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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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2021 NBA Offseason In Review: Indiana Pacers

October 14th, 2021 at 8:30pm 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 Indiana Pacers.

Free agent signings:

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

Trades:

  • Acquired the draft rights to Isaiah Todd (No. 31 pick) from the Bucks in exchange for the draft rights to Sandro Mamukelashvili (No. 54 pick), the draft rights to Georgios Kalaitzakis (No. 60 pick), 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).
    • Note: If the Cavaliers’ and Jazz’s 2024 second-round picks are the two most favorable of the three, the Bucks would acquire the least favorable of those two picks.
  • Acquired the draft rights to Isaiah Jackson (No. 22 pick; from Lakers) in a five-team trade in exchange for Aaron Holiday, the draft rights to Isaiah Todd (No. 31 pick), and cash ($1MM).
    • Note: All of the Pacers’ outgoing assets were sent to the Wizards.
  • Acquired the Spurs’ 2023 second-round pick (top-55 protected) in exchange for Doug McDermott (sign-and-trade), the Pacers’ 2023 second-round pick (top-55 protected), and the right to swap their own 2026 second-round pick for either the Pacers’ or the Heat’s 2026 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable).
    • Note: The Pacers created a $7,333,333 trade exception in the deal.
  • Acquired the draft rights to Juan Pablo Vaulet from the Nets in exchange for Edmond Sumner and the Heat’s 2025 second-round pick (top-37 protected).

Draft picks:

  • 1-13: Chris Duarte
    • Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $17,704,528).
  • 1-22: Isaiah Jackson

    • Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $12,156,661).

Contract extensions:

  • None

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

  • Hired Rick Carlisle as head coach to replace Nate Bjorkgren.
  • Hired Lloyd Pierce, Ronald Nored, Mike Weinar, Jenny Boucek, and Jannero Pargo as assistant coaches; lost assistant coaches Kaleb Canales and Greg Foster.
  • T.J. Warren remains sidelined indefinitely while recovering from his left foot injury and is expected to miss the start of the season.
  • Caris LeVert is dealing with a stress fracture in his back and is expected to miss the start of the season.

Salary cap situation:

  • Remained over the cap and below the tax line.
  • Carrying approximately $133.5MM in salary.
  • $4,657,951 of non-taxpayer mid-level exception still available ($4,878,049 used on Torrey Craig).
  • Full bi-annual exception ($3,732,000) still available.
  • Four traded player exceptions available, including one worth $7.3MM.

Lingering preseason issues:

  • The Pacers have 12 players on guaranteed contracts, with six – including Kelan Martin, Oshae Brissett, and Brad Wanamaker – on non-guaranteed deals. The Pacers could retain three of those non-guaranteed players or just two if they want to keep their 15th roster spot open.
  • Malcolm Brogdon, Caris LeVert, and Myles Turner are eligible for veteran contract extensions until October 18.
  • T.J. Warren and Jeremy Lamb are eligible for veteran contract extensions all season.

The Pacers’ offseason:

It was a disastrous 2020/21 season in Indiana, where the Pacers – who cited former head coach Nate McMillan‘s lack of postseason success when they let him go – underperformed to such an extent that they didn’t even make the playoffs under new coach Nate Bjorkgren, losing a play-in game to Washington to end their season.

Injuries could be blamed at least in part for the Pacers’ letdown of a year. Key players like Myles Turner, Domantas Sabonis, and Malcolm Brogdon all missed double-digit games. T.J. Warren was sidelined for nearly the entire season. And Caris LeVert, acquired in the four-team trade that sent Victor Oladipo to Houston, was forced out of action when he was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma of his left kidney following what was supposed to be a routine physical.

Still, Bjorkgren, a veteran assistant coach, didn’t adjust well to the top job, rubbing those in the organization the wrong way with an abrasive approach to leadership. The Pacers parted ways with him after just one year, with president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard acknowledging he made the wrong call in last year’s head coaching search.

This time around, the coaching search was far narrower in its scope, as the Pacers zeroed in quickly on a familiar face. Rick Carlisle, who coached the team from 2003-07, has returned to Indiana and will try to get a team that had five consecutive playoff appearances prior to 2021 back on track.

The Pacers appear to be betting heavily on Carlisle’s ability to get more out of the team’s core players than Bjorkgren did last season. Despite some rumblings that the front office would consider trading Turner, Brogdon, or another one of Indiana’s other starters, the club actually had a fairly quiet offseason in terms of player movement.

The biggest name to be traded was Aaron Holiday, who never gained the sort of role he wanted in Indiana and had been the subject of trade rumors for a while. The Pacers sent him to Washington in a deal for the No. 22 pick, which was used on Kentucky center Isaiah Jackson.

Unlike No. 13 overall pick Chris Duarte, Jackson probably isn’t ready for regular minutes as a rookie. While the Pacers raved about the big man’s energy and athleticism during training camp, he’s still just 19 years old, nearly five full years younger than Duarte, who was viewed as one of the most NBA-ready players in the 2021 draft class. There’s no reason the former Oregon sharpshooter can’t become a fixture in Indiana’s rotation immediately, and he should provide a boost to a team that ranked in the middle of the pack in three-point attempts and percentage last season.

Duarte’s ability to hit outside shots and space the floor will be crucial, since Indiana lost Doug McDermott, one of the NBA’s top marksmen. McDermott had a career year in 2020/21, but entering the free agent period, there was a sense that his price tag would be too high for the Pacers, who were expected to prioritize re-signing point guard T.J. McConnell. That turned out to be the case — while Indiana got McConnell back on a deal that pays him $8.4MM annually, McDermott signed for nearly $14MM per year in San Antonio.

The Pacers will miss McDermott’s shooting, but if Duarte proves he’s ready to contribute immediately, the drop-off shouldn’t be too significant, and the team was able to re-sign McConnell and add free agent wing Torrey Craig for a lesser combined cap hit than McDermott’s. McConnell and Craig are tough veterans who will help stabilize a defensive unit that experienced a dip in production last season after back-to-back top-six finishes.

The Pacers’ upcoming season:

Indiana is counting on Carlisle’s influence and some better injury luck to fuel a bounce-back year in 2021/22. Even if they’re right about Carlisle’s potential impact, there are early signs that the injury bug that plagued the Pacers a year ago isn’t done with the team yet.

LeVert and T.J. Warren aren’t expected to be ready for the start of the season, Brogdon is banged up, and underrated wing Edmond Sumner sustained an Achilles tear that prompted the club to trade him in a salary-dump deal in order to create some extra breathing room below the tax line.

There’s enough talent on the Pacers’ roster that a return to the postseason in 2022 is a very realistic goal, especially if Carlisle can get more out of the Turner/Domantas Sabonis frontcourt pairing than his predecessors did. But Indiana’s offensive upside is limited if Warren and/or LeVert aren’t at 100%, and it’s hard to shake the feeling that some personnel changes may be required to unlock the full potential of the roster.

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

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2021 NBA Offseason In Review: Houston Rockets

October 14th, 2021 at 1:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

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 Houston Rockets.

Free agent signings:

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

  • Daniel Theis: Four years, $35.61MM. Fourth-year team option. Acquired via sign-and-trade.
  • David Nwaba: Three years, $15.07MM. Third-year team option. Re-signed using Early Bird rights.
  • Dante Exum: Three years, $15MM. Second and third years non-guaranteed. Base value of $7.5MM, with $7.5MM in likely incentives and $1.22MM in unlikely incentives. Re-signed using Bird rights.
  • Anthony Lamb: Two-way contract. Accepted two-way qualifying offer as restricted free agent.

Two-way conversions:

  • Armoni Brooks: Four years, minimum salary. Second and third years non-guaranteed. Fourth-year team option. Converted using mid-level exception.

Trades:

  • Acquired the draft rights to Alperen Sengun (No. 16 pick) from the Thunder in exchange for the Pistons’ 2022 first-round pick (top-16 protected) and the Wizards’ 2023 first-round pick (top-14 protected).
  • Acquired Daniel Theis (sign-and-trade) from the Bulls in exchange for cash ($1.1MM).
  • Acquired Sekou Doumbouya and the Nets’ 2024 second-round pick from the Nets in exchange for cash ($110K).
    • Note: Doumbouya has since been waived.

Draft picks:

  • 1-2: Jalen Green
    • Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $40,808,448).
  • 1-16: Alperen Sengun
    • Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $15,550,974).
  • 1-23: Usman Garuba
    • Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $11,805,395).
  • 1-24: Josh Christopher
    • Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $11,463,215).

Contract extensions:

  • None

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

  • The Rockets and John Wall agreed that he’ll sit out of games as the team works to find him a new home.
  • Hired Chris Wallace and Matt Bullard in front office roles.

Salary cap situation:

  • Remained over the cap and below the tax line.
  • Carrying approximately $131.9MM in salary.
  • $8,046,935 of non-taxpayer mid-level exception still available ($1,489,065 used on Armoni Brooks).
  • Full bi-annual exception ($3,732,000) still available.
  • Two traded player exceptions available, including one worth $1.8MM.

Lingering preseason issues:

  • The Rockets have 16 players with guaranteed contracts, so someone will needed to be traded or released before the regular season begins.
  • John Wall is technically eligible for a veteran contract extension until October 18, though he’s more likely to be traded or bought out than extended.
  • Danuel House is eligible for a veteran contract extension all season.

The Rockets’ offseason:

After eight straight years in the playoffs, the Rockets stumbled into an unwanted rebuilding process last season. James Harden came to training camp with trade demands and intensified them until the team had no choice but to move him in mid-January. He was sent to Brooklyn for a package that was loaded with future draft picks, but didn’t offer much immediate help. What followed was a free fall that left Houston with the league’s worst record at 17-55.

The first step toward rebuilding came with a little bit of luck on lottery night. Faced with the prospect of losing their first-round pick to the Thunder if it dropped out of the top five, the Rockets landed the No. 2 selection and used it to draft Jalen Green, an electrifying scorer from the G League Ignite who brings a mix of shot-making and athleticism that prompts some scouts to view him as a future contender for the scoring title.

Houston had two other first-round selections in hand from previous trades, then made another deal on draft night, sending two future picks to Oklahoma City for the chance to draft center Alperen Sengun at No. 16. The Turkish League MVP combines with Green and fellow first-rounders Usman Garuba and Josh Christopher to give the Rockets a collection of young talent to build around.

Houston was relatively quiet on the free agent market, but the team did land center Daniel Theis in a sign-and-trade with the Bulls that wound up being a straight cash deal. Theis brings a rugged interior presence that the Rockets didn’t have last season and frees up big man Christian Wood to spend more time on the perimeter.

Outside of the draft, the major news of the offseason was an agreement with John Wall that will keep the veteran guard off the floor until management can trade him. Wall’s hefty salary — he’s owed $44.3MM this season and has a $47.4MM player option for 2022/23 — and his injury history have made it tough to find a trading partner, and the Rockets have expressed a reluctance to attach any first-round picks or take back unwanted salary in return. Unless that changes, or both sides decide a buyout is in their best interest, Wall will serve as a virtual assistant coach while Kevin Porter Jr. takes over at point guard.

Also facing an uncertain future in Houston is Eric Gordon, who will turn 33 in December and doesn’t fit the rebuilding timeline. Gordon, one of the few veterans who wasn’t moved last season, is reportedly open to being traded, and there were rumors that he might be on the move before the draft. The Rockets gave Gordon a new contract while they were still contenders, and it will pay him $18.2MM this season and $19.5MM next year, with a non-guaranteed $20.9MM salary for 2023/24. The team wouldn’t mind getting that money off its books, but as long as he remains in Houston, Gordon will join Wall in serving as a mentor to the young players, although he’ll be able to do some of his teaching on the court.

The Rockets see Porter as their answer at point guard and a perfect backcourt partner for Green. The team sent Porter to the G League to learn the position after trading for him last season, and he showed plenty of promise in 26 games after being recalled. The front office believes Porter, Wood, Kenyon Martin Jr. and Jae’Sean Tate provide a good core to complement this year’s draft haul.

Defensive lapses were a recurring issue last season, and the Rockets tried to address them by re-signing two veterans who excel on that end of the court. David Nwaba, who bounced back from a torn Achilles tendon to play 30 games last season, was rewarded with a three-year deal. Dante Exum also received a three-year contract, but because of his injury-filled past, it’s loaded with incentives and only carries a $2.5MM guarantee.

The Rockets’ upcoming season:

The Rockets may not win much more than they did last season, but it feels like the franchise is pointed in the right direction. Head coach Stephen Silas suffered through a chaotic first year on the job as roster moves, COVID-19 and a slew of injuries forced him to adjust his lineup nearly every game.

Player development will be the focus of the upcoming season as all four of Houston’s first-round picks are 19 years old. No matter how good they turn out to be, they’ll need time to adjust to the pace and talent level of the NBA. Garuba and Christopher may spend part of their rookie season in the G League to get regular playing time.

The Rockets appear headed back to the lottery, but the upcoming season offers a chance to further shape their future. Finding deals for Wall and Gordon will be a priority as the team hopes to create more opportunities for its young players and create some cap flexibility going forward. The offseason brought plenty of hope to Houston fans, but they may have to wait longer for the team to start winning again.

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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2021 NBA Offseason In Review: Golden State Warriors

October 13th, 2021 at 10:10pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

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 Golden State Warriors.

Free agent signings:

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

  • Nemanja Bjelica: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Andre Iguodala: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Otto Porter: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Chris Chiozza: Two-way contract.

Trades:

  • Acquired the Grizzlies’ 2026 second-round pick (top-42 protected) from the Jazz in exchange for Eric Paschall.

Draft picks:

  • 1-7: Jonathan Kuminga
    • Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $24,855,347).
  • 1-14: Moses Moody
    • Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $17,024,109).

Contract extensions:

  • Stephen Curry: Four years, $215,353,662. Includes 15% trade kicker. Starts in 2022/23.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

  • Klay Thompson continues to recover from an Achilles tear and will miss the start of the season.
  • James Wiseman continues to recover from knee surgery and will miss the start of the season.
  • Hired Kenny Atkinson, Dejan Milojević, and Jama Mahlalela as assistant coaches; lost assistant coach Jarron Collins.

Salary cap situation:

  • Remained over the cap and above the tax line.
  • Carrying approximately $174.2MM in salary.
  • Full taxpayer mid-level exception ($5,890,000) still available.
  • Three traded player exceptions available, including one worth $2.25MM.

Lingering preseason issues:

  • The Warriors have 14 players on fully guaranteed contracts, plus Damion Lee on a partial guarantee ($500K).
  • Avery Bradley, Gary Payton II, Jordan Bell, and Mychal Mulder are on non-guaranteed contracts, vying for a roster spot, but Golden State could open the season with an open roster spot to save some money.
  • The Warriors have an open two-way contract slot.
  • Andrew Wiggins is eligible for a veteran contract extension until October 18.
  • Kevon Looney is eligible for a veteran contract extension all season.

The Warriors’ offseason:

The Warriors look considerably different than they did the last time they made a deep playoff run, when they fell to the Raptors in six games during an injury-riddled 2019 NBA Finals matchup. The club is hoping that its revamped depth – including some talented young prospects, a couple solid three-point shooters on minimum deals, and one old, old friend – will be enough to help its veteran core of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and, at some point, Klay Thompson make another deep postseason run.

Most prominently, Golden State added two new lottery picks to its stable of veterans and youth, selecting 6’8″ forward Jonathan Kuminga from the G League Ignite and 6’6″ shooting guard Moses Moody out of Arkansas.

Those two picks – the seventh and 14th overall selections in the 2021 draft – were the subject of frequent trade speculation leading up to draft day, but the Warriors ultimately decided it made more sense at this point to hang onto them than to try to package them for a star, given the lack of viable options on the trade market.

Both Kuminga and Moody are viewed as intriguing long-term additions, though the Warriors probably aren’t counting on either teenager to make a significant contribution to a 2022 playoff push. Kuminga is already dealing with a knee injury that will likely sideline him to start the season.

2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala has returned to Golden State, following two seasons spent with the Heat and, technically, the Grizzlies, though he never suited up in Memphis. How much the 37-year-old can reasonably be expected to contribute on the floor in his 18th NBA season remains to be seen. The Warriors also took flyers on a pair of veteran wing shooters in Nemanja Bjelica and Otto Porter.

The forwards’ on-paper fit alongside Curry is intriguing, although there is a reason both were available on veteran’s minimum contracts. Bjelica is a career 38.7% shooter from deep, while Porter has connected on an impressive 40.2% of his triples. Last year, Bjelica struggled to stay on the floor for a competing Heat team that could have desperately used his floor-spacing during the 2021 playoffs, while Porter has appeared in just 42 games across the past two seasons due to fitness issues. If they can stay healthy and display some consistency, both vets could be useful rotation pieces.

The Warriors also let swingman Kelly Oubre join the Hornets in free agency after trading for him following the news of Thompson’s season-ending Achilles tear during the 2020 offseason. A solid athlete, Oubre never managed to develop a consistent outside shoot during his one-year tenure in Golden State, connecting on just 31.6% of his 5.2 long-range looks per night. The Warriors had hoped that Oubre would provide dependable help for Curry on the perimeter.

The Warriors’ upcoming season:

Thompson has missed two consecutive seasons with two of the worst injuries a player could suffer in basketball, an ACL tear and an Achilles tear. No one is expecting him to return to his All-Defensive peak when it comes to guarding the opposition’s best perimeter players, but the Warriors will need him to at least approximate his scoring output of years past if they hope to really threaten the top teams in the West this year.

With Thompson not expected to return until possibly December, the starting shooting guard position on the team remained up for grabs entering training camp. Jordan Poole has all but locked up the spot, averaging 23.3 PPG in four preseason contests.

Hyper-athletic second-year center James Wiseman, the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft out of Memphis, flashed plenty of promise during his rookie season, but also missed nearly half the year after suffering a season-ending right meniscus tear that required surgery. The seven-footer appeared in just 39 contests last season, and appeared very much to be a raw prospect still in need of development. The timeline for his return, in addition to Thompson’s, remains fairly murky, and it’s unclear how much he’ll even be able to contribute to winning games during his age-20 season.

After initially refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19, small forward Andrew Wiggins listened to his wallet and got the shot. He’ll be available for Golden State come opening night, and will be heavily leaned upon to score on the wing until Thompson’s return. Though he’s technically eligible for a veteran contract extension until October 18, a new deal for Wiggins seems very unlikely unless he’s willing to take a pay cut.

Hoops Rumors readers just barely voted in favor of Golden State besting an over/under of 48.5 wins, which feels somewhat optimistic. The team is riddled with question marks beyond its All-NBA point guard.

Last season, buoyed by outrageous scoring outbursts from Curry and the all-defense/no-shooting output of Green, Golden State was able to achieve a 39-33 regular season record, eighth in the West, but failed to secure a playoff spot in the play-in tournament. Stretched to an 82-game schedule, that record translates to 44 wins, which feels about right. Green himself, in a recent podcast, expressed his uncertainty regarding the championship pedigree of the team’s current roster.

Each member of Golden State’s core big three is on the wrong side of 30, and all have dealt with injury issues in recent years. It may be unfair to expect Curry, in his age-33 season, to replicate the 32.0 PPG, 5.8 APG, 5.5 RPG, and 1.2 SPG he averaged last year across 63 games, on typically eye-popping shooting percentages (.482/.421/.916).

Golden State is hoping that its new supporting cast, including several not-ready-for-prime-time players, will be enough to support Curry on offense until Thompson returns, ideally as a reasonable facsimile of the five-time All-Star who helped lead the Warriors to five consecutive Finals appearances.

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

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