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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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Contract, Roster Deadlines Loom For NBA Teams

October 18th, 2021 at 8:30am CST by Luke Adams

We’re one day away from the start of the NBA’s 2021/22 regular season, making Monday the last day of the 2021 offseason. Today serves as the deadline for a number of contract- and roster-related decisions around the league. Here are the most important ones:

Rookie Scale Extensions

A total of 24 players entered the offseason eligible for rookie scale extensions. Seven of those players (Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Michael Porter Jr., Mikal Bridges, Robert Williams, and Wendell Carter Jr.) have already signed or agreed to new deals, while one (Chandler Hutchison) was waived. That leaves the following 16 players eligible to sign rookie scale extensions on Monday:

The majority of these guys won’t sign new deals until the 2022 offseason, when they’re eligible for restricted free agency. But it would be a surprise if at least a couple more players from this list don’t finalize rookie scale extensions today. Ayton, Bridges, Huerter, Jackson, and Sexton are some of the best candidates.

The deadline for rookie scale extensions is at 5:00pm central time.

Certain Veteran Contract Extensions

A veteran player who signed his current contract at least two years ago (or three years ago if it was a five-year deal) is eligible to sign an extension. That means many veterans around the NBA are eligible to sign contract extensions today, but that number will significantly drop as of tomorrow.

Once the regular season begins, only veterans in the final year of their contracts can sign extensions — a player that has multiple years remaining is no longer extension-eligible until the following offseason.

[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Veteran Contract Extension]

Let’s use the Pacers as an example. Malcolm Brogdon, Myles Turner, Caris LeVert, T.J. Warren, and Jeremy Lamb are all eligible for extensions, but of those five players, only Warren and Lamb are on expiring deals. Brogdon, Turner, and LeVert are under contract through 2022/23, so each of them could sign an extension today that covers up to three additional seasons. However, starting on Tuesday, all three will be ineligible to sign an extension until the 2022 offseason.

Someone who has a player option for 2022/23, like Wizards star Bradley Beal, could still sign a new deal during the season, but he’d have to eliminate that option to do so. Picking it up would make him ineligible to complete an extension until the 2022 offseason after today, since it would turn his contract into a multiyear deal, not an expiring one.

A small number of veterans who have 2022/23 player options won’t be able to decline them in order to sign an extension. Nets star James Harden, for instance, couldn’t replace his $47.37MM option for ’22/23 with the first year of a new extension, since he’s already earning more than the maximum, making him eligible for only a 5% raise on his current salary in an extension. That would result in a ’22/23 salary of $46.53MM, but the first-year salary in an extension can’t be lower than the player option it would replace.

That means if Harden wants to sign an extension, he’d have to pick up his player option so that his extension could begin in 2023/24. Since that would make his current contract a multiyear deal, he won’t be eligible for an extension during the season if he doesn’t finalize one today.

The deadline for veteran extensions for players on non-expiring contracts is at 10:59pm CT tonight.

Regular Season Rosters

Most teams around the NBA finalized their roster cuts on Saturday for financial reasons, as we explained over the weekend. However, today is the offiical deadline to reduce offseason rosters to the regular season limit of 15 players on standard contracts (plus two on two-way contracts).

While it’s certainly possible there will be some additional roster shuffling today as teams tweak their back-end roster spots or fill two-way openings, only two teams – the Hornets and Spurs – absolutely have to make cuts, as we detailed on Sunday.

The final day of the offseason is also the last day for teams to convert Exhibit 10 contracts into two-way deals. However, after David Duke, Malik Fitts, Tyler Cook, RJ Nembhard, Tacko Fall, and Daishen Nix had their Exhibit 10 deals converted into two-ways within the last week, there are no candidates left for this maneuver.

Finally, Monday is the last day for a free agent to be signed-and-traded. There’s no indication that any sign-and-trades are in the works.

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NBA G League Salaries To Receive Slight Increase

October 17th, 2021 at 5:47pm CST by JD Shaw

The NBA G League will increase its base player salaries from $35K to $37K this season, sources told Hoops Rumors.

Players previously made $7,000 per month — or $35K per season — numbers that will see slight growth starting with the 2021/22 season. More increases could come in future years, especially with G League players forming their own union in 2020.

Although many G League observers believe players should receive more, these salaries have improved from past years. In 2014, for example, salaries were broken down into three groups: Tier A ($25K), Tier B ($19K) and Tier C ($13K).

Some players also receive bonuses from their Exhibit 10 contracts, which reward them up to $50K if they spend at least 60 days with their team’s G League affiliate. Theoretically, a player could earn $87K when taking into account his Exhibit 10 bonus (if the full $50K is included) and G League salary.

A total of 28 teams, all of which are affiliated with an NBA franchise, will be participating in the G League’s regular season in 2021/22. This doesn’t include the G League Ignite, which is entering its second year, or the newly-added Mexico City Capitanes. The Ignite and the Capitanes will take part in the league’s new Showcase Cup, but won’t participate in the regular season.

This year’s G League draft will take place on Saturday, October 23, with the Showcase Cup tipping off on Friday, November 5. After spending last year’s shortened season in a “bubble” at Walt Disney World, the league will return to a full schedule, with a 36-game regular season set to begin on December 27.

A record 45% of players on 2020/21 opening-night NBA rosters held NBAGL experience.

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Why Many Teams Will Finalize Roster Cuts On Saturday

October 16th, 2021 at 6:43am CST by Luke Adams

NBA teams have until Monday night to officially set their rosters for the 2021/22 regular season. However, a majority of NBA teams will likely have their rosters ready to go on Saturday, with far more roster cuts expected today than on Sunday or Monday.

Why is that? Well, releasing a player today will allow him to clear waivers on Monday, before the regular season gets underway.

Players who are cut during the season are also paid for each day they spend on waivers, so a player who hits waivers on Sunday and doesn’t clear until the first day of the season on Tuesday would technically earn one day’s worth of pay, even if his salary isn’t guaranteed. A player waived on Monday would spend two regular season days on waivers.

[RELATED: 2021/22 NBA Roster Counts]

For players with partial or full guarantees, spending the first day or two of the regular season on waivers doesn’t really matter — they’re getting their full 2021/22 salary (or their partial guarantees) no matter when they’re released. But if a team waits until Monday to cut a player with a non-guaranteed salary, that team will be on the hook for two days’ worth of dead money for the player.

Two days’ worth of dead money won’t exactly break the bank — it should come in below $20K for a minimum-salary player. But most teams already know which players are in and which are out, so there’s no need to take the decision down to the wire on Monday. They’ll make those cuts today and will avoid adding extra cap charges to their books for ’21/22. Even that small amount of savings could make a difference for teams who are right around the tax line or up against a hard cap.

While many teams will make their cuts today, several clubs – including the Raptors , Hornets, Rockets, and Spurs – can afford to wait an extra day or two if they want to, since they’ll all be waiving players who have full or partial guarantees. Waiting until Sunday or Monday to make those moves won’t affect their cap outlook at all.

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2021 NBA Offseason In Review: Los Angeles Clippers

October 15th, 2021 at 10:32pm 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 Los Angeles Clippers.

Free agent signings:

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

  • Kawhi Leonard: Four years, $176.27MM (maximum salary). Fourth-year player option. Includes 15% trade kicker. Re-signed using Bird rights.
  • Reggie Jackson: Two years, $21.6MM. Includes 15% trade kicker. Re-signed using Early Bird rights.
  • Justise Winslow: Two years, $8MM. Signed using taxpayer mid-level exception.
  • Nicolas Batum: Two years, $6.5MM. Re-signed using Non-Bird rights.
  • Amir Coffey: Two-way contract.

Trades:

  • Acquired the draft rights to Jason Preston (No. 33 pick) from the Magic in exchange for the Pistons’ 2026 second-round pick and cash.
  • Acquired the draft rights to Keon Johnson (No. 21 pick) from the Knicks in exchange for the draft rights to Quentin Grimes (No. 25 pick) and the Pistons’ 2024 second-round pick.
  • Acquired the draft rights to Brandon Boston Jr. (No. 51 pick) from the Pelicans in exchange for the Kings’ 2022 second-round pick (top-54 protected) and cash ($2.5MM).
  • Acquired Eric Bledsoe from the Pelicans in exchange for Patrick Beverley, Rajon Rondo, and Daniel Oturu.

Draft picks:

  • 1-21: Keon Johnson
    • Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $12,517,291).
  • 2-33: Jason Preston
    • Signed to three-year, $4.46MM contract. Third year non-guaranteed. Signed using taxpayer mid-level exception.
  • 2-51: Brandon Boston Jr.
    • Signed to three-year, minimum-salary contract. Third year non-guaranteed. Signed using taxpayer mid-level exception.

Contract extensions:

  • Terance Mann: Two years, $22MM. Team option for 2022/23 ($1,930,681) exercised as part of agreement. Extension begins in 2023/24.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

  • Kawhi Leonard continues to recover from right ACL surgery and isn’t expected to return until at least the spring.
  • Jason Preston underwent right foot surgery and is expected to miss a significant portion of the season.
  • Hired Brian Shaw and Jay Larranaga as assistant coaches; lost assistant coaches Kenny Atkinson and Roy Rogers.
  • Broke ground on new Inglewood arena, which will be named Intuit Dome and is on track to open in 2024.

Salary cap situation:

  • Remained over the cap and above the tax line.
  • Carrying approximately $166.8MM in salary.
  • Used full taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.89MM) to sign Justise Winslow, Jason Preston, and Brandon Boston Jr.
  • Two traded player exceptions available, including one worth $8.25MM.

Lingering preseason issues:

  • The Clippers have 14 players on guaranteed contracts. If the team carries a 15th man to start the season, it will come down to Harry Giles vs. Isaiah Hartenstein.

The Clippers’ offseason:

Everything was in place for the Clippers to finally get over the hump and make the NBA Finals last season. It all fell apart when Kawhi Leonard suffered a partial tear of the ACL in his right knee during the Western Conference Semifinals.

Facing an equally banged-up Utah team, the Clippers overcame Leonard’s absence to make the conference finals, but they couldn’t get past Chris Paul and his youthful Phoenix teammates in the next round. Now, Leonard’s injury lingers into this season.

It’s uncertain whether he’ll play at all after undergoing surgery in July but that didn’t discourage the franchise from re-signing him to a maximum-salary four-year deal. The fact that Leonard chose a longer contract with no opt-out until the final season gives the front office incentive to continue building around him and Paul George, who’s locked in until at least 2024.

Given those parameters, plus tempered expectations due to Leonard’s surgery, the front office didn’t do anything drastic this offseason. The team brought back Reggie Jackson, who had a strong postseason, to run the first unit, as well as Nicolas Batum, who revived his career last season after his playing time evaporated in Charlotte.

The Clippers’ other notable additions were basically low-risk flyers on two other players who, like Jackson and Batum last season, will try to regain their old form. Eric Bledsoe will share point guard duties with Jackson after a disappointing one-year stint with the Pelicans in which he struggled to blend in with the team’s young core.

If his second go-around with the franchise doesn’t go well, the Clippers would only be on the hook for $3.9MM of Bledsoe’s $19.375MM salary for next season if they waive him next summer. In fact, it’s likely they’ll do so even if Bledsoe plays more efficiently.

Justise Winslow‘s career has been sidetracked by injuries. He struggled mightily with the Grizzlies in a 26-game stint last season after returning from a long-term hip ailment. Ideally, Winslow will give the second unit a boost with his versatility.

Keon Johnson isn’t expected to get much playing time at the NBA level in his rookie year and second-rounder Jason Preston recently underwent foot surgery which will likely sideline him for most or all of this season.

The Clippers’ upcoming season:

George says he’s ready to carry the load in all facets — scoring, defending, playmaking. He’ll need to have an MVP-caliber campaign to keep the Clippers in the postseason picture. The club really doesn’t have a lot of offensive answers if George isn’t posting 30 points a game.

Jackson, Batum and Marcus Morris are solid veterans but it’s unrealistic to think they can keep the team in contention if George has to miss significant time. Terance Mann‘s 39-point eruption in Game 6 of the conference semis showed that he can be a significant contributor if the opportunity strikes. Mann should see his playing time increase, and the coaching staff will hope to get more out of Luke Kennard, who averaged just 8.3 PPG in his first year with the club despite shooting 44.6% from deep.

It would also be a major boost if Serge Ibaka can overcome his back issues and provide steady contributions at both ends of the floor.

A best-case scenario would be for the Clippers to hang around long enough for Leonard to get back in the lineup, which would make them a dangerous playoff team. More likely, it will have to fight tooth and nail just to make the postseason, and could face an early-round exit.

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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