Hoops Rumors Originals

Hoops Rumors Glossary: Early Bird Rights

Bird rights offer teams the chance to sign their own free agents without regard to the salary cap, but they don’t apply to every player. Other salary cap exceptions are available for teams to keep players who don’t qualify for Bird rights. One such exception is the Early Bird, which applies to players formally known as Early Qualifying Veteran Free Agents.

While the Bird exception is for players who have spent three seasons with one club without changing teams as a free agent, Early Bird rights are earned after just two such seasons. Virtually all of the same rules that apply to Bird rights apply to Early Bird rights, with the requirements condensed to two years rather than three. Players still see their Bird clocks restart by changing teams via free agency, being claimed in an expansion draft, or having their rights renounced.

As is the case with Bird rights, a player’s clock stops when he’s released by a team and clears waivers, but it would pick up where it left off if he re-signs with that same team down the road without joining another club in the interim. For instance, if DeMarcus Cousins – released by the Lakers last month before the end of his one-year contract – were to sign a new one-year deal with L.A. during the 2020 offseason, the team would have his Early Bird rights in the 2021 offseason.

The crucial difference between Bird rights and Early Bird rights involves the limitations on contract offers. Bird players can receive maximum-salary deals for up to five years, while the most a team can offer an Early Bird free agent without using cap space is 175% of his previous salary (up to the max) or 105% of the league-average salary in the previous season, whichever is greater. These offers are also capped at four years rather than five, and the new contracts must run for at least two years (with no second-year options).

Christian Wood (Pistons), De’Anthony Melton (Grizzlies), Nerlens Noel (Thunder), and Brad Wanamaker (Celtics) are among the free agents who will have Early Bird rights at the end of the 2019/20 season.

In some instances, teams can benefit from having Early Bird rights instead of full Bird rights if they’re trying to preserve cap space. The cap hold for an Early Bird player is 130% of his previous salary, significantly less than most Bird players, whose cap holds range from 150-300% of their previous salaries.

That could help a team like the Pistons, who project to have cap space in the 2020 offseason. The cap hold for Wood, who is earning a minimum salary this season, will be worth the ’20/21 minimum, but the big man will be in line for a much more lucrative salary than that. If the Pistons reach an agreement to re-sign Wood near the start of free agency, they could wait to make it official, keeping his cap hold on the books until they use the rest of their cap room, maximizing that space. Then they could go over the cap to finalize Wood’s deal using the Early Bird exception.

Meanwhile, some players with limited NBA experience are subject to a special wrinkle involving Early Bird rights, called the Gilbert Arenas Provision, which applies to players who have only been in the league for one or two years. We cover the Gilbert Arenas Provision in a separate glossary entry, so you can read up on the details there. It would apply this offseason to a player like Melton.

Finally, one more distinction between Bird rights and Early Bird rights applies to waivers. Players who are claimed off waivers retain their Early Bird rights, just as they would if they were traded. Those who had Bird rights instead see those reduced to Early Bird rights if they’re claimed off waivers. This rule stems from a 2012 settlement between the league and the union in which J.J. Hickson was given a special exception and retained his full Bird rights for the summer of 2012 even though he had been claimed off waivers that March.

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

Earlier versions of this post were published in previous years by Luke Adams and Chuck Myron. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Community Shootaround: Defensive Player Of The Year

After exploring hypothetical ballots for 2019/20’s Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year earlier this week, we’re moving on today to a third award, Defensive Player of the Year.

Unlike the MVP or Rookie of the Year races, where one or two obvious frontrunners have emerged over the course of the season, the Defensive Player of the Year race is a little more wide open. There are certainly basic and advanced defensive statistics we can use to assess a player’s impact on that end of the court, but the eye test plays a significant role in evaluating a player’s defensive ability, so the award is more subjective.

One player most analysts agree deserves to be in consideration for this year’s Defensive Player of the Year award? Lakers big man Anthony Davis. Although teammate LeBron James looks like the stronger MVP candidate, Davis has often been the club’s last line of defense, protecting the rim and helping turn L.A. into one of the NBA’s stingiest teams — the Lakers rank third in defensive rating.

Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald and Zach Harper of The Athletic both had Davis atop their hypothetical Defensive Player of the Year ballots, while Dan Devine of The Ringer placed him second.

Devine’s top choice is Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, whose elite defense is a major factor in his case for a second consecutive MVP award. Devine argues that Milwaukee’s top-ranked defense is as good as it is because Antetokonmpo can “essentially erase half the floor,” roaming around the court like an NFL free safety. Among high-volume defenders, Giannis ranked first in opponents’ field goal percentage, at 36.1%. He was on Harper’s and Murphy’s ballots as well.

Ben Simmons (Sixers), Bam Adebayo (Heat), Marcus Smart (Celtics), Brook Lopez (Bucks), and P.J. Tucker (Rockets) were among the other players to earn Defensive Player of the Year consideration from at least one of Devine, Murphy, and Harper. Interestingly, none of their three ballots included reigning DPOY Rudy Gobert, though Harper did give the Jazz center an honorable mention.

What do you think? Would you pick Davis, Antetokounmpo, or someone else as this year’s Defensive Player of the Year, assuming the season is over or close to it? What would your top three look like if you were submitting an official ballot?

Head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Community Shootaround: Rookie Of The Year Ballot

Earlier this week, we asked you for your hypothetical 2019/20 NBA ballot, based on the possibility that the regular season is essentially over. Today, we’re shifting our focus to another one of the NBA’s major end-of-season awards: Rookie of the Year.

Entering the season, No. 1 pick Zion Williamson was viewed as the overwhelming favorite for the Rookie of the Year award. However, health issues delayed Williamson’s NBA regular-season debut until January 22, and the Pelicans forward ultimately only appeared in 19 games.

Williamson was as good as advertised in those games, averaging 23.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 2.2 APG on 58.9% shooting in just under 30 MPG. However, it’s tough to put the former Duke star atop any Rookie of the Year ballot, considering he didn’t even reach the 20-game threshold. Joel Embiid, who appeared in 31 games in 2016/17, didn’t earn ROY honors either, and he wasn’t up against a competitor like Ja Morant, who looks like the overwhelming favorite to take home the award in 2020.

Morant, the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft, filled up the box score by recording 17.6 PPG, 6.9 APG, and 3.5 RPG on .491/.367/.770 shooting in 30.0 minutes per contest. He put up those numbers while starting 59 games for the Grizzlies and leading the overachieving squad to a No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.

Zach Harper of The Athletic writes that “it feels impossible” to give this year’s Rookie of the Year award to anyone besides Morant, while Dan Devine of The Ringer refers to the former Murray State standout as “the no-doubt-about-it pick” for the trophy. ESPN’s analysts agreed — all 70 straw poll respondents placed Morant atop their ballots.

Although Morant seems like a lock for the actual award, it’s still worth exploring how you’d fill out the rest of your three-man ballot.

Despite his small sample, Williamson earned 51 second-place votes from ESPN’s panel, and placed second on Harper’s list too. However, Devine left Zion off his ballot entirely, opting for Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke and Raptors guard Terence Davis instead, pointing to a series of impressive advanced stats to make his case for the two less heralded rookies.

Heat guard Kendrick Nunn deserves consideration as well — he placed third on ESPN’s list and on Harper’s ballot. Warriors big man Eric Paschall and Knicks forward RJ Barrett earned honorable mentions from Harper and at least one second-place vote apiece from ESPN’s voters. Bulls guard Coby White, Hornets forward PJ Washington, Wizards forward Rui Hachimura, and Heat sharpshooter Tyler Herro were among the players receiving third-place votes from ESPN’s panel.

What do you think? Can you make a case for anyone besides Morant as this season’s Rookie of the Year? Were Williamson’s 19 games enough to earn him a spot on your ballot? Who would your top three picks be for the 2020 Rookie of the Year award?

Head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Community Shootaround: Hypothetical MVP Ballot

Before the 2019/20 NBA season was postponed, LeBron James seemed to be building some momentum in an MVP race that Giannis Antetokounmpo had dominated for much of the year.

James had just led the Lakers to signature wins over the Bucks and Clippers, the two top threats to the Lakers’ title hopes. At the same time, a knee injury sustained in that Bucks/Lakers showdown had sidelined Antetokounmpo for the two games leading up to the stoppage.

With the NBA now in an indefinite hiatus, the MVP race has been put on hold. In fact, it’s possible it might be over altogether. While team owners and players alike want to resume the season, it’s not clear if or when that will happen. And if it does resume, the rest of regular season figures to be significantly reduced or perhaps even excised entirely in order to quickly advance to the playoffs.

With that in mind, we want to get your hypothetical MVP ballot for the 2019/20 NBA season. Do you have Giannis or LeBron in the top spot? How would you fill out the rest of your top five?

Dan Devine of The Ringer tried his hand at putting together a ballot, picking Antetokounmpo as his MVP, followed by James, Rockets star James Harden, LeBron’s teammate Anthony Davis, and reigning Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard. Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald had the same top three (Giannis, LeBron, and Harden) on his unofficial MVP ballot, as did ESPN’s panel of voters.

ESPN’s straw poll respondents had Leonard and Davis in their top six as well, but were more bullish than Devine on Mavericks star Luka Doncic, who finished fourth. Thunder guard Chris Paul, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, and Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard rounded out ESPN’s top 10, with Jayson Tatum (Celtics) and Bradley Beal (Wizards) each receiving a lone down-ballot vote as well.

What do you think? How would you fill out your five-man MVP ballot based on what we’ve seen so far?

Head to the comment section below to share your list and your reasoning!

Hoops Rumors Glossary: Bird Rights

The Bird exception, named after Larry Bird, is a rule included in the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement that allows teams to go over the salary cap to re-sign their own players. A player who qualifies for the Bird exception, formally referred to as a Qualifying Veteran Free Agent, is said to have “Bird rights.”

The most basic way for a player to earn Bird rights is to play for the same team for at least three seasons, either on a multiyear deal or separate one-year contracts. Still, there are other criteria. A player retains his Bird rights in the following scenarios:

  1. He changes teams via trade. For instance, the Cavaliers would hold Andre Drummond‘s Bird rights if he opts for free agency this offseason, despite just acquiring him in February. His Bird clock didn’t reset when he was traded from the Pistons to Cleveland.
  2. He finishes a third season with a team after having only signed for a partial season with the club in the first year. Patrick McCaw finished the 2018/19 season on a contract with the Raptors, then re-signed with Toronto on a two-year deal in the summer of 2019. When that contract expires, McCaw will have full Bird rights because of the partial season he spent with the Raptors last year, which started his Bird clock.
  3. He signed for a full season in year one or two but the team waived him, he cleared waivers, and didn’t sign with another team before re-signing with the club and remaining under contract through a third season. This one’s a little confusing, but let’s use DeMarcus Cousins as an example. Partway through his one-year contract with the Lakers, Cousins was waived last month and has yet to join a new team. If the Lakers were to re-sign Cousins to a two-year contract in the offseason, without him joining a new team in the interim, they’d have his full Bird rights at the end of that deal.

A player sees the clock on his Bird rights reset to zero in the following scenarios:

  1. He changes teams via free agency.
  2. He is waived and is not claimed on waivers (except as in scenario No. 3 above).
  3. His rights are renounced by his team. However, his Bird clock resumes where it left off if he re-signs with that team without having signed with another NBA team. For example, Mike Scott had his rights renounced by the Sixers last July, as Philadelphia attempted to gain cap flexibility. Scott eventually signed a new two-year deal with the 76ers and will have full Bird rights at the end of it.
  4. He is selected in an expansion draft.

If a player who would have been in line for Bird rights at the end of the season is waived and claimed off waivers, he would retain only Early Bird rights. Meanwhile, a player with Bird rights who re-signs with his previous team on a one-year contract (or a one-year deal with a second-year option) would lose his Bird rights if he’s traded. As such, he receives the ability to veto trades so he can avoid that scenario.

[RELATED: Players with the ability to veto trades in 2019/20]

When a player earns Bird rights, he’s eligible to re-sign with his team on a maximum-salary contract for up to five years with 8% annual raises when he becomes a free agent, regardless of how much cap room the team has. The maximum salary will vary for each player depending on how long he has been in the league, but regardless of the amount, a team can exceed the salary cap to complete the deal.

A team with a Bird free agent is assigned a “free agent amount” or cap hold worth either 190% of his previous salary (for a player with a below-average salary) or 150% of his previous salary (for an above-average salary), up to the maximum salary amount. For players coming off rookie scale contracts, the amounts of those cap holds are 300% and 250%, respectively.

The Pelicans, for instance, will have a cap hold worth $21,796,456 for Brandon Ingram on their 2020/21 books — 300% of his $7,265,485 salary for 2019/20. New Orleans could renounce Ingram and clear an extra $21MM+ in cap space, but the Pelicans would lose the ability to re-sign him using Bird rights in that scenario, which would force them to use either cap room or a different cap exception to re-sign him. As such, the club figures to keep that cap hold on its books until Ingram is officially re-signed.

Ultimately, the Bird exception was designed to allow teams to keep their best players. The CBA ensures that teams are always able to re-sign them to contracts up to the maximum salary, assuming the player is interested in returning and his team is willing to go over the cap.

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

Earlier versions of this post were published in previous years by Luke Adams and Chuck Myron. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2020 NBA Draft Early Entrants List

With the sports world on pause as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many pre-draft scouting events have already been nixed or are in danger of being canceled, and there are serious doubts about whether NBA teams will have the ability to work out prospects leading up to this year’s draft.

Many early entrants declare for the draft based on the belief that they’ll be able to improve their stock in those events and workouts, and may be less inclined to leave college if those opportunities aren’t available.

Additionally, with the NBA planning to resume its 2019/20 season, the 2020 draft – originally scheduled for June 25 – has been pushed back to October 16. Early entrants will need to make decisions well before then if they want to return to their college programs or international teams.

The NCAA’s withdrawal deadline, which initially fell on June 3, has been postponed until either August 3 or 10 days after the combine, whichever comes first. The NBA’s withdrawal deadline falls 10 days before the draft, so international early entrants will have until October 6 to decide whether or not to remain in the draft.

In an unprecedented twist, the NBA also retroactively adjusted its early entry deadline from April 26 to August 17, giving players a second window to declare for the 2020 draft. Bizarrely, that deadline now falls after the NCAA’s withdrawal deadline, so we’re unlikely to see any college players enter the draft waters between August 3 and August 17.

As we navigate uncharted draft waters, we’ll be using the space below to keep track of 2020’s early entrant prospects. Players who initially entered the draft and then withdrew from consideration will be noted as well.

This post, which will be updated daily, will be accessible anytime under “Hoops Rumors Features” on the right sidebar of our desktop site, or in the “Features” page found in our mobile menu. The players below are listed in alphabetical order. If you have any corrections or omissions, please contact us.

Last updated 11-11-20 (2:45pm CT)

College Players:

Expected to stay in draft:

  1. Precious Achiuwa, F, Memphis (freshman) (link)
  2. Milan Acquaah, G, California Baptist (junior) (link)
  3. Ty-Shon Alexander, G, Creighton (junior) (link)
  4. Cole Anthony, G, North Carolina (freshman) (link)
  5. Brendan Bailey, F, Marquette (sophomore) (link)
  6. Saddiq Bey, F, Villanova (sophomore) (link)
  7. Tyler Bey, F, Colorado (junior) (link)
  8. Jermaine Bishop, G, Norfolk State (junior) (link)
  9. Dachon Burke, G, Nebraska (junior) (link)
  10. Vernon Carey Jr., C, Duke (freshman) (link)
  11. Nate Darling, G, Delaware (junior) (link)
  12. Lamine Diane, F, Cal State Northridge (sophomore) (link)
  13. Devon Dotson, G, Kansas (sophomore) (link)
  14. Anthony Edwards, G, Georgia (freshman) (link)
  15. CJ Elleby, F, Washington State (sophomore) (link)
  16. Malik Fitts, F, Saint Mary’s (junior) (link)
  17. Malachi Flynn, G, San Diego State (junior) (link)
  18. Josh Green, G/F, Arizona (freshman) (link)
  19. Ashton Hagans, G, Kentucky (sophomore) (link)
  20. Tyrese Haliburton, G, Iowa State (sophomore) (link)
  21. Josh Hall, F, Moravian Prep (N/A) (link)
  22. Rayshaun Hammonds, F, Georgia (junior) (link)
  23. Jalen Harris, G, Nevada (junior) (link)
  24. Niven Hart, G, Fresno State (freshman) (link)
  25. Nate Hinton, G/F, Houston (sophomore) (link)
  26. Elijah Hughes, G/F, Syracuse (junior) (link)
  27. Isaiah Joe, G, Arkansas (sophomore) (link)
  28. Dakari Johnson, G, Cape Fear CC (freshman) (link)
  29. C.J. Jones, G, Middle Tennessee (junior) (link)
  30. Mason Jones, G, Arkansas (junior) (link)
  31. Tre Jones, G, Duke (sophomore) (link)
  32. Saben Lee, G, Vanderbilt (junior) (link)
  33. Michael Lenoir, G, Creating Young Minds Academy (N/A) (link)
  34. Kira Lewis, G, Alabama (sophomore) (link)
  35. Nico Mannion, G, Arizona (freshman) (link)
  36. Naji Marshall, F, Xavier (junior) (link)
  37. Kenyon Martin Jr., F, IMG Academy (N/A) (link)
  38. Tyrese Maxey, G, Kentucky (freshman) (link)
  39. Jaden McDaniels, F, Washington (freshman) (link)
  40. Isiaha Mike, F, SMU (junior) (link)
  41. EJ Montgomery, F, Kentucky (sophomore) (link)
  42. Aaron Nesmith, G, Vanderbilt (sophomore) (link)
  43. Zeke Nnaji, F, Arizona (freshman) (link)
  44. Jordan Nwora, F, Louisville (junior) (link)
  45. Nikolaos Okekuoyen, C, Ridgeview Prep (N/A) (link)
  46. Onyeka Okongwu, F/C, USC (freshman) (link)
  47. Isaac Okoro, F, Auburn (freshman) (link)
  48. Daniel Oturu, C, Minnesota (sophomore) (link)
  49. Reggie Perry, F, Mississippi State (sophomore) (link)
  50. Nate Pierre-Louis, G, Temple (junior) (link)
  51. Immanuel Quickley, G, Kentucky (sophomore) (link)
  52. Jahmi’us Ramsey, G, Texas Tech (freshman) (link)
  53. Paul Reed, F, DePaul (junior) (link)
  54. Nick Richards, F/C, Kentucky (junior) (link)
  55. Jay Scrubb, G, John A. Logan College (sophomore) (link)
  56. Jalen Smith, F, Maryland (sophomore) (link)
  57. Cassius Stanley, G, Duke (freshman) (link)
  58. Isaiah Stewart, F/C, Washington (freshman) (link)
  59. Tyrell Terry, G, Stanford (freshman) (link)
  60. Xavier Tillman, F/C, Michigan State (junior) (link)
  61. Obi Toppin, F, Dayton (sophomore) (link)
  62. Jordan Tucker, F, Butler (sophomore) (link)
  63. Devin Vassell, G, Florida State (sophomore) (link)
  64. Nick Weatherspoon, G, Mississippi State (junior) (link)
  65. Kaleb Wesson, F/C, Ohio State (junior) (link)
  66. Kahlil Whitney, F, Kentucky (freshman) (link)
  67. Emmitt Williams, F, LSU (sophomore) (link)
  68. Patrick Williams, F, Florida State (freshman) (link)
  69. James Wiseman, C, Memphis (freshman) (link)
  70. Robert Woodard II, F, Mississippi State (sophomore) (link)
  71. Omer Yurtseven, C, Georgetown (junior) (link)

Withdrawing from draft after testing the waters:

  1. Jordyn Adams, G, Austin Peay (freshman) (link)
  2. Abdul Ado, C, Mississippi State (junior) (link)
  3. Timmy Allen, F, Utah (sophomore) (link)
  4. Derrick Alston Jr., F, Boise State (junior) (link)
  5. Joel Ayayi, G, Gonzaga (sophomore) (link)
  6. Jomaru Brown, G, Eastern Kentucky (sophomore) (link)
  7. Marcus Burk, G, IUPUI (junior) (link)
  8. Jordan Burns, G, Colgate (junior) (link)
  9. Jared Butler, G, Baylor (sophomore) (link)
  10. Manny Camper, G/F, Siena (junior) (link)
  11. Marcus Carr, G, Minnesota (sophomore) (link)
  12. Tamenang Choh, F, Brown (junior) (link)
  13. Kofi Cockburn, C, Illinois (freshman) (link)
  14. David Collins, G, South Florida (junior) (link)
  15. Zach Cooks, G, NJIT (junior) (link)
  16. Jalen Crutcher, G, Dayton (junior) (link)
  17. Ryan Daly, G, Saint Joseph’s (junior) (link)
  18. Darius Days, F, LSU (sophomore) (link)
  19. Dexter Dennis, G, Wichita State (sophomore) (link)
  20. Ayo Dosunmu, G, Illinois (sophomore) (link)
  21. Nojel Eastern, G, Purdue (junior) (link)
  22. Mason Faulkner, G, Western Carolina (junior) (link)
  23. LJ Figueroa, G, St. John’s (sophomore) (link)
  24. Blake Francis, G, Richmond (junior) (link)
  25. Hasahn French, F, Saint Louis (junior) (link)
  26. D.J. Funderburk, F, North Carolina State (junior) (link)
  27. Both Gach, G/F, Utah (sophomore) (link)
  28. Alonzo Gaffney, F, Ohio State (freshman) (link)
  29. Luka Garza, C, Iowa (junior) (link)
  30. Jacob Gilyard, G, Richmond (junior) (link)
  31. Grant Golden, F, Richmond (junior) (link)
  32. Jordan Goodwin, G, Saint Louis (junior) (link)
  33. Tony Goodwin II, G/F, Redemption Academy (N/A) (link)
  34. Jayvon Graves, G, Buffalo (junior) (link)
  35. AJ Green, G, Northern Iowa (sophomore) (link)
  36. Darin Green, G, UCF (freshman) (link)
  37. Aaron Henry, F, Michigan State (sophomore) (link)
  38. Jalen Hill, F/C, UCLA (sophomore) (link)
  39. Jay Huff, F, Virginia (junior) (link)
  40. Feron Hunt, F, SMU (sophomore) (link)
  41. Chance Hunter, G, Long Beach State (sophomore) (link)
  42. DeJon Jarreau, G, Houston (junior) (link)
  43. Damien Jefferson, G/F, Creighton (junior) (link)
  44. Jalen Johnson, F, Louisiana (junior) (link)
  45. Andre Jones, G, Nicholls State (junior) (link)
  46. Herbert Jones, F, Alabama (junior) (link)
  47. Corey Kispert, F, Gonzaga (junior) (link)
  48. Kameron Langley, G, North Carolina A&T (junior) (link)
  49. A.J. Lawson, G, South Carolina (sophomore) (link)
  50. Matt Lewis, G, James Madison (junior) (link)
  51. Isaiah Livers, F, Michigan (junior) (link)
  52. Denzel Mahoney, G, Creighton (junior) (link)
  53. Makur Maker, C, Hillcrest Academy (N/A) (link)
  54. Sandro Mamukelashvili, F, Seton Hall (junior) (link)
  55. Tre Mann, G, Florida (freshman) (link)
  56. Remy Martin, G, Arizona State (junior) (link)
  57. Mac McClung, G, Georgetown (sophomore) (link)
  58. Isaiah Miller, G, UNC Greensboro (junior) (link)
  59. Matt Mitchell, F, San Diego State (junior) (link)
  60. Andrew Nembhard, G, Florida (sophomore) (link)
  61. Obadiah Noel, G, UMass-Lowell (junior) (link)
  62. Elijah Olaniyi, G/F, Stony Brook (junior) (link)
  63. Filip Petrusev, F/C, Gonzaga (sophomore) (link)
    • Note: Petrusev withdrew from the draft, but will still go pro.
  64. John Petty, G, Alabama (junior) (link)
  65. Xavier Pinson, G, Missouri (sophomore) (link)
  66. Yves Pons, F, Tennessee (junior) (link)
  67. Darius Quisenberry, G, Youngstown State (sophomore) (link)
  68. Colbey Ross, G, Pepperdine (junior) (link)
  69. Fatts Russell, G, Rhode Island (junior) (link)
  70. Joe Saterfield, G/F, Ranger CC (freshman) (link)
  71. Aamir Simms, F, Clemson (junior) (link)
  72. Javonte Smart, G, LSU (sophomore) (link)
  73. Chris Smith, F, UCLA (junior) (link)
  74. Collin Smith, F/C, UCF (junior) (link)
  75. Justin Smith, F, Indiana (junior) (link)
  76. Mitchell Smith, F, Missouri (junior) (link)
  77. Stef Smith, G, Vermont (junior) (link)
  78. Ben Stanley, F, Hampton (sophomore) (link)
  79. Parker Stewart, G, UT Martin (sophomore) (link)
  80. Terry Taylor, G, Austin Peay (junior) (link)
  81. MaCio Teague, G, Baylor (junior) (link)
  82. Justin Thomas, G, Morehead State (junior) (link)
  83. Ethan Thompson, G, Oregon State (junior) (link)
  84. Jeremiah Tilmon, F, Missouri (junior) (link)
  85. Alonzo Verge Jr., G, Arizona State (junior) (link)
  86. Chris Vogt, C, Cincinnati (junior) (link)
  87. CJ Walker, G, Ohio State (junior) (link)
  88. Trendon Watford, F, LSU (freshman) (link)
  89. Ibi Watson, G, Dayton (junior) (link)
  90. Jarrod West, G, Marshall (junior) (link)
  91. Romello White, F, Arizona State (junior) (link)
  92. Deandre Williams, F, Evansville (sophomore) (link)
  93. Keith Williams, G, Cincinnati (junior) (link)
  94. McKinley Wright, G, Colorado (junior) (link)

International Players:

Note: The country indicates where the player had been playing, not necessarily where he was born.

  1. Deni Avdija, F, Israel (born 2001) (link)
  2. Adrian Bogucki, C, Poland (born 2000) (link)
  3. Leandro Bolmaro, F, Spain (born 2000) (link)
  4. Imru Duke, F, Spain (born 1999) (link)
  5. Paul Eboua, F, Italy (born 2000) (link)
  6. Killian Hayes, G, Germany (born 2001) (link)
  7. Vit Krejci, G, Spain (born 2000) (link)
  8. Yam Madar, G, Israel (born 2000) (link)
  9. Theo Maledon, G, France (born 2001) (link)
  10. Karim Mane, G, Canada (born 2000) (link)
  11. Aleksej Pokusevski, F, Greece (born 2001) (link)
  12. Marko Simonovic, C, Serbia (born 1999) (link)
  13. Mouhamed Thiam, C, France (born 2001) (link)

Withdrawing from draft after testing the waters:

  1. Berke Atar, C, Macedonia (born 1999) (link)
  2. Brancou Badio, F, Spain (born 1999) (link)
  3. Darko Bajo, F, Croatia (born 1999) (link)
  4. Philippe Bayehe, F, Italy (born 1999) (link)
  5. Marek Blazevic, C, Lithuania (born 2001) (link)
  6. Vinicius Da Silva, C, Spain (born 2001) (link)
  7. Henri Drell, G/F, Italy (born 2000) (link)
  8. Michele Ebeling, F, Italy (born 1999) (link)
  9. Osas Ehigiator, C, Spain (born 1999) (link)
  10. Joel Ekamba, G, France (born 2001) (link)
  11. Selim Fofana, G, Switzerland (born 1999) (link)
  12. Miguel Gonzalez, G/F, Spain (born 1999) (link)
  13. Sehmus Hazer, G, Turkey (born 1999) (link)
  14. Rokas Jokubaitis, G, Lithuania (born 2000) (link)
  15. Georgios Kalaitzakis, G, Lithuania (born 1999) (link)
  16. Arturs Kurucs, G, Latvia (born 2000) (link)
  17. Dut Mabor, C, Italy (born 2001) (link)
  18. Sergi Martinez, F, Spain (born 1999) (link)
  19. Nikola Miskovic, F, Serbia (born 1999) (link)
  20. Aristide Mouaha, G, Italy (born 2000) (link)
  21. Caio Pacheco, G, Argentina (born 1999) (link)
  22. Joel Parra, F, Spain (born 2000) (link)
  23. Sander Raieste, F, Estonia (born 1999) (link)
  24. Nikos Rogkavopoulos, F, Greece (born 2001) (link)
  25. Yigitcan Saybir, F, Turkey (born 1999) (link)
  26. Njegos Sikiras, F, Spain (born 1999) (link)
  27. Aboubacar Traore, G, Canada (born 2001) (link)
  28. Uros Trifunovic, G, Serbia (born 2000) (link)
  29. Arnas Velicka, G, Lithuania (born 1999) (link)
  30. Andrii Voinalovych, F, Ukraine (born 1999) (link)

Note: A number of other players, including LaMelo Ball and RJ Hampton, became automatically draft-eligible for 2020 as a result of playing professionally last season. However, the NBA didn’t publicly release the list of auto-eligible players, so we’re not including those names here, since there would be gaps in our list.

Hoops Rumors Originals: 3/15/20 – 3/21/20

Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team publishes original content to complement our news feed. Listed below are our original segments and features from the past seven days:

  • We explored what the lottery odds for the 2020 NBA draft look like if the season doesn’t resume.
  • We also explored which traded 2020 picks would and wouldn’t change hands based on the current league-wide standings.
  • Luke Adams explained everything you need to know about luxury tax penalties in the latest Hoops Rumors Glossary post.
  • He also examined the minimum salary exception, one of the NBA’s most commonly used cap exceptions.
  • Our Community Shootaround this week focused on the best NBA games to re-watch during the league’s hiatus.
  • Our poll question relates to whether the NBA should change its calendar in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Would you be in favor of shifting the entire NBA calendar back by roughly six-to-eight weeks on a permanent basis?
  • NFL free agency is continuing to push forward in the midst of this hiatus. Be sure to check out Pro Football Rumors to stay in the loop on all NFL-related updates.

Hoops Rumors Glossary: Luxury Tax Penalties

Although some NBA teams can become hard-capped during a given league year if they use specific exceptions or make certain transactions, the NBA doesn’t have a set hard cap for all teams. In addition to its soft cap though, the league does have a luxury tax threshold, which serves to discourage excessive spending. When a team’s total salary ends up over that line at season’s end, the NBA charges a tax for every extra dollar the club spends.

[RELATED: Recent History of NBA Taxpaying Teams]

The formula to determine the luxury tax line is a complicated one, related to the NBA’s projected basketball related income (BRI) and projected benefits. Generally though, it comes in around 20-22% above the salary cap line. For instance, in 2019/20, the league’s salary cap is set at $109,140,000, while the luxury tax threshold is at $132,627,000. So any team whose total ’19/20 salary exceeds $132,627,000 on the last day of the regular season is subject to a tax bill.

The NBA’s luxury tax system is set up so that the penalties become more punitive if teams go further beyond the tax line. Here’s what those penalties look like:

  • $0-5MM above tax line: $1.50 per dollar (up to $7.5MM).
  • $5-10MM above tax line: $1.75 per dollar (up to $8.75MM).
  • $10-15MM above tax line: $2.50 per dollar (up to $12.5MM).
  • $15-20MM above tax line: $3.25 per dollar (up to $16.25MM).
  • For every additional $5MM above tax line beyond $20MM, rates increase by $0.50 per dollar.
    • Note: This would mean $3.75 for $20-25MM, $4.25 for $25-30MM, etc.

For instance, if a team is over the tax by $12MM, its tax bill would be $21.25MM: $7.5MM for the first $5MM over the tax, $8.75MM for the $5-10MM bracket, then $5MM for the final increment in the $10-15MM bracket.

While those are the rates that apply to most taxpayers, including the Trail Blazers, Heat, and Timberwolves this season, a team can become subject to a “repeater” penalty if it paid the tax in three of the previous four seasons. This scenario currently applies to Oklahoma City — the Thunder were a taxpaying club in 2016, 2018, and 2019, which means they’ll be a repeat offender this season. Here are the penalties that apply to repeat taxpayers:

  • $0-5MM above tax line: $2.50 per dollar (up to $12.5MM).
  • $5-10MM above tax line: $2.75 per dollar (up to $13.75MM).
  • $10-15MM above tax line: $3.50 per dollar (up to $17.5MM).
  • $15-20MM above tax line: $4.25 per dollar (up to $21.25MM).
  • For every additional $5MM above tax line beyond $20MM, rates increase by $0.50 per dollar
    • Note: This would mean $4.75 for $20-25MM, $5.25 for $25-30MM, etc.

If the hypothetical team we described in our first example, over the tax by $12MM, was a repeat taxpayer, its bill would increase to $33.25MM.

Generally speaking, luxury tax penalties are calculated by determining a team’s total cap hits at the end of the regular season. So a team that starts the year above the tax line could get under it before the end of the season by completing trades or buyouts. The Warriors did just that in February, slipping below the luxury tax threshold by completing a series of trades that reduced their overall team salary.

[RELATED: Projected Taxpaying Teams For 2019/20]

However, team salary for tax purposes is calculated slightly differently than it is for cap purposes. Here are a few of the adjustments made at season’s end before a team’s tax bill is calculated:

  • Cap holds and exceptions are ignored.
  • “Likely” bonuses that weren’t earned are removed from team salary; “unlikely” bonuses that were earned are added to team salary.
  • If a player with a trade bonus is acquired after the final regular season game, that trade bonus is added to team salary.
  • If a player with 0-1 years of NBA experience signed a minimum-salary free agent contract, the minimum-salary cap charge for a two-year veteran is used in place of that player’s cap charge.
    • Note: This only applies to free agents, not drafted players. For example, Raptors rookies Dewan Hernandez (second-round pick) and Terence Davis (UDFA) are each earning $898,310 in 2019/20. Hernandez would count for $898,310 for tax purposes, while Davis would count for $1,620,564.

So let’s say that five teams finish the season owing a total of $50MM in taxes. Where does that money go? Currently, the NBA splits it 50/50 — half of it is used for “league purposes,” while the other half is distributed to non-taxpaying teams in equal shares. In that scenario, the 25 non-taxpaying teams would receive $1MM apiece.

As cap expert Larry Coon explains in his CBA FAQ, “league purposes” essentially covers any purpose the NBA deems appropriate, including giving the money back to teams. In recent years, the NBA has used that money as a funding source for its revenue sharing program. Coon also notes that the CBA technically allows up to 50% of tax money to be distributed to non-taxpaying teams, but there’s no obligation for that to happen — in other words, the NBA could decide to use 100% of the tax money for “league purposes.”

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 was used in the creation of this post.

Earlier versions of this post was published in 2012 and 2018.

Community Shootaround: NBA Games To Rewatch

With no new games to watch as the NBA continues its coronavirus-related suspension, the league announced this week that it’s making League Pass available for a free trial through at least April 22.

That means that NBA fans will have the opportunity to rewatch any games from the 2018/19 or 2019/20 seasons, along with a few dozen games from previous seasons deemed to be classics.

With that in mind, a panel of ESPN writers picked out 30 games – one for each team – worth rewatching from the last two seasons, including the Celtics‘ double-overtime win over the Clippers last month, the Rockets‘ 159-158 win over the Wizards earlier in the season, Kawhi Leonard‘s first return to San Antonio last season, and several memorable playoff games from the 2019 postseason.

ESPN’s list is a good start, but it’s hardly exhaustive. So we want to open up the conversation to you.

Are you taking advantage of the free League Pass preview? If so, which games from the last two seasons are you watching first? Which of the league’s classic games are you curious to rewatch or perhaps check out for the first time? And which games would be your all-time top picks for rewatching, regardless of NBA League Pass availability?

Hoops Rumors Glossary: Minimum Salary Exception

The minimum salary exception is something of a last resort for capped-out teams looking to add players, as well as for players seeking NBA contracts, but it’s one of the most commonly used cap exceptions. It allows an over-the-cap team to sign a player to a one- or two-year minimum-salary deal, as its name suggests.

Teams can use the exception multiple times in a league year, giving clubs that have used all of their cap room and other exceptions an avenue to fill out their rosters. The exception also accommodates teams’ acquisitions of minimum-salary players via trade, as players signed via the minimum salary exception don’t count as incoming salary for salary-matching purposes.

Players are entitled to varying minimum salaries based on how long they’ve been in the NBA. In 2019/20, a player with no prior NBA experience was eligible for a $898,310 minimum salary, while a player with 10 or more years of experience was eligible for $2,564,753.

[RELATED: NBA Minimum Salaries For 2019/20]

Over the course of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, the minimum salary will be adjusted each season to reflect the year-to-year salary cap change. For instance, if the cap increases by 5%, so will minimum salaries.

There’s a wide disparity between the minimum salary for rookies and for long-tenured players, with a minimum-salary veteran of 10+ seasons earning nearly three times as much as a rookie making the minimum next season. The NBA doesn’t want those pricier deals to discourage clubs from signing veterans, however, so the league reimburses teams for a portion of a minimum-salary player’s cost if he has three or more years of experience, as long as the contract is a one-year deal.

For example, when the Lakers signed 15-year veteran Dwight Howard to a one-year pact for 2019/20 using the minimum salary exception, the contract called for a salary of $2,564,753, but the team’s cap hit was just $1,620,564. The league would reimburse the Lakers for the remaining $944,189 at season’s end.

Most salary cap exceptions can only be used once each season. For example, when a team uses its full mid-level exception to sign one or more players, the club can no longer use that exception until the following season. Unlike the mid-level and other cap exceptions though, the minimum salary exception can be used any number of times in a single season. The Lakers, for instance, used the minimum salary exception to sign Jared Dudley and Troy Daniels in addition to Howard.

While many exceptions begin to prorate on January 10, the minimum salary exception prorates from the first day of the regular season. The season is typically 177 days long, so if a player signs after 28 days have passed, he would only be paid for 149 days.

That’s what happened this season with Carmelo Anthony, who joined the Trail Blazers via the minimum salary exception on November 19, the 29th day of the regular season, making his salary and cap hit 149/177ths of their usual amounts. Instead of a $1,620,564 cap charge for Portland, Anthony’s cap charge is $1,364,204. His salary is $2,159,029 instead of $2,564,753.

Here are a few more notes on the minimum salary exception:

  • Players signed using the minimum salary exception are eligible for trade bonuses, but not incentive bonuses. A minimum-salary player with a trade bonus cannot be acquired in a trade using the minimum salary exception unless he waives that bonus.
  • A minimum-salary player also can’t be acquired in a trade using the minimum salary exception if his contract is for more than two years or if his salary exceeded the minimum in any previous year of the contract.
  • When a minimum-salary player is traded during the season, any reimbursement from the NBA is split between his two teams. It’s prorated based on the number of days he spends with each club.
  • If a minimum-salary player with a non-guaranteed salary is waived before he exceeds the minimum for a two-year veteran, his team won’t be reimbursed for any portion of his salary.
  • Virtually every 10-day contract is for the minimum salary — often the minimum salary exception is the only way for clubs to accommodate any 10-day deals. The NBA also reimburses teams for a portion of the 10-day minimum salary for veterans with three or more years of experience. We have more details here.

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.

Earlier versions of this post were published in previous years by Luke Adams and Chuck Myron. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.