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Super-Max Candidates To Watch In 2021/22

October 5th, 2021 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Designated Veteran extension, as we explain in our glossary entry on the subject, is a relatively new addition to the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. It allows players with seven, eight, or nine years of NBA service, who would normally be eligible for a maximum starting salary of 30% of the cap, to qualify for a “super-max” contract that starts at 35% of the cap, a level normally reserved players with 10+ years of experience.

A player who has seven or eight years of NBA service with one or two years left on his contract becomes eligible for a Designated Veteran extension if he meets the required performance criteria and hasn’t been traded since his first four years in the league. A Designated Veteran contract can also be signed by a player who is technically a free agent if he has eight or nine years of service and meets the required criteria.

The performance criteria is as follows (only one of the following must be true):

  • The player was named to an All-NBA team and/or was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in the most recent season, or in two of the last three seasons.
  • The player was named the NBA MVP in any of the three most recent seasons.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN writes, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic met the super-max performance criteria this past season when he won his first MVP award. However, since he still has only six years of NBA experience under his belt, he can’t actually sign a super-max contract with Denver until the 2022 offseason. At that point, he could tack on five years and a projected $253MM+ to the one year left on his current deal.

For the time being, Jokic is the best bet to receive a Designated Veteran extension a year from now, but there are other players who could join him. Here’s a look at some super-max candidates to watch during the 2021/22 season:

Karl-Anthony Towns (Timberwolves)

Towns has one All-NBA season under his belt already, having made the Third Team in 2018. Towns played in all 82 regular season games that year and Minnesota made the postseason for the only time during his six-year career.

Towns might not need the Wolves to get back to the postseason in order to earn a spot on the 2021/22 All-NBA team, but he’ll need to stay healthier than he has the last couple years — he has appeared in just 85 games since the start of the 2019/20 campaign, missing 51. If he plays 70+ games this season and puts up the same sort of numbers he has in the three years since his last All-NBA season (25.0 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 3.9 APG, and 1.4 BPG on .506/.399/.834 shooting), he’ll have a great case.

Should he make an All-NBA team in 2022, Towns would be eligible for a four-year super-max extension that goes into effect in 2024/25. We’re too far out to accurately project the value of such a deal, but if the salary cap increases to, say, $130MM by that point, a four-year super-max extension for Towns would be worth nearly $204MM.

Devin Booker (Suns)

Booker’s current contract with the Suns looks essentially identical to Towns’ deal with the Timberwolves, since both players signed five-year, maximum-salary contracts at the same time. As such, Booker is in a similar situation — if he makes an All-NBA team in 2022, he could sign a four-year, super-max extension that would begin in 2024/25 and could be worth in excess of $200MM.

Unlike Towns, Booker hasn’t been an All-NBA player before, but he has a realistic shot. When the Suns posted the NBA’s best record in 2020/21, it was Chris Paul – rather than Booker – who earned All-NBA Second Team honors for both his performance and the impact his arrival had on a young Phoenix team.

But if the Suns are in contention for a top seed in the West again this season, it could be Booker’s turn to receive serious All-NBA consideration. He’s a safe bet to lead the team in scoring and he’s entering his age-25 season, whereas Paul – at age 36 – may see his numbers start to fall off a little going forward.

If Booker does become eligible for a super-max, it will be interesting to see whether the Suns are prepared to offer it to him, given the recent reports on team ownership’s reluctance to commit max money to Deandre Ayton.

Zach LaVine (Bulls)

Unlike Towns or Booker, LaVine will be a free agent during the 2022 offseason. He was an extension candidate this offeason, but once the Bulls used their potential cap room on roster upgrades rather than a renegotiation of LaVine’s 2021/22 salary, the odds of him signing a long-term extension plummeted.

Since LaVine is earning a relatively modest $19.5MM salary in 2021/22, his max extension without a renegotiation would only be worth in the neighborhood of $106MM over four years — and a renegotiation is only possible with cap room.

That means LaVine will almost certainly reach free agency in 2022. That takes an extension off the table, he could still qualify for the super-max as a free agent if he makes an All-NBA team this season.

Earning an All-NBA spot may be a longer shot for LaVine than for Towns or Booker. Not many centers will put up better numbers than Towns, and Booker’s role as the top scorer for a potential title contender will automatically put him in the conversation. LaVine is coming off a monster year, in which he established a new career high in PPG (27.4) and earned his first All-Star berth, but he has a reputation as a subpar defender and the Bulls haven’t made the playoffs during his four years with the franchise.

If LaVine maintains his impressive offensive numbers and shows improvements on defense while the new-look Bulls force their way into the playoff mix, an All-NBA nod becomes a more realistic possibility. In that scenario, LaVine would be eligible for a five-year super-max contract worth a projected $241.6MM. Whether Chicago would be comfortable putting that type of offer on the table is another story altogether.

The rookie scale extension recipients

Trae Young (Hawks), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), and Michael Porter Jr. (Nuggets) all signed five-year, maximum-salary rookie scale extensions this offseason that project to start at 25% of the 2022/23 cap, for a five-year value of $172.5MM.

However, all three players also received Rose Rule language in their deals. This is another form of the super-max — unlike the Designated Veteran contracts, which start at 35% of the cap instead of 30%, a player who meets the Rose Rule criteria gets a starting salary worth 30% of the cap rather than 25%.

The performance criteria for a Rose Rule salary increase are essentially the exact same as for a Designated Veteran bump, but must be achieved by the end of the player’s four-year rookie contract. That means Young, Gilgeous-Alexander, and Porter would have to make the All-NBA team in 2022 in order to increase the value of their respective extensions to $207MM over five years — an All-NBA berth in 2023 or 2024 would be too late.

Of the three players, Young might be the best bet to make an All-NBA team this season. Like Booker, he’s the go-to offensive option on a team coming off a deep playoff run. He should rank among the NBA’s leaders in both points and assists. If he improves upon last season’s .438/.343/.886 shooting numbers and Atlanta has another strong season, he’ll have a solid case.

Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, the other young star to get a maximum-salary rookie scale extension this summer, already qualified for the bump to 30% of the cap by making the All-NBA team in his second and third NBA seasons. His five-year deal will be worth a projected $207MM no matter how he performs in 2021/22.

The rest

While there are other veteran players who could technically qualify for the super-max this season, none are particularly compelling candidates. Mavericks big man Kristaps Porzingis and Pacers center Myles Turner are perhaps the most intriguing, especially since Turner could be a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year contender. But I have a hard time imagining either player receiving a super-max offer even in the unlikely event that they qualify for one.

Among players on rookie scale contracts, Suns center Deandre Ayton is the other candidate to monitor. Ayton is reportedly seeking Rose Rule language in a maximum-salary extension with Phoenix, but the two sides are at an impasse in their negotiations.

I’d be a little surprised if Ayton becomes an All-NBA player this season, but there are so few star centers around the league that it’s not out of the question, especially if he takes on a larger offensive role going forward. If Ayton and the Suns don’t agree to an extension this month and he earns an All-NBA nod in 2022, he’d be eligible for a 30% max (five years, $207MM) with Phoenix as a restricted free agent next summer.

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18 Players Still Eligible For Rookie Scale Extensions

October 4th, 2021 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

When we entered the 2021 NBA offseason, a total of 24 players were eligible to sign rookie scale extensions. A handful of players signed them quickly, as Luka Doncic, Trae Young, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander locked in new deals with their respective teams during the first few days of free agency. Robert Williams and Michael Porter Jr. joined them later in the offseason.

One of the 24 extension-eligible players (Chandler Hutchison) has been waived this offseason, so after removing him and the five with new deals from our list, we’re left with 18 players who remain eligible to sign a rookie scale extension. The deadline falls on October 18 – the day before the regular season – at 5:00 pm CT.

It’s not surprising that so many extension candidates are still waiting to see if they’ll be able to land new deals. While maximum-salary contracts generally get done quickly, most other negotiations go down to the wire. A year ago, Kyle Kuzma signed a rookie scale extension a day before the deadline, then five more deals were completed on deadline day — all five of those deadline-day extensions ranged from $50-72MM in total value.

[RELATED: 2020 NBA Rookie Scale Extension Recap]

That doesn’t necessarily mean that we can count on five or six more rookie scale extensions getting signed within the next two weeks, but it’s certainly a possibility, with many viable candidates still out there.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the remaining extension-eligible players:

Top extension candidates

These seven players have already proven they can be productive starters or rotation players at the NBA level and seem like good bets to be in their team’s long-term plans. At the very least, we should count on these players engaging in extension negotiations with their respective teams prior to the October 18 deadline, even if they don’t ultimately agree to terms.

The Ayton and Mikal Bridges talks will be especially interesting to monitor. If Ayton doesn’t get the maximum salary, he’ll get something very close to it, while Bridges is probably in line for a deal worth at least $20MM+ per year. Signing both players to extensions would help the Suns lock in their long-term core, but it would also represent a major financial commitment from a team owner who has been stingy at times in the past.

I’ll also be keeping a close eye on the Jackson, Huerter, and Walker talks. Jackson is coming off an injury-plagued season and may want to bet on himself if the Grizzlies try to get him to accept a team-friendly extension.

The Hawks will have De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish due for possible extensions in 2022, so it’ll be interesting to see whether locking up Huerter now is a priority or if they’d rather wait until next year to assess all three situations at once.

As for Walker, the Spurs have made a habit of signing their young players to rookie scale extensions in recent years, having extended Dejounte Murray in 2019 and Derrick White in 2020. I expect they’ll try to do the same with Walker.

Wild cards

Allen, Holiday, and Shamet all changed teams this offseason, while Brown and Carter did so at the 2021 trade deadline. Extensions for players who are new to a franchise are typically less frequent, since teams are often reluctant to make long-term commitments to players who haven’t been in their system for years and, in some cases, have yet to play a single game for their new teams.

Of those five players, Carter and Shamet might be the best candidate for new deals. Carter was a centerpiece of last season’s Nikola Vucevic trade and the Magic got a good look at him down the stretch. Shamet, meanwhile, is a player the Suns has been targeting for a while, though the team will probably prioritize extensions for Ayton and Bridges.

As for DiVincenzo and Simons, I put them in this category because I think their teams like them but might prefer to wait before signing them to multiyear contracts. DiVincenzo is coming off a foot injury that sidelined him for the Bucks‘ playoff run, while Simons is taking on a new role under Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups.

Unlikely extension candidates

Perhaps there’s a deal to be made here if any one of these four players is willing to take a very team-friendly extension. But at this point, I wouldn’t view any of them as a lock to receive even a qualifying offer in 2022 free agency, let alone a multiyear contract offer.

Barring a major surprise, Bagley, Bamba, Knox, and Okogie will have to prove on the court this season that they’re worth investing in going forward.

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Oldest, Youngest Players On NBA Rosters For 2021/22

October 4th, 2021 at 2:27pm CST by Luke Adams

Given how often the relative age of the Lakers‘ roster served as a punchline this offseason, it perhaps comes as no surprise that Los Angeles has the most players on this season’s list of the top 10 oldest players in the NBA. A trio of Lakers show up on this year’s list, and a fourth would have made the cut if the club hadn’t jettisoned 36-year-old Marc Gasol last month.

However, it’s not a Lakers player who has the honor of being the oldest player in the NBA in 2021/22. That distinction still belongs to Heat big man Udonis Haslem, who became the league’s oldest active player a year ago following Vince Carter‘s retirement and still holds the title. Haslem was born three-and-a-half years before any other active player, so as long as he keeps signing one-year deals with Miami to extend his career, it’s safe to assume he’ll remain atop this list.

The Lakers, Heat, and Nets, three teams with championship aspirations, all have multiple players among the league’s 10 oldest.

While it’s possible this top 10 could change a little when regular season rosters are set in mid-October, none of these players appears in danger of being waived.

Here’s the list of the oldest players in the NBA heading into the ’21/22 season:

  1. Udonis Haslem, Heat (born 6/9/1980)
  2. Andre Iguodala, Warriors (born 1/28/1984)
  3. Carmelo Anthony, Lakers (born 5/29/1984)
  4. LeBron James, Lakers (born 12/30/1984)
  5. Paul Millsap, Nets (born 2/10/1985)
  6. P.J. Tucker, Heat (born 5/5/1985)
  7. Chris Paul, Suns (born 5/6/1985)
  8. Taj Gibson, Knicks (born 6/24/1985)
  9. Trevor Ariza, Lakers (born 6/30/1985)
  10. LaMarcus Aldridge, Nets (born 7/19/1985)

On the other end of the spectrum, nine of the NBA’s top 10 youngest active players were selected in the 2021 draft, while the 10th was an undrafted rookie free agent.

Interestingly, five of the league’s 10 youngest players are on two teams that battled for the Western Conference crown in 2018 and 2019 — the Rockets have three names on the list below, while the Warriors have two.

One of Houston’s youngsters – Daishen Nix – is on a non-guaranteed contract and may not be on the team’s roster in a few weeks when the regular season begins. However, if he comes off the list, we can just replace him with another Rocket — Jalen Green (born 2/9/2002) is currently the NBA’s 11th-youngest player.

Here are the 10 youngest players currently on NBA rosters:

  1. Joshua Primo, Spurs (born 12/24/2002)
  2. Josh Giddey, Thunder (born 10/10/2002)
  3. Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors (born 10/6/2002)
  4. Jaden Springer, Sixers (born 9/25/2002)
  5. JT Thor, Hornets (born 8/26/2002)
  6. Alperen Sengun, Rockets (born 7/25/2002)
  7. Moses Moody, Warriors (born 5/31/2002)
  8. Keon Johnson, Clippers (born 3/10/2002)
  9. Usman Garuba, Rockets (born 3/9/2002)
  10. Daishen Nix, Rockets (born 2/13/2002)

Information from Basketball-Reference was used in the creation of this post.

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Hoops Rumors’ 2021 NBA Free Agent Tracker

October 4th, 2021 at 2:01pm CST by Luke Adams

With the NBA’s 2021/22 regular season around the corner, Hoops Rumors is here to help you keep track of which players signed new contracts during the offseason.

To this end, we present our Free Agent Tracker, a tool we’ve maintained each year since our inception in 2012. Using our tracker, you can quickly look up deals, sorting by team, position, free agent type, and a handful of other variables.

A few notes on the tracker:

  • Some of the information you’ll find in the tracker will reflect tentative agreements, rather than finalized deals. As signings become official, we’ll continue to update and modify the data as needed.
  • Similarly, contract years and dollars will be based on what’s been reported to date, so in many cases those amounts will be approximations rather than official figures. Salaries aren’t necessarily fully guaranteed either.
  • Players who were reported to have training camp/Exhibit 10 deals in place weeks or months ago won’t be added to the tracker until those deals are official. That’s why, for instance, Luke Kornet‘s deal with the Celtics isn’t listed, even though it’s still expected to happen at some point in the next couple weeks.
  • If you’re viewing the tracker on our mobile site, be sure to turn your phone sideways to see more details.

Our 2021 Free Agent Tracker can be found anytime on the right sidebar of our desktop site under “Hoops Rumors Features,” and it’s also under the “Tools” menu atop the site. On our mobile site, it can be found in our menu under “Free Agent Lists.”

The tracker will be updated throughout the offseason, right up until opening night, so be sure to check back for the latest info. If you have any corrections, please let us know right here.

Our lists of free agents by position/type and by team break down the players who have yet to reach contract agreements.

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2021 NBA Offseason In Review: Chicago Bulls

October 4th, 2021 at 11:38am 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 Chicago Bulls.

Free agent signings:

Note: Exhibit 10 deals and non-guaranteed camp invites aren’t included here.

  • DeMar DeRozan: Three years, $81.9MM. Acquired via sign-and-trade.
  • Lonzo Ball: Four years, $80MM. Fourth-year player option. $4MM in unlikely incentives. Acquired via sign-and-trade.
  • Alex Caruso: Four years, $36.98MM. Fourth year partially guaranteed. Signed using mid-level exception.
  • Tony Bradley: Two years, minimum salary. Second-year player option. Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Javonte Green: Two years, minimum salary. Re-signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Alize Johnson: Two years, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Devon Dotson: Two-way contract. Accepted two-way qualifying offer as restricted free agent.

Trades:

  • Acquired cash ($1.1MM) from the Rockets in exchange for Daniel Theis (sign-and-trade).
  • Acquired Lonzo Ball (sign-and-trade) from the Pelicans in exchange for Tomas Satoransky, Garrett Temple (sign-and-trade), the Bulls’ 2024 second-round pick, and cash ($1.2MM).
  • Acquired DeMar DeRozan (sign-and-trade) from the Spurs in exchange for Thaddeus Young, Al-Farouq Aminu, the Bulls’ 2025 first-round pick (top-10 protected), either the Pistons’ or Bulls’ 2022 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable), and the Bulls’ 2025 second-round pick.
    • Note: If the Bulls don’t convey their 2023 first-round pick (top-four protected) to Orlando in 2023, the first-round pick they send the Spurs will be pushed back until at least 2026.
    • Note: The Spurs already had the ability to swap the Lakers’ 2022 second-round pick for either the Pistons’ or Bulls’ 2022 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable). Now they’ll receive the Lakers’ pick and the most favorable of the Pistons’ and Bulls’ picks.
  • Acquired Derrick Jones (from Trail Blazers), the Trail Blazers’ 2022 first-round pick (top-14 protected), and the Nuggets’ 2023 second-round pick (top-46 protected; from Cavaliers) in a three-team trade in exchange for Lauri Markkanen (sign-and-trade; to Cavaliers).

Draft picks:

  • 2-38: Ayo Dosunmu
    • Signed to two-year, minimum-salary contract. Signed using minimum salary exception.

Draft-and-stash signings:

  • Marko Simonovic (No. 44 pick; 2020 draft)
    • Signed to three-year, minimum-salary contract. Signed using mid-level exception.

Contract extensions:

  • None

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

  • Coby White underwent shoulder surgery and is expected to miss the start of the 2021/22 season.
  • Patrick Williams sprained his ankle and is expected to miss the start of the 2021/22 season.

Salary cap situation:

  • Remained over the cap and below the tax line.
  • Carrying approximately $131.9MM in salary.
  • Hard-capped at $143MM.
  • $10,742 of non-taxpayer mid-level exception still available ($9,525,258 used on Alex Caruso and Marko Simonovic).
  • Full bi-annual exception ($3,732,000) still available.
  • One traded player exception ($5,000,000) available.

Lingering preseason issues:

  • The Bulls have 13 players on guaranteed contracts, so they could still fill two roster spots. Alize Johnson, Stanley Johnson, Tyler Cook, Daniel Oturu, and Matt Thomas all have non-guaranteed contracts and are expected to battle for a roster spot.
  • The Bulls have an open two-way contract slot.
  • Troy Brown is eligible for a rookie scale contract extension until October 18.
  • Nikola Vucevic is eligible for a veteran contract extension until October 18.
  • Zach LaVine is eligible for a veteran contract extension all season.

The Bulls’ offseason:

The Bulls got a jump on the offseason at the 2021 trade deadline when they sent two future first-round picks and a recent first-round selection (Wendell Carter Jr.) to Orlando in a deal for All-Star center Nikola Vucevic.

The move – meant to catapult Chicago into the postseason – didn’t make much of an impact in the short term. The team posted an underwhelming record of 12-17 after the deadline and didn’t even make it to the play-in tournament, let alone the playoffs.

However, that trade wasn’t made with just the 2020/21 season in mind. Vucevic remains under contract for the next two years, and Chicago’s moves this summer have shown that deadline blockbuster was just the first of a series of win-now acquisitions made by a club pushing hard to end its four-year postseason drought.

Entering the summer, the point guard position was viewed as perhaps the greatest area of need for the Bulls, who had relied on 21-year-old Coby White as their starter last season. White underwent shoulder surgery this offseason that will sideline him to start the season, but even if he had been healthy, an upgrade would’ve been required.

The Bulls wasted no time in addressing the point guard spot, agreeing to acquire Lonzo Ball in a sign-and-trade deal with the Pelicans. In fact, the terms of that swap were agreed upon so quickly – they were reported within minutes of free agency opening – that the two teams are currently under investigation for possible tampering or “gun-jumping.”

While Chicago may face a minor penalty as a result of that investigation, the addition of Ball is a good one. The former No. 2 overall pick is a solid play-maker and defender who has improved as a shooter in recent years. And landing another point guard – Alex Caruso – on a long-term deal helped further shore up the position. Caruso is a stout perimeter defender who will never be relied upon to score 15-20 points per night, but can knock down open shots and contributes on the court in a variety of useful ways.

Chicago’s other major transaction this offseason was acquiring DeMar DeRozan in a sign-and-trade from San Antonio. I didn’t love the move for the Bulls, who surrendered a productive player (Thaddeus Young) and a first-round pick in the trade and will pay DeRozan $81MM over three years, far more money than he seemed likely to have on the table from any other team.

Even if you throw out the assets and money involved and focus exclusively on DeRozan’s on-court fit, I’m not fully sold. This Bulls team should be extremely dangerous offensively, but DeRozan, Vucevic, and Zach LaVine aren’t exactly All-Defense candidates. Chicago will be relying heavily on the likes of Ball, Caruso, Patrick Williams, and Derrick Jones to help the team get defensive stops.

With White and Williams both expected to miss the start of the regular season due to injuries, the Bulls’ depth will also be tested early in the year. Javonte Green and Tony Bradley are among those likely to take on bigger roles than they’re accustomed to, and the club will have to hope at least one or two of its young players show they’re ready to play regular minutes too. Rookies Ayo Dosunmu and Marko Simonovic will be in that mix, as will Troy Brown, a fourth-year pro who is still just 22 years old but is coming off a down year.

While losing a first-round pick in the DeRozan sign-and-trade hurt, the Bulls did well to get a first-rounder back in their Lauri Markkanen sign-and-trade. Chicago had to accept an unwanted contract in the deal, but Jones’ expiring deal isn’t onerous, and he should actually play a role for the Bulls in 2021/22.

The Bulls’ upcoming season:

The Bulls are well-positioned to improve upon a disappointing 31-41 season, but projecting a Hawks-esque jump into the top five of the Eastern Conference may be overly optimistic. When Atlanta leaped from the lottery to the Eastern Finals last year, it was due more to the growth of their young core than the contributions of their veteran free agent additions, many of whom missed significant time with injuries.

In the Bulls’ case, there aren’t a ton of young core players they can bank on to improve — Markkanen is gone, LaVine appears pretty close to his ceiling, and it may not be realistic to expect big leaps from White and Williams when they’re coming off injuries and will miss the training camp and the preseason.

That means the Bulls’ 2021/22 season could come down to whether or not LaVine still has another level and how quickly newcomers like Ball, DeRozan, and Caruso get assimilated and make an impact. We can include Vucevic in that group too, since he’ll be getting extensive practice time with his new team for the first time this fall after having to adjust on the fly in March.

If the Bulls’ new-look roster jells quickly, we should expect the club to vie for a top-six spot in the East. If not, Chicago will likely have to fight its way into the postseason via the play-in tournament.

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

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Omer Yurtseven Entering Season As Heat’s Latest Development Project

October 1st, 2021 at 10:53am CST by JD Shaw

When longtime Heat president Pat Riley signed off on adding seven-foot center Omer Yurtseven to his roster last spring, it’s safe to say The Godfather and his team did their homework first.

Yurtseven had been flying under the radar since going undrafted out of Georgetown in November. The Turkish center spent most of the 2020/21 season playing with Oklahoma City in the G League bubble, then signed with Miami in May. It didn’t take long for him to impress those within the organization.

“I’m pretty blessed to have had that opportunity,” Yurtseven told Hoops Rumors in a phone interview. “I was actually in Miami training after the Orlando bubble with the G League, and I just love the city and people. 

“It was such a right fit at the right time and everything just fit perfectly. I wouldn’t say it was a coincidence. It was definitely a blessing. It was an opportunity at first, then it was all about just doing what I had to do: turn it into a bigger blessing.”

The Heat signed Yurtseven eight days before they played Milwaukee in the first round of the playoffs. The timing allowed him to travel with the team and sit courtside for the series, giving him an up-close look at the intense postseason atmosphere.

His contract was a two-year, non-guaranteed deal that included a team option in the second season. When he signed, Yurtseven and his agent, Keith Glass, asked the Heat to decline his option after the season and give the big man a chance to bet on himself during Summer League.

The signing was made with a mutual understanding: join the team, play in the summer and work for a new contract. Yurtseven delivered in the California Classic in Sacramento, pouring in 27 points and 19 rebounds during his very first Summer League outing. He followed that game up with a 25-point performance on 9-of-17 shooting.

While his production dipped slightly after dealing with blisters, Yurtseven still managed to average 20.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in three Las Vegas Summer League games.

“My performance dropped a little bit, but I just pushed through it because I wanted to play as many minutes as I could to be more involved in the system, understand how everything works, how the rotations work and how the offense works,” Yurtseven said.

“Of course, it’s going to be different with players such as Kyle Lowry and Jimmy Butler — just being around those players changes everything — but I was just getting a feel for the system, how our coaches want the sets to be run and the defensive schemes. I just wanted to take that opportunity and that’s what I did. I played through the obstacles.”

After successful Summer League stints in Sacramento and Las Vegas, the Heat rewarded Yurtseven with a two-year, $3.24MM contract. This season’s salary is fully guaranteed, while next season becomes guaranteed if he remains under contract through June 29. Several other teams expressed interest in his services before he signed the deal.

When Yurtseven returned from Las Vegas, he took four days off to recover and reflect on his new contract. After that, it was back to work.

“We’re already working for that third contract,” said Miami-based trainer Ben Bellucci, who has worked with Yurtseven for several years.

Those around Yurtseven rave about his work ethic, professionalism and maturity at just 23 years old. Those are attributes the Heat look for in the players they sign, so it makes sense that the two sides came together.

“Look, Pat Riley’s not going to bring in someone that’s not going to work,” Bellucci explained. “They don’t bring in guys that are going to be problems on and off the court. I think it’s a perfect fit, both personality-wise and culture-wise. I don’t think he could’ve gone to a better place that’s really going to push him.”

The Heat have a strong reputation in player development. Kendrick Nunn and Duncan Robinson are two notable examples from recent years, but the list of players who’ve had their best years in Miami is long. Yurtseven is looking to become the team’s latest under-the-radar gem.

“I think this organization has a way of raising players, of finding diamonds in the rough,’’ Butler said at the start of his first season with the Heat in 2019 (hat tip to Justin Benjamin of HeatNation.com). “They’re absolutely incredible at that. They’re turning (Tyler Herro) into a real player. Everyone knows he has the talent, that mental edge about him, but teaching him how to work every single day, that organization is perfect for him.”

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra also praised Yurtseven during the team’s media day this week, which is noteworthy considering the big man has yet to appear in a regular-season NBA game.

“Omer is unique because of his skill set, shooting touch, around the basket and with range,” Spoelstra said, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). “He has a feel you can’t necessarily teach. Good instincts for rebounding.”

Despite enjoying some success in the G League and Summer League, Yurtseven still has a long road ahead. He’ll have to show he can learn Miami’s system, rotate without fouling and defend the perimeter in a show-and-recover and switch-heavy NBA. Facing those challenges is part of his learning process.

“I think it’s all about just following the guidance of the coaches and the veteran players,” Yurtseven said. “Just taking it all in and absorbing it. They do a great job of developing players and have a reputation for that because of their system. Believing in it and going 100% is going to be the most important part.

“I think they just do a great job because of the commitment the players give and their ability to match it with intense workouts and basketball knowledge — how they know a certain player can fit into their system.” 

Besides learning from his teammates and coaches, the big man also spent a significant amount of time watching film and working on his jump shot this summer. Yurtseven mentioned on Media Day that he and Bellucci studied film on superstar centers Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic.

The pair also told Hoops Rumors that they watched clips of Carmelo Anthony and Hakeem Olajuwon, working on Yurtseven’s low-post, mid-post and three-point game. Bellucci estimates Yurtseven took 20,000 shots per month.

“He’s a kid who wants to get better. He’s never satisfied,” Bellucci said. “When you put him in a culture with the same mentality, it’s hard for me to say that this kid doesn’t have a chance to be an All-Star. He just has that work ethic and mentality. In order to be great, I think you always have to ask yourself, ‘What can I do next? How can I get better? What can I add to my game?’ And, on the Heat’s side, you have no choice! You’re coming in to work.”

Yurtseven said he’s been inspired by the stories of Robinson and Nunn, two undrafted players who found their footing in the league with the Heat. Robinson signed a new five-year, $90MM deal with Miami this past summer – the largest contract for an undrafted player in NBA history.

Former Pistons center Ben Wallace – another successful undrafted player – was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame, Yurtseven noted. The success stories act as motivation to continue improving, something Yurtseven says he won’t stop doing anytime soon.

“I know the program and position that I’m in with being undrafted, but I think I have the talent to play at this level, the work ethic and the discipline,” he said. “When you put all of that together, it matches perfectly with the culture of the Miami Heat. And, as I said, I don’t think it’s just a coincidence that these pieces came together. I now have the opportunity to be one of those inspirations.”

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2021/22 NBA Over/Unders: Recap

September 30th, 2021 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

Over the last two weeks, we’ve been examining projections for all 30 NBA teams for the 2021/22 season, publishing polls asking how many games each club will win. With the help of lines from professional oddsmakers, we’ve had you vote on whether each team will go over or under a given win total, from the Nets (55.5) all the way through to the Magic (22.5).

Here are the full results of those votes:

Eastern Conference

Atlantic:

  • Brooklyn Nets (55.5 wins): Over (63.2%)
  • Philadelphia 76ers (51.5 wins): Under (70.0%)
  • Boston Celtics (46.5 wins): Over (58.1%)
  • New York Knicks (42.5 wins): Over (65.1%)
  • Toronto Raptors (36.5 wins): Under (50.6%)

Central:

  • Milwaukee Bucks (54.5 wins): Over (63.7%)
  • Indiana Pacers (42.5 wins): Under (58.2%)
  • Chicago Bulls (42.5 wins): Over (68.3%)
  • Cleveland Cavaliers (26.5 wins): Under (50.5%)
  • Detroit Pistons (25.5 wins): Under (52.6%)

Southeast:

  • Miami Heat (48.5 wins): Under (53.6%)
  • Atlanta Hawks (47.5 wins): Over (62.2%)
  • Charlotte Hornets (38.5 wins): Over (54.5%)
  • Washington Wizards (34.5 wins): Over (54.9%)
  • Orlando Magic (22.5 wins): Under (53.8%)

Western Conference

Northwest:

  • Utah Jazz (52.5 wins): Over (61.7%)
  • Denver Nuggets (48.5 wins): Over (69.3%)
  • Portland Trail Blazers (44.5 wins): Over (53.0%)
  • Minnesota Timberwolves (34.5 wins): Under (57.1%)
  • Oklahoma City Thunder (23.5 wins): Under (65.0%)

Pacific:

  • Los Angeles Lakers (52.5 wins): Over (58.2%)
  • Phoenix Suns (51.5 wins): Over (58.6%)
  • Golden State Warriors (48.5 wins): Over (50.3%)
  • Los Angeles Clippers (43.5 wins): Over (51.2%)
  • Sacramento Kings (36.5 wins): Under (66.0%)

Southwest:

  • Dallas Mavericks (48.5 wins): Over (55.3%)
  • Memphis Grizzlies (41.5 wins): Over (50.5%)
  • New Orleans Pelicans (39.5 wins): Under (64.6%)
  • San Antonio Spurs (29.5 wins): Over (53.8%)
  • Houston Rockets (26.5 wins): Under (71.0%)

As these results show, our voters are slightly more bullish on the Western Conference teams than those in the East, relative to their expectations. A total of 10 Western teams were voted “over” their projected win totals, compared to eight Eastern teams.

These results also expect that our voters see a fairly wide gap between the good teams and the bad teams heading into the season. Of the 18 teams with win projections above .500, 15 were voted “over.” Meanwhile, nine of the 12 clubs with win projections below .500 were voted “under.”

These were the five “over” bets that received the largest vote shares:

  1. Denver Nuggets, 48.5 wins: 69.3%
  2. Chicago Bulls, 42.5 wins: 68.3%
  3. New York Knicks, 42.5 wins: 65.1%
  4. Milwaukee Bucks, 54.5 wins: 63.7%
  5. Brooklyn Nets, 55.5 wins: 63.2%

I have to admit some of these choices surprised me a little. The Nuggets will be without Jamal Murray (ACL tear) for most or all of the season; we still don’t know how the pieces in Chicago will fit together; and the Bucks and Nets may not push their stars especially hard during the regular season, preferring to focus on being healthy for the playoffs. I’ll be curious to see how these results play out.

Here are the five “under” bets that received the largest vote shares:

  1. Houston Rockets, 26.5 wins: 71.0%
  2. Philadelphia 76ers, 51.5 wins: 70.0%
  3. Sacramento Kings, 36.5 wins: 66.0%
  4. Oklahoma City Thunder, 23.5 wins: 65.0%
  5. New Orleans Pelicans, 39.5 wins: 64.6%

The Sixers pick here makes sense, given the ongoing Ben Simmons drama. I can’t quibble with the Rockets and Thunder bets either — the NBA’s bottom-feeders often finish with even worse records than expected, so if you think Houston and Oklahoma City will be in that group, taking the under is reasonable. On the other hand, I’m slightly more bullish on the Kings and Pelicans, but given how much New Orleans’ success relies on Zion Williamson‘s health, I’d admittedly be pretty nervous to bet on the over for the Pels.

What do you think of our picks in general? Are there any results above that you strongly disagree with? Did you make any over or under votes within the last couple weeks that you’re second-guessing now? Jump into our comment section below and weigh in with your thoughts!

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2021/22 NBA Over/Unders: Southwest Division

September 27th, 2021 at 11:23am CST by Luke Adams

The 2021/22 NBA regular season will get underway in just over three weeks, so it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign and to resume an annual Hoops Rumors tradition.

With the help of the lines from a handful of sports betting sites, including Bovada and BetOnline, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.

In 2020/21, our voters went 17-13 on their over/under picks. Can you top that in ’21/22?

As a reminder, the NBA played a 72-game schedule in 2020/21, so a team that won 41 games last year finished with a 41-31 record. This year, a club that wins 41 games would be a .500 team (41-41). For added clarity, we’ve noted the record that each team would have to achieve to finish “over” its projected win total.

We’ll turn today to the Southeast division…

Dallas Mavericks

Memphis Grizzlies

New Orleans Pelicans

San Antonio Spurs

Houston Rockets

Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

  • Brooklyn Nets (55.5 wins): Over (63.2%)
  • Philadelphia 76ers (51.5 wins): Under (70.0%)
  • Boston Celtics (46.5 wins): Over (58.1%)
  • New York Knicks (42.5 wins): Over (65.1%)
  • Toronto Raptors (36.5 wins): Under (50.6%)

Central:

  • Milwaukee Bucks (54.5 wins): Over (63.7%)
  • Indiana Pacers (42.5 wins): Under (58.2%)
  • Chicago Bulls (42.5 wins): Over (68.3%)
  • Cleveland Cavaliers (26.5 wins): Under (50.5%)
  • Detroit Pistons (25.5 wins): Under (52.6%)

Southeast:

  • Miami Heat (48.5 wins): Under (53.6%)
  • Atlanta Hawks (47.5 wins): Over (62.2%)
  • Charlotte Hornets (38.5 wins): Over (54.5%)
  • Washington Wizards (34.5 wins): Over (54.9%)
  • Orlando Magic (22.5 wins): Under (53.8%)

Northwest:

  • Utah Jazz (52.5 wins): Over (61.7%)
  • Denver Nuggets (48.5 wins): Over (69.3%)
  • Portland Trail Blazers (44.5 wins): Over (53.0%)
  • Minnesota Timberwolves (34.5 wins): Under (57.1%)
  • Oklahoma City Thunder (23.5 wins): Under (65.0%)

Pacific:

  • Los Angeles Lakers (52.5 wins): Over (58.2%)
  • Phoenix Suns (51.5 wins): Over (58.6%)
  • Golden State Warriors (48.5 wins): Over (50.3%)
  • Los Angeles Clippers (43.5 wins): Over (51.2%)
  • Sacramento Kings (36.5 wins): Under (66.0%)
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2021/22 NBA Over/Unders: Southeast Division

September 22nd, 2021 at 12:09pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2021/22 NBA regular season will get underway in less than a month, so it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign and to resume an annual Hoops Rumors tradition.

With the help of the lines from a handful of sports betting sites, including Bovada and BetOnline, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.

In 2020/21, our voters went 17-13 on their over/under picks. Can you top that in ’21/22?

As a reminder, the NBA played a 72-game schedule in 2020/21, so a team that won 41 games last year finished with a 41-31 record. This year, a club that wins 41 games would be a .500 team (41-41). For added clarity, we’ve noted the record that each team would have to achieve to finish “over” its projected win total.

We’ll turn today to the Southeast division…

Miami Heat

Atlanta Hawks

Charlotte Hornets

Washington Wizards

Orlando Magic

Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

  • Brooklyn Nets (55.5 wins): Over (63.2%)
  • Philadelphia 76ers (51.5 wins): Under (70.0%)
  • Boston Celtics (46.5 wins): Over (58.1%)
  • New York Knicks (42.5 wins): Over (65.1%)
  • Toronto Raptors (36.5 wins): Under (50.6%)

Central:

  • Milwaukee Bucks (54.5 wins): Over (63.7%)
  • Indiana Pacers (42.5 wins): Under (58.2%)
  • Chicago Bulls (42.5 wins): Over (68.3%)
  • Cleveland Cavaliers (26.5 wins): Under (50.5%)
  • Detroit Pistons (25.5 wins): Under (52.6%)

Northwest:

  • Utah Jazz (52.5 wins): Over (61.7%)
  • Denver Nuggets (48.5 wins): Over (69.3%)
  • Portland Trail Blazers (44.5 wins): Over (53.0%)
  • Minnesota Timberwolves (34.5 wins): Under (57.1%)
  • Oklahoma City Thunder (23.5 wins): Under (65.0%)

Pacific:

  • Los Angeles Lakers (52.5 wins): Over (58.2%)
  • Phoenix Suns (51.5 wins): Over (58.6%)
  • Golden State Warriors (48.5 wins): Over (50.3%)
  • Los Angeles Clippers (43.5 wins): Over (51.2%)
  • Sacramento Kings (36.5 wins): Under (66.0%)
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NBA Teams With Full 20-Man Rosters

September 21st, 2021 at 1:06pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA teams are permitted to carry up to 20 players in the offseason and the preseason, allowing them to audition training camp invitees and hold battles for roster spots before having to make cuts in advance of the regular season.

Teams structure their 20-man rosters in different ways, but a common avenue is the one currently taken by the Heat. Miami has 14 players on guaranteed contracts who are expected to make the team’s regular season roster, plus a pair of players on two-way contracts. The other four players on the 20-man squad are camp invitees on Exhibit 10 deals, who will likely end up being waived and playing for the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Not all teams have such a clean, easily-defined structure to their 20-man roster though. The Grizzlies, for instance, currently have 18 players on fully guaranteed contracts, plus one on a two-way deal and one on an Exhibit 10 pact. They’ll have to trade or release at least three players with guaranteed salaries before opening night, and will likely still fill their second two-way slot at some point.

The Heat and Grizzlies are just two of the teams that currently have full 20-man rosters. With the help of our roster counts tool, here’s the full list of clubs with full rosters:

  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Houston Rockets
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • Miami Heat
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • Toronto Raptors

While it’s possible some of these teams will make roster moves, shuffling players on and off their 20-man squads within the next week, most of them look relatively set for training camp, which begins next Tuesday.

Besides the eight clubs listed above, there are four teams who have at least one roster spot available but have reportedly reached an agreement to sign a player to fill that opening. Those teams are as follows:

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • Sacramento Kings
  • Washington Wizards

The Hawks currently have 19 players under contract and have reportedly agreed to sign Jahlil Okafor and Ibi Watson, so they’ll likely have to cut someone to accommodate both signings, depending on the order of operations. The Pelicans are in a similar boat — they have 18 players on their roster and have agreed to deals with Jared Harper, James Banks III, and Malcolm Hill.

The Kings, meanwhile, are carrying 18 players and have agreed to sign DJ Steward and Matt Coleman. The Wizards have 19 players under contract and are reportedly expected to sign undrafted rookie Kyree Walker.

The Clippers qualify for this group too — sort of. They have 19 players under contract, and their 20th spot could go to Amir Coffey, who is the NBA’s last remaining restricted free agent.

The rest of the NBA’s teams have at least one open spot on their roster, and some have a few openings still available. The Suns, for example, only have 15 players under contract, so they could theoretically sign five more players.

However, while many teams will fill their open roster spots by the start of training camp, some may simply not carry full 20-man rosters during the preseason. Since they don’t have their own G League affiliate, the Suns likely won’t make it a priority to audition players who could end up playing at that level. It won’t be surprising if Phoenix’s only camp invitees are players who have a legitimate chance at sticking with the team for the regular season.

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