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Details On NBA’s Return-To-Play Plan

June 3rd, 2020 at 12:36pm CST by Luke Adams

After suspending the 2019/20 season on March 11 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the NBA has now finalized a plan for resuming play.

We’ll use the space below to round up all the details on that plan, answering the most commonly-asked questions and updating the story with more information as it becomes available.

This post can be found anytime on the right-hand of our desktop site under “Hoops Rumors Features” or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu.

Has the NBA officially approved a return-to-play plan?

The NBA’s Board of Governors approved the plan on June 4, nearly unanimously. The National Basketball Players Association also signed off on June 5.

There were a few more details to sort out after that, and a number of players have expressed reservations about the plan, but it’s moving forward. The NBA and NBPA announced a finalized agreement on June 26.

When will the NBA resume play?

The season will resume on July 30. Teams are scheduled to travel to Orlando starting on July 7 and will have training camps, followed by three exhibition games, before July 30. More details on the schedule can be found here and here.

Where will the return-to-play take place?

All games will be played at Walt Disney World in Orlando. The massive property has more than enough space to house teams, and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex has the necessary facilities for basketball games.

Games will be played without fans in attendance at The Arena, HP Field House, and Visa Athletic Center, per ESPN. Teams will stay at the Gran Destino, Grand Floridian, and Yacht Club resorts.

How many teams will return to complete the 2019/20 season?

Twenty-two teams will participate. Those teams are as follows:

  • The current Eastern Conference playoff teams (8):
    1. Milwaukee Bucks
    2. Toronto Raptors
    3. Boston Celtics
    4. Miami Heat
    5. Indiana Pacers
    6. Philadelphia 76ers
    7. Brooklyn Nets
    8. Orlando Magic
  • The current Western Conference playoff teams (8):
    1. Los Angeles Lakers
    2. Los Angeles Clippers
    3. Denver Nuggets
    4. Utah Jazz
    5. Oklahoma City Thunder
    6. Houston Rockets
    7. Dallas Mavericks
    8. Memphis Grizzlies
  • The teams within six games of a playoff spot (6):
    1. Portland Trail Blazers
    2. New Orleans Pelicans
    3. Sacramento Kings
    4. San Antonio Spurs
    5. Phoenix Suns
    6. Washington Wizards

The Hornets, Bulls, Knicks, Pistons, Hawks, Cavaliers, Timberwolves, and Warriors won’t be part of the NBA’s restart — their seasons are over.

Why is the NBA bringing back 22 teams instead of 30?

Adding eight more clubs to the mix would mean bringing several hundred additional individuals onto the Disney campus, increasing the risk of spreading COVID-19. The NBA didn’t consider it necessary to bring back those eight teams, who were far removed from the playoff picture and would have had no real path to the postseason had the season played out normally.

So why 22 teams instead of 16 then?

The 22-team format accomplishes two things:

  1. It allows teams to play a regular season schedule rather than jumping directly to the postseason.
  2. It will allow the NBA to experiment with a play-in tournament.

The first point is important because players on playoff teams opposed the idea of advancing directly to the postseason without playing meaningful games first. They want to be able to shake off the rest and reestablish their chemistry before jumping into do-or-die games.

Playing regular season games will also allow these 22 teams – who have played between 64 and 67 games so far – to surpass the 70-game mark for the regular season, which is an important threshold for clubs’ agreements with regional TV networks.

Meanwhile, implementing in-season and/or play-in tournaments has long been on Silver’s wish list, and this year’s unusual circumstances presented the league with the opportunity to experiment.

So regular season games will take place when play resumes?

Yes, though they’re technically not being called regular season games. Each team will play eight pre-playoff contests, referred to by the NBA as “seeding games,” for a total of 88 games between July 30 and the start of the playoffs in August.

And will the top eight teams in each conference make the playoffs at that point?

Not necessarily. If the No. 8 seed has more than a four-game lead on the No. 9 seed, then yes, the top eight teams in that conference will automatically make the postseason. On the other hand, if the No. 9 seed is within four games of the No. 8 seed, those two teams will participate in a play-in tournament.

What will that play-in tournament look like?

Essentially, it’ll be a best-of-three series with the No. 8 team getting a 1-0 lead to start. The No. 9 team will have to win twice to claim the final playoff spot in the conference, while the No. 8 team will only need to win once.

Once the playoff teams are set, will they be reseeded one through 16, regardless of conference?

No, the postseason will assume a traditional format once the No. 8 seeds are set — teams will be divided by Eastern and Western conferences and will play best-of-seven series.

What coronavirus-related protocols will the NBA institute to ensure players’ safety?

Players, coaches, and staffers on the Disney campus are expected to undergo daily COVID-19 testing, or something close to it. Additionally, the NBA has sent out a 113-page letter detailing the health and safety measures being taken. Those protocols are too extensive to list here, but some of them are as follows:

  • The plan is to have a maximum of 1,600 people on the campus at a given time. Traveling parties are limited to 37 people per team.
  • The NBA will technically allow individuals to leave the campus and return, but is stressing that players shouldn’t do so. Any player that does leave and return is expected to have to quarantine for 10 days.
  • Players won’t be permitted to bring guests (likely family members) to the campus until after the first round of the playoffs and are expected to be limited to three guests apiece. More details on the restrictions facing guests can be found here.
  • The NBA is establishing an anonymous hotline that will allow individuals on the Orlando campus to report those who are violating social-distancing and safety guidelines. If a player is found to be violating those guidelines, he could be subject to a warning, fine, suspension, and/or even removal from the campus.

What happens if a player tests positive for COVID-19?

A single positive test won’t shut down the season, as it did in March when Rudy Gobert contracted the coronavirus. The expectation is that a player who tests positive will be required to self-quarantine for at least 10-to-14 days, with his teammates being frequently tested as they continue to play.

What if a player doesn’t want to participate due to safety concerns?

A player who chooses not to report to Orlando won’t face a fine or suspension. However, he also won’t be paid for the games he misses, and will forfeit 1/92.6th of his salary for those games. His team has the option of signing a “substitute player” to replace him. So far, a handful of players have voluntarily opted out, including Lakers guard Avery Bradley, Wizards forward Davis Bertans, and Trail Blazers forward Trevor Ariza.

How late will the season run?

If the NBA Finals go a full seven games, the last game will happen no later than October 13.

When will next season start?

The NBA is tentatively targeting November 10 for the start of next season’s training camps, with December 1 representing the target date for opening night of the regular season. In other words, a team that plays in the Finals may have to report to training camp less than a month later.

That timeline is not yet set in stone. Given how much of its revenues are tied to ticket sales and in-arena purchases, the NBA will prioritize getting fans back into arenas next season, so if the league has to wait a little longer to ensure that happens, it will likely do so.

Additionally, the NBPA – whose members may not love the idea of such a short offseason – will have to approve those proposed dates, and the union reportedly views a December 1 tip-off date for 2020/21 as unlikely.

Will the NBA play a full season in 2020/21? Will that schedule change be permanent?

That’s TBD. Everything we’ve heard suggests the NBA is still prioritizing playing a full 82-game schedule next season, in part to attempt to recoup some of this season’s lost revenues. The idea of starting the regular season in December and having it run into June (with the playoffs ending in August) has been popular in some NBA circles, but the league hasn’t committed to changing its calendar on a permanent basis.

One report has indicated the league would like to hold the 2021 Finals in mid-July, in part to allow players to participate in the Tokyo Olympics, which are scheduled to begin on July 23, 2021.

When will this year’s draft and free agency period occur?

The 2020 draft has been rescheduled for October 16. Free agency is expected to open just two days later, on October 18. It’s shaping up to be an extremely hectic week for the NBA, especially if the Finals go a full seven games and end on October 13.

Player option decision dates, salary guarantee dates, trade exception expiry dates, and various other deadlines will be pushed back as well to coincide with the new calendar. For instance, a trade exception that would previously have expired on July 6 will now expire on October 23.

How will the draft lottery odds be determined?

The draft lottery – rescheduled for August 20 – will be made up of the eight teams not involved in the league’s restart and the six teams that don’t make the postseason. Those teams’ lottery seeds and odds will be based on their records through March 11, according to the NBA.

Those seeds and odds can be found here, but will be subject to change if a current playoff team loses its No. 8 seed to a current lottery team. For instance, if if the Wizards were to beat the Magic in a play-in tournament, the Suns, Spurs, Kings, Pelicans, and Trail Blazers would all move up a spot in the lottery standings, Orlando would get the 14th spot in those lottery standings, and the Wizards would draft 15th overall.

The rest of the draft order will be based on the 16 playoff teams’ combined records across regular season games and “seeding games.” For instance, the Heat (41-24) are currently projected to draft 23rd, but if they go 1-7 when play resumes, they’ll likely move up in the draft.

How will players’ salaries and next season’s salary cap be impacted by the NBA’s plan?

That remains unclear. By playing 88 more regular season games, the NBA will ensure that many of its teams surpass the 70-game threshold and fulfill regional TV contracts, which is good news for the league’s financial situation.

Players – who are currently having 25% of their pay checks withheld – will still be required to forfeit a portion of their 2019/20 salaries as a result of the 171 regular season games that will end up being canceled. But there’s a belief they’ll begin receiving their full pay checks at some point this summer.

As for how the 2020/21 salary cap will be affected, that will require some negotiation between the NBA and NBPA and will hinge in part on how significantly the league expects next season’s revenues to be impacted by the pandemic. There’s a belief that neither the league nor the union will want the cap to drop off substantially this offseason, so artificially smoothing it could be the most logical solution.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Notes On What 22-Team Plan Means For NBA

June 3rd, 2020 at 11:29am CST by Luke Adams

As we outlined this morning, NBA commissioner Adam Silver is expected to recommend a 22-team return-to-play format when he meets with the league’s Board of Governors on Thursday, and there’s an expectation that the plan will be approved.

Our earlier story has a number of details on exactly which teams will be involved and how the plan will work, so be sure to check it out for more info. With those details in mind, we want to take a look at what the plan means for the teams involved and those left out, as well as some of the questions that still remain. Let’s dive in…

Playoff seeding remains in flux:

For the last several weeks, we’ve speculated about potential playoff matchups based on teams’ current records. However, with each club expected to play eight more regular season games, the seeding in both the Eastern and Western Conference will likely change before we reach the postseason.

In the East, for instance, the Pacers and Sixers are currently tied for the No. 5 spot. The Nets are only a half-game ahead of the Magic for the No. 7 seed, which is especially important, since the No. 8 seed could be up for grabs in a play-in tournament, whereas the No. 7 team will be safe.

In the West, things are even more bunched together — the second-place Clippers and seventh-place Mavericks are only separated by 5.5 games, with the Nuggets, Jazz, Thunder, and Rockets all in between. A slump in those final eight regular season games could result in a team like Denver dropping two or three spots in the standings.

There’s no guarantee any play-in tournaments will actually happen:

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, any play-in tournament would only involve two teams in each conference — the Nos. 8 and 9 seeds. And it would only occur if the No. 9 seed is within four games of the No. 8 seed. In that case, the two teams would play one another, with the No. 9 team requiring two wins to advance, with the No. 8 team only needing to win once. In other words, the two teams would play a best-of-three series with the No. 8 seed holding a 1-0 advantage to start.

What does this mean for the six current lottery teams that will be involved in the NBA’s restart? Let’s start in the East, where the Wizards are the only non-playoff team being invited. Currently, Washington is 5.5 games back of the Magic and six games back of the Nets. That means that in order to force a qualifying tournament, the Wizards will need to gain two games on at least one of those two teams within an eight-game stretch.

While that’s possible, it won’t be easy. In a 22-team field, none of the Wizards’ eight regular season games will be against tanking teams — or against teams with a worse record than their 24-40 mark. They’ll likely be an underdog in every game they play, and forcing a play-in tournament may be a long shot.

In the West, it seems more plausible. The Trail Blazers, Pelicans, Kings, and Spurs are all currently within four games of the Grizzlies. Barring a major hot streak from Memphis, it seems likely that at least one of those teams will keep pace with the Grizzlies and force a play-in tournament, but it will be fascinating to see which one can do it (the Suns, at six game back, are a long shot).

Additionally, as ESPN’s Zach Lowe observes (via Twitter), it will be interesting to see how the NBA would handle what is essentially a tie between teams that have played an uneven number of games. For instance, if the Grizzlies finish a half-game ahead of the Pelicans for the No. 8 seed, will New Orleans still need to win two games before Memphis wins one to claim that final playoff spot? I’d assume the answer is yes, but that’d be a tough break for the No. 9 team.

What’s next for the bottom eight teams?

The Hornets, Bulls, Knicks, Pistons, Hawks, Cavaliers, Timberwolves, and Warriors won’t be part of the NBA’s restart. For each franchise, there are some subplots to watch as a result of their season ending early — for example, we’ve likely seen Atlanta forward Vince Carter play his last game, somewhat unceremoniously.

More broadly, it will be interesting to see what steps the NBA takes with its teams that will now likely remain off the court for nine months or more. We heard earlier this week that some of those clubs have expressed interest in holding mandatory summer training camps or even participating in regional fall leagues to help bridge the gap between seasons. Any plan along those lines would require NBPA approval, however.

There are major financial questions to answer regarding these eight teams as well. Many of the 22 teams that resume play will get a chance to fulfill their regional TV contracts by surpassing the 70-game threshold. Additionally, players on those 22 teams should earn a greater portion of their 2019/20 salaries as a result of playing eight more regular season games and potentially participating in the postseason. How will the NBA make things fair financially to the teams and players that aren’t getting the chance to play any more games?

How will the 2020 draft lottery be impacted?

There has been no confirmation yet, but it seems reasonable to assume that the eight teams whose seasons are coming to an end now will be the top eight teams in the draft lottery. Still, even among those clubs, there’s some uncertainty about how the lottery odds will be calculated.

As Rod Beard of The Detroit News notes (via Twitter), a team like the Hawks (20-47) has played 67 games, while the Timberwolves (19-45) have played just 64. Technically, Atlanta is a half-game back of Minnesota in the overall standings as a result of those two extra losses, but the Hawks have a better winning percentage. Does that mean the Wolves will receive the better lottery odds?

Beyond those bottom-eight teams, it remains to be seen how the rest of the lottery will be handled. If a team like the Wizards – currently ninth in the lottery standings – improbably earns the eighth seed in the East via a play-in tournament, will they be excluded from the lottery? Will the lottery odds for the Nos. 9-14 teams in the lottery be based on current records, or will they be based on the standings after eight more regular season games? Should those teams be included in the lottery at all, considering they’ve now been given a chance to earn a postseason spot?

The draft lottery, which is now expected to happen in August, may not be the NBA’s top concern at the moment, but it will certainly be a priority for many of the league’s franchises, especially those whose seasons are about to be over.

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2020/21 Salary Cap Preview: Washington Wizards

May 29th, 2020 at 8:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is looking ahead at the 2020/21 salary cap situations for all 30 NBA teams. Due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the NBA, it’s impossible to know yet where the cap for 2020/21 will land. Given the league’s lost revenue, we’re assuming for now that it will stay the same as the ’19/20 cap, but it’s entirely possible it will end up higher or lower than that.

The Wizards‘ salary cap flexibility over the last couple years has been compromised by the fact that their highest-paid player – and one of the highest-paid players in the entire NBA – has been on the shelf with injuries since December of 2018. However, John Wall is set to return to the court next season, as some other money – including Ian Mahinmi‘s sizable deal – comes off the team’s books.

That doesn’t mean that the Wizards are in a great position to spend. Their unwillingness to trade Davis Bertans at the deadline signaled that they want to re-sign him, and doing so may limit the club’s ability to do a whole lot else this offseason.

Here’s where things stand for the Wizards financially in 2020/21, as we continue our Salary Cap Preview series:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

  • None

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

  • Isaac Bonga ($1,663,861) 2
  • Anzejs Pasecniks ($1,267,981) 1
  • Total: $2,931,842

Restricted Free Agents

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

Offseason Cap Outlook

If we assume all the Wizards’ players on guaranteed and non-guaranteed contracts return and that the team gets the No. 9 pick in the lottery, that would work out to about $107.5MM in commitments for 12 roster spots. Re-signing Bertans to a contract in the $10-15MM neighborhood would take team salary well over the cap.

If Bertans signs elsewhere or returns on a reasonably team-friendly deal, the Wizards would still have a decent amount of breathing room below the luxury tax line, opening the door to potentially use their full mid-level exception.

Cap Exceptions Available

  • Mid-level exception: $9,258,000 5
  • Bi-annual exception: $3,623,000 5

Footnotes

  1. Pasecniks’ new salary guarantee date is not known.
  2. Bonga’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after October 17.
  3. The cap hold for this pick will depend on where it ultimately falls in the lottery. Currently, the Wizards rank ninth in the lottery standings.
  4. The cap holds for Lawson, Randle, and Sessions remain on the Wizards’ books because they haven’t been renounced after going unsigned in 2019/20. They can’t be used in a sign-and-trade deal.
  5. These are projected values. If the Wizards’ team salary continues to increase, they may be limited to the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5,718,000).

Note: Minimum-salary and rookie-scale cap holds are based on the salary cap and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and Early Bird Rights was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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2020/21 Salary Cap Preview: Utah Jazz

May 28th, 2020 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is looking ahead at the 2020/21 salary cap situations for all 30 NBA teams. Due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the NBA, it’s impossible to know yet where the cap for 2020/21 will land. Given the league’s lost revenue, we’re assuming for now that it will stay the same as the ’19/20 cap, but it’s entirely possible it will end up higher or lower than that.

After acquiring Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic during the 2019 offseason, the Jazz were viewed as a strong candidate to join the likes of the Lakers and Clippers in the top tier of the Western Conference. Utah flashed that potential at times, but some prolonged slumps raised doubts about whether the team is a true contender.

At 41-23 and fourth in the West, the Jazz are theoretically well positioned to win a playoff series this summer, but Bogdanovic’s season-ending wrist injury limits their upside. Utah should get another opportunity to reach its ceiling next season, however, as nearly all its key contributors remain under contract.

Here’s where things stand for the Jazz financially in 2020/21, as we continue our Salary Cap Preview series:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

  • Mike Conley ($34,502,132)

    • Note: Early termination option
  • Total: $34,502,132

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Restricted Free Agents

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

Offseason Cap Outlook

It’s a safe bet Conley won’t be passing on the opportunity to earn $34.5MM next season, so we’ll assume he waives his ETO (ie. opts in). If we add his salary to Utah’s guaranteed contracts, along with Niang and the team’s first-round pick, we’re up to about $116MM for 10 roster spots. As such, there’s virtually no doubt the Jazz will be operating as an over-the-cap team.

The Jazz’s ability to make use of their full mid-level exception will depend in part on whether they re-sign Clarkson. Committing mid-level-type money to Clarkson could put Utah right up against the tax and take the full MLE off the table. But if Clarkson walks, the organization should have a bit of flexibility.

Cap Exceptions Available

  • Mid-level exception: $9,258,000 3
  • Bi-annual exception: $3,623,000 3

Footnotes

  1. Tucker’s new salary guarantee date is unknown.
  2. Niang’s new salary guarantee date is unknown.
  3. These are projected values. If the Jazz’s team salary continues to increase, they may be limited to the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5,718,000).

Note: Minimum-salary and rookie-scale cap holds are based on the salary cap and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and Early Bird Rights was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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2020/21 Salary Cap Preview: Toronto Raptors

May 27th, 2020 at 2:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is looking ahead at the 2020/21 salary cap situations for all 30 NBA teams. Due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the NBA, it’s impossible to know yet where the cap for 2020/21 will land. Given the league’s lost revenue, we’re assuming for now that it will stay the same as the ’19/20 cap, but it’s entirely possible it will end up higher or lower than that.

Following a thrilling run to the first NBA championship in franchise history last spring, the Raptors lost Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, prompting a number of league observers to project a fall back to earth in 2019/20. However, this year’s version of the Raps proved they’re more than just Leonard’s supporting cast, entering the hiatus with a 46-18 record, good for third in the NBA.

With key contributors like Fred VanVleet, Marc Gasol, and Serge Ibaka all headed for unrestricted free agency, Toronto’s outlook is uncertain going forward, but the team should have the flexibility to bring back at least one or two of those veterans while retaining spending power for the 2021 offseason.

Here’s where things stand for the Raptors financially in 2020/21, as we continue our Salary Cap Preview series:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Restricted Free Agents

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

Offseason Cap Outlook

The Raptors don’t currently have a ton of guaranteed money on their books for 2020/21, but we’re assuming they’ll operate as an over-the-cap team in order to retain the ability to re-sign some combination of VanVleet, Gasol, Ibaka, Boucher, and Hollis-Jefferson.

Depending on how expensive VanVleet and their veteran centers get, Toronto could even end up flirting with the tax line again next season. If we assume the cap doesn’t increase at all for 2020/21 and that Johnson and all the non-guaranteed players return, the club would have a cushion of about $45MM to re-sign its own free agents (and/or add outside talent) before going into tax territory.

Cap Exceptions Available

  • Mid-level exception: $9,258,000 6

Footnotes

  1. This is a projected value. Siakam’s actual maximum salary will be 25% of the cap, unless he makes the All-NBA First or Second Team, in which case it will be anywhere from 28-30% of the cap.
  2. Davis’ new salary guarantee date is unknown.
  3. Hernandez’s new salary guarantee date is unknown.
  4. Gasol’s cap hold will be the lesser of $38,393,550 or 35% of the 2020/21 cap.
  5. The cap holds for De Colo, Nogueira, Lin, Meeks, and Thompson remain on the Raptors’ books because they haven’t been renounced after going unsigned in 2019/20. They can’t be used in a sign-and-trade deal.
  6. This is a projected value. If the Raptors’ team salary continues to increase, they may be limited to the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5,718,000).

Note: Minimum-salary and rookie-scale cap holds are based on the salary cap and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and Early Bird Rights was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Community Shootaround: Play-In Pool Format

May 26th, 2020 at 1:32pm CST by Luke Adams

As the NBA considers how to resume its 2019/20 season, one of the many scenarios the league has discussed is a play-in pool format similar to one used by soccer’s World Cup and other international competitions. This concept was first reported over the weekend by Shams Charania of The Athletic, but Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer took a deeper dive on the idea today, observing that it has some support within the league office.

As O’Connor explains, the idea would be to bring back 20 of the league’s 30 teams — the 16 current playoff clubs and the four with the next-best records (the Trail Blazers, Pelicans, Kings, and Spurs).

Those teams would then be split into four groups of five teams each, based on regular season records, and would play each other two times apiece. The two teams in each group with the best records after those eight games would then advance to an eight-team playoff that would look more like the NBA’s traditional second round.

According to O’Connor, a survey sent to NBA general managers about the idea noted that groups would be determined by splitting teams into five tiers based on their records, then forming groups consisting of one team from each tier. For instance, the tiers would look something like this:

  • Tier 1: Bucks, Lakers, Raptors, Clippers
  • Tier 2: Celtics, Nuggets, Jazz, Heat
  • Tier 3: Thunder, Rockets, Pacers, Sixers
  • Tier 4: Mavericks, Grizzlies, Nets, Magic
  • Tier 5: Trail Blazers, Pelicans, Kings, Spurs

From there, groups could be determined in a couple different ways, per O’Connor. One option would be to conduct a random drawing, perhaps with measures in place to avoid having any one group of five teams become a “group of death.” Such a drawing could be televised. The other option, as O’Connor details, would be to have the four teams in the top tier draft their own groups based on preferred opponents.

Either way, the end result would be four groups of five teams, one from each tier. One group could include the Bucks, Jazz, Rockets, Nets, and Pelicans, for instance — or the Clippers, Nuggets, Sixers, Grizzlies, and Kings. Those groups would play eight round-robin games – two against each opponent – and, as noted above, the top two teams in each group would advance to a more traditional postseason. In the event of a tie in a group’s standings, the clubs’ regular-season records could potentially be used a tiebreaker, says O’Connor.

As O’Connor outlines, there are reasons why this concept would appeal to the NBA over a typical best-of-seven first round, with commissioner Adam Silver exploring experimental formats in the hopes of increasing interest in the league’s return.

A play-in pool would help generate constantly-changing, entertaining “first-round” matchups over the span of two or three weeks and would help keep casual fans entertained, avoiding locking in four or more games of a potentially one-sided first round series such as Bucks vs. Magic. And the outcome of each game would be of the utmost importance as teams jockeyed for position within their groups.

A play-in pool would also guarantee the NBA more games — eight first-round series would result in no more than 56 total games, and likely closer to 40 or 45. Having 20 teams play eight games apiece would mean 80 total contests, O’Connor notes. He acknowledges it’s not clear how those games might count toward existing agreements with the NBA’s regional or national broadcast television partners, but suggests a tweaked deal with those networks could probably be reached fairly painlessly.

Finally, a play-in pool would give fringe contenders like Portland and New Orleans the chance to extend their seasons while not requiring lottery-bound clubs like Golden State to resume play. Additionally, this format wouldn’t require those fringe teams like the Blazers and Pelicans to conduct a multi-week training camp and report to a “bubble” location (likely Orlando), only to be eliminated after a single game or two in a play-in tournament.

Still, that’s not to say that the play-in pool idea is the frontrunner at this point. O’Connor acknowledges that some Eastern Conference teams have pushed back against the idea, and ESPN’s Zach Lowe hears from sources that a number of current playoff teams weren’t “initially enthusiastic” about the idea.

The play-in pool format would also mean jumping directly to the postseason, creating financial complications. Players hoping to earn as much of their full 2019/20 salaries as possible may push back against the idea of essentially canceling the rest of the regular season. On top of that, the league’s annual playoff pool ($24MM) would have to be increased to account for additional teams and games, so the NBA and NBPA would need to figure out where that money comes from.

What do you think? Are you intrigued by the idea of a play-in pool replacing the first round for 2020, or does it sound a little too off-the-wall to seriously consider?

Head to the comment section below to share your two cents!

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2020/21 Salary Cap Preview: San Antonio Spurs

May 25th, 2020 at 3:44pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is looking ahead at the 2020/21 salary cap situations for all 30 NBA teams. Due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the NBA, it’s impossible to know yet where the cap for 2020/21 will land. Given the league’s lost revenue, we’re assuming for now that it will stay the same as the ’19/20 cap, but it’s entirely possible it will end up higher or lower than that.

With or without the NBA’s hiatus, the Spurs‘ 22-year postseason streak was likely going to come to an end this year, as the team appears headed to the draft lottery for the first time since 1997.

The last time San Antonio bottomed out, the team lucked into Tim Duncan, but a top draft pick is a long shot for this year’s squad, and there doesn’t appear to be a surefire franchise player in the 2020 draft class anyway. The Spurs probably shouldn’t rely on free agency to turn things around either — the team won’t have much spending flexibility if DeMar DeRozan exercises his $27MM+ player option.

Here’s where things stand for the Spurs financially in 2020/21, as we continue our Salary Cap Preview series:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Restricted Free Agents

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

Offseason Cap Outlook

The Spurs’ cap outlook for 2020/21 is one of the trickiest to project. With approximately $88.6MM locked in for eight guaranteed contracts and a draft pick, San Antonio doesn’t initially appear to be in terrible shape financially. But if DeRozan opts in, it would increase the club’s guaranteed commitments to $116MM+. And that’s before accounting for the possibility of re-signing players like Poeltl and/or Forbes and filling out the rest of the roster.

There have been rumblings that DeRozan might not be thrilled with his current situation, so he’s not a stone-cold lock to opt in. But given the league’s financial outlook, I’d be surprised if he doesn’t do so. My guess is that he’ll ultimately pick up that option and that the Spurs will try to re-sign at least one of Poeltl or Forbes — perhaps both if the team can get them at reasonable prices or if money can be shed elsewhere.

With so many of their contracts set to expire in 2021, the Spurs won’t do anything rash to cut costs, but they aren’t going to go into the tax for the current roster either. It’ll be interesting to see how they handle this offseason, especially if the cap doesn’t increase at all.

Cap Exceptions Available

  • Mid-level exception: $9,258,000 6
  • Bi-annual exception: $3,623,000 6

Footnotes

  1. Lyles’ salary becomes fully guaranteed after October 18.
  2. Metu’s new salary guarantee date is unknown.
  3. The cap hold for this pick will depend on where it ultimately falls in the lottery. Currently, the Spurs rank 11th in the lottery standings.
  4. The cap holds for Cunningham, Lauvergne, Lee, Motiejunas, Pondexter, Costello, Hilliard, and Moore remain on the Spurs’ books because they haven’t been renounced after going unsigned in 2019/20. They can’t be used in a sign-and-trade deal.
  5. The 26th overall pick in 2015, Milutinov has yet to sign his rookie scale contract. His cap hold will remain on the Spurs’ books unless the team receives permission to remove it, which would ensure Milutinov won’t be signed in 2020/21.
  6. These are projected values. If the Spurs’ team salary continues to increase, they may be limited to the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5,718,000).

Note: Minimum-salary and rookie-scale cap holds are based on the salary cap and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and Early Bird Rights was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Poll: Should NBA Use 1-16 Seeding For 2020 Playoffs?

May 25th, 2020 at 11:42am CST by Luke Adams

While the idea has yet to gain a ton of momentum, there has been talk in recent years about the idea of the NBA re-seeding its playoff teams once the postseason begins, ranking those clubs first through 16th based on overall records, regardless of conference.

For instance, the Clippers have the second-best record in the West this year, but the fourth-best mark in the NBA, so they’d be the No. 4 seed. The Sixers, sixth in the East, would become a No. 12 seed, reflecting their place in the overall NBA standings.

Such a change would help even the playing field if one conference is significantly stronger than the other, as was the case for the Western Conference for much of the 2010s. However, it hasn’t really gained steam due to travel concerns and because it would require approval from the NBA’s Board of Governors — generally, team owners in the weaker conference have a vested interest in keeping the format as is.

However, as the NBA works toward potentially resuming its 2019/20 season, the league could have a unique opportunity to experiment this summer. Two important factors would work in favor of testing the idea of re-seeding playoff teams using a 1-16 system:

  1. If the NBA resumes play in a single bubble location (ie. Orlando), no travel would be required.
  2. Eight of the current top 16 teams in the NBA standings are in the Western Conference, while eight are in the East. In other words, if the playoff seeding is tweaked, no current lottery team would make the postseason and no current playoff team would fall out.

During an appearance today on ESPN’s Get Up (video link), Brian Windhorst said he thinks there’s a real chance the NBA could go straight to the postseason if and when it returns, which could open the door for re-seeding the 16 playoff teams. According to Windhorst, league commissioner Adam Silver has long been interested in that concept.

As Windhorst notes, it remains unlikely that two-thirds of the NBA’s owners would be on board with such a format change for the long term. And even this season, there would likely be a number of teams in the East opposed to tweaking the format, since it would make their playoff draw a whole lot more challenging.

Still, if ever there was a time for owners to get on board with a one-off experiment, this would be the year.

Here’s what the playoffs would look like if the teams were re-seeded, regardless of conference, based on their current records:

First side of bracket:

  • Bucks (1) vs. Magic (16)
  • Heat (8) vs. Thunder (9)
  • Clippers (4) vs. Mavericks (13)
  • Celtics (5) vs. Sixers (12)

Second side of bracket:

  • Lakers (2) vs. Nets (15)
  • Jazz (7) vs. Rockets (10)
  • Raptors (3) vs. Grizzlies (14)
  • Nuggets (6) vs. Pacers (11)

And as a reminder, here’s what the playoffs would look like under the usual format:

Eastern Conference:

  • Bucks (1) vs. Magic (8)
  • Heat (4) vs. Pacers (5)
  • Raptors (2) vs. Nets (7)
  • Celtics (3) vs. Sixers (6)

Western Conference:

  • Lakers (1) vs. Grizzlies (8)
  • Jazz (4) vs. Thunder (5)
  • Clippers (2) vs. Mavericks (7)
  • Nuggets (3) vs. Rockets (6)

While a handful of first-round matchups would be the same regardless of the format the NBA uses, the re-seeding approach would create a handful of interesting inter-conference series, including Heat vs. Thunder, Raptors vs. Grizzlies, Nuggets vs. Pacers, and Lakers vs. Nets.

Things could get very interesting in the second and third rounds of a 1-16 format, with the Clippers potentially having to go through the Celtics and the Bucks before perhaps facing the Lakers in the Finals. The Lakers, on the other hand, might play the winner of a Raptors/Nuggets showdown for the right to advance to the Finals.

What do you think? Is re-seeding the playoff teams a worthwhile experiment, given this year’s unusual circumstances? Or would it be in the NBA’s best interest to stick to its usual postseason format, separating the East and the West until the Finals?

Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

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Greg Whittington Attracting NBA Interest

May 24th, 2020 at 5:05pm CST by JD Shaw

Free agent forward Greg Whittington has received interest from multiple high-level NBA teams throughout the year, his agent told Hoops Rumors.

Whittington impressed scouts during a shortened campaign with Turkish team Galatasaray in the EuroCup, playing against some of the toughest competition overseas. He posted averages of 12.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in 14 Turkish League contests, shooting 52.8% from 3-point range.

“Greg’s put in the work, and now he knows he’s graduated to being able to pick his next opportunity,” agent Jerry Dianis said. “He can now cherry-pick his next opportunity, and obviously he has some high-level NBA and international interest. I think Greg is going to be the most coveted free agent outside of the NBA because of his versatility and ability to shoot the ball.”

Whittington also averaged 18.4 points per game for Hapoel Gilboa Galil in Israel the season before, shooting 41.5% from deep in 30 contests while leading the country in rebounding (9.6 per contest). His versatility and unselfishness are two major reasons why he’s registered NBA interest, with the 27-year-old also being named forward of the year this season.

Whittington, a lengthy 6’9″ combo forward, went undrafted in 2015 after spending two seasons at Georgetown. He joined the Heat for summer league and earned a training camp deal with the team that fall, spending the rest of the season in the NBA G League. He’s since made stops in Australia, Sioux Falls, Japan and Israel.

Whittington’s consistent play has made him a strong candidate for an NBA contract, though all transactions across the league remain on hold amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Several teams around the association are actively preparing for a return to action, possibly as early as July. The season was suspended indefinitely on March 11.

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Poll: Should The NBA Bring Back All 30 Teams?

May 22nd, 2020 at 9:23pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The NBA apparently wants to bring back as many of its 30 teams as possible, provided that the league moves forward with tentative plans for a resumption of league play later this summer. The spread of the novel coronavirus caused league commissioner Adam Silver to halt the 2019/20 season on March 11. But should every team return, even the 14 likely lottery squads?

The most popular proposed plan is resuming play in one or two “bubble” sites, with Walt Disney World in Orlando emerging as the current front-runner, starting around mid-July. When play was paused in March, all teams had played between 63 and 67 of the regular season’s standard 82 games.

The notion of adding an extra 14 teams’ worth of players, team personnel and loved ones to a mass population that already includes 16 teams (with approximately 35 people traveling per each team), on top of referees and a broadcast media presence, at a moment in time when the highly-contagious COVID-19 is still incurable and spreading rampantly amidst close contact feels superfluously dangerous.

With a significant majority of the NBA’s games already having been played, why not limit the “bubble” head count with just the 16 teams sporting the best records when league play stopped?

If the league is concerned about teams being rusty due to the extended time off (at least four months by the earliest possible projections), perhaps the teams present could participate in something akin to a five-game tune-up “preseason” for two weeks. That way, lottery-bound teams or teams with the faintest of hopes at a playoff berth would not be taking undue extra risk by traveling to the “bubble” cities and mingling with the other teams.

The higher the head count, the higher the hypothetical risk of a COVID-19 spread among the players, coaches, and other traveling team personnel present. In a new piece, Steve Popper of Newsday also voiced his concern that including all 30 teams in an un-paused season was an unnecessary exercise. The best way to minimize risk is to keep the pool in a potential “bubble” city as finite as possible.

Vote below in our poll, then head to the comment section to weigh in with your thoughts!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

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