Hoops Rumors Originals

2019 Offseason In Review: Sacramento Kings

October 14th, 2019 at 2:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2019 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s moves from the last several months and look ahead to what the 2019/20 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Sacramento Kings.

Signings:

Standard contracts:
- Harrison Barnes: Four years, $85MM. Re-signed using Bird rights.
- Dewayne Dedmon: Three years, $40MM. Third year partially guaranteed ($1MM). Signed using cap room.
- Cory Joseph: Three years, $37.2MM. Third year partially guaranteed ($4MM). Signed using cap room.
- Trevor Ariza: Two years, $25MM. Second year partially guaranteed ($1.8MM). Signed using cap room.
- Richaun Holmes: Two years, $9.77MM. Signed using room exception.
- Tyler Lydon: Two years, minimum salary. First year partially guaranteed ($50K). Second year non-guaranteed.
- Hollis Thompson: One year, minimum salary. Partially guaranteed.
- Tyler Ulis: One year, minimum salary. Partially guaranteed.
Two-way contracts:
- Kyle Guy
Non-guaranteed camp contracts:
- Eric Mika: One year, minimum salary (Exhibit 10) (Waived).
- Isaiah Pineiro: One year, minimum salary (Exhibit 10) (Waived).

Trades:

Acquired the draft rights to Kyle Guy (No. 55 pick) and cash ($1MM) from the Knicks in exchange for the draft rights to Ignas Brazdeikis (No. 47 pick).

Draft picks:

2-40: Justin James — Signed to three-year, minimum salary contract. Third year non-guaranteed. Signed using cap room.
2-55: Kyle Guy — Signed to two-way contract.
2-60: Vanja Marinkovic — Will play overseas.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Fired head coach Dave Joerger.
Hired Luke Walton as new head coach.
Walton investigated, cleared on sexual assault allegations.
Hired Igor Kokoskov as assistant coach; hired Lindsey Harding as assistant coach; hired Stacey Augmon as assistant coach; hired Bob Beyer as assistant coach.
Signed general manager Vlade Divac to contract extension.
Hired Joe Dumars as special advisor.
Fired assistant GM Brandon Williams.

Salary cap situation:

Used cap space; now over the cap.
Carrying approximately $112.46MM in guaranteed salary.
No exceptions available.

Story of the summer:

No lottery team had a more encouraging 2018/19 season than the Kings, whose 39 wins were the franchise’s highest total since the 2005/06 campaign. Despite ultimately falling nine games short of a playoff spot, Sacramento was in contention for the No. 8 seed for most of the year and saw several encouraging signs from its young roster.

Buddy Hield made a persuasive case to be considered the NBA’s best high-volume shooter outside of Golden State (his 278 made three-pointers in a single season ranked third all-time among players not named Stephen Curry). Marvin Bagley III showed why the Kings’ decision to pass on Luka Doncic might not go down as a major gaffe. Harry Giles got healthy and made his NBA debut. And most importantly, De’Aaron Fox enjoyed a breakout season in which he flashed All-NBA upside.

On the heels of that promising season, the Kings entered the summer of 2019 with a ton of cap flexibility. However, the team also recognized that keeping its young core intact would mean retaining some of that cap flexibility for the next year or two, when players like Hield, Bogdanovic, and Fox are up for new contracts.

As such, the Kings didn’t go all-in on a single maximum-salary player, and mostly avoided long-term investments. Although they signed four veteran free agents to contracts exceeding $10MM per year, only one of those four – Harrison Barnes – received more than two fully guaranteed seasons.

That approach to summer spending was probably a necessary one — after all, superstar free agents didn’t enter the offseason with Sacramento atop their wish list. But it was also a savvy one. Those veteran signings could help the Kings take another step forward in 2019/20 without compromising their ability to retain the players who are most responsible for helping take them take their first big step forward in ’18/19.

Key offseason losses:

Willie Cauley-Stein started all but one game for the Kings last season, averaging 11.9 PPG, 8.4 RPG, and 2.4 APG. A 25-year-old center posting those numbers would normally be the type of player a young, up-and-coming club would want to keep around, but both the team and player seemed eager for a fresh start by the time Cauley-Stein reached free agency.

Sacramento did tender Cauley-Stein a $6.3MM qualifying offer before the free agent period got underway, making him restricted and suggesting the team was willing to pay a modest price to keep him around. However, the Kings later withdrew that QO and Cauley-Stein accepted a deal worth $4.5MM over two years from the Warriors, an indication that he wanted a change of scenery more than he wanted to maximize his payday.

None of the Kings’ other departures represented a significant loss. Kosta Koufos spent the last four years with the organization, but saw his minutes cut back substantially in 2018/19 and will play in Russia next season.

Midseason addition Corey Brewer injected some energy off the bench to the Kings’ rotation, but was merely a stopgap solution on the wing. Alec Burks, also acquired during the season, played even less than Brewer and didn’t factor into Sacramento’s future plans.

The Kings’ decision to waive guard Frank Mason was a minor surprise, since he was the 34th overall pick just two years ago. However, he took a step back in his sophomore year, shooting a dismal 14-of-64 (21.9%) from beyond the three-point arc, and no longer had a place in the club’s increasingly crowded backcourt.

Key offseason additions:

During the last week of June, ESPN’s Zach Lowe referred to Dewayne Dedmon as “sneakily the most coveted under-the-radar free agent in the league.” The price the Kings ultimately paid to land the veteran center ($40MM for three years, albeit with a non-guaranteed third season) suggests that he wasn’t flying too far under the radar after all. But that doesn’t mean he’s not a solid addition to Sacramento’s frontcourt.

While Dedmon’s numbers don’t jump off the page, his skill set is more varied now than it was in even two or three years ago — in Atlanta last season, he averaged more than one block, one steal, and one three-pointer per game.

In Cory Joseph, the Kings added a backup veteran point guard who showed in Indiana that he could reliably run a second unit and be a good fit alongside his team’s starting point guard. The price – three years, $37MM – was a little higher than you’d like, but Joseph is solid enough to assume the reins if Fox has to miss any time. And I’d expect to see Sacramento use some lineups that feature both Fox and Joseph.

The Kings added depth up front by inking veteran free agents Trevor Ariza and Richaun Holmes. At age 34, Ariza may not be the sort of invaluable three-and-D piece he once was, and it’s unclear how much Holmes will play in a frontcourt that already features Bagley, Giles, Dedmon, and Nemanja Bjelica. Still, Sacramento shouldn’t have depth issues this season with guys like Ariza and Holmes coming off the bench.

Of course, the Kings made a notable change off the court this spring too, firing head coach Dave Joerger and hiring Luke Walton to take his place. Joerger improved the team’s record by 12 games last season and Walton faced a sexual assault allegation almost immediately after he was hired by Sacramento, so it’s tempting to look at that coaching change as an unforced error by one of the NBA’s most reliably dysfunctional franchises.

However, by all accounts, Joerger rubbed some executives and players the wrong way in Sacramento. And Walton, who has been cleared by the league in their investigation of those sexual assault allegations, seemed to have the young Lakers on the right track before his job description changed upon LeBron James‘ arrival last season. It’s fair to withhold judgment and see how this change works out for the Kings before criticizing them for it.

Outlook for 2019/20:

When a young, exciting team like the Kings makes the leap from bottom-five team in the conference to borderline playoff contender, it’s tempting to pencil them in for another jump the following year. After all, young players like Fox and Bagley should only get better, and the veterans added by the Kings in free agency will help create a deeper and more stable rotation in 2019/20.

I’d like to see the Kings make that next jump and earn a playoff spot this spring, but a young club’s climb up the conference standings isn’t always linear. It won’t be easy to crack the top eight in the West this season, and if Sacramento once again falls outside that group, the season shouldn’t be considered a failure.

Fox and Bagley are still 21 and 20 years old, respectively, and as long as they continue to improve this season, there’s plenty of reason for long-term optimism in Sacramento, no matter how the short-term battle to snap the team’s 13-year postseason drought plays out.

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

2019/20 Over/Unders: Pacific Division

October 14th, 2019 at 9:50am CST by Luke Adams

The 2019/20 NBA regular season will get underway in just eight days, which means it’s time to get serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign.

With the help of the lines from a handful of sports betting sites, including Bovada and BetOnline, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.

Having already looked at the Atlantic, Northwest, and Central, we’re moving onto the Pacific today…

Los Angeles Clippers

2018/19 record: 48-34
Over/under for 2019/20: 54.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Maurice Harkless, Patrick Patterson, Mfiondu Kabengele, Terance Mann
- Lost: Danilo Gallinari, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Wilson Chandler, Garrett Temple, Sindarius Thornwell, Tyrone Wallace

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Clippers poll.

Los Angeles Lakers

2018/19 record: 37-45
Over/under for 2019/20: 51.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Anthony Davis, Danny Green, Avery Bradley, Quinn Cook, Troy Daniels, Jared Dudley, Dwight Howard, Talen Horton-Tucker, DeMarcus Cousins (injured)
- Lost: Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Lance Stephenson, Reggie Bullock, Mike Muscala, Tyson Chandler, Moritz Wagner, Josh Hart, Isaac Bonga, Jemerrio Jones

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Lakers poll.

Golden State Warriors

2018/19 record: 57-25
Over/under for 2019/20: 48.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: D’Angelo Russell, Willie Cauley-Stein, Alec Burks, Glenn Robinson III, Jordan Poole, Omari Spellman, Eric Paschall, Alen Smailagic
- Lost: Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, DeMarcus Cousins, Damian Jones, Quinn Cook, Jordan Bell, Andrew Bogut, Jonas Jerebko
- Note: Klay Thompson is expected to be out until at least the All-Star break.

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Warriors poll.

Sacramento Kings

2018/19 record: 39-43
Over/under for 2019/20: 38.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Dewayne Dedmon, Trevor Ariza, Cory Joseph, Richaun Holmes, Justin James
- Lost: Willie Cauley-Stein, Alec Burks, Kosta Koufos, Corey Brewer, Frank Mason

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Kings poll.

Phoenix Suns

2018/19 record: 19-63
Over/under for 2019/20: 29.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Ricky Rubio, Aron Baynes, Dario Saric, Frank Kaminsky, Cameron Johnson, Ty Jerome, Cheick Diallo, Jevon Carter, Jalen Lecque
- Lost: T.J. Warren, Josh Jackson, Troy Daniels, Dragan Bender, Jamal Crawford, Richaun Holmes, De’Anthony Melton, Jimmer Fredette, Ray Spalding

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Suns poll.

Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

Philadelphia 76ers (54.5 wins): Over (54.9%)
Boston Celtics (49.5 wins): Under (57.0%)
Toronto Raptors (46.5 wins): Under (59.1%)
Brooklyn Nets (43.5 wins): Over (58.3%)
New York Knicks (27.5 wins): Under (54.9%)

Northwest:

Denver Nuggets (53.5 wins): Over (51.8%)
Utah Jazz (53.5 wins): Under (50.8%)
Portland Trail Blazers (46.5 wins): Over (78.7%)
Minnesota Timberwolves (35.5 wins): Under (57.5%)
Oklahoma City Thunder (32.5 wins): Under (55.1%)

Central:

Milwaukee Bucks (57.5 wins): Over (63.5%)
Indiana Pacers (46.5 wins): Over (56.6%)
Detroit Pistons (37.5 wins): Over (69.8%)
Chicago Bulls (33.5 wins): Under (56.2%)
Cleveland Cavaliers (24.5 wins): Under (70.0%)

Hoops Rumors Originals: 10/5/19 – 10/12/19

October 12th, 2019 at 12:13pm CST by Luke Adams

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

Our look back at teams’ roster moves this summer continued with the following installments in our Offseason in Review series:
- Washington Wizards
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Miami Heat
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Charlotte Hornets
In an entry for the Hoops Rumors Glossary, I broke down what it means when an NBA team waives a player before the season and designates him as an “affiliate player.”
Our annual series of Over/Unders polls kicked off this week, as we asked how many games teams in the Atlantic, Northwest, and Central will win. The Central polls will remain open until Monday morning, so be sure to vote on the 2019/20 win totals for the Bucks, Pacers, Pistons, Bulls, and Cavaliers.
In our other poll this week, we asked which of the presumed playoff favorites in the Western Conference is most likely to slip into the lottery this season.
This week’s Community Shootaround discussions focused on the following topics:
- Is the Knicks‘ brand “cool”? (link)
- Besides your favorite team, which clubs are you most excited to watch in the 2019/20 season? (link)

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Community Shootaround: NBA League Pass Rankings

October 12th, 2019 at 10:01am CST by Luke Adams

With the 2019/20 regular season around the corner, ESPN’s Zach Lowe is back with one of his most entertaining annual columns, his NBA League Pass Rankings.

In the first and second parts of the rankings, Lowe lists the NBA teams from No. 30 to No. 1 based on how watchable he expects each club to be during the upcoming season. As he explains, several factors are incorporated into his rankings, including a team’s popularity, highlight potential, playing style, and – of course – unintentional comedy.

After several years of the Warriors finishing at – or near – the top of Lowe’s rankings, Golden State has slipped all the way down to No. 13 for the 2019/20 season, opening the door for some new-look rosters to take center stage.

Of course, the Los Angeles teams and their newly-formed superstar pairings are near the top of the list, with the Lakers coming in at No. 2 and the Clippers coming in at No. 4. But there are plenty of other unexpected teams in the top 10, including the up-and-coming Kings sneaking in at No. 10, while the Bulls land at No. 8.

Zion Williamson‘s arrival in New Orleans helps boost the Pelicans to No. 9, while the tantalizing star power of the Luka Doncic/Kristaps Porzingis duo in Dallas ensures that the Mavericks come in at No. 6. A pair of somewhat under-the-radar Western Conference title contenders – the Nuggets and Jazz – rank at No. 5 and No. 7, respectively, while reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks are at No. 3.

This year’s top League Pass team, according to Lowe? The Sixers, who feature one of the biggest starting lineups in history, including a 6’10” point guard (Ben Simmons) and a frontcourt that features Joel Embiid and Al Horford. Lowe describes the 76ers as “weird, big, goofy and loaded with personality,” noting that he has a ton of questions about how the unusual mix of players will actually look on the court together.

Again, Lowe’s full top 15 can be found here, along with the bottom 15. But we want to know what your personal League Pass rankings would look like.

Outside of your favorite team(s), which clubs are you most looking forward to watching in 2019/20? Do you agree with Lowe’s top tier or are there other teams that intrigue you more? Which club’s games are you most likely to seek out during the coming season?

Jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!

2019 Offseason In Review: Charlotte Hornets

October 12th, 2019 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

Signings:

Standard contracts:
- Terry Rozier: Three years, $56.7MM. Acquired via sign-and-trade.
Two-way contracts:
- Robert Franks
- Ahmed Hill
Non-guaranteed camp contracts:
- Joe Chealey: One year, minimum salary (Exhibit 10).
- Caleb Martin: One year, minimum salary (Exhibit 10).
- Josh Perkins: One year, minimum salary (Exhibit 10).
- Kobi Simmons: One year, minimum salary (Exhibit 10).
- Thomas Welsh: One year, minimum salary (Exhibit 10).

Trades:

Acquired Terry Rozier (sign-and-trade) and the Celtics’ 2020 second-round pick (top-53 protected) from the Celtics in exchange for Kemba Walker (sign-and-trade) and either the Nets’ or Knicks’ 2020 second-round pick (whichever is less favorable).

Draft picks:

1-12: PJ Washington — Signed to rookie contract.
2-36: Cody Martin — Signed to three-year, $4.47MM contract. Third year non-guaranteed. Signed using mid-level exception.
2-52: Jalen McDaniels — Signed to one-year, minimum-salary contract. Non-guaranteed. Exhibit 10.

Departing players:

Frank Kaminsky
Jeremy Lamb
Shelvin Mack
J.P. Macura (two-way)
Tony Parker (Retired; waived)
Kemba Walker

Other offseason news:

Tony Parker announced his retirement.
Michael Jordan sold part of the franchise to minority stakeholders.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist underwent groin surgery.

Salary cap situation:

Remained over the cap.
Hard-capped.
Carrying approximately $122.44MM in guaranteed salary.
$8.08MM of mid-level exception still available (used $1.17MM on Cody Martin).
Full bi-annual exception ($3.62MM) still available.

Story of the summer:

The Hornets entered the 2019 offseason in a no-win situation, forced to decide between two unfavorable paths.

Re-signing franchise player Kemba Walker would have meant investing between $30-40MM per year in a long-term contract for a point guard who turns 30 years old in the spring. It would have meant either pushing team salary into tax territory for the 2019/20 season or sneaking below the tax line by attaching assets to unwanted contracts in trades. And it would have meant essentially doubling down on a core that had missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons.

On the other hand, letting Walker go would mean losing the only All-Star on the roster and not getting anything back for him or gaining the cap flexibility necessary to replace him in any meaningful way. The team’s cap would still be overloaded with lucrative contracts for unspectacular veterans with no real way to get out from under those contracts for another year or two.

Once it became clear that Walker wasn’t interested in sticking around for the terms the Hornets were offering (reportedly about $160MM for five years), president of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak attempted to thread the needle between those two unfavorable outcomes by working out a sign-and-trade with the Celtics to get something back for his All-NBA point guard. The result was a three-year, $56MM+ investment in Terry Rozier, who has started 30 career games and has never made more than 39.5% of his field goal attempts in a single season.

An optimist might argue that the Hornets were at least able to get something back for Walker, pointing to Rozier’s impressive 2018 playoff run as proof that he’s capable of more than he showed during a mediocre 2018/19 season. The glass-half-empty argument would be that Rozier wasn’t worth a $56MM investment and will simply become the latest overpaid Hornet, hampering the team’s ability to clear its cap sheet in 2020 and/or 2021.

No matter how the Hornets’ commitment to Rozier plays out, it’s clear that the franchise is entering a new era, one that might get worse before it gets better. Walker’s departure this summer signaled that a full-scale rebuild is on the way.

Key offseason losses:

Having spent the first eight years of his NBA career in Charlotte, Walker leaves the Hornets as the organization’s all-time leader in points, three-pointers, minutes played, and a handful of other categories. He played his best ball in recent years, earning All-Star nods in each of the last three seasons and making his first All-NBA team in 2019.

That All-NBA nod may actually have helped cement his departure from Charlotte, as it made him eligible for an extra $31MM+ over the course of a five-year, maximum-salary contract. The Hornets weren’t willing to go nearly that high, with Kupchak suggesting in an interview this offseason that the team was “blindsided” by Walker qualifying for the super-max based on the preparations they’d made heading into the season.

Would the Hornets and Walker have been any more likely to work something out if he hadn’t qualified for the super-max? Maybe not. But it’s still a question that might linger for the next few years, especially if Kemba thrives in Boston and the Hornets’ rebuild comes along slowly.

While the loss of Walker was the story of the summer in Charlotte, Jeremy Lamb‘s departure shouldn’t be understated. He was the club’s second-best player for much of last season, averaging a career-high 15.3 PPG and 5.5 RPG and becoming a fixture in the starting lineup for the first time in his career. He’ll be missed on the wing.

Tony Parker‘s and Frank Kaminsky‘s exits from Charlotte are also worth noting. Parker provided veteran stability behind Walker at the point last season, though of course he was no longer the same player he was in his prime with the Spurs. Years from now, his one year in Charlotte might be remembered like Hakeem Olajuwon‘s time with Toronto or Patrick Ewing‘s stops in Seattle and Orlando.

Kaminsky had a longer stay with the Hornets, but his on-court contributions were modest relative to the expectations he faced entering the NBA as the ninth overall pick in 2015. Hornets fans may be left wondering what the roster would look like today if the team had accepted the Celtics’ offer of four first-rounders for that No. 9 pick in ’15 instead of using it to draft Kaminsky.

Key offseason additions:

As noted above, the best stretch of Rozier’s career came during the 2018 postseason, when the Celtics came within one game of the NBA Finals without star point guard Kyrie Irving. In that 19-game playoff run, Rozier averaged 16.5 PPG, 5.7 APG, and 5.3 RPG while starting every game and playing a team-high 36.6 minutes per contest. He even made 40.6% of his field goal attempts, topping his career-high regular season mark.

In Charlotte, without any legit competition for the starting point guard job, Rozier will get the chance to show that performance was for real. I’m not convinced he can be an above-average NBA starter, but the Hornets are pot-committed to their bet on the former Celtic and will give him every opportunity to succeed.

Besides Rozier, the Hornets’ most notable incoming players are rookies, led by lottery pick PJ Washington. The versatile forward out of Kentucky may not become a star, but like 2018 first-rounder Miles Bridges, he has a high floor and could be ready for a regular role sooner rather than later. He has the skill set necessary to make an impact on both ends of the court.

Cody Martin, the 36th overall pick in this year’s draft, will also battle for minutes in Charlotte this year, but it doesn’t seem as if No. 52 selection Jalen McDaniels is a big part of the club’s long-term plans. He was the last unsigned pick from this year’s draft – with the exception of players who agreed to spend the season overseas or in the G League – and isn’t a lock to make the regular season roster.

Outlook for 2019/20:

Even with an All-NBA point guard in their backcourt, the Hornets weren’t a playoff team. Now that they’ve lost that All-NBA point guard without making many other changes to the roster, it’s not a real surprise that oddsmakers are projecting them to have the league’s worst record in 2019/20.

That’s not to say the Hornets can’t exceed expectations. Maybe getting out of Boston and having a starting job will buoy Rozier to a career year. Maybe young players like Washington, Bridges, and Malik Monk prove they’re capable of being immediate contributors and long-term building blocks. Maybe some of the Hornets’ veterans on expiring contracts play well and allow the club to flip them for positive value at the deadline.

Still, it’s hard to envision a path to playoff contention for this Charlotte squad. This roster will likely have to be torn down further before it can be built back up.

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

2019/20 Over/Unders: Central Division

October 11th, 2019 at 3:06pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2019/20 NBA regular season will get underway in less than two weeks, which means it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign.

Having already looked at the Atlantic and Northwest, we’re moving onto the Central today…

Milwaukee Bucks

2018/19 record: 60-22
Over/under for 2019/20: 57.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Robin Lopez, Wesley Matthews, Kyle Korver, Thanasis Antetokounmpo
- Lost: Malcolm Brogdon, Nikola Mirotic, Tony Snell, Tim Frazier, Pau Gasol

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Bucks poll.

Indiana Pacers

2018/19 record: 48-34
Over/under for 2019/20: 46.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Malcolm Brogdon, T.J. Warren, Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday, T.J. McConnell, Goga Bitadze, JaKarr Sampson
- Lost: Bojan Bogdanovic, Thaddeus Young, Cory Joseph, Darren Collison, Wesley Matthews, Tyreke Evans, Kyle O’Quinn

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Pacers poll.

Detroit Pistons

2018/19 record: 41-41
Over/under for 2019/20: 37.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Derrick Rose, Markieff Morris, Tony Snell, Sekou Doumbouya, Tim Frazier, Christian Wood, Joe Johnson
- Lost: Ish Smith, Wayne Ellington, Glenn Robinson III, Jon Leuer, Jose Calderon, Zaza Pachulia

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Pistons poll.

Chicago Bulls

2018/19 record: 22-60
Over/under for 2019/20: 33.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Thaddeus Young, Tomas Satoransky, Coby White, Luke Kornet, Daniel Gafford
- Lost: Robin Lopez, Antonio Blakeney, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Wayne Selden, Walt Lemon Jr.

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Bulls poll.

Cleveland Cavaliers

2018/19 record: 19-63
Over/under for 2019/20: 24.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Darius Garland, Dylan Windler, Kevin Porter Jr.
- Lost: David Nwaba, J.R. Smith, Nik Stauskas, Channing Frye, Marquese Chriss

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Cavaliers poll.

Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

Philadelphia 76ers (54.5 wins): Over (54.9%)
Boston Celtics (49.5 wins): Under (57.0%)
Toronto Raptors (46.5 wins): Under (59.1%)
Brooklyn Nets (43.5 wins): Over (58.3%)
New York Knicks (27.5 wins): Under (54.9%)

Northwest:

Denver Nuggets (53.5 wins): Over (51.8%)
Utah Jazz (53.5 wins): Under (50.8%)
Portland Trail Blazers (46.5 wins): Over (78.7%)
Minnesota Timberwolves (35.5 wins): Under (57.5%)
Oklahoma City Thunder (32.5 wins): Under (55.1%)

2019/20 Over/Unders: Northwest Division

October 10th, 2019 at 12:42pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2019/20 NBA regular season will get underway in less than two weeks, which means it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign.

Having already looked at the Atlantic, we’re moving onto the Northwest today…

Denver Nuggets

2018/19 record: 54-28
Over/under for 2019/20: 53.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Jerami Grant, Vlatko Cancar, Bol Bol
- Lost: Trey Lyles, Tyler Lydon, Isaiah Thomas

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Nuggets poll.

Utah Jazz

2018/19 record: 50-32
Over/under for 2019/20: 53.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic, Ed Davis, Jeff Green, Emmanuel Mudiay, Nigel Williams-Goss, Miye Oni
- Lost: Derrick Favors, Jae Crowder, Ricky Rubio, Thabo Sefolosha, Ekpe Udoh, Raul Neto, Kyle Korver, Grayson Allen

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Jazz poll.

Portland Trail Blazers

2018/19 record: 53-29
Over/under for 2019/20: 46.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Hassan Whiteside, Kent Bazemore, Nassir Little, Mario Hezonja, Pau Gasol, Anthony Tolliver
- Lost: Al-Farouq Aminu, Evan Turner, Maurice Harkless, Enes Kanter, Seth Curry, Meyers Leonard, Jake Layman

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Trail Blazers poll.

Minnesota Timberwolves

2018/19 record: 36-46
Over/under for 2019/20: 35.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Jarrett Culver, Jake Layman, Noah Vonleh, Shabazz Napier, Treveon Graham, Jordan Bell, Jaylen Nowell, Naz Reid
- Lost: Dario Saric, Tyus Jones, Derrick Rose, Taj Gibson, Anthony Tolliver, Luol Deng, Jerryd Bayless, Cameron Reynolds

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Timberwolves poll.

Oklahoma City Thunder

2018/19 record: 49-33
Over/under for 2019/20: 32.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Chris Paul, Danilo Gallinari, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Darius Bazley, Mike Muscala, Justin Patton
- Lost: Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Jerami Grant, Patrick Patterson, Markieff Morris, Raymond Felton

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Thunder poll.

Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

Philadelphia 76ers (54.5 wins): Over (54.9%)
Boston Celtics (49.5 wins): Under (57.0%)
Toronto Raptors (46.5 wins): Under (59.1%)
Brooklyn Nets (43.5 wins): Over (58.3%)
New York Knicks (27.5 wins): Under (54.9%)

Community Shootaround: Are The Knicks Cool?

October 9th, 2019 at 8:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

For all the problems facing teams as they prepare for a new season, the Knicks suddenly have to wonder if they’re cool enough.

That was the issue raised by Kevin Durant yesterday in an interview with Ebro in the Morning on Hot 97 in New York. Durant said he briefly considered the Knicks in free agency, but not enough to conduct a “full analysis.” He also suggested that the franchise lacks a coolness factor with young players.

“I think a lot of fans look at the Knicks as a brand and expect these younger players who, in their lifetime, don’t remember the Knicks being good,” Durant said. “I’ve seen the Knicks in the Finals, but kids coming up after me didn’t see that. So that whole brand of the Knicks is not as cool as let’s say the Golden State Warriors, or even the Lakers or the Nets now. You know what I’m saying; the cool thing now is not the Knicks.”

Those comments drew a response from a couple of newly-signed Knicks, who told Steve Popper of Newsday that their franchise is just as cool as anyone else in the league. After New York missed out on its top free agent targets, its first move was to add Julius Randle, who got $63MM over three years.

“I feel cool in blue and orange,” Randle said. “I don’t know about everybody else, but I feel pretty cool wearing my Knicks gear every day. It’s a dream come true for me. Everybody has their own opinion, and I know [Durant], I don’t think he meant it as a slight, honestly. I feel cool every day walking into this practice facility, and I know for sure I’m gonna feel cool walking into that Garden Friday night knowing that’s my home court.

“I know [Knicks history] just because I love basketball. I wasn’t old enough to see the Knicks when they were really good, guys like Pat [Ewing]. I don’t think he said it as a slight. I understand it to a certain point, but us as NBA players, it’s our job to know our history and the people that came before us. You walk into Madison Square Garden as an opposing player, the energy is different from any other arena you’re gonna walk into. Whether you know the history or not, you know it’s a big thing when you walk and play in that Garden.”

His comments were echoed by Taj Gibson, who grew up in Brooklyn as a Knicks fan.

“Even when I was in Chicago every time we came back here we always talked about how special it is to play in the Garden, how special it is to play the Knicks,” he said. “Even when [Carmelo Anthony] and J.R. [Smith] and guys were here we always watched Knicks games. I always watch the Knicks, so in my opinion I always liked the Knicks. That’s just my opinion.”

We want to get your opinion. Is it a lack of coolness that prevents the Knicks from attracting elite free agents? Or is there something else that causes star players to bypass New York?

Please leave your responses in the comments section.

2019 Offseason In Review: Los Angeles Lakers

October 9th, 2019 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Signings:

Standard contracts:
- Danny Green: Two years, $30MM. Signed using cap room.
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: Two years, $16.58MM. Second-year player option. 15% trade kicker. Re-signed using cap room.
- Avery Bradley: Two years, $9.77MM. Second-year player option. Signed using room exception.
- JaVale McGee: Two years, $8.2MM. Second-year player option. Re-signed using cap room.
- Quinn Cook: Two years, $6MM. Second year non-guaranteed. Signed using cap room.
- Alex Caruso: Two years, $5.5MM. Re-signed using Early Bird rights.
- DeMarcus Cousins: One year, $3.5MM. Signed using cap room.
- Rajon Rondo: Two years, minimum salary. Re-signed using minimum salary exception.
- Troy Daniels: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
- Jared Dudley: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Two-way contracts:
- Zach Norvell Jr.
Non-guaranteed camp contracts:
- Devontae Cacok: One year, minimum salary (Exhibit 10).
- Dwight Howard: One year, minimum salary.
- Demetrius Jackson: One year, minimum salary (Exhibit 10).
- David Stockton: One year, minimum salary (Exhibit 10).
- Jordan Caroline: One year, minimum salary (Exhibit 10) (Waived).
- Aric Holman: One year, minimum salary (Exhibit 10) (Waived).

Trades:

Acquired the draft rights to Talen Horton-Tucker (No. 46 pick) from the Magic in exchange for the Lakers’ 2020 second-round pick and cash ($2,226,778).
Acquired Anthony Davis in a three-team trade with the Pelicans and Wizards in exchange for Lonzo Ball (to Pelicans), Brandon Ingram (to Pelicans), Josh Hart (to Pelicans), the draft rights to De’Andre Hunter (No. 4 pick; to Pelicans), the Lakers’ 2021 first-round pick (9-30 protected; unprotected in 2022; to Pelicans), the Lakers’ 2024 first-round pick (unprotected; to Pelicans), the right to swap 2023 first-round picks with the Lakers (to Pelicans), cash ($1MM; to Pelicans), Moritz Wagner (to Wizards), Isaac Bonga (to Wizards), Jemerrio Jones (to Wizards), and the Lakers’ 2022 second-round pick (to Wizards).

Draft picks:

2-46: Talen Horton-Tucker — Signed to two-year, minimum salary contract. Fully guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception.

Waiver claims:

Kostas Antetokounmpo (from Mavericks): One year, two-way contract. Claimed as two-way player.

Departing players:

Lonzo Ball
Isaac Bonga
Reggie Bullock
Tyson Chandler
Josh Hart
Brandon Ingram
Jemerrio Jones
Mike Muscala
Lance Stephenson
Moritz Wagner
Johnathan Williams (two-way)

Other offseason news:

Magic Johnson stepped down as president of basketball operations; no replacement hired.
Parted ways with head coach Luke Walton.
Hired Frank Vogel as head coach.
Hired Jason Kidd as assistant coach; hired Lionel Hollins as assistant coach; hired Phil Handy as assistant coach.
DeMarcus Cousins suffered torn ACL.
Arrest warrant issued for Cousins following alleged domestic incident.
Kyle Kuzma recovering from stress reaction in foot.

Salary cap situation:

Used cap space; now over the cap.
Carrying approximately $118.95MM in guaranteed salary.
$1.75MM disabled player exception available (expires 3/10/20).

Story of the summer:

Leave it to the Lakers to pack about four offseasons’ worth of drama into a single summer. The franchise was at the center of many of the offseason’s biggest stories, experiencing some of the highest highs and lowest lows of any NBA team in June and July.

The club made one of the biggest trades in recent NBA history when it acquired Anthony Davis from the Pelicans in a blockbuster deal that saw the Lakers surrender six players, four draft picks (including three first-rounders), a pick swap, and cash. It was a huge price to pay, but Davis’ ceiling is “best basketball player in the world” and all indications point to him re-upping in Los Angeles when his current contract expires, so for now it’s hard not to call the deal a major win for the organization.

While there were still a handful of details to sort out on the Davis trade, a tentative agreement with the Pelicans was in place on June 15, less than 48 hours after the NBA Finals ended, making it one of the first moves completed this offseason. By the time June 30 finally rolled around, it was practically old news, and the Lakers had their sights set on another All-NBA target: Kawhi Leonard.

As the rest of the league’s top free agents came off the board during a 24-hour window at the start of free agency, Leonard took his time, meeting with the Lakers, Clippers, and Raptors over the course of the week and finally making his decision on the night of July 5. Despite rumblings all week that the Lakers might be the leading contender for the Finals MVP, Kawhi ultimately chose to join L.A.’s other team, giving the Clippers a rare chance to gloat at the expense of their Staples Center cohabitants — and leaving the Lakers scrambling to use their cap room on the few quality role players who remained unsigned.

After failing to secure perhaps the most talented Big Three in NBA history, the Lakers filled out their roster primarily with veteran free agents, earning mixed reviews on some of those signings. One of those newly-signed players is already on the shelf for the entire 2019/20 season, as DeMarcus Cousins suffered a torn ACL.

Still, from the moment the Lakers agreed to acquire Davis in June, any other successes the team enjoyed in the offseason were just a cherry on top of that sundae. After a disappointing 2018/19 campaign and a tumultuous spring which saw Magic Johnson abruptly resign from his president of basketball operations job, GM Rob Pelinka managed to get LeBron James a superstar running mate, adding championship upside to the roster.

Key offseason losses:

Having watched D’Angelo Russell become an All-Star in Brooklyn, the Lakers will have to hope that 2016’s and 2017’s second overall picks don’t follow the same career trajectory as 2015’s No. 2 pick. Of course, if Davis can help deliver the team a title, Brandon Ingram‘s and Lonzo Ball‘s play in New Orleans may be irrelevant from the Lakers’ perspective, but it will still be fascinating to see how the duo looks away from Los Angeles.

Ingram was enjoying the best run of his career before he was diagnosed with a blood clot, averaging 22.5 PPG on .558/.406/.748 shooting in his previous 17 games. Ball, meanwhile, missed at least 30 games in each of his first two NBA seasons due to injuries and still hasn’t proven he can shoot the ball with any consistency, but has had a few moments of brilliance. The two players are entering their age-22 seasons, so there’s still time for them to deliver on the star potential they exhibited as draft prospects.

Josh Hart struggled in his sophomore season and Moritz Wagner and Isaac Bonga didn’t show a whole lot as rookies, so their departures shouldn’t shake up the Lakers’ rotation. They’re three more under-25 prospects whom the team will no longer have to worry about developing as a result of the AD blockbuster.

Elsewhere, veteran free agents Reggie Bullock, Tyson Chandler, Mike Muscala, and Lance Stephenson all departed after spending no more than a single season with the Lakers. Chandler stabilized the Lakers’ frontcourt upon his arrival early last season, but had his minutes reduced in the second half. Stephenson didn’t have a bad season, but was no longer an ideal fit in 2019/20 as the Lakers focused more on shooters than play-makers to surround James and Davis.

Meanwhile, Bullock saw his numbers slip after arriving in a pre-deadline trade, while Muscala, unfortunately, may be best remembered by Lakers fans as the underwhelming return in the Ivica Zubac trade.

Key offseason additions:

Davis’ reputation was sullied to some extent by the way his tenure in New Orleans ended, but he arrives in Los Angeles determined to put that saga behind him and to prove he should be perennially included in the MVP conversation.

He certainly has the skill set to win an MVP award — he has averaged 27.5 PPG and 11.6 RPG over the last three years, and filled up the box score by averaging 2.7 APG, 2.4 BPG, 1.4 SPG, and even 0.7 3PG during that stretch. The Lakers will simply have to figure out how to maximize the talent on their roster now that their three best players – James, Davis, and Kyle Kuzma – are all power forwards.

After missing out on Leonard, the Lakers moved quickly to sign his longtime teammate Danny Green to a lucrative two-year contract, which was a savvy move. At age 32, Green may be slowing down a little, but he has championship experience and is the sort of capable two-way wing the Lakers badly needed. He’ll help the team spread the floor on offense and can more than hold his own on the defensive end.

Speaking of defense, Avery Bradley should help improve the Lakers’ backcourt on that end of the court too. Once considered one of the league’s best perimeter defenders, Bradley hasn’t looked like his old self over the last couple seasons, but if he’s healthy, he could be a free agency steal. The club raved about his performance in camp this fall.

Quinn Cook, Troy Daniels, and Jared Dudley are among the newly-added veterans who will help fill out L.A.’s rotation. I especially liked the addition of Dudley, whose value extends beyond his modest per-game numbers.

Finally, the signing of Cousins for $3.5MM was a low-risk play, which is good, since he likely won’t suit up at all for the Lakers. Following his ACL injury, the club signed Dwight Howard to take his place on an even lower-cost, lower-risk deal — Howard’s minimum-salary contract is fully non-guaranteed.

By all accounts, Howard – who spoke after his signing about his willingness to accept any role asked of him – has been a consummate professional for the Lakers so far and looks ready to back up his comments on no longer needing to play significant minutes.

Outlook for 2019/20:

It’s difficult to get a read on the Lakers heading into the 2019/20 season. Any team with James and Davis should be taken seriously as a title contender, but there was a lot of turnover on the roster, which could create continuity issues. And it remains to be seen how the club will handle its rotation and its crunch-time lineups.

If new head coach Frank Vogel can figure things out quickly and the positional overlap of James, Davis, and Kuzma doesn’t hurt the team, it’s easy to imagine the Lakers competing for the No. 1 seed. On the other hand, if there are growing pains that extend well into the season or if LeBron or AD misses significant time with an injury, it’s not out of the question that the club will have to fight just to make the playoffs.

I expect the Lakers to snap their six-season playoff drought, and as long as they stay healthy, they look like a good bet to win at least one postseason series. How far they can go beyond that may come down to how much they get out of the supporting cast around James and Davis.

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

2019/20 Over/Unders: Atlantic Division

October 8th, 2019 at 6:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2019/20 NBA regular season will get underway in just two weeks, which means it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign.

We’ll kick things off today with the Atlantic division…

Philadelphia 76ers

2018/19 record: 51-31
Over/under for 2019/20: 54.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Al Horford, Josh Richardson, Kyle O’Quinn, Raul Neto, Matisse Thybulle, Trey Burke
- Lost: Jimmy Butler, J.J. Redick, Boban Marjanovic, Jonathon Simmons, T.J. McConnell, Amir Johnson

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Sixers poll.

Boston Celtics

2018/19 record: 49-33
Over/under for 2019/20: 49.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Kemba Walker, Enes Kanter, Romeo Langford, Vincent Poirier, Grant Williams, Carsen Edwards
- Lost: Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, Terry Rozier, Marcus Morris, Aron Baynes, Guerschon Yabusele

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Celtics poll.

Toronto Raptors

2018/19 record: 58-24
Over/under for 2019/20: 46.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Stanley Johnson, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Matt Thomas, Terence Davis
- Lost: Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, Jeremy Lin, Jodie Meeks

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Raptors poll.

Brooklyn Nets

2018/19 record: 42-40
Over/under for 2019/20: 43.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, DeAndre Jordan, Garrett Temple, Taurean Prince, David Nwaba, Wilson Chandler, Nicolas Claxton
- Lost: D’Angelo Russell, Allen Crabbe, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, DeMarre Carroll, Jared Dudley, Ed Davis, Shabazz Napier, Treveon Graham

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Nets poll.

New York Knicks

2018/19 record: 17-65
Over/under for 2019/20: 27.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Julius Randle, Bobby Portis, Marcus Morris, Taj Gibson, Elfrid Payton, Wayne Ellington, RJ Barrett, Reggie Bullock, Ignas Brazdeikis
- Lost: DeAndre Jordan, Mario Hezonja, Noah Vonleh, Emmanuel Mudiay, Lance Thomas, Luke Kornet, John Jenkins, Henry Ellenson

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Knicks poll.

Load More Posts