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2019 Offseason In Review: San Antonio Spurs

October 17th, 2019 at 4:02pm 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 San Antonio Spurs.

Signings:

Trades:

  • Acquired DeMarre Carroll (via sign-and-trade) in a three-team trade with the Wizards and Nets in exchange for Davis Bertans (to Wizards) and the draft rights to Nemanja Dangubic (to Nets).

Draft picks:

  • 1-19: Luka Samanic — Signed to rookie contract.
  • 1-29: Keldon Johnson — Signed to rookie contract.
  • 2-49: Quinndary Weatherspoon — Signed to two-way contract.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

  • Reportedly agreed to three-year contract with head coach Gregg Popovich.
  • Promoted R.C. Buford to CEO, Brian Wright to general manager.
  • Hired Tim Duncan as assistant coach.
  • Lost assistant coach Ettore Messina; lost assistant coach Ime Udoka.
  • Contract agreement with Marcus Morris fell through.
  • Named Landry Fields general manager of G League affiliate (Austin Spurs).
  • Lost director of player personnel Andy Birdsong to Nets.

Salary cap situation:

  • Remained over the cap.
  • Hard-capped.
  • Carrying approximately $123.81MM in guaranteed salary.
  • $3.76MM of mid-level exception still available (used $5.5MM on Trey Lyles).

Story of the summer:

The last time the Spurs won the NBA Finals in 2014, their roster featured Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Kawhi Leonard. By the time the 2018/19 season got underway, none of those players were still Spurs — Duncan and Ginobili had retired, while Parker and Leonard were playing for new teams.

Despite the exodus of future Hall-of-Famers, the Spurs have managed to keep extending their record-setting streak of postseason appearances. San Antonio has now appeared in the playoffs in 22 consecutive years – and 29 of the last 30 – as the front office has displayed an impressive ability to consistently retool its roster while Gregg Popovich continues to get the most out of every group.

The upside of the Spurs’ current roster may be limited. The team’s 48 and 47 wins in the last two seasons are its lowest marks of the last 20 years, and DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge are players who thrive in the mid-range, making them odd fits in a modern NBA which prioritizes outside shooting.

However, the Spurs are quietly accumulating young talent around their de facto stars, with Dejounte Murray and Derrick White on the verge of breakout seasons, Lonnie Walker primed for a larger role, and two more first-round picks (Luka Samanic and Keldon Johnson) joining the mix. The new core the Spurs are building might be capable of keeping the team in the playoff picture even if and when DeRozan and Aldridge move on.

For now, those veteran stars are still the focal points of San Antonio’s attack. But ongoing development from the team’s up-and-coming youngsters and contributions from a handful of solid role players will be crucial as the club looks to make its 23rd consecutive playoff appearance.

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Recap Of 2019 NBA Draft Pick Signings

October 16th, 2019 at 4:59pm CST by Luke Adams

When word broke last week that Hornets second-round pick Jalen McDaniels had signed with the team, it meant that we now know the 2019/20 plans for all 60 of this year’s NBA draft picks.

The majority of this year’s draftees signed NBA contracts and will be on rosters this season, but that’s not the case for all of them. And even among those that received NBA deals, there are plenty of differences in the terms of their contracts.

Let’s break down the contract situations for all 60 of this year’s picks…

First-rounders:

Generally, with the possible exception of one or two players who are drafted-and-stashed in an international league, the landscape for first-round picks is pretty simple to assess. The NBA’s rookie scale establishes set salaries for all 30 draft slots in the first round, and virtually every player signs for 120% of their rookie scale figure, the maximum amount allowed by the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.

However, a pair of first-round picks threw a wrench into the usual routine this year. Magic first-rounder Chuma Okeke, the No. 16 overall pick, agreed to postpone the signing of his rookie contract until 2020 and will instead sign a G League contract to rehab his torn ACL with the Lakeland Magic this season. While we don’t know for sure, that’s probably something that Orlando and Okeke’s camp discussed – and perhaps agreed upon – before the team drafted him in June.

Meanwhile, the Cavaliers became the first team in years to sign a first-round pick for less than 120% of his rookie scale amount when they completed their deal with No. 30 overall pick Kevin Porter Jr. The rookie scale amount for the No. 30 slot this season was $1,613,700, but Porter’s first-year salary will be $1,290,960, 80% of that figure. That’s the minimum amount allowed by the CBA.

Porter will also earn less than 120% of his rookie scale amount in subsequent seasons, bringing the total four-year value of his contract to $8,009,193. If he had received 120% of his rookie scale amount in every season, his deal would be worth $9,944,923.

Our full breakdown of the salary details for this year’s first-rounders can be found right here.

Second-rounders:

With no set rookie scale for second-round picks, this is where things get even more interesting. Teams are allowed to go over the cap with the rookie scale exception in order to sign first-rounders, but to lock up second-round picks, there’s no such exception. Those players must be signed using cap space, mid-level, bi-annual or room exceptions, or the minimum salary exception.

As such, the contract details for second-rounders who signed NBA deals look pretty different from player to player. Here’s a quick look:

Four-year contracts:

  1. Carsen Edwards, Celtics ($6.46MM). First three years guaranteed.
  2. Daniel Gafford, Bulls ($6.13MM). First two years guaranteed.
  3. Alen Smailagic, Warriors ($6.13MM). First two years guaranteed.
  4. Jaylen Nowell, Timberwolves ($6.63MM). First year guaranteed.
  5. Isaiah Roby, Mavericks ($6.73MM). First two years guaranteed.
  6. Terance Mann, Clippers ($6.2MM). First two years guaranteed.

Three-year contracts:

  1. Nicolas Claxton, Nets ($4.2MM). Fully guaranteed.
  2. KZ Okpala, Heat ($4.2MM). Fully guaranteed.
  3. Bruno Fernando, Hawks ($4.7MM). Fully guaranteed.
  4. Cody Martin, Hornets ($4.47MM). First two years guaranteed.
  5. Justin James, Kings ($4.2MM). First two years guaranteed.
  6. Eric Paschall, Warriors ($4.2MM). Fully guaranteed.
  7. Admiral Schofield, Wizards ($4.3MM). First two years guaranteed.
  8. Ignas Brazdeikis, Knicks ($4.2MM). Fully guaranteed.
  9. Miye Oni, Jazz ($4.2MM). First year guaranteed.
  10. Dewan Hernandez, Raptors ($4.2MM). First year partially guaranteed ($500K).

Two-year contracts:

  1. Talen Horton-Tucker, Lakers ($2.42MM). Fully guaranteed.

One-year contracts:

  1. Jalen McDaniels, Hornets ($898K). Non-guaranteed.

With 18 second-round picks signing standard NBA contracts ranging from one year to four years, that leaves 12 second-rounders who ended up taking a different path. These players won’t start the season on 15-man NBA rosters, but their teams still hold their NBA rights.

Here’s what those players are doing:

Signed two-way contracts:

  1. Bol Bol, Nuggets
  2. Quinndary Weatherspoon, Spurs
  3. Jarrell Brantley, Jazz
  4. Tremont Waters, Celtics
  5. Marial Shayok, Sixers
  6. Justin Wright-Foreman, Jazz
  7. Kyle Guy, Kings
  8. Jordan Bone, Pistons

Signed G League contracts (domestic draft-and-stash):

  1. Jaylen Hands, Nets

Playing overseas (international draft-and-stash):

  1. Marcos Louzada Silva, Pelicans: Playing in Australia (Sydney Kings).
  2. Deividas Sirvydis, Pistons: Playing in Lithuania (Rytas Vilnius).
  3. Vanja Marinkovic, Kings: Playing in Spain (Valencia).

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

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2019/20 Over/Unders: Southeast Division

October 16th, 2019 at 10:28am CST by Luke Adams

The 2019/20 NBA regular season will get underway in just six 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, Central, and Pacific, we’re moving onto the Southeast today…

Miami Heat

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Heat poll.

Orlando Magic

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Magic poll.

Atlanta Hawks

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Hawks poll.

Washington Wizards

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Wizards poll.

Charlotte Hornets

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Hornets 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%)

Pacific:

  • Los Angeles Clippers (54.5 wins): Over (53.9%)
  • Los Angeles Lakers (51.5 wins): Over (50.3%)
  • Golden State Warriors (48.5 wins): Over (54.3%)
  • Sacramento Kings (38.5 wins): Over (66.2%)
  • Phoenix Suns (29.5 wins): Under (61.8%)
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2019 Offseason In Review: Detroit Pistons

October 15th, 2019 at 4:03pm 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 Detroit Pistons.

Signings:

  • Standard contracts:
    • Derrick Rose: Two years, $15MM. Signed using mid-level exception.
    • Markieff Morris: Two years, $6.56MM. Second-year player option. Signed using bi-annual exception.
    • Tim Frazier: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
    • Joe Johnson: One year, minimum salary. Partially guaranteed ($220K). Signed using minimum salary exception.
  • Two-way contracts:
  • Non-guaranteed camp contracts:

Trades:

  • Acquired Tony Snell and the draft rights to Kevin Porter Jr. (No. 30 pick) from the Bucks in exchange for Jon Leuer.
  • Acquired the Jazz’s 2020 second-round pick, the Trail Blazers’ 2021 second-round pick, the Trail Blazers’ 2023 second-round pick, the Heat’s 2024 second-round pick (top-55 protected), and cash ($5MM) from the Cavaliers in exchange for the draft rights to Kevin Porter Jr. (No. 30 pick).
  • Acquired the draft rights to Deividas Sirvydis (No. 37 pick) from the Mavericks in exchange for the draft rights to Isaiah Roby (No. 45 pick), the Jazz’s 2020 second-round pick, and the Trail Blazers’ 2021 second-round pick.
  • Acquired the draft rights to Jordan Bone (No. 57 pick) from the Sixers in exchange for the Heat’s 2024 second-round pick (top-55 protected) and cash ($2MM).

Draft picks:

  • 1-15: Sekou Doumbouya — Signed to rookie contract.
  • 2-37: Deividas Sirvydis — Will play overseas.
  • 2-55: Jordan Bone — Signed to two-way contract.

Waiver claims:

  • Christian Wood (from Pelicans): One year, minimum salary contract. Claimed using minimum salary exception.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

  • Agreement with Michael Beasley fell through.
  • Lost executive Sachin Gupta to Timberwolves.
  • Hired Donnie Tyndall as head coach of G League affiliate (Grand Rapids Drive).
  • Announced plan to move G League team to downtown Detroit in 2021/22.
  • Opened new $90MM training facility and corporate headquarters in downtown Detroit.

Salary cap situation:

  • Remained over the cap.
  • Hard-capped.
  • Carrying approximately $130.98MM in guaranteed salary.
  • $1.94MM of mid-level exception still available (used $7.32MM on Derrick Rose).
  • $423K of bi-annual exception still available (used $3.2MM on Markieff Morris).
  • Two traded player exceptions available; largest TPE ($2.5MM) expires 2/6/20.

Story of the summer:

Since acquiring Blake Griffin prior to the 2018 trade deadline, the Pistons have had little flexibility to make changes to the supporting cast around their new star player. Griffin’s massive contract restricts Detroit’s maneuverability to some extent, but the veteran forward earned his pay check in 2018/19, putting up some of the best numbers of his career and finding his way back onto the All-Star and All-NBA teams for the first time since 2015.

It’s the Pistons’ other highly-priced players who have hampered the team’s flexibility to a greater extent. Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson will earn a combined $45MM+ during the 2019/20 season, joining Griffin to form a de facto “Big Three” in Detroit. But you could make a case that Drummond isn’t among the NBA’s 10 best centers, while Jackson isn’t one of the league’s best 15 point guards.

Drummond and Jackson are probably more valuable to the Pistons than they would be as trade chips, so the club once again stuck with both players through the 2019 offseason. But with their contracts – and Griffin’s – still on the books, Detroit’s ability to make meaningful upgrades to other parts of the roster was limited.

The Pistons did manage to move Jon Leuer‘s oversized contract, but only to acquire another pricey role player in Tony Snell. The team also made use of its mid-level and bi-annual exceptions to bring in Derrick Rose and Markieff Morris. Rose is a former MVP and had a strong bounce-back season in 2018/19, but has had trouble staying healthy in recent years. Injuries were an issue for Morris last season too.

Given their lack of cap room, the Pistons probably did about as well as they could to add high-upside veterans to the mix this offseason. But the team still doesn’t look like an upper-echelon contender in the Eastern Conference and may need to make more drastic changes to its roster in the future to realistically jump into that tier.

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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:
  • Non-guaranteed camp contracts:

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.

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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

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Clippers poll.

Los Angeles Lakers

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Lakers poll.

Golden State Warriors

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Warriors poll.

Sacramento Kings

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Kings poll.

Phoenix Suns

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%)
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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:
  • 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)
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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!

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2019 Offseason In Review: Charlotte Hornets

October 12th, 2019 at 8:48am 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 Charlotte Hornets.

Signings:

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:

Other offseason news:

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.

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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.

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 and Northwest, we’re moving onto the Central today…

Milwaukee Bucks

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Bucks poll.

Indiana Pacers

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Pacers poll.

Detroit Pistons

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Pistons poll.

Chicago Bulls

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Bulls poll.

Cleveland Cavaliers

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%)
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