top-10 pick unlikely to be a part of the Sixers’ long-term plans? Take to the comments section below to share your opinions. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Community Shootaround: Cavs’ Point Guard Situation
When the Cavaliers announced their training camp roster on Monday morning, veteran point guard Mo Williams was one of the 20 players on the list. However, just hours later, general manager David Griffin informed the media that Williams’ agent had let him know his client had decided to retire rather than playing for one more year.
Williams’ decision puts Cleveland in a difficult spot. Currently, the only true point guards on the roster are Kyrie Irving and Kay Felder. Irving will play a lot, but the team will likely want to make sure he’s fresh for the postseason. Felder, meanwhile, is a 2016 second-round pick, and it’s not clear whether he’ll be able to play meaningful minutes out of the gate in his rookie season.
Given the Cavs’ lack of depth at the point guard spot, it comes as no real surprise that the club is considering adding a veteran player. According to a Monday evening report, Cleveland has been in touch with free agent guards like Norris Cole, Mario Chalmers, and Kirk Hinrich.
Of course, the Cavs can also rely on LeBron James to handle the ball for parts of each game, and the team does have a couple other combo guards on its roster, in Markel Brown and Jordan McRae. Brown and McRae certainly aren’t prototypical point guards, and neither player is a lock to make the roster, but if the Cavs like what they see in camp from one of those two players, they could carry them into the regular season, and perhaps count on them to spell Irving and Felder for a few minutes per game.
What do you think? Should the Cavs feel comfortable counting on Irving, Felder, and one of their other in-house guards to handle the point guard load, along with LeBron? Or does it make more sense to add a third true point guard to their roster, providing some veteran depth, as well as a safety net in case Felder isn’t ready to handle a key rotation role immediately? If they add a veteran, which player would be the best fit: Cole, Chalmers, Hinrich, or someone else?
Take to the comments section below to share your opinions on the Cavaliers’ point guard situation. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Community Shootaround: Chris Bosh
Chris Bosh‘s medical issues have created a cloud of mystery heading into the Heat’s training camp next week. Bosh believes he’s ready to return to the court, while the team wrestles with the consequences of giving him the green light after two blood clotting episodes.
Bosh had his season cut short after 44 games two seasons ago when the medical condition initially surfaced. He made it through 53 games last season before a second blood clot was discovered in his leg.
At that time, team doctors told him that his career was probably over. Bosh has resisted that diagnosis, believing that the problem can be controlled by medication without significant risk. In recent years, the NHL’s Tomas Fleischmann has taken blood thinners that leave the body quickly and allow him to play and practice.
However, the team has not cleared him to play and as ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported this week, the franchise is concerned about bringing him back over the long term. Bosh has threatened to get the NBA Players Association involved if the Heat continue to block his attempt to play again. According to another ESPN report, there is no timetable for a resolution.
There’s no question that the Heat look like a much more serious contender in the Eastern Conference with Bosh in uniform. He averaged 21.1 points and 7.0 rebounds in 2014/15 and 19.1 points and 7.4 rebounds last season.
Bosh’s $23.7MM takes a big chunk of the team’s salary cap and the team has already spent over the cap for the upcoming season. Miami’s unimposing options at power forward besides Bosh – Derrick Williams, James Johnson, Josh McRoberts and Stefan Jankovic – reinforce the notion that the Heat need Bosh in the lineup to become a viable playoff contender.
That leads us to our question(s) of the day: Should the Heat allow Chris Bosh to play again despite his blood-clotting issues? If so, do you think Bosh can make it through the season without any setbacks?
Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.
Community Shootaround: OKC Extension Candidates
Of all the players eligible for a rookie-scale extension this year, Giannis Antetokounmpo was the nearest to a lock for a maximum-salary deal. However, rather than playing hardball with the Bucks or potentially risking changes to the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement by the time he signed his new contract, Antetokounmpo agreed to an extension this week that will pay him less than the maximum. One report indicated that The Greek Freak wanted to help Milwaukee retain talent going forward.
With Antetokounmpo having settled for less than the max, Erik Horne of The Oklahoman wonders if two Thunder extension candidates – Steven Adams and Victor Oladipo – could be persuaded to do the same. While neither player is a bona-fide NBA star, the league’s rising salary cap and relative dearth of young, top-tier free agents means that both players are good bets to get a max offer if they reach restricted free agency in 2017. Whether or not either of them will receive an offer like that from the Thunder by this year’s October 31 extension deadline remains to be seen.
As Horne notes, Oladipo is reportedly seeking a max deal, while Adams has off-handedly stated that he’ll play negotiations “by ear.” We’ve examined the extension candidacy of both Oladipo and Adams, pointing out that if the Thunder want to be players in free agency in 2017, it might make sense to hold off on extensions for the duo. However, in that scenario, Oklahoma City would be more likely to have to pay the max to keep one or both players.
It also remains to be seen which player will be valued more highly by the Thunder. Adams has become a cornerstone frontcourt player for the franchise, particularly after the trade of Serge Ibaka, and his toughness and rim-protecting ability would be hard to replace. Oladipo, on the other hand, was the key piece of that Ibaka trade, and could be the backcourt partner for Russell Westbrook that OKC has long been seeking.
What do you think? Will either Adams or Oladipo be extended within the next few weeks, or will they head to restricted free agency next summer? If one or both of them signs an extension, will the Thunder be able to lock them up at a reasonable price, avoiding the max?
Take to the comments section below to share your opinions on the Thunder’s pair of of extension candidates. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Community Shootaround: First $200MM NBA Player?
The Grizzlies signed Mike Conley to the largest contract in NBA history this summer, locking up the point guard for the next five seasons to the tune of $153MM. Conley hit the open market at the perfect time, with Memphis owning his Bird rights and the league’s salary cap jumping from approximately $70MM in 2015/16 up to $94,143,000 as a result of the new TV deal kicking in this season. With the cap expected to continue its upward trend over the next few seasons, Conley’s deal should soon be eclipsed. Salary cap expert Larry Coon writing for ESPN.com in an Insider only piece, took a stab at predicting who the first player to eclipse the $200MM total value mark will be.
It will require a specific set of criteria for a player to hit that staggering benchmark, according to Coon. A player would need to have 10 years of NBA service time, be 31 years of age or younger and re-sign for five-years with a team that holds his full Bird rights, Coon notes. If you are wondering which players might fit that criteria, Coon has you covered, noting that the likeliest to be in line for that jackpot are:
The next tier of players who could be in line to surpass the $200MM mark, according to Coon, are:
It should be noted that Coon isn’t suggesting that all of these players are worthy of that amount, but merely that they will meet his stated criteria and could be in line to sign five-year, maximum salary deals which could surpass the magical $200MM line.
Also, for those wondering why LeBron James isn’t on this list, he’s currently 31 years old and unless the next Collective Bargaining Agreement does away with the over-36 rule, he’s not eligible. The rule, as explained by Coon, states that: “In an Over-36 contract, the presumption is that the seasons at the end of the contract are likely to come after the player retires. Therefore, the salaries in those seasons are classified as deferred compensation. This is significant because deferred compensation is charged to team salary in the year it is earned, not the year it is paid.”
So here’s the question/topic of discussion for this evening: Which of the listed players do you believe will surpass the $200MM mark on their next contract? Who, if any, do you feel are worthy of pulling down that kind of salary?
Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.