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Largest Trade Exceptions Created This Offseason

August 13th, 2021 at 3:09pm CST by Luke Adams

A total of 26 trades have been completed to so far during the 2021 NBA offseason, and many of those deals generated at least one “traded player exception.”

As we explain in our glossary, a traded player exception allows a team to take on salary in a trade without sending out any salary in return. The amount of the exception plus $100K is the amount of salary the team is permitted to take back without salary-matching – either in a single deal or in multiple trades – for one year.

For instance, a team with a $10MM trade exception could acquire a player earning $4MM and a player earning $6.1MM without having to worry about sending out any outgoing salary.

One of the biggest trade exceptions ever created – the Thunder‘s $27.5MM TPE from last November’s Steven Adams trade – expired last week without being used, but Oklahoma City still has a pair of sizeable exceptions to work with, as our tracker shows. The team could also create upwards of $30MM in cap space by renouncing all its exceptions, including the mid-level and bi-annual.

While the Thunder have some big traded player exceptions, they aren’t one of the teams that created sizable new TPEs in offseason deals this year. Here are the largest new trade exceptions generated this summer:

  1. New Orleans Pelicans: $17,073,171 (Steven Adams)
  2. Brooklyn Nets: $11,454,048 (Spencer Dinwiddie)
  3. Dallas Mavericks: $10,865,952 (Josh Richardson)
  4. Boston Celtics: $9,720,900 (Tristan Thompson)
    • Note: It’s unclear whether the Celtics absorbed Bruno Fernando‘s salary ($1,782,621) using the Thompson exception or their Kemba Walker trade exception ($6,879,100). We’re assuming for now that Fernando slotted into the Walker exception, reducing its value to $5,096,479. However, if he went into the Thompson TPE, its value would be reduced to $7,938,279.
  5. Utah Jazz: $7,475,379 (Derrick Favors)
    • Note: There was an expectation that the Jazz would slot Eric Paschall‘s salary ($1,782,621) into one of two trade exceptions that were set to expire on August 6. However, it appears the deal wasn’t completed until August 7 for logistical reasons, meaning the Favors TPE (originally $9,258,000) would’ve had to be used.
  6. Indiana Pacers: $7,333,333 (Doug McDermott)
  7. Chicago Bulls: $5,000,000 (Daniel Theis)

For a second straight year, a team generated the largest trade exception of the offseason by trading Adams. This time around, it was the Pelicans, who cleverly folded separate trade agreements with the Grizzlies and Hornets into one three-team deal, sending Wesley Iwundu to Charlotte to ensure that Adams’ salary wouldn’t be required for matching purposes.

The Pelicans and Mavericks are the two best candidates on this list to make use of their newly-created exceptions at some point. The larger the exception is, the easier it is to find a use for, and those are two of the three biggest in this group.

The other big TPE belongs to the Nets, but they’re already way over the tax line and will be reluctant to take on more salary unless they have a really good reason to do so. That’s probably true of most of the other teams on this list too — the Celtics and Jazz in particular have to be conscious of luxury-tax concerns as they mull the possibility of taking on additional salary. New Orleans and Dallas have more wiggle room, while the Pacers and Bulls are somewhere in between.

The full list of available trade exceptions can be found here.

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

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Clippers, Spurs Among Teams Facing Potential Roster Crunch

August 13th, 2021 at 10:19am CST by Luke Adams

NBA teams are permitted to carry up to 20 players during the offseason, so no clubs have been forced to cut anyone to make room for new additions so far this summer. However, once the regular season begins in October, teams must trim their rosters to 15 players (not counting two-way contracts), and there are already a handful of clubs that may face some difficult decision to get down to that number.

Of course, there’s plenty of time for these teams to figure out how their regular season rosters will look and make the necessary trades or cuts. It’s only mid-August after all.

Still, we wanted to check in on these teams to preview some of the decisions they may be facing in the coming weeks and months.

Let’s dive in…

Los Angeles Clippers:

After officially completing their new deal with Kawhi Leonard on Thursday, the Clippers now have 15 players on guaranteed contracts, and Nicolas Batum will become the 16th once he officially finalizes his new contract with the team.

Yogi Ferrell remains under contract on a non-guaranteed salary, but it’s hard to see how he’ll fit on the regular season roster, since the club would have to remove two players on guaranteed salaries in order to keep him.

Perhaps the Clippers, who are facing a projected $125MM tax bill in 2021/22, will make a surprise trade involving a veteran on an expiring contract in order to cut costs, but it’s hard at this point to imagine the team salary-dumping a player like Patrick Beverley, Serge Ibaka, or Rajon Rondo.

This year’s second-round picks, Jason Preston and Brandon Boston, signed deals with two guaranteed seasons and should be safe, but last year’s second-rounder – Daniel Oturu – is on an expiring $1.52MM deal and could be at risk of losing his roster spot following a quiet rookie season.

San Antonio Spurs:

The Spurs are currently at 14 players on guaranteed contracts and one (Drew Eubanks) with a small partial guarantee of $500K. Their offseason moves aren’t all done though — Bryn Forbes and Jock Landale have yet to sign their contracts, and second-rounder Joe Wieskamp is unsigned too.

We don’t know the exact salary details for Forbes and Landale. However, Forbes seems like a safe bet for a full guarantee. It’s possible Landale’s deal won’t be guaranteed, which would make him and Eubanks potential odd men out. The Spurs also have an open two-way slot, which perhaps they’d like to use on Wieskamp.

If San Antonio wants to carry at least one of Eubanks, Landale, and Wieskamp on its 15-man regular season roster, Al-Farouq Aminu would be the most logical odd man out. Injuries have limited him to just 41 games over the last two seasons, he’s on an expiring contract, and he was included in the DeMar DeRozan sign-and-trade for salary-matching purposes.

Detroit Pistons:

It was a little surprising when the Pistons brought back Rodney McGruder on a guaranteed minimum-salary deal just a few days after waiving him. McGruder is Detroit’s 15th guaranteed contract, and the team has yet to sign restricted free agent Hamidou Diallo or second-round picks Luka Garza and Balsa Koprivica.

The Pistons are reportedly using one of their two-way contract slots on undrafted rookie Chris Smith, but that leaves one for Koprivica or Garza. Jahlil Okafor, who is on expiring $2.13MM contract, is probably the most expendable of the 15 players on guaranteed deals.

But even if, say, Koprivica fills a two-way slot and Diallo replaces Okafor on the 15-man roster, one more move would be necessary to accommodate Garza. Perhaps Detroit can stash Koprivica in the G League or an international league and use that second two-way spot on Garza.

New York Knicks:

The Knicks are carrying just 10 players on fully guaranteed contracts for the time being, but they still need to officially complete deals for Evan Fournier, Alec Burks, Derrick Rose, and Taj Gibson. That’ll bring the total to 14.

The team is also carrying Luca Vildoza on a non-guaranteed deal, has reached an agreement to sign Dwayne Bacon, and has No. 34 overall pick Rokas Jokubaitis talking about wanting to make this year’s roster.

We don’t know the full details on Bacon’s contract yet, but if it’s not fully guaranteed, he could end up battling Vildoza for the final spot on the 15-man squad, with Jokubaitis returning to Europe for at least one more year.

A few other situations worth noting:

  • The Celtics will have 15 fully guaranteed contracts once Dennis Schröder and Enes Kanter officially sign, making Jabari Parker (non-guaranteed) the odd man out unless a player like Kris Dunn or Bruno Fernando is traded.
  • The Nets have 13 players on guaranteed contracts, with DeAndre’ Bembry on a partial guarantee and Alize Johnson on a non-guaranteed deal. Second-round picks Kessler Edwards, Marcus Zegarowski, and RaiQuan Gray are all unsigned, as is two-way RFA Reggie Perry. Two of those players will likely end up on two-way deals and one of the second-rounders probably replaces Johnson on the 15-man roster. However, there’s not really a path to Edwards, Zegarowski, and Gray all claiming standard contracts or two-way deals unless one of Bembry or Perry is cut loose.
  • The Warriors have 13 players on fully guaranteed deals, meaning not all three of Damion Lee, Mychal Mulder, and Gary Payton II (all non-guaranteed) will make the team. Mulder and Payton may end up fighting for the 15th spot.
  • If the Pelicans sign RFA Josh Hart and second-round pick Herb Jones to guaranteed contracts, they’ll have 15 of them, making Wenyen Gabriel (non-guaranteed) the likely odd man out.
  • The Sixers have 13 players on guaranteed contracts, with Paul Reed and Anthony Tolliver on non-guaranteed deals and second-round picks Charles Bassey and Filip Petrusev unsigned. Bassey figures to get a 15-man spot, since both of the team’s two-way slots are full, and I’d be surprised if Reed goes anywhere. That might mean Tolliver is waived, with Petrusev remaining overseas.
  • The Kings will have 14 players on guaranteed contracts once Alex Len officially signs, leaving Chimezie Metu (partially guaranteed) and Justin James (non-guaranteed) battling for the 15th spot.
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NBA Teams With Hard Caps For 2021/22

August 12th, 2021 at 1:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA salary cap is somewhat malleable, with various exceptions allowing every team to surpass the $112,414,000 threshold once their cap room is used up. In some cases, teams blow past not only the cap limit, but the luxury-tax line of $136,606,000 as well — the Nets and Warriors, for instance, project to have nine-figure tax bills this season as a result of their spending.

The NBA doesn’t have a “hard cap” by default, which allows clubs like Brooklyn and Golden State to build a significant payroll without violating CBA rules. However, there are certain scenarios in which teams can be hard-capped, as we explain in a glossary entry.

When a club uses the bi-annual exception, acquires a player via sign-and-trade, or uses more than the taxpayer portion of the mid-level exception (three years, starting at $5,890,000), that club will face a hard cap for the remainder of the league year.

When a team becomes hard-capped, it cannot exceed the “tax apron” at any point during the rest of the league year. The tax apron for 2021/22 was set at $143,002,000.

So far, over a third of the teams in the NBA have been willing to hard-cap themselves this offseason. Some teams will have to be aware of that hard cap when they consider any roster move for the rest of the season, but for others it’s just a technicality that won’t affect their plans.

Listed below are the hard-capped teams for the 2021/22 league year, along with how they created a hard cap.

Chicago Bulls

Cleveland Cavaliers

Dallas Mavericks

Houston Rockets

Miami Heat

  • Acquired Kyle Lowry from Raptors via sign-and-trade.
  • Used non-taxpayer mid-level exception on P.J. Tucker.

New Orleans Pelicans

New York Knicks

Oklahoma City Thunder

San Antonio Spurs

Toronto Raptors

  • Used non-taxpayer mid-level exception on Khem Birch.

Washington Wizards

This list, which could continue to grow, will continue to be updated throughout the 2021/22 league year as necessary. It can be found anytime in the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on the right-hand sidebar of our desktop site, or in the “Features” menu on our mobile site.

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Hoops Rumors Glossary: Hard Cap

August 12th, 2021 at 12:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s salary cap is a “soft” cap, which is why most clubs’ team salary will easily surpass the $112,414,000 threshold at some point during the 2021/22 season, if it hasn’t already. Once a team uses up all of its cap room, it can use a series of “exceptions” – including the mid-level, bi-annual, and various forms of Bird rights – to exceed the cap.

Since the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement doesn’t feature a “hard” cap by default, teams can construct rosters that not only exceed the cap but also blow past the luxury tax line ($136,606,000 in ’21/22). While it would be nearly impossible in practical terms, there’s technically no rule restricting a club from having a team salary worth double or triple the salary cap.

However, there are certain scenarios in which a team can become hard-capped. Those scenarios are as follows:

  1. The team uses its bi-annual exception to sign a player.
  2. The team uses more than the taxpayer portion of the mid-level exception to sign a player (or multiple players).
    • Note: In 2021/22, the taxpayer MLE is worth $5,890,000, compared to $9,536,000 for the full non-taxpayer MLE. The taxpayer MLE can be used to complete deals up to three years, while the non-taxpayer MLE can be used to complete deals up to four years.
  3. The team acquires a player via sign-and-trade.

A team making any of those three roster moves must ensure that its team salary is below the “tax apron” when it finalizes the transaction and stays below the apron for the rest of the league year. The tax apron was set $6MM above the luxury tax line in 2017/18 (the first year of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement) and creeps up a little higher each season as long as the cap keeps increasing.

For the 2021/22 league year, the tax apron is set at $143,002,000. A hard-capped team can’t surpass that line under any circumstances.

In 2020/21, a total of 18 teams imposed a hard cap on themselves by acquiring a player via sign-and-trade, using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, or using the bi-annual exception. For many of those teams, the restriction was barely noticeable — they remained far below the tax apron and never had to worry about whether a roster move might put them over the hard cap.

However, there were a handful of teams – including the Lakers, Clippers, and Bucks – who had to be conscious of the hard cap all year long and carried an empty 15-man roster spot for much of the season. Even an extra minimum-salary player would’ve compromised the ability of those teams to stay below the hard cap.

Once the 2020/21 league year ended last week and the ’21/22 league year began, the 18 teams that were hard-capped a year ago once again became free to surpass this year’s tax apron. So far, nine teams have imposed a hard cap for themselves at $143MM in 2021/22 as a result of recent roster moves.

Finally, it’s worth noting that even if a team starts a new league year above the tax apron, that doesn’t mean they can’t become hard-capped at some point later in the season. For example, the Warriors are currently well above the apron, but in the unlikely event that they made a few cost-cutting moves and then acquired a player via sign-and-trade, a hard cap would be imposed and they’d be ineligible to surpass the $143MM apron for the rest of the league year.

In other words, the hard cap applies from the moment a team completes one of the three transactions listed above, but isn’t applied retroactively.

Note: This is a Hoops Rumors Glossary entry. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to trades, free agency, or other aspects of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ and the Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

A previous version of this post was published in 2020.

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Markkanen, Hart, Millsap Among Top Remaining Free Agents

August 12th, 2021 at 8:18am CST by Luke Adams

We’re now 10 days into the NBA’s 2021 free agent period, and the list of intriguing names on the open market has shrunk significantly, as has the number of open regular-season roster spots around the NBA.

Before the start of free agency, we listed 75 free agents we were keeping a close eye on this summer — our top 50 players, plus 25 others who earned honorable mention.

Of our top 50 free agents, only four remain unsigned, and three of those four are restricted. Of our 25 names who received honorable mention, just five are still on the board.

Here’s the breakdown of which of those players are still available:

Top 50:

  1. Lauri Markkanen, F, Bulls (RFA)
  2. Josh Hart, F, Pelicans (RFA)
  3. Hamidou Diallo, G, Pistons (RFA)
  4. Paul Millsap, F, Nuggets

Honorable mention:

The restricted free agents on these lists are the most interesting cases. I’d expect at least two or three of them to return to their current teams, but those standoffs may drag out a little longer, given the lack of leverage available to the players.

Markkanen, meanwhile, has said he wants a “fresh start,” so a sign-and-trade deal sending him elsewhere may be in the best interests of both him and the Bulls. However, it remains to be seen whether  a sign-and-trade will come together, given the high asking prices put forth by both Markkanen (in terms of salary) and the Bulls (in terms of the trade return). It’s possible the free agent forward will resort to accepting his $9MM qualifying offer.

As for the veterans on this list, they may not be major impact players, but they should have no problem earning rotation roles in 2021/22 as long as they’re healthy. Millsap, in particular, would be a solid addition for any playoff team looking to fortify its frontcourt with a savvy, defensively-sound veteran.

As our running list of free agents shows, there are plenty of other noteworthy names still on the open market.

Teams seeking more backcourt help may take a look at former lottery picks Frank Ntilikina, Dennis Smith Jr., and Dante Exum, or veterans such as Isaiah Thomas, Langston Galloway, Jeff Teague, E’Twaun Moore, and Tyler Johnson. Jordan McLaughlin shouldn’t be overlooked either, though he’s a Timberwolves RFA who may be difficult to pry away without an overpay.

Shooters like Garrison Mathews, Wesley Matthews, and Denzel Valentine are still on the board, as are defensively versatile wings like Stanley Johnson, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and Andre Roberson.

Ersan Ilyasova, Patrick Patterson, and Mike Scott could be players of interest to teams looking for a frontcourt player capable of stretching the floor. DeMarcus Cousins, Bismack Biyombo, Ed Davis, and Isaiah Hartenstein are among the other big men still available.

What do you think? Which free agents still on the board – either among those we mentioned or those we didn’t – do you believe are capable of moving the needle for NBA teams this season?

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2021/22 NBA Contract Extension Tracker

August 9th, 2021 at 1:32pm CST by Luke Adams

A number of 2021 free agents, including John Collins, Jarrett Allen, and Chris Paul, did extremely well for themselves on the open market this fall. However the most lucrative contracts signed since the new league year began weren’t free agent deals at all — they were contract extensions.

Extensions, of course, don’t involve adding a new player to the roster. By extending a contract, a team ensures that a current player will remain locked up for multiple years to come. Although a contract extension may not change the club’s outlook on the court, it can have a major impact on that team’s salary cap situation for the next several seasons.

Rookie scale extensions have typically been the most common form of contract extension. Former first-round picks who are entering the fourth and final year of their rookie deals are eligible to sign those up until October 18. It’s common for at least four or five players eligible for rookie scale extensions to sign them, and that number could be much higher — in 2020, there were 10 rookie scale extensions.

[RELATED: Players Eligible For Rookie Scale Extensions In 2021 Offseason]

While they used to be less common than rookie scale extensions, veteran extensions are happening more frequently these days, with the league’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement expanding the rules for eligibility and creating some additional incentives for star players to sign new deals before they reach free agency. In the past two league years, a total of 19 veteran extensions were signed, matching the 19 rookie scale extensions completed during that same window.

The deadline for a veteran extension for a player who isn’t in the final year of his current contract is October 18. However, a player eligible for a veteran extension who is on an expiring deal can sign a new contract throughout the season.

Listed below are the players who have finalized contract extensions so far in the 2021/22 league year. This list, which can be found on the right-hand sidebar under “Hoops Rumors Features” on our desktop site (or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu) will be kept up to date throughout the offseason — and throughout the ’21/22 regular season if any veteran players ink an extension at that point.

Rookie scale contract extensions:

  • Luka Doncic (Mavericks): Five years, maximum salary (story). Projected value of $207,060,000. Includes fifth-year player option and 15% trade kicker. Starts in 2022/23.
  • 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. Starts in 2022/23.
  • 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. Starts in 2022/23.
  • 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. Starts in 2022/23.
  • Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies): Four years, $104,720,000 (story). Includes Exhibit 3 injury protection related to Jackson’s left knee. Starts in 2022/23.
  • Mikal Bridges (Suns): Four years, $90,000,000 (story). Starts in 2022/23.
  • Kevin Huerter (Hawks): Four years, $65,000,000 (story). Starts in 2022/23.
  • Wendell Carter Jr. (Magic): Four years, $50,000,000 (story). Starts in 2022/23.
  • Robert Williams (Celtics): Four years, $48,000,000 (base value) (story). Includes $6MM in total incentives. Starts in 2022/23.
  • Landry Shamet (Suns): Four years, $42,500,000 (story). Includes non-guaranteed third year and fourth-year team option. Starts in 2022/23.
  • Grayson Allen (Bucks): Two years, $17,000,000 (base value) (story). Includes $2.55MM in total incentives. Starts in 2022/23.

Veteran contract extensions:

  • Stephen Curry (Warriors): Four years, $215,353,662 (story). Starts in 2022/23.
  • Kevin Durant (Nets): Four years, $192,504,908 (base value) (story). Includes $5,152,000 in total incentives. Starts in 2022/23.
  • Joel Embiid (Sixers): Four years, maximum salary (story). Includes fourth-year player option. Starts in 2023/24.
    • Note: Embiid’s starting salary in 2023/24 will be 35% of the ’23/24 salary cap.
  • Jimmy Butler (Heat): Three years, maximum salary (story). Includes third-year player option. Starts in 2023/24.
    • Note: Butler’s starting salary in 2023/24 will be the lesser amount of $45,183,960 or 35% of the ’23/24 salary cap.
  • Julius Randle (Knicks): Four years, $106,444,800 (base value) (story). Includes $15,966,720 in total incentives, a fourth-year player option, and a 15% trade kicker. Starts in 2022/23.
  • Terry Rozier (Hornets): Four years, $96,258,694 (story). Includes partial guarantee ($24,924,126) in fourth year. Starts in 2022/23.
  • Aaron Gordon (Nuggets): Four years, $86,640,001 (base value) (story). Includes $4.8MM in total incentives and a fourth-year player option. Starts in 2022/23.
  • Marcus Smart (Celtics): Four years, $77,087,995 (story). Includes trade kicker ($1MM or 15%; whichever is lesser). Starts in 2022/23.
  • Dorian Finney-Smith (Mavericks): Four years, $55,560,960 (story). Includes fourth-year player option and 5% trade kicker. Starts in 2022/23.
  • Malcolm Brogdon (Pacers): Two years, $45,000,000 (story). Starts in 2023/24.
  • Clint Capela (Hawks): Two years, $42,881,280 (base value) (story). Includes $4MM in incentives. Starts in 2023/24.
  • Daniel Gafford (Wizards): Three years, $40,182,480 (story). Starts in 2023/24.
  • Ivica Zubac (Clippers): Three years, $32,800,000 (story). Starts in 2022/23.
  • Jonas Valanciunas (Pelicans): Two years, $30,135,000 (story). Includes trade kicker ($1MM or 15%; whichever is lesser). Starts in 2022/23.
  • Gary Harris (Magic): Two years, $26,000,000 (story). Second year non-guaranteed. Starts in 2022/23.
  • Robert Covington (Clippers): Two years, $24,000,000 (story). Starts in 2022/23.
  • Terance Mann (Clippers): Two years, $22,000,000 (story). Starts in 2023/24.
  • Taurean Prince (Timberwolves): Two years, $14,555,000 (story). Second year non-guaranteed. Includes $2.13MM in total incentives. Starts in 2022/23.
  • Thaddeus Young (Raptors): Two years, $16,000,000 (base value) (story). Second year partially guaranteed. Includes $1MM in total incentives. Starts in 2022/23.
  • Patrick Beverley (Timberwolves): One year, $13,000,000 (story). Starts in 2022/23.
  • Josh Richardson (Celtics): One year, $12,196,084 (story). Starts in 2022/23.
    • Note: Richardson has been traded to the Spurs since signing his extension.
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Hoops Rumors’ 2021 NBA Free Agent Tracker

August 9th, 2021 at 8:04am CST by Luke Adams

With the NBA’s 2021 free agent period about to reach the one-week mark and most of the year’s biggest names already off the board, Hoops Rumors is here to help you keep track of which players are heading to which teams this fall.

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 reported to be joining teams on training camp/Exhibit 10 contracts won’t be added to the tracker until those signings are official, since those deals are more likely to fall through and some will end up being procedural moves that aren’t completed until the preseason.
  • A restricted free agent who signs an offer sheet won’t be included in the tracker right away. We’ll wait to hear whether the player’s original team will match or pass on that offer sheet before we update our tracker in order to avoid any confusion.
  • 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, 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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NBA 2021 Free Agency: Day 5 Recap

August 6th, 2021 at 11:30pm CST by Luke Adams

When we published our recap of Day 4 of the NBA’s 2021 free agent period on Thursday, I noted that the pace seemed to be slowing and that it would likely be our last daily roundup unless Friday was especially busy.

As it turns out, Friday was a pretty active news day, so we’re back at least once more tonight with our recap of all the day’s biggest NBA headlines.

Let’s dive in…

Here are Friday’s most noteworthy free agent deals and contract extension agreements:

  1. Kawhi Leonard agreed to re-sign with the Clippers, though the two sides are still working through the terms of his new contract.
  2. Kevin Durant agreed to a four-year, maximum-salary extension with the Nets that will be worth nearly $198MM.
  3. Jimmy Butler agreed to a four-year, maximum-salary extension with the Heat that projects to be worth more than $186MM.
  4. Reggie Jackson agreed to a two-year, $21.6MM deal with the Clippers.
  5. Andre Iguodala agreed to return to the Warriors on a one-year, minimum-salary deal.
  6. Justise Winslow agreed to a two-year deal with the Clippers that will reportedly come out of the team’s taxpayer mid-level exception.
  7. Willy Hernangomez agreed to a three-year deal with the Pelicans.
  8. Omer Yurtseven signed a two-year, minimum-salary deal with the Heat.
  9. DeAndre’ Bembry agreed to a one-year, minimum-salary deal with the Nets.
  10. Javonte Green agreed to a two-year deal with the Bulls.

The NBA’s 2021 free agency moratorium ended at 11:00am CT on Friday, allowing teams to complete the free agent deals and trades they’d tentatively agreed upon earlier in the offseason. Plenty of teams took advantage of the ability to officially make moves — the Lakers and Heat were among the teams that announced several signings.

A number of big-money contract extensions were formally completed today, including maximum-salary deals for Warriors guard Stephen Curry (story), Hawks guard Trae Young (story), and Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (story).

Some of the summer’s biggest free agent signings also became official, including John Collins‘ five-year deal with the Hawks, Jarrett Allen‘s five-year deal with the Cavaliers, Norman Powell‘s five-year deal with the Trail Blazers, Duncan Robinson‘s five-year deal with the Heat, Chris Paul‘s four-year deal with the Suns, and Mike Conley‘s three-year deal with the Jazz, among others.

Finally, the league started processing trade calls, including the Suns‘ acquisition of Landry Shamet, the Hornets‘ acquisition of Mason Plumlee, the Heat‘s sign-and-trade for Kyle Lowry, and the massive five-team deal that sent Russell Westbrook to the Lakers and Spencer Dinwiddie to the Wizards.

Here are several more of the day’s notable headlines:

  1. The Grizzlies agreed to trade Grayson Allen to the Bucks in exchange for Sam Merrill and a pair of future second-round picks.
  2. Bulls restricted free agent Lauri Markkanen told a Finnish reporter he’s seeking a change of scenery and a “fresh start.”
  3. The Lakers announced they’ve signed head coach Frank Vogel to a contract extension.
  4. The Celtics have engaged in contract discussions with free agent guard Dennis Schröder.
  5. The Thunder officially completed their buyout agreement with Kemba Walker and placed him on waivers.
  6. The Pistons waived Rodney McGruder.

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2021 NBA Draft Pick Signings

August 6th, 2021 at 9:04am CST by Luke Adams

Free agent news has dominated NBA headlines over the last few days, but teams around the league are also taking care of the rookies they drafted on July 29, signing them to their first NBA contracts. Because cap holds for first-round picks count for 120% of the rookie scale instead of 100% in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, there’s little incentive for teams to wait to lock up their first-rounders.

For first-round picks, rookie contracts are fairly rigid, having essentially been predetermined. The NBA’s rookie-scale structure dictates that first-rounders will be signed to four-year deals, which include two guaranteed years, then team options in years three and four.

The value of those contracts depends on where a player was drafted. This year, No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham figures to sign a four-year deal worth in excess of $45MM, which represents the maximum allowable 120% of his scale amount. No. 30 pick Santi Aldama, on the other hand, would be in line for a four-year contract worth just over $10MM.

The full breakdown of this year’s first-round rookie salaries and contracts can be found right here — if you see a first-rounder listed below as “signed,” you can assume his contract looks like that, unless otherwise indicated.

Second-round picks, meanwhile, aren’t assured of two guaranteed seasons, though some players will receive them. Teams can sign second-rounders to whatever amount they choose, using cap room or various exceptions. Those players who immediately join their NBA teams figure to earn a minimum salary or something slightly above the minimum. We’ll make a note of contract details for second-rounders below, as they become available.

Finally, some second-rounders – and perhaps even some first-rounders – won’t sign NBA deals immediately. They may get two-way contracts, play in the G League, or head overseas to refine their games while their NBA teams retain their rights. We’ll make note of that below too, wherever it’s applicable.

Here’s a breakdown of 2021’s draft pick signings. This list will continue to be updated as more draftees sign their first NBA contracts:

First Round:

  1. Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham, G, Oklahoma State: Signed
  2. Houston Rockets: Jalen Green, G, G League Ignite: Signed
  3. Cleveland Cavaliers: Evan Mobley, F/C, USC: Signed
  4. Toronto Raptors: Scottie Barnes, F, Florida State: Signed
  5. Orlando Magic: Jalen Suggs, G, Gonzaga: Signed
  6. Oklahoma City Thunder: Josh Giddey, G, Australia: Signed
  7. Golden State Warriors: Jonathan Kuminga, F, G League Ignite: Signed
  8. Orlando Magic: Franz Wagner, F, Michigan: Signed
  9. Sacramento Kings: Davion Mitchell, G, Baylor: Signed
  10. Memphis Grizzlies: Ziaire Williams, G, Stanford: Signed
  11. Charlotte Hornets: James Bouknight, G, UConn: Signed
  12. San Antonio Spurs: Joshua Primo, G, Alabama: Signed
  13. Indiana Pacers: Chris Duarte, G, Oregon: Signed
  14. Golden State Warriors: Moses Moody, G/F, Arkansas: Signed
  15. Washington Wizards: Corey Kispert, F, Gonzaga: Signed
  16. Houston Rockets: Alperen Sengun, C, Turkey: Signed
  17. New Orleans Pelicans: Trey Murphy, G, Virginia: Signed
  18. Oklahoma City Thunder: Tre Mann, G, Florida: Signed
  19. Charlotte Hornets: Kai Jones, F/C, Texas: Signed
  20. Atlanta Hawks: Jalen Johnson, F, Duke: Signed
  21. Los Angeles Clippers: Keon Johnson, G/F, Tennessee: Signed
  22. Indiana Pacers: Isaiah Jackson, F, Kentucky: Signed
  23. Houston Rockets: Usman Garuba, F, Spain: Signed
  24. Houston Rockets: Josh Christopher, G, Arizona State: Signed
  25. New York Knicks: Quentin Grimes, G, Houston: Signed
  26. Denver Nuggets: Bones Hyland, G, VCU: Signed
  27. Brooklyn Nets: Cameron Thomas, G, LSU: Signed
  28. Philadelphia 76ers: Jaden Springer, G, Tennessee: Signed
  29. Brooklyn Nets: Day’Ron Sharpe, C, North Carolina: Signed
  30. Memphis Grizzlies: Santi Aldama, F/C, Loyola (MD): Signed

Second Round:

  1. Washington Wizards: Isaiah Todd, F, G League Ignite: Signed

    • Four-year, $6.89MM contract. First three years guaranteed.
  2. Oklahoma City Thunder: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, F, Villanova: Signed
    • Four-year, $7.89MM contract. First two years guaranteed.
  3. Los Angeles Clippers: Jason Preston, G, Ohio: Signed
    • Three-year, $4.46MM contract. First two years guaranteed.
  4. New York Knicks: Rokas Jokubaitis, G, Lithuania: Will play overseas
  5. New Orleans Pelicans: Herb Jones, F, Alabama: Signed
    • Three-year, $5.32MM contract. First two years guaranteed.
  6. New York Knicks: Miles McBride, G, West Virginia: Signed

    • Three-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed.
  7. Charlotte Hornets: JT Thor, F, Auburn: Signed

    • Four-year, $6.64MM contract. First two years guaranteed.
  8. Chicago Bulls: Ayo Dosunmu, G, Illinois: Signed
    • Two-year, minimum-salary contract. Fully guaranteed.
  9. Sacramento Kings: Neemias Queta, C, Utah State: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  10. Utah Jazz: Jared Butler, G, Baylor: Signed

    • Two-year, minimum-salary contract. Fully guaranteed.
  11. San Antonio Spurs: Joe Wieskamp, F, Iowa: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  12. Detroit Pistons: Isaiah Livers, F, Michigan: Signed
    • Three-year, $4.46MM contract. First two years guaranteed.
  13. Portland Trail Blazers: Greg Brown, F, Texas: Signed

    • Three-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed.
  14. Brooklyn Nets: Kessler Edwards, F, Pepperdine: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  15. Boston Celtics: Juhann Begarin, G, France: Will play overseas
  16. Toronto Raptors: Dalano Banton, G, Nebraska: Signed
    • Two-year, minimum-salary contract. First year fully guaranteed. Second year partially guaranteed.
  17. Toronto Raptors: David Johnson, G, Louisville: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  18. Atlanta Hawks: Sharife Cooper, G, Auburn: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  19. Brooklyn Nets: Marcus Zegarowski, G, Creighton: Signed G League contract
  20. Philadelphia 76ers: Filip Petrusev, F, Serbia: Will play overseas
  21. Los Angeles Clippers: Brandon Boston, G, Kentucky: Signed
    • Three-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed.
  22. Detroit Pistons: Luka Garza, C, Iowa: Signed
    • Two-way contract (later converted to standard deal).
  23. Philadelphia 76ers: Charles Bassey, C, Western Kentucky: Signed
    • Three-year, minimum-salary contract. First year guaranteed. Second year partially guaranteed.
  24. Milwaukee Bucks: Sandro Mamukelashvili, C, Seton Hall: Signed

    • Two-year, two-way contract.
  25. Oklahoma City Thunder: Aaron Wiggins, G/F, Maryland: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  26. Charlotte Hornets: Scottie Lewis, G, Florida: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  27. Detroit Pistons: Balsa Koprivica, C, Florida State: Will play overseas
  28. New York Knicks: Jericho Sims, F, Texas: Signed
    • Two-year, two-way contract.
  29. Brooklyn Nets: RaiQuan Gray, F, Florida State: Signed G League contract
  30. Milwaukee Bucks: Georgios Kalaitzakis, G, Greece: Signed

    • Three-year, minimum-salary contract. First year partially guaranteed.
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NBA 2021 Free Agency: Day 4 Recap

August 5th, 2021 at 11:30pm CST by Luke Adams

With cap space drying up around the NBA and guaranteed roster spots increasingly harder to come by, the rate of free agent agreements has slowed significantly since Monday night.

We’re still waiting for a handful of notable free agents to find homes, including Dennis Schröder, Lauri Markkanen, and Reggie Jackson. The exact details of the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade deal between the Heat and Raptors remain a mystery. And technically, Kawhi Leonard is still on the board, though we’re mostly wondering what his new contract with the Clippers will look like, not whether he’ll actually change teams.

In the meantime, there were a few stories worth highlighting from Thursday, including new deals for this year’s Most Improved Player and a former Executive of the Year.

Let’s round up the highlights from Day 4 of NBA free agency…

The free agency moratorium will lift on Friday at 11:00am CT, at which point this week’s free agent deals and trade agreements will start becoming official.

We can still expect new deals to be reported on a daily basis for a little while, but since they’re not coming in at the same fast and furious pace they were earlier in the week, this will likely be our last daily roundup of 2021’s free agent action unless Friday is especially busy. Be sure to check our tracker to keep up with the latest deals.

Previously:

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