Hoops Rumors Originals

Playoff Teams With Open Roster Spots

February 28th, 2020 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Sunday is March 1, which is the last day that a player can be waived and retain his postseason eligibility for a new team. Although we haven’t heard many buyout rumors this week – beyond a small update on Evan Turner – it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a couple more veterans hit the waiver wire by Sunday night and become free agents next week.

Any team can sign a free agent between now and the end of the season, but teams with open roster spots have a cleaner path to doing so. And those teams are worth keeping an eye on in the coming weeks, since even if no appealing targets emerge on the buyout market, those roster spots will likely be filled at some point.

During the regular season, there are benefits to carrying 14 – or even 13 – players for long stretches, particularly for healthy teams with luxury-tax concerns. But when the postseason rolls around, there’s little downside to filling the entire roster, even if it just means adding a 15th man during the final week (or day) of the season.

With that in mind, here are the teams in the top eight in each conference that still have at least one open spot on their 15-man rosters and seem likely to sign a player between now and April 15:

Playoff teams with an open roster spot:

Denver Nuggets
Houston Rockets
Los Angeles Clippers
Memphis Grizzlies *
Oklahoma City Thunder

The Rockets are only on this list due to a technicality — Jeff Green‘s 10-day contract expired last night and he hasn’t yet officially signed his rest-of-season deal with the team. Once he does, Houston will have a full 15-man roster.

The other teams are worth keeping an eye on though. I’d guess the Thunder will save their 15th roster spot for two-way player Luguentz Dort, but the Nuggets and Clippers don’t have obvious internal candidates for promotions, so they could target a veteran free agent if they want to add a little more depth.

* As for the Grizzlies, they technically have a full 15-man roster for the time being, but Jarrod Uthoff is on a 10-day contract, so he could be replaced after it expires next weekend.

Playoff contenders with at least one open roster spot:

Phoenix Suns
Portland Trail Blazers
San Antonio Spurs

Of the teams within five games of a playoff spot, these are the ones with roster openings. The Trail Blazers have tax concerns and may not add a 15th man, but the Suns and Spurs are candidates to do so. Phoenix, in particular, is reportedly keeping an eye on the free agent market in the wake of Kelly Oubre‘s knee injury.

For a full breakdown of the current NBA roster counts, be sure to check out our tracker.

Poll: Which Western Team Will Claim No. 8 Seed?

February 28th, 2020 at 1:13pm CST by Luke Adams

After moving to two games above .500 for the first time this season heading into the All-Star break, the Grizzlies lost four consecutive games on a post-All-Star road trip and now hold a 28-30 record. They still have the toughest remaining schedule in the NBA, according to Tankathon.com, and they’re missing two of their most important rotation players, as Jaren Jackson and Brandon Clarke are both sidelined with injuries.

It all points to a team that looks vulnerable to losing its hold on the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. Especially since there are five challengers within 4.5 games of Memphis in the standings, ready to make a run at that eighth seed.

So far though, none of those challengers has gotten on the sort of run that really closes the gap with the Grizzlies. The closest current threats are the Trail Blazers (26-34) and Pelicans (25-33), who are each three games back of the No. 8 spot.

Portland lost its star player, Damian Lillard, to a groin injury at an inopportune time, and has dropped five of its last six games, but the All-Star guard could be back by early next week and the Blazers have the NBA’s third-easiest schedule the rest of the way, per Tankathon. Lillard is probably the best player on any of the six teams competing for the No. 8 slot, so if he gets on another hot streak like the one he was riding before his injury, it’s possible he’ll shoot the Blazers into the playoffs.

New Orleans is a more popular playoff pick, however, in large part because the team has looked rejuvenated since getting No. 1 pick Zion Williamson into its lineup. Adding Williamson to a group that already features Jrue Holiday and Brandon Ingram gives the Pelicans the most dangerous “Big Three” of any of the playoff competitors, and their schedule is the league’s second-easiest down the stretch, according to Tankathon. Still, it’s worth noting that the Pelicans are a modest 7-6 when Zion plays, so it’s not as if his return has transformed them into a contender overnight.

While one of those three teams is probably the best bet to earn the West’s final playoff spot, there are a few other teams not far behind. The Spurs (24-33) have a disastrous 10-20 record on the road, but will play 14 of their final 25 games at home and have the league’s sixth-lightest schedule in terms of opponents’ winning percentage. Gregg Popovich‘s squad won’t let its 22-year playoff streak end without a fight.

The Kings (24-34) and Suns (24-35) also still have an outside shot at a playoff berth if they can get hot. Injuries have hit Sacramento hard, with Richaun Holmes and Marvin Bagley missing for much of the season and De’Aaron Fox now battling an abdominal issue. But they’ve played much better in the last month than they did in the first half, winning nine of their last 14 games. And their end-of-season schedule is favorable — it’s the ninth-easiest, per Tankathon, with 14 of 24 games at home.

Phoenix, meanwhile, will badly miss Kelly Oubre, who had been averaging nearly 19 PPG before going down with a torn meniscus. The Suns are said to be considering free agency options to help replace Oubre, a signal that they haven’t given up on the playoff chase. If they want to stay in the hunt, they’ll need to play well in their next five games, all at home. After that, they finish with 12 of 18 on the road, against a pretty challenging slate of opponents.

What do you think? Will the Grizzlies hang onto the No. 8 seed? Will the rising Pelicans grab it from them? Will last year’s Western Conference finalists, the Trail Blazers, get back into the postseason? Will the Spurs extend their playoff streak to 23 years? Or can the upstart Kings or Suns make an end-of-season run for No. 8?

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

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

Hoops Rumors Glossary: Salary Floor

February 28th, 2020 at 11:19am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s salary cap primarily serves as a way to restrict the amount a team can invest in player salaries in a given year. However, because the league has a soft cap rather than a hard cap, there’s technically no specific figure that clubs are prohibited from exceeding once they go over the cap to re-sign players. As long as a team doesn’t use certain exceptions or acquire a player via sign-and-trade, that team doesn’t face a hard cap.

There is, however, a specific threshold on the lower end that teams must meet in each NBA season. The league’s minimum salary floor requires a club to spend at least 90% of the salary cap on player salaries. For instance, with the 2019/20 cap set at $109,140,000, the salary floor for this season is $98,226,000.

If a team finishes the regular season below the NBA’s salary floor for that league year, the penalties levied against that team aren’t exactly harsh — the franchise is simply required to make up the shortfall by paying the difference to its players. For example, if a team finished this season with a team salary of $95,226,000, that team would be required to distribute that $3MM shortfall among its players.

The players’ union determines how exactly the money is divvied up — most recently, players who spent at least 41 games on a team’s roster have received a full share, while players with between 20-40 games on the roster receive a half share. A player can’t exceed his maximum salary as a result of a shortfall payment.

For the purposes of calculating whether a team has reached the minimum salary threshold, cap holds and international buyouts aren’t considered, but players who suffered career-ending injuries or illnesses are included in the count, even if they’ve since been removed from the club’s cap. For instance, the NBA permitted the Bulls to remove Omer Asik‘s $3MM cap charge from their 2019/20 cap, but that figure would still count toward their salary floor for this season.

Additionally, the NBA made a change in its most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement to prevent teams from circumventing certain rules to reach the salary floor. Under the old CBA, a team that was $8MM below the salary floor could trade a player earning $4MM for a player earning $12MM halfway through the season and be in accordance with minimum team salary rules.

Under the current CBA, only the salary the team actually pays the player counts for minimum team salary purposes. For instance, in the example above, the team would be credited with having paid its original player $2MM for the first half of the season and its new player $6MM for the second half. In that scenario, the club would still be $4MM shy of the salary floor.

No team is at risk of falling below the salary floor for the 2019/20 season. In fact, no team is even close — every club except the Hawks used up all its cap room prior to start of the regular season, and a series of in-season trades pushed Atlanta over the cap as well. Even when they were under the cap earlier in the season, the Hawks still had a team salary exceeding the $98,226,000 floor.

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.

An earlier version of this post was published in 2018.

Free Agent Stock Watch 2020: Southwest Division

February 27th, 2020 at 10:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we take a look at players from the Southwest Division:

Ben McLemore, Rockets, 27, SG (Up) – Signed to a two-year, $4.3MM deal in 2019
If you’re in the same backcourt as James Harden and Russell Westbrook, you’re not going to have many opportunities to shoot. And when you do, you’d better make them. McLemore is making them. In his last three games, McLemore has averaged 13.3 PPG and knocked down 11 of 18 3-point attempts. Houston has shuffled its roster over the past month but as long as McLemore remains a perimeter threat, he’ll remain in the rotation. Houston needs to guarantee his modest $2.28MM salary for next season prior to free agency. It will be a surprise if the Rockets turn down that bargain.

Jordan Bell, Grizzlies, 25, PF/C (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $1.62MM deal in 2019
Bell wasn’t much of a factor with Minnesota this season, even when Karl-Anthony Towns missed some games due to injury or suspension. He got traded to Houston, which quickly flipped him to Memphis for Bruno Caboclo. Bell has only appeared in two games with the Grizzlies but there is a glimmer of hope. With injuries to Jaren Jackson Jr. and Brandon Clarke depleting the frontcourt, Bell could get an extended look in the next couple of weeks. He’ll have to show a lot more than he did in Minnesota in order for Memphis to extend a qualifying offer, which would make him a restricted free agent.

Jahlil Okafor, Pelicans, 24, PF/C (Down) – Signed to a two-year, $3.27MM deal in 2018
When the Pelicans were shorthanded last month in Detroit, Okafor erupted for 25 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and three blocks. He never left the bench the next four games, which shows how little he figures in the organization’s plans. Okafor has played a total of 25 minutes since that game against the Pistons. Once Zion Williamson got healthy, Okafor’s already spotty playing time virtually evaporated. His ability to score in the low post has lost much of its value since he was taken with the third pick in the 2015 draft. He’ll be seeking another second-unit opportunity this summer.

Bryn Forbes, Spurs, 26, PG (Up) – Signed to two-year, $6MM deal in 2018
Undrafted despite playing for a major college (Michigan State), Forbes has fit well with the blue-collar Spurs. After Danny Green was traded during the 2018 offseason, Forbes became a starter in his third year in the league. He’s held onto that role this season and continues to provide a perimeter option on a team lacking in that area. Forbes has been on fire this month, draining 47.4% of his 3-point attempts. Forbes will enter unrestricted free agency this summer and should get a nice raise and a multiyear deal, perhaps without changing uniforms.

Willie Cauley-Stein, 27, PF/C (Down) – Signed to a two-year, $4.46MM deal in 2019
When Dwight Powell suffered a season-ending Achilles tear late last month, the Mavericks opted to trade with Golden State for Cauley-Stein. It seemed like a great opportunity for Cauley-Stein to pump up his value on a playoff contender. It hasn’t worked out that way. Cauley-Stein’s role has been limited since joining the Mavericks and he hasn’t played since the All-Star break due to undisclosed personal reasons. It’s a good thing for WCS that he has a $2.29MM option on his contract for next season. It should come in handy the way things are trending.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Poll: Sixth Man Of The Year Race

February 27th, 2020 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award has been Lou Williams‘ to lose in recent years. Williams has earned Sixth Man honors twice in a row and three times overall in the past five seasons.

Williams is a strong candidate for Sixth Man of the Year once again in 2019/20, leading all bench scorers with 19.1 PPG in 55 games. However, his scoring numbers aren’t quite as gaudy as they’ve been in past seasons, and his .414 FG% and .351 3PT% represent his lowest marks since the 2015/16 season. On top of that, if there’s any voter fatigue with the Clippers guard this spring, there are several other viable candidates to choose from.

One is another Clipper, Montrezl Harrell, who has nearly matched Williams’ scoring rate this season. In 57 games, Harrell has posted new career highs in PPG (18.6) and RPG (7.0), and if L.A. uses a center in crunch time, it’s Harrell rather than starter Ivica Zubac. Harrell isn’t the league’s most talented rebounder or rim protector, and centers with size can give him problems, but he has arguably been the NBA’s most productive backup big man this season.

The other contender for that title would be Davis Bertans, who has had a breakout year playing at the four and five for the Wizards. Always a strong three-point shooter, Bertans has maintained an impressive .421 3PT% in 2019/20 while nearly doubling his previous career high in three-point attempts per game, from 4.4 to 8.4. He has been a crucial floor-spacer and scorer (15.0 PPG) for Washington on offense and has held his own on defense.

In Oklahoma City, meanwhile, the Thunder have an All-Star point guard (Chris Paul) and a second point guard who received All-Star consideration (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), meaning the team’s third point guard, Dennis Schroder, has flown somewhat under the radar. Schroder has been better than ever this season though, with 19.1 PPG off the bench to go along with 4.1 APG and 3.8 RPG. His shooting rates of 47.3% from the floor and 38.6% from beyond the arc are both career bests, and the team has a +6.6 net rating when he plays, compared to a -3.1 mark when he sits.

Finally, Zach Harper of The Athletic wrote today that his current pick for Sixth Man of the Year would be Pistons guard Derrick Rose. The former MVP has missed a little time due to injuries, and Detroit isn’t a playoff team, which hurts his case. However, Rose has been arguably the Pistons’ best player this season, with 18.0 PPG and 5.7 APG, and he has produced consistently despite a ton of roster upheaval, Harper notes.

One other issue with Rose’s case is that he has been a starter since mid-January, which isn’t likely to change going forward. If he starts the Pistons’ remaining 22 games, Rose would end up with 35 starts and 35 games off the bench, making him ineligible. I expect he’ll miss at least one game before the season ends, but if he ends up with 30+ starts, voters may not view him as a true “sixth man.”

There are a few other candidates who I believe should receive Sixth Man of the Year consideration, including Heat guard Goran Dragic, Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson, and even Lakers center Dwight Howard. But Williams, Harrell, Bertans, Schroder, and Rose look to me like the favorites at this point.

In today’s poll, we want to know what you think. If you had to place a Sixth Man of the Year vote today, would you pick Williams for the three-peat? Or do you think one of his challengers has a stronger case?

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

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

Postseason Eligibility And Two-Way Players

February 27th, 2020 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

As we’ve noted a few times leading up to this Sunday’s deadline, March 1 is the final day in an NBA season that a player can be waived and retain his playoff eligibility for a new club. Any player released after March 1 can still sign with another NBA team once he clears waivers, but he wouldn’t be able to participate in the postseason with his new team.

The playoff-eligibility rules are fairly clear for players on standard NBA contracts, but how exactly do they work for players on two-way contracts? Let’s take a closer look…

1. Players on two-way contracts aren’t eligible for the postseason.

We’ll start with the simplest rule — a player on a two-way contract can’t play for his team in the postseason, even if he hasn’t used up his full allotment of 45 NBA days. A two-way player can travel and practice with the team during the playoffs, but has to remain on the inactive list during games.

2. Two-way players waived after March 1 aren’t eligible to play in the postseason for a new team.

The same waiver rules that apply to players on standard NBA contracts apply to players on two-way deals when it comes to playoff eligibility. If a player on a two-way contract is waived after this Sunday, but before the end of the regular season, he won’t be eligible to join another team for the postseason.

Although these first two rules significantly restrict the ability of two-way players to participate in the playoffs, it’s still possible for a player who is on a two-way contract next week to play in the postseason.

3. A player on a two-way contract who has his contract turned into a standard NBA deal by his current team any time up until the last day of the regular season can play in the postseason for that team.

Rookie wing Luguentz Dort, who has started the last 15 games for the Thunder, is the most obvious example this season of a two-way player who has contributed to his team’s success and could have a role in the playoffs.

If the Thunder want to ensure they’ll have Dort available for the postseason, they could unilaterally convert his two-way deal into a standard, one-year NBA contract or negotiate a standard, multiyear pact anytime between now and the end of the regular season. As long as a two-way player gets moved to the 15-man roster on or before the last day of the regular season, he’s eligible to participate in the playoffs.

Oklahoma City is in a pretty good position to make this move with Dort. The team has an open spot on its 15-man roster, so no one would have to be released to make room. The Thunder also have a portion of their mid-level exception available, so they could potentially negotiate a contract of up to three years with the first-year swingman if he’s open to it.

Moving Dort to the 15-man roster would increase the Thunder’s projected tax bill, which may dissuade them from promoting him sooner rather than later. But if OKC were to make a move near the very end of the season, the effect on the club’s cap and tax bill would be minimal. If the Thunder want Dort available in the postseason, they have a clear path to making it happen.

Although these eligibility rules for two-way players shouldn’t create any problems for most of the league’s 30 teams, the Thunder represent at least one team that has a decision to make before season’s end. In order to make a player on a two-way contract available for the postseason, a club will have to convert that player to a standard NBA deal by April 15.

For more information on how two-way contracts work, be sure to check out our full glossary entry.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Poll: Which Lottery-Bound Eastern Team Has Brightest Future?

February 26th, 2020 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Eastern Conference playoff picture hasn’t been entirely set yet, but at this point, it seems unlikely that a team outside of the top eight will crash the party. The 25-32 Magic, who currently hold the No. 8 seed, are far from untouchable, but they still hold a 4.5-game lead on any of the conference’s also-rans.

That means the Wizards, Bulls, Hornets, Pistons, Knicks, Hawks, and Cavaliers will likely finish the year in the lottery. Our Community Shootaround discussion today centers on which of these clubs is best positioned going forward.

Of those teams, only the Pistons weren’t also in the lottery a year ago. But much has changed since then. Longtime cornerstones Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond are gone, and Detroit only has a 2023 second-round pick to show for it. Blake Griffin, who had one of the best years of his career in 2018/19, has barely played this season due to health issues. The Pistons are headed for a full-fledged rebuild, and while there are some promising young players in the mix, including Luke Kennard, Sekou Doumbouya, and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, it will likely be a long process.

The Wizards, like the Pistons, still have an injured veteran star (John Wall) occupying a major chunk of their cap. Unlike Detroit though, Washington is potentially in position to get back into the playoff mix when that star returns next season. Bradley Beal has taken his game to another level in recent years, and the Wizards have unearthed some productive role players like Thomas Bryant and Moritz Wagner to go along with prospects such as Rui Hachimura and Troy Brown. The team also wants to re-sign Davis Bertans this summer.

The Bulls and Hawks entered the season as popular sleeper picks to challenge for the postseason in the East. That hasn’t happened though. While Zach LaVine has looked better than ever in Chicago, the Bulls haven’t gotten the production they expected out of recent lottery picks like Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr., who has once again dealt with injuries.

Atlanta, meanwhile, saw its season derailed early by John Collins‘ 25-game PED suspension. Trae Young has become one of the league’s best offensive players, but the young supporting cast still isn’t ready to contend. Both the Bulls and Hawks have some cap flexibility going forward, but they’ll need more from their young building blocks in order to take a real step forward.

The Knicks and Hornets have been plagued by cap mismanagement in recent years and have lacked a true superstar. Both teams should have some flexibility this summer and beyond, and young players like Devonte’ Graham, PJ Washington, RJ Barrett, and Mitchell Robinson have promise. But it would definitely be premature to pencil in any of those players as perennial All-Stars — the management groups in New York and Charlotte will need to keep looking for potential high-end talent.

As for the Cavaliers, you could make the case that their 2019/20 season has been the worst of any of these teams. Newly-hired head coach John Beilein lasted just 54 games, veteran players like Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson have been disgruntled, and neither Collin Sexton nor Darius Garland looks like a lock for stardom. Kevin Porter Jr. has exceeded expectations and the Cavs will have some contracts coming off the books this offseason, but Love’s massive deal and the decision to acquire Drummond complicates their cap outlook going forward.

What do you think? Which combination of core players, front office personnel, and future cap flexibility would give you the most confidence if you had to pick one of these seven Eastern Conference teams? Which one do you think has the brightest outlook beyond this season?

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

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

Checking In On 2020’s NBA Buyout Market

February 25th, 2020 at 10:55am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s 2020 buyout period will come to an unofficial end in less than a week, so before it does, we’re checking in on where things stand and which players may still shake loose. Let’s dive in…

When must a player be released by to retain his playoff eligibility?

Anyone who is waived by the end of the day (11:59pm ET) on March 1 will be postseason-eligible if he subsequently signs with a new team. A player who is waived after March 1 won’t be eligible to play in the postseason, unless he was released from a 10-day – rather than a standard – contract.

Does a player also need to sign by March 1 to be playoff-eligible for his new team?

Nope. A player could sign with a new team on the very last day of the regular season and still be eligible to participate in the postseason, as long as he was waived by his previous team on or before March 1.

[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Buyouts]

Which players are already off the board?

As our 2020 buyout market recap shows, a handful of intriguing veterans who were bought out or released earlier in February have already found new NBA homes.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist signed with the Mavericks; Marvin Williams joined the Bucks; DeMarre Carroll landed with the Rockets; Reggie Jackson is a Clipper; and Markieff Morris headed to the Lakers. Jeff Green, who was released earlier in the season, is currently on a 10-day contract in Houston.

So who’s still out there?

The list of remaining free agents isn’t as interesting as the group of players who have already signed, but there are some notable names on the market. Isaiah Thomas, Trey Burke, Dion Waiters, or Ryan Anderson might appeal to a team in need of some offensive punch. Tyler Johnson and Iman Shumpert are available for clubs seeking an extra wing.

There are also some wild cards on the free agent list. Nene is out there, but he hasn’t played in a game this season and it’s not clear if he’s healthy enough to contribute. J.R. Smith is available, but hasn’t played an NBA game since November 2018.

In addition to Smith, there are a number of other veterans on the market who haven’t played in the NBA this season but still could be looking to make comebacks. Jamal Crawford, Jonathon Simmons, and Joakim Noah are among the players who fit that bill.

Are there any other appealing targets that could become available in the next week?

Here’s a brief list of players we singled out in our recap as possible buyout candidates:

Kyle O’Quinn, C (76ers)
Denzel Valentine, G/F (Bulls)
Matthew Dellavedova, G (Cavaliers)
Tristan Thompson, C (Cavaliers)
Bismack Biyombo, C (Hornets)
Anthony Tolliver, F (Kings)
John Henson, C (Pistons)
Brandon Knight, G (Pistons)
Marco Belinelli, G (Spurs)
Allen Crabbe, G/F (Timberwolves)
Evan Turner, G/F (Timberwolves)

Most of these guys probably won’t reach the open market, but they’re all on expiring – or pseudo-expiring – contracts and may not have a long-term future with their current teams. As such, they’re worth monitoring. There are players not mentioned here who may also emerge as buyout candidates in the coming days. If the Knicks change their stance on buying out veterans, for instance, at least a couple of their players could be added to this list.

The one player in this group, in my opinion, who could seriously move the needle for a playoff team is Thompson. A team like the Clippers or Celtics could really benefit from having a big, reliable center like him in the rotation. However, there has been no indication that the Cavaliers will pursue a buyout for Thompson or that he’s pushing for one.

Remaining on Cleveland’s roster for the rest of the season would allow Thompson to retain his Bird rights this summer, perhaps opening the door for a sign-and-trade opportunity that would allow him to maximize his free agency opportunities — and earnings.

Our 2020 buyout market recap will continue to be updated through March 1, so be sure to keep an eye on it over the next week.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Community Shootaround: Trade Deadline

February 24th, 2020 at 6:19pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There was a flurry of activity around the NHL on Monday as its trade deadline arrived.

There were plenty of moves just before the NBA trade deadline as well, but that passed nearly three weeks ago.

It hasn’t been that way for very long. The NBA traditionally scheduled its trade deadline after the All-Star break but that changed a couple of years ago.

Players and executives grew weary of speculation regarding trades during All-Star weekend. That culminated in 2017, when a much healthier version of DeMarcus Cousins was dealt from Sacramento to New Orleans just after he represented the Western Conference in the All-Star festivities. The following year, the trade deadline was moved up to 10 days prior to the All-Star Game.

The league and its players have reaped some benefits from an earlier trade deadline. It removes the uncertainty surrounding the also-rans and teams on the fringe of the playoff race a lot sooner.

It also buys more time for those organizations to reach buyout agreements with some veterans who don’t figure in their long-term plans. For the contenders, it allows newly-acquired players a greater chance to gain chemistry with their new teammates and provides the coaches with more time to set rotations and determine their postseason approach.

On the flip side, it amounts to extended tank-a-thons for teams that are not in contention. Those teams are now playing out the string with makeshift lineups for over two months. An earlier trade deadline also kills off the anticipation of what teams might or might not do, which is often as exciting and intriguing to fans as the games themselves.

That brings us to our question of the day: Do you like the fact the NBA moved the trade deadline prior to the All-Star game a couple of years ago? Or would you prefer to see it switched back to later in the season?

Please take to the comments section to voice your opinion. We look forward to what you have to say.

10-Day Contract Salaries For 2019/20

February 24th, 2020 at 10:16am CST by Luke Adams

There is technically no set salary for a 10-day contract in the NBA. If a player and a team agree to a 10-day deal, they’re free to negotiate a salary using any cap room or exceptions that the team has available.

In practice though, a 10-day contract is virtually always worth the minimum salary. After all, a player who lacks the leverage to get more than a 10-day commitment from a club isn’t really in a position to negotiate a salary higher than the minimum.

Based on the minimum salaries for 2019/20 then, we can determine how much a player on a 10-day contract will earn this season. A 10-day minimum salary is worth 10/177ths of the full-season minimum salary, since there are 177 days in an NBA regular season.

Minimum-salary rates are based on a player’s NBA experience. If a player spent any time on a club’s active regular season roster in a given season, he earned one year of experience. So any player with zero years of experience had not made his NBA debut before 2019/20. A player with 10+ years of experience who signs a 10-day deal, such as Jeff Green (Rockets), will earn nearly three times as much money during that 10-day stint as a rookie like Donta Hall (Pistons).

It’s also worth noting that because the NBA doesn’t want teams to avoid signing veteran players in favor of cheaper, younger players, the league reimburses clubs who sign veterans with three or more years of experience to minimum-salary contracts (as long as they’re not multiyear deals). As such, a 10-day contract for a veteran will only count against the cap – and against a team’s bank balance – for $91,557, the minimum salary for a player with two years of experience.

Here’s the full 10-day salary breakdown for 2019/20:

Years in NBA	Salary	Cap hit
0	$50,752	$50,752
1	$81,678	$81,678
2	$91,557	$91,557
3	$94,851	$91,557
4	$98,144	$91,557
5	$106,377	$91,557
6	$114,610	$91,557
7	$122,843	$91,557
8	$131,076	$91,557
9	$131,728	$91,557
10+	$144,901	$91,557

There’s one exception to the rates listed above — because a 10-day contract must cover at least three games, deals signed just before the All-Star break often run for more than 10 days. For example, when Malik Newman and J.P. Macura signed with the Cavaliers on February 9, they technically received “13-day” contracts, since the Cavs’ third game wasn’t until February 21.

In cases like that, Newman and Macura would simply receive 13/177ths of the full-season minimum salary instead of 10/177ths. For a rookie like Newman, that meant a bump from $50,752 to $65,978. For Macura, who had one year of NBA experience under his belt, it resulted in an increase from $81,678 to $106,181.

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