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Community Shootaround: Which 2020 Lottery Teams Will Make 2021 Playoffs?

November 26th, 2020 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agency opened less than a week ago, which means that in a typical NBA offseason, today would be about the equivalent of July 5. But in 2020’s warp-speed offseason, the start of training camps are, incredibly, just five days away. Opening night will tip off in less than four weeks.

So even though there may be more free agent signings and trades on the way in the coming days and weeks, it’s not too early to start considering what the on-court impact of this offseason’s roster moves will be.

[RELATED: 2020 NBA Free Agent Tracker]

With that in mind, we’re looking today at which 2020 non-playoff teams have the best chance at returning to the postseason in 2021.

Let’s start in the East, where the Hawks look like perhaps the best candidate to get out of lottery territory. They finished 14th in the conference last season, but an offseason roster overhaul that saw them add Danilo Gallinari, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Rajon Rondo, Kris Dunn, and Onyeka Okongwu  – plus a healthy Clint Capela – suddenly makes Atlanta’s roster a whole lot more interesting.

There’s also some intrigue in Washington and Charlotte. Will John Wall‘s return be enough to help buoy the Wizards into a playoff spot? Will the arrivals of No. 3 pick LaMelo Ball and free agent splash Gordon Hayward improve the Hornets significantly?

The other four Eastern teams didn’t necessarily upgrade their rosters in a major way, but the Bulls could be intriguing after hiring Billy Donovan and drafting Patrick Williams, especially if Otto Porter is back to full health. The Pistons, Cavaliers, and Knicks are probably at least a year or two from playoff contention, but if their young talent takes bigger immediate strides than expected, maybe they could make some noise.

Over in the West, there are handful of intriguing candidates to make the move from the lottery to the postseason.

The Warriors, who will have a healthy Stephen Curry back in their lineup to go along with Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, Kelly Oubre, and No. 2 pick James Wiseman, are an obvious team to watch. So are the Suns, who have added Chris Paul, Jae Crowder, Langston Galloway, and E’Twaun Moore, and No. 10 pick Jalen Smith to the mix after an 8-0 run during the NBA’s summer restart.

The only major moves the Pelicans and Grizzlies made in free agency involved re-signing their own players, and New Orleans traded away Jrue Holiday. But both teams were knocking on the door of the playoffs in 2020, and young cornerstones like Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Ja Morant, and Jaren Jackson should only get better.

[RELATED: 2020 NBA Offseason Trades]

That leaves the Timberwolves, Spurs, and Kings. Minnesota has a long way to go after finishing last season with a 19-45 record, but adding No. 1 pick Anthony Edwards and having a full season with Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, and Juan Hernangomez shouldn’t hurt.

As for San Antonio and Sacramento, neither team was too far removed from the postseason in 2020. Continued improvements from young players like Derrick White, Dejounte Murray, De’Aaron Fox, and Marvin Bagley should help keep them within striking distance, and both teams got nice draft-lottery additions in Devin Vassell and Tyrese Haliburton.

It’s also worth noting that any team that finishes in the top 10 of a conference has a chance to make the postseason this year as a result of the NBA’s new play-in tournament. The No. 9 and No. 10 seeds will play each other at season’s end, and the winner will face the loser of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 game for the final playoff spot. As a result, more teams than ever could remain in the playoff hunt until late in the season.

What do you think? Which teams do you like to make it back the playoffs this year after missing out in 2020? And which of last season’s playoff teams do you expect to fall into the lottery to make room for those newcomers?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

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2020 NBA Draft Pick Signings

November 23rd, 2020 at 1:21pm 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 November 18, 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 Anthony Edwards figures to sign a four-year deal worth in excess of $44MM, which represents the maximum allowable 120% of his scale amount. No. 30 pick Desmond Bane, on the other hand, will likely sign a four-year contract worth just shy of $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 get 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 2020’s draft pick signings. This list will continue to be updated as more draftees sign their first NBA contracts:

First Round:

  1. Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards, G, Georgia: Signed
  2. Golden State Warriors: James Wiseman, C, Memphis: Signed
  3. Charlotte Hornets: LaMelo Ball, G, USA: Signed
  4. Chicago Bulls: Patrick Williams, F, Florida State: Signed
  5. Cleveland Cavaliers: Isaac Okoro, F, Auburn: Signed
  6. Atlanta Hawks: Onyeka Okongwu, C, USC: Signed
  7. Detroit Pistons: Killian Hayes, G, France: Signed
  8. New York Knicks: Obi Toppin, F, Dayton: Signed
  9. Washington Wizards: Deni Avdija, F, Israel: Signed
  10. Phoenix Suns: Jalen Smith, F/C, Maryland: Signed
  11. San Antonio Spurs: Devin Vassell, G/F, Florida State: Signed
  12. Sacramento Kings: Tyrese Haliburton, G, Iowa State: Signed
  13. New Orleans Pelicans: Kira Lewis Jr., G, Alabama: Signed
  14. Boston Celtics: Aaron Nesmith, F, Vanderbilt: Signed
  15. Orlando Magic: Cole Anthony, G, UNC: Signed
  16. Detroit Pistons: Isaiah Stewart, C, Washington: Signed
  17. Oklahoma City Thunder: Aleksej Pokusevski, F, Serbia: Signed
  18. Dallas Mavericks: Josh Green, G, Arizona: Signed
  19. Detroit Pistons: Saddiq Bey, F, Villanova: Signed
  20. Miami Heat: Precious Achiuwa, F, Memphis: Signed
  21. Philadelphia 76ers: Tyrese Maxey, G, Kentucky: Signed
  22. Denver Nuggets: Zeke Nnaji, F, Arizona: Signed
  23. Minnesota Timberwolves: Leandro Bolmaro, G, Argentina: Expected to spend season in Spain
  24. Denver Nuggets: R.J. Hampton, G, USA: Signed
  25. New York Knicks: Immanuel Quickley, G, Kentucky: Signed
  26. Boston Celtics: Payton Pritchard, G, Oregon: Signed
  27. Utah Jazz: Udoka Azubuike, C, Kansas: Signed
  28. Minnesota Timberwolves: Jaden McDaniels, F, Washington: Signed
  29. Toronto Raptors: Malachi Flynn, G San Diego State: Signed
  30. Memphis Grizzlies: Desmond Bane, G, TCU: Signed

Second Round:

  1. Dallas Mavericks: Tyrell Terry, G, Stanford: Signed
    • Four-year, $6.52MM contract. First three years guaranteed.
  2. Charlotte Hornets: Vernon Carey Jr., C, Duke: Signed
    • Four-year, $6.58MM contract. First three years guaranteed.
  3. Los Angeles Clippers: Daniel Oturu, C, Minnesota: Signed
    • Two-year, minimum-salary contract. Fully guaranteed.
  4. Oklahoma City Thunder: Theo Maledon, G, France: Signed
    • Four-year, $7.83MM contract. First two years guaranteed.
  5. Memphis Grizzlies: Xavier Tillman, C, Michigan State: Signed
    • Four-year, $6.53MM contract. First three years guaranteed.
  6. Dallas Mavericks: Tyler Bey, F, Colorado: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  7. Oklahoma City Thunder: Vit Krejci, G, Czech Republic: Will be on G League roster
  8. Detroit Pistons: Saben Lee, G, Vanderbilt: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  9. Utah Jazz: Elijah Hughes, G, Syracuse: Signed
    • Two-year, minimum-salary contract. Fully guaranteed.
  10. Sacramento Kings: Robert Woodard, F, Mississippi State: Signed
    • Four-year, $6.73MM contract. First two years guaranteed.
  11. San Antonio Spurs: Tre Jones, G, Duke: Signed
    • Three-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed.
  12. Charlotte Hornets: Nick Richards, C, Kentucky: Signed
    • Three-year, $4.3MM contract. First two years guaranteed.
  13. Sacramento Kings: Jahmi’us Ramsey, G, Texas Tech: Signed
    • Three-year contract. First two years guaranteed.
  14. Chicago Bulls: Marko Simonovic, C, Montenegro: Expected to spend season in Serbia
  15. Milwaukee Bucks: Jordan Nwora, F, Louisville: Signed
    • Two-year, minimum-salary contract. Fully guaranteed.
  16. Portland Trail Blazers: CJ Elleby, G, Washington State: Signed
    • Two-year, minimum-salary contract. Fully guaranteed.
  17. Boston Celtics: Yam Madar, G, Israel: Expected to spend season in Israel
  18. Golden State Warriors: Nico Mannion, G, Arizona: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  19. Philadelphia 76ers: Isaiah Joe, G, Arkansas: Signed
    • Three-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed.
  20. Atlanta Hawks: Skylar Mays, G, LSU: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  21. Golden State Warriors: Justinian Jessup, G, Boise State: Expected to spend season in Australia
  22. Houston Rockets: KJ Martin, F, IMG Academy: Signed
    • Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First year guaranteed.
  23. Washington Wizards: Cassius Winston, G, Michigan State: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  24. Indiana Pacers: Cassius Stanley, G, Duke: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  25. Los Angeles Clippers: Jay Scrubb, G, John A. Logan College: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  26. Charlotte Hornets: Grant Riller, G, Charleston: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  27. Brooklyn Nets: Reggie Perry, C, Mississippi State: Signed
    • One-year, minimum-salary contract. Non-guaranteed.
  28. Philadelphia 76ers: Paul Reed, F, DePaul: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  29. Toronto Raptors: Jalen Harris, G, Nevada: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  30. Milwaukee Bucks: Sam Merrill, G, Utah State: Signed
    • Two-year, minimum-salary contract. Partial guarantee in second year.
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NBA 2020 Free Agency: Day 3 Recap

November 23rd, 2020 at 12:10am CST by Luke Adams

The third day of NBA’s 2020 free agency period didn’t feature quite as many fireworks as the first two — outside of the year’s first offer sheet, the most lucrative free agent agreement reached on Sunday was worth just $21MM.

[RELATED: 2020 NBA Free Agent Tracker]

However, a series of trades and a pair of maximum-salary contract extensions helped keep things pretty interesting as the moratorium lifted and free agent deals began being officially finalized.

We’ll recap the day’s headlines in this space.

Here are Tuesday’s noteworthy free agent contract agreements:

  1. Bogdan Bogdanovic, Hawks finalize four-year, $72MM offer sheet; Kings have until Tuesday night to match.
  2. Juan Hernangomez, Timberwolves agree to three-year, $21MM deal.
  3. Aron Baynes, Raptors agree to two-year, $14.3MM deal.
  4. Chris Boucher, Raptors agree to two-year, $13.5MM deal.
  5. Austin Rivers, Knicks agree to three-year, $10MM deal.
  6. Willie Cauley-Stein, Mavericks agree to two-year, $8.2MM deal.
  7. Jontay Porter, Grizzlies agree to three-year, $6MM deal.
  8. Marc Gasol, Lakers agree to two-year, minimum-salary deal.
  9. Isaiah Hartenstein, Nuggets agree to two-year, minimum-salary deal.
  10. DeAndre’ Bembry, Raptors agree to two-year, minimum-salary deal.
  11. Damian Jones, Suns agree to two-year, minimum-salary deal.
  12. Kent Bazemore, Warriors agree to one-year, minimum-salary deal.
  13. E’Twaun Moore, Suns agree to one-year, minimum-salary deal.
  14. Harry Giles, Trail Blazers agree to one-year, minimum-salary deal.
  15. JaKarr Sampson, Pacers agree to one-year, minimum-salary deal.
  16. Willy Hernangomez, Pelicans agree to one-year, minimum-salary deal.
  17. Jae’Sean Tate, Rockets agree to three-year deal (exact terms unknown).
  18. Bryn Forbes, Bucks agree to two-year deal (exact terms unknown).
  19. Sterling Brown, Rockets agree to one-year deal (exact terms unknown).
  20. Torrey Craig, Bucks agree to deal (terms unknown).
  21. Bismack Biyombo, Hornets agree to deal (terms unknown).

Here is today’s activity on the trade market:

  1. Lakers agree to trade JaVale McGee and their 2026 second-round pick to Cavaliers in exchange for Alfonzo McKinnie and Jordan Bell.
  2. Knicks agree to trade Ed Davis to Timberwolves in exchange for Jacob Evans, Omari Spellman, and a future second-round pick.
  3. Pacers agree to trade T.J. Leaf and a second-round pick to Thunder in exchange for Jalen Lecque.
  4. Sixers agree to trade Zhaire Smith to Pistons in exchange for Tony Bradley.
  5. Pistons and Nuggets turn Jerami Grant‘s three-year, $60MM deal with Detroit into a sign-and-trade, generating a trade exception for Denver worth about $9.5MM.
  6. Kenrich Williams, Josh Gray, and Zylan Cheatham will be signed-and-traded from the Pelicans to the Thunder in the ever-growing Steven Adams/Jrue Holiday trade that also involves the Bucks and Nuggets.
  7. Previously reported trades involving the Trail Blazers and Rockets, Warriors and Thunder, and Pistons and Jazz were officially completed.

Here are today’s contract extensions:

  1. Donovan Mitchell, Jazz agree to five-year, maximum-salary extension.
  2. Jayson Tatum, Celtics agree to five-year, maximum-salary extension.

These deals are essentially identical — they’ll be worth a projected $163MM (25% of the cap), but can be worth up to $195.6MM (30% of the cap) if Mitchell and/or Tatum earn All-NBA honors in 2021. They also each have a fifth-year player option.

Previously:

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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2020/21 NBA Two-Way Contract Tracker

November 22nd, 2020 at 11:18pm CST by Luke Adams

One of the most notable additions to the NBA’s most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement, which went into effect at the start of the 2017/18 league year, is the two-way contract.

As we explain in depth in our FAQ, two-way contracts allow NBA teams to carry two extra players in addition to the 15 on their regular season roster. These players typically spend most of their time with the club’s G League affiliate, but remain under team control and can’t be poached by rival franchises.

During the shortened 2020/21 season, two-way deals will work a little differently than usual. Rather than being limited to spending 45 days with their NBA teams, two-way players will be eligible to be active for up to 50 of their team’s 72 NBA games. And instead of having their salaries by how many days they spend in the NBA, they’ll receive flat salaries of $449,155.

NBA teams have begun to fill in their two-way slots for the 2020/21 league year, so we’ll track all those deals in the space below. Some two-way players from 2019/20 inked two-year contracts and remain under contract for this season, while others have been newly signed.

If a signing hasn’t been officially announced as a two-way contract, but has been reported as such, we’ll make a note of that, and update the info as necessary. Players who are in the first year of two-way contracts that cover two years (the maximum length), will be noted with an asterisk once that info is confirmed.

This tracker will continue to be updated throughout the 2020/21 league year, and 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.

Here are 2020/21’s two-way players:

Updated 7-13-21

Atlanta Hawks

  1. Nathan Knight, F/C
  2. Skylar Mays, G

Boston Celtics

  1. Tacko Fall, C
  2. Tremont Waters, PG

Brooklyn Nets

  1. Reggie Perry, PF
  2. Chris Chiozza, PG

Charlotte Hornets

  1. Nate Darling, SG
  2. Grant Riller, G

Chicago Bulls

  1. Devon Dotson, PG
  2. Adam Mokoka, SG

Cleveland Cavaliers

  1. Brodric Thomas, SG
  2. Jeremiah Martin, PG

Dallas Mavericks

  1. Tyler Bey, G/F
  2. Nate Hinton, SG

Denver Nuggets

  1. Markus Howard, PG
  2. Shaquille Harrison, PG

Detroit Pistons

  1. Saben Lee, PG
  2. Frank Jackson, PG

Golden State Warriors

  1. Nico Mannion, PG
  2. Jordan Bell, F/C

Houston Rockets

  1. Anthony Lamb, SF
  2. Armoni Brooks, SG

Indiana Pacers

  1. Cassius Stanley, SG
  2. Amida Brimah, C *

Los Angeles Clippers

  1. Amir Coffey, G/F
  2. Jay Scrubb, G/F *

Los Angeles Lakers

  1. Devontae Cacok, F/C
  2. Kostas Antetokounmpo, F

Memphis Grizzlies

  1. Killian Tillie, F/C
  2. Sean McDermott, G/F *

Miami Heat

  1. Gabe Vincent, PG
  2. Max Strus, G/F

Milwaukee Bucks

  1. Axel Toupane, SF
  2. Justin Jackson, SF

Minnesota Timberwolves

  1. Jordan McLaughlin, PG
  2. Empty

New Orleans Pelicans

  1. James Nunnally, SF
  2. Empty

New York Knicks

  1. Theo Pinson, G/F
  2. Jared Harper, PG

Oklahoma City Thunder

  1. Josh Hall, SF
  2. Jaylen Hoard, F

Orlando Magic

  1. Chasson Randle, PG
  2. Sindarius Thornwell, G

Philadelphia 76ers

  1. Rayjon Tucker, G/F
  2. Gary Clark, F

Phoenix Suns

  1. Ty-Shon Alexander, SG *
  2. Empty

Portland Trail Blazers

  1. Keljin Blevins, G/F
  2. T.J. Leaf, PF

Sacramento Kings

  1. Kyle Guy, G
  2. Louis King, SF

San Antonio Spurs

  1. Quinndary Weatherspoon, SG
  2. Keita Bates-Diop, F

Toronto Raptors

  1. Empty
  2. Empty

Utah Jazz

  1. Trent Forrest, G
  2. Jarrell Brantley, PF

Washington Wizards

  1. Garrison Mathews, SG
  2. Cassius Winston, PG
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Checking In On Top Remaining NBA Free Agents

November 22nd, 2020 at 9:04am CST by Luke Adams

Technically, most of this year’s top free agents remain unsigned. Until the moratorium at the place at the start of the 2020/21 league year lifts at 11:01am central time today, most of them are ineligible to sign their new contracts.

However, over the last two days, many of the players from our list of 2020’s top free agents have taken themselves off the market by reaching contract agreements with teams around the league.

[RELATED: 2020 NBA Free Agent Tracker]

While those are just tentative agreements and could still fall apart, that usually doesn’t happen more than once or twice in a given offseason, so it’s safe to pencil those deals in for the time being and assume those free agents are off the board.

So who does that leave? Here are the top free agents from our top-50 list who have yet to agree to new deals:

  1. Anthony Davis, F/C, Lakers
  2. Brandon Ingram, F, Pelicans (RFA)
  3. Bogdan Bogdanovic, G/F, Kings (RFA)
  4. Hassan Whiteside, C, Trail Blazers
  5. Dario Saric, F, Suns (RFA)
  6. Aron Baynes, C, Suns
  7. Bryn Forbes, G, Spurs
  8. Marc Gasol, C, Raptors
  9. Juan Hernangomez, F, Timberwolves (RFA)
  10. Kent Bazemore, F, Kings
  11. Markieff Morris, F, Lakers
  12. Langston Galloway, G, Pistons
  13. Harry Giles, C, Kings
  14. Reggie Jackson, G, Clippers

Several of the players listed in our honorable mention section – including Chris Boucher (RFA), Chris Chiozza (RFA), Torrey Craig, Shaquille Harrison, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Frank Kaminsky, Alex Len, Jordan McLaughlin (RFA), E’Twaun Moore, Shabazz Napier, Austin Rivers, and Glenn Robinson – also remain unsigned.

Plus, a few noteworthy veterans have hit the free agent market since we published our list, having cleared waivers after being released. That group includes Taj Gibson, Ersan Ilyasova, and Wayne Ellington.

Now, while the idea that Davis and Ingram are still out there may seem tantalizing, the idea that either of those players will leave his current team is probably misguided. Davis has always planned to re-sign with the Lakers and simply intends to take his time before finalizing an agreement. It’s possible it won’t happen until after Thanksgiving, or even early December.

As for Ingram, his restricted status means the Pelicans would be able to match any offer he receives and the assumption is that the team would do so. The more likely scenario is that Ingram and New Orleans will simply work out their own maximum-salary agreement.

So if we’re considering the top free agents who are still legitimately available, the list probably starts with Bogdanovic. We’ll see if anything happens with him today once the moratorium ends — if he were to sign an offer sheet at that point with the Hawks (who are very interested), the clock would start immediately on the Kings, who would have two days to decide whether or not to match.

The complete list of available free agents can be found right here.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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NBA 2020 Free Agency: Day 2 Recap

November 22nd, 2020 at 1:20am CST by Luke Adams

The list of available NBA free agents continued to shrink on Saturday, which was technically the first full day of 2020’s free agent period. Over two dozen more standard contracts were agreed upon over the course of the day.

Listed below are Saturday’s notable contract and news items. For the most part, these deals aren’t yet official, so the reported terms could change — or agreements could fall through altogether. Generally speaking though, teams and players are on track to finalize these deals sometime after the moratorium ends on Sunday.

Here are Saturday’s noteworthy contract agreements and signings:

  1. Gordon Hayward, Hornets agree to four-year, $120MM deal.
  2. Fred VanVleet, Raptors agree to four-year, $85MM deal.
  3. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Lakers agree to three-year, $40MM deal.
  4. De’Anthony Melton, Grizzlies agree to four-year, $35MM deal.
  5. Jae Crowder, Suns agree to three-year, $29.2MM deal.
  6. D.J. Augustin, Bucks agree to three-year, $21MM deal.
  7. Serge Ibaka, Clippers agree to two-year, $19MM deal.
  8. Tristan Thompson, Celtics agree to two-year, $19MM deal.
  9. Rajon Rondo, Hawks agree to two-year, $15MM deal.
  10. Avery Bradley, Heat agree to two-year, $11.6MM deal.
  11. Jevon Carter, Suns agree to three-year, $11.5MM deal.
  12. Paul Millsap, Nuggets agree to one-year, $10MM deal.
  13. Kris Dunn, Hawks agree to two-year, $10MM deal.
  14. John Konchar, Grizzlies agree to four-year, $9MM deal.
  15. Bobby Portis, Bucks agree to two-year, $7.4MM deal.
  16. Michael Carter-Williams, Magic agree to two-year, $6MM deal.
  17. Elfrid Payton, Knicks agree to one-year, $5MM deal.
  18. Nerlens Noel, Knicks agree to one-year, $5MM deal.
  19. Denzel Valentine signs one-year, $4.64MM qualifying offer with Bulls.
  20. Gary Clark, Magic agree to two-year, $4.1MM deal.
  21. Maurice Harkless, Heat agree to one-year, $3.6MM deal.
  22. Brad Wanamaker, Warriors agree to one-year, $2.3MM deal.
  23. Wesley Iwundu, Mavericks agree to two-year, minimum-salary deal.
  24. Carmelo Anthony, Trail Blazers agree to one-year, minimum-salary deal.
  25. Jeff Green, Nets agree to one-year, minimum-salary deal.
  26. Raul Neto, Wizards agree to one-year, minimum-salary deal.
  27. Jeff Teague, Celtics agree to one-year deal (terms unknown).

Here are a few more of the day’s noteworthy headlines:

  1. The NBA and NBPA set a December 1 deadline for players with COVID-19 concerns to opt out of the 2020/21 season.
  2. The Warriors formally requested a disabled player exception in response to Klay Thompson‘s season-ending Achilles tear.
  3. The Hornets will use the stretch provision on Nicolas Batum to create the cap room necessary to sign Gordon Hayward… unless perhaps they can work out a sign-and-trade agreement with the Celtics.
  4. Bogdan Bogdanovic is one of the most popular free agents still on the market and is said to be receiving interest from the Hawks and possibly the Pacers.

Previously:

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Hoops Rumors’ 2020 NBA Free Agent Tracker

November 22nd, 2020 at 1:15am CST by Luke Adams

With free agency officially underway and news of contract agreements breaking left and right, Hoops Rumors is here to help you keep track of which players are heading to which teams fall. To this end, we present our Free Agent Tracker, a feature we’ve had 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:

  • Early in free agency, most 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.
  • 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 2020 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 2020 Free Agency: Day 1 Recap

November 21st, 2020 at 2:30am CST by Luke Adams

An eventful opening night of the 2020 free agent period saw more than 30 NBA free agents reach agreements on deals, including six whose new contracts will be worth at least $60MM in overall value.

These deals aren’t yet official, so the reported terms could change — or agreements could fall through altogether. Generally speaking though, teams and players are on track to finalize these agreements sometime after the moratorium ends on Sunday.

Here are today’s free agent agreements:

  1. Davis Bertans, Wizards agree to five-year, $80MM contract.
  2. Joe Harris, Nets agree to four-year, $75MM contract.
  3. Marcus Morris, Clippers agree to four-year, $64MM contract.
  4. Danilo Gallinari, Hawks agree to three-year, $61.5MM contract.
  5. Jerami Grant, Pistons agree to three-year, $60MM contract.
  6. Malik Beasley, Timberwolves agree to four-year, $60MM contract.
  7. Jordan Clarkson, Jazz agree to four-year, $52MM contract.
  8. Christian Wood, Rockets agree to three-year, $41MM contract (sign-and-trade).
  9. Goran Dragic, Heat agree to two-year, $37.4MM contract.
  10. Derrick Favors, Jazz agree to three-year, $27MM contract.
  11. Jakob Poeltl, Spurs agree to three-year, $27MM contract.
  12. Mason Plumlee, Pistons agree to three-year, $25MM contract.
  13. Rodney Hood, Trail Blazers agree to two-year, $21MM contract.
  14. Meyers Leonard, Heat agree to two-year, $20MM contract.
  15. Montrezl Harrell, Lakers agree to two-year, $19MM contract.
  16. Derrick Jones, Trail Blazers agree to two-year, $19MM contract.
  17. Justin Holiday, Pacers agree to three-year, $18MM contract.
  18. JaMychal Green, Nuggets agree to two-year, $15MM contract.
  19. Trey Burke, Mavericks agree to three-year, $10MM contract.
  20. Pat Connaughton, Bucks agree to two-year, $8.3MM contract.
  21. Alec Burks, Knicks agree to one-year, $6MM contract.
  22. Garrett Temple, Bulls agree to one-year, $5MM contract.
  23. Wesley Matthews, Lakers agree to one-year, $3.6MM contract.
  24. Drew Eubanks, Spurs agree to three-year, minimum-salary contract.
  25. Jahlil Okafor, Pistons agree to two-year, minimum-salary contract.
  26. Dwayne Bacon, Magic agree to two-year, minimum-salary contract.
  27. Dwight Howard, Sixers agree to one-year, minimum-salary contract.
  28. Udonis Haslem, Heat agree to one-year, minimum-salary contract.
  29. Patrick Patterson, Clippers agree to one-year, minimum-salary contract.
  30. Facundo Campazzo, Nuggets agree to two-year contract (terms unknown).
  31. Josh Jackson, Pistons agree to two-year contract (terms unknown).
  32. Anthony Gill, Wizards agree to two-year contract (terms unknown).
  33. Robin Lopez, Wizards agree to one-year contract (terms unknown).
  34. James Ennis, Magic agree to one-year contract (terms unknown).

Today’s trades are trickier to round up, since most of them involved adding new parts to previously agreed-upon deals. Here’s a recap of what happened:

  1. The Thunder are sending Steven Adams to New Orleans as part of the Jrue Holiday deal between the Pelicans and Bucks. We still don’t know all the moving parts involved in that one, but Oklahoma City will acquire – you guessed it – more draft picks.
  2. The Thunder, Mavericks, and Pistons agreed to a three-team trade that sends Delon Wright to Detroit, James Johnson to Dallas, and Trevor Ariza, Justin Jackson, and draft compensation to Oklahoma City.
  3. The Pistons agreed to sign-and-trade Christian Wood to the Rockets as part of their previously agreed-upon deal involving Trevor Ariza (before Detroit reroutes him to OKC).
  4. The Trail Blazers officially acquired Enes Kanter from the Celtics, folding that deal into a Grizzlies/C’s draft-night agreement.
  5. The Timberwolves officially finalized their trade for Ricky Rubio.

Here are some of the day’s other major headlines:

  1. De’Aaron Fox and the Kings agreed to a five-year, maximum-salary extension (starts in 2021/22; projected value of between $163-196MM).
  2. Wizards point guard John Wall is reportedly seeking a trade out of Washington.
  3. The Raptors will play their home games in Tampa, Florida to start the 2020/21 season.
  4. The Rockets and Magic discussed a Russell Westbrook trade, but didn’t gain traction.
  5. Anthony Davis will take his time signing his new contract with the Lakers.
  6. Davis is one of several players expected to sign maximum-salary contracts soon, along with Brandon Ingram, Jayson Tatum, and Donovan Mitchell.
  7. Gordon Hayward is hoping to land a four-year, $100MM contract via a sign-and-trade to the Pacers.

Despite a busy Friday, there are still plenty of stories to watch over the course of the weekend — five of the top six free agents on our top-50 list don’t yet have new deals in place.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Rookie Scale Salaries For 2020 NBA First-Round Picks

November 20th, 2020 at 3:09pm CST by Luke Adams

With the NBA’s salary cap set once again at $109,140,000 for the 2020/21 league year, the rookie scale has been set as well. The rookie scale locks in the value of contracts for first-round picks.

In every NBA league year, rookie scale amounts are assigned to each first-round slot, from No. 1 through No. 30. Teams can sign their first-rounders to as little as 80% of that rookie scale amount, or up to 120% of that figure. While that rule theoretically affords teams some flexibility, first-round picks virtually always sign contracts worth 120% of their rookie scale amount, and unsigned first-rounders have a cap hold worth 120% of their rookie scale amount.

Listed below are the salary figures that represent 120% of the rookie scale amounts for 2020’s first-round picks. Players will sign for these amounts unless they accept a deal worth less than the maximum allowable 120%. If they do, we’ll adjust their amounts below. Rookie scale contracts are guaranteed for the first two years, with team options on the third and fourth years.

Here’s the 2020 breakdown:

Player 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 Total
Anthony Edwards $9,757,440 $10,245,480 $10,733,400 $13,534,817 $44,271,137
James Wiseman $8,730,240 $9,166,800 $9,603,360 $12,119,440 $39,619,840
LaMelo Ball $7,839,960 $8,231,760 $8,623,920 $10,900,635 $35,596,275
Patrick Williams $7,068,360 $7,422,000 $7,775,400 $9,835,881 $32,101,641
Isaac Okoro $6,400,920 $6,720,720 $7,040,880 $8,920,795 $29,083,315
Onyeka Okongwu $5,813,640 $6,104,280 $6,395,160 $8,109,063 $26,422,143
Killian Hayes $5,307,120 $5,572,680 $5,837,760 $7,413,955 $24,131,515
Obi Toppin $4,862,040 $5,105,160 $5,348,280 $6,803,012 $22,118,492
Deni Avdija $4,469,160 $4,692,840 $4,916,160 $6,263,188 $20,341,348
Jalen Smith $4,245,720 $4,458,000 $4,670,160 $5,954,454 $19,328,334
Devin Vassell $4,033,440 $4,235,160 $4,437,000 $5,887,899 $18,593,499
Tyrese Haliburton $3,831,840 $4,023,600 $4,215,120 $5,808,435 $17,878,995
Kira Lewis Jr. $3,640,200 $3,822,240 $4,004,280 $5,722,116 $17,188,836
Aaron Nesmith $3,458,400 $3,631,200 $3,804,360 $5,634,257 $16,528,217
Cole Anthony $3,285,120 $3,449,400 $3,613,680 $5,539,771 $15,887,971
Isaiah Stewart $3,121,080 $3,277,080 $3,433,320 $5,266,713 $15,098,193
Aleksej Pokusevski $2,964,840 $3,113,160 $3,261,480 $5,009,633 $14,349,113
Josh Green $2,816,760 $2,957,520 $3,098,400 $4,765,339 $13,638,019
Saddiq Bey $2,689,920 $2,824,320 $2,959,080 $4,556,983 $13,030,303
Precious Achiuwa $2,582,160 $2,711,280 $2,840,160 $4,379,527 $12,513,127
Tyrese Maxey $2,478,840 $2,602,920 $2,726,880 $4,343,920 $12,152,560
Zeke Nnaji $2,379,840 $2,498,760 $2,617,800 $4,306,281 $11,802,681
Leandro Bolmaro * $2,284,800 $2,399,160 $2,513,040 $4,264,629 $11,461,629
RJ Hampton $2,193,480 $2,303,040 $2,412,840 $4,220,057 $11,129,417
Immanuel Quickley $2,105,520 $2,210,640 $2,316,240 $4,171,548 $10,803,948
Payton Pritchard $2,035,800 $2,137,440 $2,239,200 $4,037,278 $10,449,718
Udoka Azubuike $1,977,000 $2,075,880 $2,174,880 $3,923,484 $10,151,244
Jaden McDaniels $1,964,760 $2,063,280 $2,161,440 $3,901,399 $10,090,879
Malachi Flynn $1,950,600 $2,048,040 $2,145,720 $3,873,025 $10,017,385
Desmond Bane $1,936,440 $2,033,160 $2,130,240 $3,845,083 $9,944,923

* Bolmaro isn’t expected to sign his rookie contract this season.

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2020 NBA Qualifying Offer Recap

November 20th, 2020 at 12:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Players eligible for restricted free agency don’t become restricted free agents by default. In order for a team to make a player a restricted free agent, it must extend a qualifying offer to him. The qualifying offer, which is essentially just a one-year contract offer, varies in amount depending on a player’s previous contract status.

A qualifying offer is designed to give a player’s current team the right of first refusal. Because the qualifying offer acts as the first formal contract offer a free agent receives, his team then has the option to match any offer sheet the player signs with another club. If a player doesn’t receive a qualifying offer, he becomes an unrestricted free agent and is free to sign with any team — his previous club is given no formal opportunity to match.

You can read more about qualifying offers here.

Listed below are the players believed to be eligible to receive qualifying offers this season, with details on which players did and didn’t get them. Our list is based on information from RealGM’s official NBA transactions log, along with various reports and team announcements leading up to the November 19 deadline.

It’s possible that one or two qualifying offers slipped through the cracks and will be reported later today before free agency officially gets underway — if so, we’ll update this list. For now though, this is what the qualifying offer landscape looks like. The players who received QOs will be restricted free agents, while the players who didn’t will be unrestricted.

Received qualifying offers:

Players on standard contracts:

Players on two-way contracts:

Note: Qualifying offers for two-way players are one-year, two-way contracts with a $50K guarantee unless otherwise indicated.

Did not receive qualifying offers:

Players on standard contracts:

Players on two-way contracts:

Note: Some players who finished the season on two-way contracts signed two-year deals, making them ineligible for free agency this summer. They remain under contract. Additionally, some of the players listed below may not have spent enough time on an NBA active roster to be eligible for a qualifying offer.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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