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Players Eligible For In-Season Veteran Extensions In 2021/22

October 22nd, 2021 at 8:21am CST by Luke Adams

As we explain in our glossary entry on veteran contract extensions, rookie scale extensions have historically been the most common form of contract extension in the NBA. However, the league’s latest Collective Bargaining Agreement loosened the rules on eligibility for veteran extensions and made them more financially advantageous, especially for players who don’t expect mega-deals.

As a result, we’ve seen a substantial bump in veteran contract extensions in recent seasons. Since the 2021/22 league year began, 14 players have signed them.

[RELATED: 2021/22 NBA Contract Extension Tracker]

For certain extension-eligible players, such as Zach LaVine, it still makes sense to wait until free agency to sign a new contract — the biggest raise LaVine can receive on an extension would be far less than the maximum contract he’d be eligible to earn on the open market.

The maximum starting salary a player like LaVine can receive in a veteran extension is up to 120% of his current salary. A player on a more modest contract can receive a maximum starting salary worth up to 120% of the NBA’s estimated average salary.

For this season, 120% of the estimated average salary would work out to a $12.4MM salary in the first year of a contract extension. A player who signs an extension that fits that bill could get up to four years and $55.56MM. Mitchell Robinson and Jalen Brunson are among the players eligible for that sort of deal.

Now that the regular season is underway, the number of veterans eligible for contract extensions has shrunk, since players with more than one year left on their contracts aren’t permitted to sign an in-season extension. But there are still a number of veterans in the final year of their respective contracts who remain eligible for extensions right up until the last day of the current league year.

Listed below are the players who meet the criteria for a veteran extension. Players who were recently traded can be extended, but they have to wait for a certain amount of time after the trade to sign a contract longer than three total years (including the current season) with a first-year raise exceeding 5%. If a player below is noted as having “limited” eligibility until a certain date, that’s why.

Typically, that “limited” extension eligibility lifts after six months, but due to the shortened 2021 offseason, that timeline has been adjusted slightly for certain players. Once a player regains his full extension eligibility, he becomes eligible to sign an extension of up to five total years (including the current season) with a 20% first-year raise.

Additionally, extension-eligible players with a player or team option for 2022/23 would have to eliminate that option year as part of an extension agreement in order to meet the necessary criteria.

With the help of information from ESPN’s Bobby Marks, here’s the full list of veterans currently eligible for contract extensions:

Atlanta Hawks

Boston Celtics

  • None

Brooklyn Nets

Charlotte Hornets

Chicago Bulls

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • None

Dallas Mavericks

Denver Nuggets

Detroit Pistons

  • None

Golden State Warriors

Houston Rockets

  • None

Indiana Pacers

Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers

  • None

Memphis Grizzlies

Miami Heat

  • None

Milwaukee Bucks

  • None

Minnesota Timberwolves

New Orleans Pelicans

  • None

New York Knicks

Oklahoma City Thunder

Orlando Magic

Philadelphia 76ers

Phoenix Suns

  • None

Portland Trail Blazers

Sacramento Kings

San Antonio Spurs

Toronto Raptors

Utah Jazz

Washington Wizards

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2021 NBA Offseason In Review: Miami Heat

October 21st, 2021 at 9:46pm 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 Miami Heat.

Free agent signings:

Note: Exhibit 9 and 10 deals aren’t included here.

  • Duncan Robinson: Five years, $90MM. Fifth-year early termination option (partially guaranteed). Re-signed as restricted free agent using Bird rights.
  • Kyle Lowry: Three years, $85MM. Acquired via sign-and-trade.
  • P.J. Tucker: Two years, $14.35MM. Second-year player option. Signed using non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
  • Max Strus: Two years, minimum salary. Second year non-guaranteed. Re-signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Gabe Vincent: Two years, minimum salary. Second year non-guaranteed. Re-signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Omer Yurtseven: Two years, minimum salary. Second year non-guaranteed. Re-signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Dewayne Dedmon: One year, minimum salary. Re-signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Udonis Haslem: One year, minimum salary. Re-signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Markieff Morris: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Victor Oladipo: One year, minimum salary. Re-signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Marcus Garrett: Two-way contract.
  • Caleb Martin: Two-way contract.

Trades:

Draft picks:

  • None

Contract extensions:

  • Jimmy Butler: Three years, maximum salary. Includes 15% trade kicker. Starts in 2023/24.
    • Note: Butler’s starting salary in 2023/24 will be the lesser amount of $45,183,960 or 35% of the ’23/24 salary cap.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

  • Victor Oladipo is recovering from quad tendon surgery and won’t play until sometime in 2022.
  • Being investigated by NBA for possible gun-jumping violation in Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade.

Salary cap situation:

  • Remained over the cap and below the tax line.
  • Carrying approximately $136.3MM in salary.
  • Hard-capped at $143MM.
  • $2,536,000 of non-taxpayer mid-level exception still available ($7MM used on P.J. Tucker).
  • Full bi-annual exception ($3,732,000) still available.

The Heat’s offseason:

The Heat engaged in Kyle Lowry trade talks with the Raptors at last season’s deadline, but ultimately couldn’t agree to terms on a deal. The team pivoted to Victor Oladipo, who appeared in just four games for Miami before missing the rest of the season due to knee and quad problems. The Heat were subsequently swept out of the playoffs in the first round by the eventual-champion Bucks.

That sounds like a disaster, but it may actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Pat Riley‘s team. The Raptors were reportedly seeking a package centered around Tyler Herro or Duncan Robinson in exchange for Lowry at the trade deadline — their asking price dropped substantially once the veteran reached free agency and decided he wanted to join the Heat.

Rather than giving up Robinson, who signed a new five-year contract with Miami, or Herro, who could be poised for a breakout year, the Heat only had to surrender Goran Dragic and Precious Achiuwa in their sign-and-trade for Lowry.

Dragic is a solid, reliable player and Achiuwa, a 2020 first-round pick, still has a good deal of upside. But Achiuwa wasn’t one of the Heat’s cornerstone building blocks like Herro, Robinson, or Bam Adebayo, and Dragic isn’t at the same level as Lowry, one of the league’s most underappreciated stars.

It’s possible the last year of Lowry’s three-year, $85MM contract will look bad by 2023, but in the short term, the 35-year-old makes the Heat a more serious contender. While Lowry’s play-making ability and outside shooting acumen will make him a nice addition to Miami’s offense, it’s his effort level, toughness, and defensive ability that make him a perfect fit for the Heat.

After acquiring Lowry, the team doubled down on those traits by dedicating most of its mid-level exception to P.J. Tucker, a versatile defender who has shown a willingness over the years to handle some of the toughest assignments on the floor, whether that means guarding an elite wing scorer or a seven-foot center.

The mid-level exception was the only bullet the Heat really had left in the chamber after committing big money to Robinson and Lowry, so it’s fair to question the decision to spend most of it on Tucker, a player who contributes next to nothing on offense. But as long as he’s sharing the floor with players like Jimmy Butler, Lowry, Adebayo, Herro, and Robinson, Miami should have enough firepower, and head coach Erik Spoelstra will be able to form some tenacious defensive lineups.

To supplement Tucker at the power forward spot, the Heat signed Markieff Morris to a minimum-salary contract. Like Tucker, Morris isn’t much of an offensive threat, but he’s a tough, versatile big man who played an important role for the champion Lakers in 2020.

In order to remain below the tax line, the Heat filled out their roster with minimum-salary players, opting not to re-sign Kendrick Nunn or use their bi-annual exception. As a result, there are some questions about the team’s depth.

With Oladipo sidelined for the foreseeable future and Udonis Haslem not expected to play much, if at all, Miami will be leaning on KZ Okpala, Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, Omer Yurtseven, Caleb Martin, and Marcus Garrett, a group of relatively inexperienced youngsters. The club will also be counting on veteran center Dewayne Dedmon to carry over his second-half performance from 2020/21.

If Dedmon plays well and a couple of the young players emerge as reliable rotation pieces, the Heat should have enough depth to get by. If not, or if there are injury issues, the club may have to ask its starters to play big regular-season minutes.

The Heat’s season:

The Heat’s top six or seven players should be able to compete with just about any other top six or seven in the NBA, which bodes well when the postseason arrives and coaches shorten their rotations. The challenge will be to get through the regular season in a safe playoff position without wearing out the veterans too much.

A realistic projection for Miami probably has them finishing in the No. 3-6 range and perhaps winning a single series before being knocked out of the playoffs. But if everything goes right, the Heat could be a legitimate threat to upset top-tier Eastern Conference teams like the Nets and Bucks and make a deeper playoff run, like they did in the Orlando bubble in 2020.

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

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Details On Starter Criteria For 2022 RFAs

October 21st, 2021 at 3:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s rookie scale, which determines the salaries first-round picks earn during their first four seasons, also dictates how much the qualifying offers will be worth for those players when they reach restricted free agency after year four. However, the value of those qualifying offers can fluctuate depending on whether or not a player has met the “starter criteria.”

Here’s how the starter criteria works in a typical year:

  1. A player who is eligible for restricted free agency is considered to have met the starter criteria if he plays at least 2,000 minutes or starts 41 games in the season before he reaches free agency.
  2. A player can also meet the criteria if he averages either of those marks in the two seasons prior to his restricted free agency. For instance, if a player started 50 games one year and 32 the next, he’d meet the starter criteria, since his average number of starts over the last two seasons is 41.

The first method of meeting the starter criteria will remain unchanged this season, but that second method will look a little different due to the truncated nature of the 2020/21 season.

For starter criteria purposes, the number of starts and minutes a player logged last season will be prorated upward by 82/72 to account for the 72-game schedule, Hoops Rumors has learned.

For example, Suns center Deandre Ayton started 69 games last season. Typically, Ayton would require 13 more starts this season to meet the starter criteria, since 82 total starts would get him to the required average of 41 over the last two seasons.

However, Ayton’s 69 starts last season came in just 72 regular season games. Prorated across a typical 82-game schedule, he would’ve made 78 starts. That means he’ll only need four starts this season to meet the starter criteria. In other words, he should get there next Wednesday, barring an injury.

Hornets forward Miles Bridges, meanwhile, only started 19 games last season, but he played 1,932 total minutes in Charlotte’s 72 games. That works out to 2,200 minutes when prorated across an 82-game schedule, meaning he’d require just 1,800 more this season in order to meet the starter criteria. Since he’s part of the Hornets’ starting five now, Bridges could also meet the criteria by simply getting to 41 starts in 2021/22.

A player’s ability or inability to meet the starter criteria can affect the value of the qualifying offer he receives as a restricted free agent, as follows:

  • A top-14 pick who does not meet the starter criteria will receive a qualifying offer equal to the amount the 15th overall pick would receive if he signed for 120% of the rookie scale.
  • A player picked between 10th and 30th who meets the criteria will receive a qualifying offer equal to the amount the ninth overall pick would receive if he signed for 120% of the rookie scale.
  • A second-round pick or undrafted player who meets the criteria will receive a qualifying offer equal to the amount the 21st overall pick would receive if he signed for 100% of the rookie scale.
  • For all other RFAs, the standard criteria determine the amounts of their qualifying offers.

In most cases, a qualifying offer is a mere placeholder that allows a team to retain its right of first refusal on a restricted free agent — very few players actually accept the one-year offer. Still, a player who fails to meet the starter criteria could have his free agency reshaped by an adjusted qualifying offer.

For instance, Kings big man Marvin Bagley III would be in line for a qualifying offer worth $14,762,309 if he meets the starter criteria or just $7,228,448 if he doesn’t.

Bagley would need to start 35 games this season in order to meet the starter criteria, which might be a long shot, given that he’s out of the rotation for now. Still, a $7.2MM qualifying offer could be more palatable to the Kings – or whichever team has him on its roster by the end of the 2021/22 season – than a $14.8MM one would be. Somewhat paradoxically, Bagley may have a better chance of actually receiving his QO if he starts fewer games this season.

Collin Sexton (Cavaliers), Lonnie Walker (Spurs), Donte DiVincenzo (Bucks), and Josh Okogie (Timberwolves) are some of the other top candidates to meet the starter criteria this season. We’ll be keeping an eye on them and the rest of 2022’s RFAs-to-be over the next several months.

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NBA Teams With Open Roster Spots

October 21st, 2021 at 9:40am CST by Luke Adams

With the NBA regular season underway, most teams are taking full advantage of their ability to carry up to 17 players, including 15 on standard contracts and a pair on two-way deals. As our roster counts page shows, 23 of the league’s 30 teams have full 17-man squads.

Most of the teams not carrying a 15th player on a standard contract are either over the luxury tax line or are bumping up against it, and have opted for financial savings for now. Those clubs are all decent bets to add a 15th man by season’s end, but likely won’t be in any rush to do so unless they face depth issues.

Here are the teams that are currently carrying just 14 players on their standard rosters:

  • Miami Heat
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • Utah Jazz

Of these six teams, three – the Bucks, Blazers, and Jazz – project to be taxpayers, while the Heat and Wolves would go over the tax line if they were to add a 15th man. The Suns are the only team in this group with no pressing tax concerns.

Meanwhile, there are two teams with an open two-way contract slot:

  • Orlando Magic
  • Phoenix Suns

The Magic’s inclusion here is a little surprising. They’re a rebuilding team with their own G League affiliate — it seems as if they’d benefit from taking a shot on a young prospect with that spot, and perhaps they will soon.

It’s less surprising that Phoenix is on this list. The Suns sold their G League affiliate last year, so they don’t have their own NBAGL team where they could send two-way players. Phoenix’s lone two-way player, Chandler Hutchison, will essentially serve as the team’s de facto 15th man for the time being.

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2021 NBA Offseason In Review: Memphis Grizzlies

October 20th, 2021 at 8:27pm CST by Dana Gauruder

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 Memphis Grizzlies.

Free agent signings:

Note: Exhibit 9 and 10 deals aren’t included here.

  • Killian Tillie: Two-way contract. Accepted qualifying offer as restricted free agent.
  • Yves Pons: Two-way contract.

Trades:

  • Acquired Eric Bledsoe, Steven Adams, the draft rights to Ziaire Williams (No. 10 pick), the draft rights to Jared Butler (No. 40 pick), and the Lakers’ 2022 first-round pick (top-10 protected; from Pelicans) in a three-team trade in exchange for Jonas Valanciunas (to Pelicans), the draft rights to Trey Murphy (No. 17 pick; to Pelicans), the draft rights to Brandon Boston (No. 51 pick; to Pelicans), and the draft rights to Tyler Harvey (to Hornets).
  • Acquired the draft rights to Santi Aldama (No. 30 pick) from the Jazz in exchange for the draft rights to Jared Butler (No. 40) pick, the Grizzlies’ 2022 second-round pick, and the Grizzlies’ 2026 second-round pick.
  • Acquired Sam Merrill, either the Pacers’, Cavaliers, or Jazz’s 2024 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable), and either the Pacers’ or the Heat’s 2026 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable) from the Bucks in exchange for Grayson Allen and cash ($1MM).
    • Note: If the Cavaliers’ and Jazz’s 2024 second-round picks are the two most favorable of the three, the Grizzlies would acquire the least favorable of those two picks.
  • Acquired Patrick Beverley, Rajon Rondo, and Daniel Oturu from the Clippers in exchange for Eric Bledsoe.
    • Note: Rondo and Oturu have since been waived.
  • Acquired Jarrett Culver and Juan Hernangomez from the Timberwolves in exchange for Patrick Beverley.
  • Acquired Marc Gasol, the Lakers’ 2024 second-round pick, and cash ($250K) from the Lakers in exchange for the draft rights to Wang Zhelin.
    • Note: Gasol has since been waived.
  • Acquired Kris Dunn, Carsen Edwards, and the right to swap either the Pacers’ or Heat’s 2026 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable) for the Celtics’ 2026 second-round pick from the Celtics in exchange for Juan Hernangomez.
    • Note: Dunn and Edwards have since been waived.

Draft picks:

  • 1-10: Ziaire Williams
    • Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $19,907,925).
  • 1-30: Santi Aldama
    • Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $10,243,371).

Contract extensions:

  • Jaren Jackson Jr.: Four years, $104,720,000. Includes Exhibit 3 injury protection related to Jackson’s left knee. Starts in 2022/23.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

  • Signed general manager Zach Kleiman to a long-term contract extension.
  • Dillon Brooks fractured his left hand and will miss the start of the regular season.

Salary cap situation:

  • Went under the cap, used their cap room.
  • Carrying approximately $114.1MM in salary.
  • Full room exception ($4,910,000) available.
  • Three traded player exceptions available, including one worth $4.1MM.

The Grizzlies’ offseason:

The Grizzlies and franchise player Ja Morant got a taste of the postseason during the spring, advancing through the play-in round, then losing to the top-seeded Jazz 4-1 in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Morant averaged 30.2 PPG and 8.2 APG in the series, a sign the team can count on its point guard to ramp up his production under the spotlight of the playoffs.

Memphis’ offseason moves were designed to build on that momentum and the front office was active, though it didn’t do anything that would be considered splashy. The Grizzlies’ biggest transactions involved their frontcourt. Jaren Jackson Jr. appeared in just 11 regular-season games due to a knee injury and there was some uncertainty about whether they still viewed him as a cornerstone piece.

Memphis vanquished those doubts by handing the 22-year-old a four-year, $104.7MM contract, though the club gained a little protection through an injury clause. Jackson’s versatile offensive game and shot-blocking made such a commitment a worthwhile gamble. It was also a signal to Morant that front office plans to grow a young core around him with his potential max extension looming next offseason.

The move to bring in Steven Adams was somewhat curious. Following some solid seasons in Oklahoma City, Adams struggled to fit in with a young New Orleans team after being traded to the Pelicans last offseason. Before he suited up for the team, the Pels signed Adams to a two-year extension, which kicks in this season. The Grizzlies’ thinking is that Adams’ lack of a perimeter game won’t be a factor when paired up with a stretch four like Jackson. If all goes well, Adams should be their top rebounder while providing more physicality to their defense.

Though the Grizzlies made a number of trades, they were mainly motivated by adding to their draft capital. The most noteworthy future pick was the 2022 first-rounder they picked up from the Lakers, though naturally it figures to fall fairly low in the first round unless the Lakers are decimated by injuries this season. Memphis also owns Utah’s first-rounder in the next draft, giving the team some flexibility to maneuver and move up the draft or deal for an impact veteran.

The Grizzlies used the lottery pick they acquired in this year’s draft on an intriguing swingman in Stanford’s Ziaire Williams, though he’ll likely spend a good chunk of his rookie season developing his game in the G League.

Memphis took a flyer on another unfinished product in Jarrett Culver, the sixth pick in the 2019 draft. Still just 22, Culver never found a niche with the rebuilding Timberwolves. He could emerge as a defensive force on a playoff-caliber team.

The Grizzlies’ season:

The preseason didn’t end well for the Grizzlies, as the club revealed starting shooting guard Dillon Brooks will miss time while he continues to recover from a fractured hand. However, Memphis proved last season in Jackson’s absence that it can overcome a lengthy injury to a key player and still make the playoffs.

Naturally, the one player the Grizzlies can’t afford to lose for any extended period is Morant. As long as he’s at the controls, the team will remain in the postseason hunt. A full season from Jackson, as well as a bounce-back campaign from Adams, would also keep the franchise headed in the right direction.

Ultimately, the Grizzlies are still in need of another star at the wing position to become a serious contender. Perhaps they’ll cash in some of those extra first-rounders before the trade deadline or wait until next offseason to pursue that route. An appearance in the second round of the playoffs would probably be the ceiling for the current roster.

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

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Key In-Season NBA Dates, Deadlines For 2021/22

October 20th, 2021 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

With the 2021/22 NBA season underway, our calendar of important 2021 preseason dates and deadlines can be retired in favor of a list of the key in-season dates for the ’21/22 campaign. Here’s a breakdown of the deadlines and events that will influence player movement for the next several months across the NBA:

October 23

  • NBA G League draft.

October 25

  • NBA G League training camps open.

November 1

November 5

  • NBA G League Showcase Cup begins.

December 1

  • Priority order for waiver claims is now based on 2021/22 record, rather than 2020/21 record. Teams with the worst records receive the highest waiver priority.

December 15

December 19-22

  • NBA G League Winter Showcase and Showcase Cup championship.

December 27

  • NBA G League regular season begins.

January 5

January 7

  • Last day to waive non-guaranteed NBA contracts before they become guaranteed for the rest of the season. Salaries officially guarantee on January 10 if players haven’t cleared waivers before that date.

January 10

  • The value of teams’ unused mid-level exceptions and bi-annual exceptions begins to prorate downward by 1/174th per day.

January 15

January 20

  • Salaries for all two-way contracts become fully guaranteed.

February 1

  • Former first-round picks who were stashed overseas may sign rookie scale NBA contracts for the 2022/23 season.

February 10

  • Trade deadline (2:00pm CT).

February 18-20

  • All-Star Weekend in Cleveland.

February 28

March 1

  • Last day a player can be waived by one team and remain eligible to appear in the postseason for another team.
  • Last day for a restricted free agent to sign an offer sheet.

March 10

April 2

  • NBA G League regular season ends.

April 5

  • NBA G League playoffs begin.

April 10

  • Last day of the NBA regular season.
  • Last day players can sign contracts for 2021/22
  • Last day two-way contracts can be converted to standard NBA contracts.
  • Luxury tax penalties calculated based on payroll as of this day.

April 11

  • Playoff rosters set (2:00pm CT).

April 12-15

  • NBA play-in tournament.

April 16

  • NBA playoffs begin.

Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ and NBA.com were used in the creation of this post.

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Hoops Rumors Writers’ 2021/22 NBA Predictions

October 19th, 2021 at 3:16pm CST by Hoops Rumors

The NBA’s 2021/22 regular season will tip off on Tuesday night, as the defending-champion Bucks host the Nets in the early game and the Warriors visit the Lakers in the late game.

With opening night finally here, the Hoops Rumors writing team is sharing our predictions for the coming year.

Listed below are our picks for the Eastern and Western Conference playoff teams, the major awards, and – of course – the eventual champions. Disagree with our takes? Head down to the comment section to weigh in with your own predictions!

Luke Adams

East Eastern Finals
1 Bucks Nets over Heat
2 Nets Western Finals
3 Hawks Jazz over Lakers
4 Heat NBA Finals
5 Celtics Nets over Jazz
6 Sixers MVP
7 Knicks Kevin Durant
8 Pacers Rookie of the Year
West Jalen Green
1 Jazz Defensive Player of the Year
2 Nuggets Rudy Gobert
3 Lakers Sixth Man of the Year
4 Suns Tyler Herro
5 Mavericks Most Improved Player
6 Blazers OG Anunoby
7 Warriors Coach of the Year
8 Pelicans Michael Malone

Dana Gauruder

East Eastern Finals
1 Hawks Nets over Heat
2 Bucks Western Finals
3 Nets Jazz over Mavericks
4 Heat NBA Finals
5 Pacers Jazz over Nets
6 Celtics MVP
7 Sixers Luka Doncic
8 Bulls Rookie of the Year
West Jalen Green
1 Jazz Defensive Player of the Year
2 Suns Rudy Gobert
3 Mavericks Sixth Man of the Year
4 Nuggets Jalen Brunson
5 Lakers Most Improved Player
6 Warriors Terance Mann
7 Grizzlies Coach of the Year
8 Blazers Rick Carlisle

Arthur Hill

East Eastern Finals
1 Nets Nets over Bucks
2 Bucks Western Finals
3 Hawks Suns over Nuggets
4 Sixers NBA Finals
5 Heat Nets over Suns
6 Celtics MVP
7 Knicks Kevin Durant
8 Bulls Rookie of the Year
West Cade Cunningham
1 Suns Defensive Player of the Year
2 Jazz Rudy Gobert
3 Lakers Sixth Man of the Year
4 Mavericks Patty Mills
5 Blazers Most Improved Player
6 Nuggets Kevin Porter Jr.
7 Warriors Coach of the Year
8 Clippers Nate McMillan

Alex Kirschenbaum

East Eastern Finals
1 Nets Hawks over Nets
2 Bucks Western Finals
3 Hawks Suns over Nuggets
4 Heat NBA Finals
5 Sixers Suns over Hawks
6 Bulls MVP
7 Celtics Donovan Mitchell
8 Hornets Rookie of the Year
West Jalen Green
1 Suns Defensive Player of the Year
2 Jazz Anthony Davis
3 Nuggets Sixth Man of the Year
4 Lakers Jordan Clarkson
5 Mavericks Most Improved Player
6 Warriors Michael Porter Jr.
7 Clippers Coach of the Year
8 Grizzlies Steve Nash

Rory Maher

East Eastern Finals
1 Nets Bucks over Nets
2 Bucks Western Finals
3 Heat Suns over Mavericks
4 Hawks NBA Finals
5 Celtics Bucks over Suns
6 Sixers MVP
7 Bulls Giannis Antetokounmpo
8 Knicks Rookie of the Year
West Alperen Sengun
1 Suns Defensive Player of the Year
2 Jazz Draymond Green
3 Mavericks Sixth Man of the Year
4 Nuggets Tyler Herro
5 Warriors Most Improved Player
6 Lakers OG Anunoby
7 Clippers Coach of the Year
8 Grizzlies Monty Williams
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NBA Teams With Most, Least Roster Continuity

October 19th, 2021 at 1:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Over the last several months, dozens of NBA players have changed teams via free agency, dozens more have entered or exited the league, and a total of 35 trades have been made. After all that offseason activity, some teams will enter the 2021/22 season looking totally different than they did in the spring, while others will look pretty similar to last season’s squads.

While roster continuity is generally perceived as a sign of stability, carrying over a significant number of players from last year’s team doesn’t necessarily give a club a leg up entering a new season.

Heading into the 2020/21 season, for instance, the Pacers, Bulls, Spurs, and Magic were among the teams with the most roster continuity, but it didn’t help them make the playoffs. The Celtics and Heat were in that group too, and both clubs underachieved. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Sixers and Bucks were among the four teams with the most roster turnover — Philadelphia claimed the No. 1 seed in the East and Milwaukee won the title.

Entering the 2021/22 campaign, the Nuggets and Kings are the two teams bringing back the most players from last year’s end-of-season rosters (including two-way players), while the Lakers are – by a wide margin – the team that experienced the most roster turnover.

The Lakers are bringing back just three players from last year’s team, while no other club retained than fewer than seven players. Perhaps the fact that so many of L.A.’s newly-added players have prior experience with the team will help ease the transition this fall — three of the players who rejoined the Lakers this offseason (Dwight Howard, Rajon Rondo, and Avery Bradley) were part of the team that won a title in the Orlando bubble just over a year ago.

Here’s the total number of returning players for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, from most to fewest:

  1. Denver Nuggets: 14
  2. Sacramento Kings: 13
  3. Atlanta Hawks: 12
    Orlando Magic: 12
  4. Dallas Mavericks: 11
    Indiana Pacers: 11
    Memphis Grizzlies: 11
    Miami Heat: 11
    Minnesota Timberwolves: 11
    Philadelphia 76ers: 11
    Phoenix Suns: 11
    Utah Jazz: 11
  5. Detroit Pistons: 10
    Golden State Warriors: 10
    Houston Rockets: 10
    Los Angeles Clippers: 10
    New York Knicks: 10
    Oklahoma City Thunder: 10
  6. Charlotte Hornets: 9
    Cleveland Cavaliers: 9
    Milwaukee Bucks: 9
    New Orleans Pelicans: 9
    Portland Trail Blazers: 9
    San Antonio Spurs: 9
    Washington Wizards: 9
  7. Boston Celtics: 8
    Toronto Raptors: 8
  8. Brooklyn Nets: 7 (*)
    Chicago Bulls: 7
  9. Los Angeles Lakers: 3

* The Nets’ count includes Kyrie Irving, since he technically remains on the roster; it doesn’t include LaMarcus Aldridge, who last played for Brooklyn but didn’t finish the season with the team.

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2021 NBA Rookie Scale Extension Recap

October 19th, 2021 at 8:02am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s annual deadline for rookie scale contract extensions passed on Monday, officially bringing a record-setting extension period to an end. In total, 11 players eligible for rookie scale extensions signed new contracts this year, which is a new record, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Those deals were worth in excess of $1.1 billion, also a record, Marks adds.

We’ve seen an uptick in rookie scale extensions in recent years, but 2021 still represents an impressive high water-mark, narrowly edging out the 10 rookie scale extensions that were completed a year ago. Prior to 2020, the last time as many as 10 rookie scale extensions were completed in a single league year was back in 2006, when players like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh were signing their second NBA contracts.

Here’s a breakdown of the 11 rookie scale extensions signed before this year’s deadline, sorted by total value. In cases where we haven’t yet seen the official contract terms for the extension, we’re basing our figures on the latest reports and will update these numbers as necessary. These deals will go into effect beginning in 2022/23:

  • Luka Doncic (Mavericks): Five years, maximum salary (story). Projected value of $207,060,000. Includes fifth-year player option and 15% trade kicker.
  • Trae Young (Hawks): Five years, maximum salary (story). Projected value of $172,500,000. Projected value can increase to $207,060,000 if Young earns All-NBA honors in 2022. Includes fifth-year player option and 15% trade kicker.
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder): Five years, maximum salary (story). Projected value of $172,500,000. Projected value can increase to $207,060,000 if Gilgeous-Alexander earns All-NBA honors in 2022. Includes 15% trade kicker.
  • Michael Porter Jr. (Nuggets): Five years, maximum salary (story). Projected value of $172,500,000. Projected value can increase to $193,256,000 or $207,060,000 if Porter earns All-NBA honors in 2022. Includes partial guarantee ($12MM) in fifth year.
  • Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies): Four years, $104,720,000 (story). Includes Exhibit 3 injury protection related to Jackson’s left knee.
  • Mikal Bridges (Suns): Four years, $90,000,000 (story).
  • Kevin Huerter (Hawks): Four years, $65,000,000 (story).
  • Wendell Carter Jr. (Magic): Four years, $50,000,000 (story).
  • Robert Williams (Celtics): Four years, $48,000,000 (base value) (story). Includes $6MM in incentives.
  • Landry Shamet (Suns): Four years, $42,500,000 (story). Includes non-guaranteed third year and fourth-year team option.
  • Grayson Allen (Bucks): Two years, $17,000,000 (base value) (story). Includes $2.55MM in incentives.

Some of these extensions were no-brainers — there was never any doubt that Doncic or Young were going to get maximum-salary offers as soon as possible, for instance. Of the four maximum-salary deals, Porter’s was the most fascinating, given his injury history and the fact that the Nuggets already had two max players (Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray) on their books.

Porter showed last season that he’s rapidly becoming one of the NBA’s most talented scorers, so it made sense for Denver to lock him up. It also made sense for the team to protect itself a little, which it did by making the fifth year of the contract partially guaranteed. If Porter makes an All-NBA team or becomes a two-time All-Star, that fifth year will become fully guaranteed, which would be a win-win for player and team.

The seven non-max extensions are all interesting for their own reasons. The Grizzlies and Celtics, for example, bet heavily on players who have had some trouble staying in the court during their first three NBA seasons due to injury issues. If Jackson and Williams can stay healthy going forward, those deals should look pretty team-friendly.

Jackson’s contract does include some protection, but only if he suffers a serious left knee injury, and Memphis would have to waive him in that scenario in order to actually realize any savings. That’s not an outcome either side wants.

Shamet and Allen signed their new deals without having played in even a single regular season game for the Suns or Bucks, respectively. That’s a little unusual, but not at all unprecedented — Luke Kennard and the Clippers took the same path in 2020, and Taurean Prince and the Nets did so in 2019.

The Magic at least got a brief look at Carter last season before committing $50MM to him. It’s the third rookie scale extension Orlando has completed in the last two years, as Carter joins Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac. The team has shown a somewhat surprising willingness to commit long-term to a group of core players that have yet to all play together.

Finally, the Suns‘ deal with Bridges and the Hawks‘ agreement with Huerter have some similarities — both Bridges and Huerter are reliable role players on last year’s most surprising contenders who are getting rewarded with long-term investments.

Both look like fair deals, but it will be interesting to see whether there’s any ripple effect on other players. Is Phoenix still comfortable awarding big money to Deandre Ayton next year with lucrative new deals for Bridges and Shamet now in the books? And how will the Huerter extension impact the odds of the Hawks also extending De’Andre Hunter and/or Cam Reddish in 2022?

While 11 players signed rookie scale extensions, that leaves 12 players who were eligible for a new deal and didn’t get one (a 13th, Chandler Hutchison, was waived by the Spurs early in the offseason). Here’s the list of those players, who are now eligible to become restricted free agents during the 2022 offseason, assuming they finish their current contracts:

Ayton is the most notable name on this list, and we covered his situation in more depth in a pair of stories on Monday. He was reportedly seeking a maximum-salary extension that the Suns were unwilling to offer, so he’s headed for restricted free agency in 2022.

There aren’t many teams projected to have cap room in 2022, but Ayton should be one of the top three or four free agents on the market and would appeal to a wide range of teams due to his age and upside. If he has a strong season, he may still get that max deal he desires.

Of course, it’s worth noting that a max contract could look quite different if it comes in an offer sheet from another team rather than in an offer directly from the Suns. Based on current projections, a rival suitor could offer about $128MM over four years, while Phoenix could give Ayton in excess of $172MM over five. The Suns may be more comfortable matching an offer sheet, but it could include unfavorable terms, such as a fourth-year player option and/or a 15% trade kicker.

Bridges, DiVincenzo, Sexton, and Walker were some of the more intriguing extension candidates in this group who didn’t end up getting new deals and are now on track for restricted free agency next summer. I’d consider Bridges and Walker pretty good bets to stick with their current teams; DiVincenzo’s and Sexton’s futures are less clear. The Bucks will be in the tax and may not want to give DiVincenzo a big raise after securing Allen, while Sexton’s name popped up in some trade rumors over the summer.

The rest of these players weren’t serious extension candidates. Some – including Bamba, Knox, and Okogie – appear unlikely to even receive qualifying offers next offseason unless they show a lot more in 2021/22 than they have in their first three NBA seasons.

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2021 NBA Offseason In Review: Los Angeles Lakers

October 18th, 2021 at 8:28pm 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 Los Angeles Lakers.

Free agent signings:

Note: Exhibit 9 and 10 deals aren’t included here.

  • Talen Horton-Tucker: Three years, $30.78MM. Third-year player option. Re-signed using Early Bird rights.
  • Kendrick Nunn: Two years, $10.25MM. Second-year player option. Signed using taxpayer mid-level exception.
  • Carmelo Anthony: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Trevor Ariza: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Kent Bazemore: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Wayne Ellington: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Dwight Howard: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • DeAndre Jordan: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Malik Monk: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Rajon Rondo: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Austin Reaves: Two-way contract. Later signed to two-year, minimum-salary contract. First year partially guaranteed. Second year non-guaranteed.
  • Sekou Doumbouya: Two-way contract.
  • Jay Huff: Two-way contract.

Trades:

  • Acquired Russell Westbrook, the Bulls’ 2023 second-round pick (from Wizards), either the Wizards’ or Grizzlies’ 2024 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable; from Wizards), and the Wizards’ 2028 second-round pick in a five-team trade in exchange for Kyle Kuzma (to Wizards), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (to Wizards), Montrezl Harrell (to Wizards), and the draft rights to Isaiah Jackson (No. 22 pick; to Pacers).
  • Acquired the draft rights to Wang Zhelin from the Grizzlies in exchange for Marc Gasol, the Lakers’ 2024 second-round pick, and cash ($250K).

Draft picks:

  • None

Contract extensions:

  • None

Waiver claims:

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

  • Trevor Ariza underwent an arthroscopic debridement procedure on his right ankle and will miss the start of the season.
  • Talen Horton-Tucker underwent right thumb surgery and will miss the start of the season.
  • Signed head coach Frank Vogel to a one-year extension.
  • Hired David Fizdale and John Lucas III as assistant coaches; lost assistant coaches Jason Kidd and Lionel Hollins.
  • Mark Walter and Todd Boehly bought a 27% stake in the franchise.

Salary cap situation:

  • Remained over the cap and above the tax line.
  • Carrying approximately $154.5MM in salary.
  • $890,000 of non-taxpayer mid-level exception still available ($5MM used on Kendrick Nunn).
  • One traded player exception ($2,692,991) available.

The Lakers’ offseason:

Shortly after the Lakers’ 2020/21 season came to a disappointing early end, general manager Rob Pelinka stated that his goal was to keep the majority of the team’s core together, suggesting that he believed last season’s group would have made a deeper postseason run with some better injury luck.

Four-and-a-half months later, no team has overhauled its roster more than the Lakers, who have just three players from last year’s squad returning for the 2021/22 season. Either Pelinka’s plans changed, he wasn’t telling the full truth when he spoke to reporters in June, or his definition of the team’s “core” was much narrowed than originally believed.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis will be back, of course, as will up-and-coming guard Talen Horton-Tucker, the only one of the Lakers’ many free agents to get a new deal from the team. Los Angeles essentially chose to invest in Horton-Tucker over fellow guards Dennis Schröder and Alex Caruso, betting on the 20-year-old’s upside and ability to continue improving. The three-year, $30.78MM deal he received as a restricted free agent was, by far, the largest deal the Lakers handed out this offseason.

Horton-Tucker’s new contract wasn’t the Lakers’ biggest transactions of the summer. That honor belongs to the five-team blockbuster trade that sent Russell Westbrook to his hometown of Los Angeles, with L.A. surrendering Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and the No. 22 overall pick in this year’s draft.

It was a fascinating decision for a team that had other options. The Lakers were reportedly far down the road with the Kings in discussions on a potential Buddy Hield trade that wouldn’t have had such a significant price tag. Reports at the time suggested the Lakers would’ve been able to hang onto Caldwell-Pope and possibly even the No. 22 pick if they’d been willing to send Kuzma and Harrell to Sacramento for Hield, whose cap hit is about half of Westbrook’s.

On paper, Hield – who is one of the NBA’s most talented shooters – would seem to be a better complementary piece for a team that could have prioritized surrounding its stars with floor spacers who don’t need the ball much. Westbrook is a far more ball-dominant player and a far less effective three-point shooter.

However, the Lakers weren’t interested in a complementary piece. They wanted another star who could take some of the play-making workload off of James and Davis and who could give the team some insurance in the event that either LeBron or AD deals with injuries again. You’d rather have Hield than Westbrook taking an open three with the game on the line, but the Lakers believed Westbrook’s ability to push the pace, attack defense, get to the rim, and make plays for his teammates will ultimately benefit the team more.

Having sacrificed some depth to acquire Westbrook – and having let all of their free agents except Horton-Tucker walk – the Lakers focused on finding reliable depth on the cheap. Young point guard Kendrick Nunn received a two-year, $10MM commitment using most of L.A.’s taxpayer mid-level exception, but every other veteran signed by the team this summer got a minimum-salary deal.

That list of minimum-salary veterans consists of Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Rajon Rondo, DeAndre Jordan, Kent Bazemore, Malik Monk, Trevor Ariza, and Wayne Ellington, with undrafted rookie Austin Reaves filling out the roster on a minimum deal of his own.

Anthony, Howard, and Rondo are potential Hall-of-Famers who have accepted limited roles in recent years. Their willingness to buy in and be complementary players is great, but they’re all 35 or older and shouldn’t be leaned on for big minutes.

Ariza is another player in that 35-or-older group, and he’s already dealing with an ankle injury that will sideline him for several weeks to open the season. Jordan is still a solid rebounder and a decent defender in certain matchups, but will be played off the court in others. Ellington is a great shooter who doesn’t contribute a whole lot else.

Bazemore and Monk are two of Los Angeles’ more intriguing additions. Bazemore has been up and down in recent years, but if the Lakers get the good version of the three-and-D wing, he could end up playing a pretty major role. Monk, meanwhile, finally had a modest breakout year in 2020/21, knocking down 40.1% of his three-pointers in Charlotte. He’ll get the chance to prove the progress he made was for real.

The Lakers have constructed one of the more top-heavy rosters in the NBA, with James, Davis, and Westbrook earning nearly $121MM this season, while nine of the team’s 11 other players are on minimum-salary contracts. That will make it difficult for the team to complete in-season trades, so L.A. will have to hope that this group stays healthy and that four or five of those minimum guys can be relied upon for productive regular minutes.

The Lakers’ upcoming season:

Any team with James and Davis on its roster is a legitimate championship contender, though I’m not convinced that this year’s supporting cast is better than last year’s. The answer to that question will largely hinge on whether Westbrook’s fit is a comfortable one or an awkward one.

If the Lakers can make their Big Three work and keep those three stars relatively healthy, they should be able to get enough out of the other 11 guys to make this work. If the addition of Westbrook creates some spacing issues, or if Davis doesn’t adjust well to playing more at the five instead of the four, there could be cause for concern.

The Lakers won’t be my pick to win the 2022 Finals, but they’re a solid playoff team and one of the few NBA clubs with enough talent to compete for a title.

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

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