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Remaining Offseason Questions: Southeast Division

August 27th, 2019 at 4:06pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA teams have now completed the brunt of their offseason work, with the draft and free agency practically distant memories. Still, with training camps more than a month away, many clubs around the league have at least one or two outstanding issues they’ve yet to address.

We’re in the midst of looking at all 30 NBA teams, separating them by division and checking in on a key outstanding question that each club still needs to answer before the 2019/20 regular season begins.

After focusing on the Atlantic on Monday, we’re moving onto the Southeast today. Let’s dive in…

Atlanta Hawks
How will the Hawks use their remaining cap room?

The Hawks are the only NBA team that has any real cap room remaining. Currently, the team is sitting on about $6.95MM in space, per Early Bird Rights. That’s not a ton of room, particularly when there are probably no free agents left on the market worth more than the minimum. But it could come in handy.

It’s not clear if Atlanta has any plans in mind for that cap room, but the club is likely holding off on making Vince Carter‘s new deal official in order to maximize its options. Once Carter signs his minimum-salary contract, the Hawks’ cap space will dip to approximately $5.33MM.

The most likely scenario for the Hawks is probably holding onto their cap room into the season and then seeing if it helps create any trade opportunities later in the year. Still, I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of the team using that space to accommodate a deal before the season begins.

Charlotte Hornets
What are the Hornets’ plans for second-round pick Jalen McDaniels?

McDaniels is one of four 2019 draft picks who has yet to sign an NBA contract or commit to playing overseas.

While it remains to be seen what the Hornets‘ plans are for McDaniels, a two-way contract is an outcome that would make sense for both sides. The three players selected before McDaniels (from Nos. 49-51) and after him (Nos. 53-55) in the draft all signed two-way deals, and Charlotte currently has a slot open.

Of course, the Hornets also project to have an opening or two on their 15-man regular season roster, so it’s possible McDaniels and his reps have their eye on one of those spots. The club currently has 13 players on guaranteed contracts, with Thomas Welsh, Caleb Martin, Joe Chealey, and Josh Perkins among the non-guaranteed players possibly in the running for the 14th and/or 15th spot(s). We’ll have to wait to see if McDaniels gets a chance to compete with them or if he gets Charlotte’s second two-way deal.

Miami Heat
How will the Heat’s hard cap affect their remaining roster decisions?

After signing Udonis Haslem earlier this month, the Heat are about $855K below their hard cap for the 2019/20 league year, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). The minimum rookie salary for this season is $898K, so Miami can’t add any more guaranteed salaries to its books without making a corresponding roster move to clear guaranteed money.

In other words, barring a trade or a last-minute use of the stretch provision, the Heat’s roster is mostly set for the regular season. The team just needs to make a pair of roster decisions: Will Duncan Robinson and Kendrick Nunn fill out the 14-man roster?

Robinson’s $1,416,852 salary is already guaranteed for $1MM, so waiving him would create little flexibility for Miami. Nunn’s partial guarantee is only worth $150K though. If the club has any doubts about his ability to contribute in 2019/20, his roster spot could be in jeopardy. Waiving Nunn would open up enough room for the Heat to bring in another veteran on a minimum-salary deal.

Orlando Magic
When will the Magic sign Chuma Okeke?

As noted above, there are four 2019 draft picks who remain unsigned. Of those four, Okeke is the only unsigned first-round pick. Because the rookie scale for first-rounders is fairly inflexible, those players typically sign within the first week or two of the league year, so the delay on Okeke is unusual.

It’s probably not a coincidence that Okeke is the only first-round pick who is unlikely to see the court much – if at all – during his rookie season. He tore his ACL in March and is still recovering from that injury.

While virtually every first-round pick signs for 120% of his rookie scale amount, the Cavaliers were able to get Kevin Porter for lower than that earlier in the offseason — it seems likely at this point that the Magic – who don’t have much breathing room below the luxury tax line – are exploring something similar with Okeke.

Washington Wizards
Will Bradley Beal sign a contract extension?

Beal is eligible for a veteran extension, and the Wizards offered as many years and as much money as NBA rules allowed. They also did so as soon as league rules allowed. However, Beal didn’t immediately accept that offer.

It’s easy to point to the Wizards’ 2018/19 record (32-50) and unfavorable cap situation and surmise that Beal is eager to leave D.C., but that’s not necessarily the case. He has said he wants to assess the team’s new management group, led by general manager Tommy Sheppard, before making any decisions. Plus, it would be financially advantageous for him to wait at least a year before signing a new extension, as we explained in-depth last month.

Beal has until October 21 to sign an extension. Otherwise, he won’t be eligible again until next July. John Wall thinks his backcourt mate will accept Washington’s offer and he might be right, but if I had to place a bet, I’d guess that Beal will enter the 2019/20 season without a new deal in place.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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NBA Teams Facing Deadline To Stretch 2019/20 Salaries

August 27th, 2019 at 12:24pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA teams can use the stretch provision all season long, but August 31 represents a key deadline related to the rule. Players who are waived by August 31 can have their current-year salaries stretched, immediately reducing their 2019/20 cap charge. If a player is released after August 31, his current cap hit will remain unchanged, and only the subsequent years of his contract can be stretched.

As we detail in our glossary entry on the subject, the stretch provision is a rule ensuring that any player waived with at least $250K in guaranteed salary remaining on his contract will have the payment schedule of that money spread across multiple years. Teams also have the option of spreading his cap charges across the same number of years.

That schedule is determined as follows:

  • If a player is waived between July 1 and August 31, his remaining salary is paid over twice the number of years remaining on his contract, plus one.
  • If a player is waived between September 1 and June 30, his current-year salary is paid on its normal schedule, with any subsequent years spread over twice the number of remaining years, plus one.
    • Note: If a player in the final year of his contract is waived between September 1 and June 30, the stretch provision does not apply.

For most teams around the NBA, this weekend’s August 31 deadline will come and go with little fanfare. Clubs generally use the stretch provision when they want to create a little cap room or get below the luxury tax line — there aren’t many teams fitting that bill at this point.

The Hawks are the only team with any cap space available, and they could substantially increase that space by waiving and stretching, say, Chandler Parsons‘ $25MM+ salary. However, that would add annual cap hits of $8MM+ to the team’s books for 2020/21 and 2021/22, compromising Atlanta’s cap flexibility in future offseasons. Plus, it’s not as if there are any free agents still on the market requiring significant cap room. The Hawks seem very unlikely to make such a move.

Using the stretch provision by August 31 may be a more viable option for teams hovering right around the tax line. The Thunder, for instance, are currently in the tax by about $921K. If they have doubts about Andre Roberson‘s ability to get healthy and contribute this season, waiving and stretching his $10.74MM salary and replacing him with a minimum-salary player would be an easy way to slip below that threshold.

By all accounts though, Oklahoma City expects Roberson to return to action this season and wouldn’t give up on him at this point. If they don’t release a player by August 31, the Thunder will likely try to find a trade later in the 2019/20 league year that would allow them to avoid the tax.

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NBA Players Who Are Headed Overseas For 2019/20

August 27th, 2019 at 9:08am CST by Luke Adams

With a new group of incoming rookies arriving in the NBA this season and several players from international leagues also coming stateside, there simply aren’t enough roster spots around the league to accommodate all the players who spent time with NBA clubs last season.

As such, a number of those players have opted to sign with teams in Europe and Asia. Those players may be off the NBA radar for the next little while, but they’ll have the opportunity to carve out more significant roles on international teams, and many of them will be just as well-compensated in the EuroLeague or the Chinese Basketball Association as they would’ve been in the NBA.

We’ve been keeping tabs throughout the summer on the free agents who have decided to sign with international teams after playing in the NBA last season. The list below, using information from our Free Agent Tracker, details this offseason’s notable signings and contract agreements involving NBA free agents heading overseas.

Each of the players listed below either appeared in at least one NBA game in 2018/19 or finished the season under contract with an NBA team — or both.

Some of these contract agreements haven’t been made official yet, so we’ll update this list as necessary if any deals fall through. We’ll also add more international signings to the list, as they happen, throughout the rest of the NBA offseason.

Australia

China

France

Germany

Greece

Israel

Italy

Russia

Spain

Turkey

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Remaining Offseason Questions: Atlantic Division

August 26th, 2019 at 2:11pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA teams have now completed the brunt of their offseason work, with the draft and free agency practically distant memories. Still, with training camps more than a month away, many clubs around the league have at least one or two outstanding issues they’ve yet to address.

Over the next week, we’ll be looking at all 30 NBA teams, separating them by division and checking in on a key outstanding question that each club still needs to answer before the 2019/20 regular season begins.

We’re starting today with the Atlantic division, so let’s dive right in…

Boston Celtics
How will the Celtics’ World Cup contingent respond to the experience?

Six Celtics players are set to represent their respective countries at the 2019 World Cup in China, starting this weekend, including four for Team USA.

Boston’s top priority will be making sure that Kemba Walker (USA), Jayson Tatum (USA), Marcus Smart (USA), Jaylen Brown (USA), Vincent Poirier (France), and Daniel Theis (Germany) make it through the tournament healthy. But the team will also be curious to see how its international contingent performs in China and is affected by the experience.

A strong World Cup showing for a player like Poirier or Theis could increase his confidence heading into the 2019/20 season and put him in position to take on a more prominent rotation role. Meanwhile, a run at a gold medal could help the Team USA group develop the kind of on- and off-court chemistry that last year’s Celtics never quite had.

Brooklyn Nets
What’s next for second-round pick Jaylen Hands?

One of just four second-round picks who remains unsigned, Hands doesn’t project to be part of the Nets‘ regular season roster for 2019/20. The club already has 15 players on fully guaranteed contracts and is unlikely to cut one of its veterans for the No. 56 overall pick.

The logical place for Hands to begin his career would be in one of Brooklyn’s two-way contract slots, where he’d spend much of his rookie season developing his game with the Long Island Nets in the G League. Henry Ellenson currently occupies one of the Nets’ two-way slots, but the other one is open.

Still, there were rumblings that Brooklyn had interest in Ron Baker as a potential two-way player before he headed overseas. And if the Nets had that second two-way slot earmarked for Hands, it seems like the two sides would have completed a deal by now. It’s still possible that he’ll end up on a two-way deal, but it’s far from a certainty — we should find it in the coming weeks what the team has in mind for the rookie out of UCLA.

New York Knicks
Does Frank Ntilikina have a place in the Knicks’ plans?

NBA teams have completed a total of 43 trades so far this offseason, but not one of them involved Ntilikina, who was among the league’s most frequently cited trade candidates heading into the summer.

The Knicks didn’t land the star free agents they were hoping for, but they reshaped their roster with a series of veteran signings in early July, jettisoning all of their own free agents. As New York goes through a transition period, it remains to be seen whether the club will recommit to finding out what it has in Ntilikina or whether his inevitable departure has just been delayed.

Shortly after the regular season begins, the Knicks will have to decide whether or not to exercise Ntilikina’s fourth-year option for 2020/21. But if the club revisits the trade market this fall, it’s possible another team will be making that decision on the the former lottery pick.

Philadelphia 76ers
Do the Sixers plan on making Trey Burke their 15th man?

Currently, the Sixers have 14 players on fully guaranteed contracts, leaving a potential spot open on the team’s projected 15-man regular season roster. However, that count doesn’t include Burke, whose salary for 2019/20 is said to be partially guaranteed.

Although Burke appears likely to be Philadelphia’s 15th man, the specifics on his deal remain a question mark — if his partial guarantee isn’t significant, he’s not necessarily a lock to make the team.

The 76ers signed Raul Neto as a backup this offseason and may rely on Shake Milton to play a larger role behind Ben Simmons as well. If the team determines that it has a more pressing need at another position, perhaps it brings in someone else to fill that 15th and final roster spot.

Toronto Raptors
Will Pascal Siakam or Kyle Lowry sign an extension?

The Raptors have two of the more intriguing extension candidates in the NBA, as Siakam and Lowry each project to be top-10 free agents on the 2020 market if they don’t get new deals before then.

Lowry, who is eligible for a veteran extension, recently said that he’d “love” to sign a new deal to remain in Toronto rather than reaching unrestricted free agency next summer. It’s unclear whether he and the club will see eye-to-eye on his value though as his 34th birthday nears.

As for Siakam, he’s among the top candidates for a rookie scale extension. However, given the dearth of talent on the 2020 free agent market, he may only be willing to ink a new deal if he gets a max salary or something close to it — after all, he can reasonably expect to get offers in that range next summer if he continues to improve.

Siakam will certainly be a part of the Raptors’ long-term future. Since we can’t definitively say the same about Lowry, the up-and-coming forward is probably more likely to be extended within the next couple months than the veteran guard.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Traded Second Round Picks For 2020 NBA Draft

August 26th, 2019 at 1:06pm CST by Luke Adams

We’re using the space below to keep tabs on each team’s second round pick for 2020, continually updating it as necessary throughout the year. Our list of traded first round picks for 2020 can be found right here.

We’ve listed all 30 teams here, so even if a team hasn’t traded its second round pick, that will be noted. We’ll also provide details on protections for each traded pick, including what happens to the pick in 2021 if it doesn’t change hands in 2020.

Here’s the full breakdown on the status of each 2020 second round pick:

Atlantic

  • Boston Celtics: Traded to Hornets (top-53 protected).
    • If not conveyed, the Celtics’ obligation to the Hornets would be extinguished.
  • Brooklyn Nets: Traded to Sixers or Celtics.
    • The Sixers will receive the more favorable of the Nets’ and Knicks’ second-round picks; the Celtics will receive the less favorable of the two.
  • New York Knicks: Traded to Sixers or Celtics.
    • The Sixers will receive the more favorable of the Nets’ and Knicks’ second-round picks; the Celtics will receive the less favorable of the two.
  • Philadelphia 76ers: Own pick.
  • Toronto Raptors: Own pick.

Central

  • Chicago Bulls: Possibly traded to Wizards (56-60 protected).
    • The Wizards will receive the more favorable of the Bulls’ and Grizzlies’ second-round picks (both 56-60 protected); the Bulls will receive the less favorable of the two picks.
    • If both picks fall in the 56-60 range, the Grizzlies and Bulls would keep their picks and their obligations to the Wizards would be extinguished.
  • Cleveland Cavaliers: Traded to Hornets (unprotected).
  • Detroit Pistons: Traded to Kings (unprotected).
  • Indiana Pacers: Traded to Nets (45-60 protected).
    • If not conveyed, the Pacers will owe the Nets their 2021 second-round pick (45-60 protected).
  • Milwaukee Bucks: Traded to Pelicans (unprotected).

Southeast

  • Atlanta Hawks: Traded to Sixers or Celtics.
    • The Sixers will receive the pick if it lands between 31-55; the Celtics will receive it if it lands between 56-60.
  • Charlotte Hornets: Traded to Knicks (unprotected).
  • Miami Heat: Traded to Kings or Hawks.
    • The Hawks will receive the more favorable of the Heat’s and Rockets’ second-round picks; the Kings will receive the less favorable of the two picks.
  • Orlando Magic: Own pick.
  • Washington Wizards: Traded to Pelicans (unprotected).

Northwest

  • Denver Nuggets: Traded to Nets (unprotected).
  • Minnesota Timberwolves: Own pick.
  • Oklahoma City Thunder: Own pick.
  • Portland Trail Blazers: Traded to Nets (31-55 protected).
    • If not conveyed, the Trail Blazers’ obligation to the Nets would be extinguished.
  • Utah Jazz: Traded to Warriors (unprotected).

Pacific

  • Golden State Warriors: Traded to Mavericks.
  • Los Angeles Clippers: Own pick.
  • Los Angeles Lakers: Traded to Sixers (unprotected).
  • Phoenix Suns: Traded to Grizzlies (unprotected).
  • Sacramento Kings: Own pick.

Southwest

  • Dallas Mavericks: Traded to Warriors (unprotected).
  • Houston Rockets: Traded to Kings or Hawks.
    • The Hawks will receive the more favorable of the Heat’s and Rockets’ second-round picks; the Kings will receive the less favorable of the two picks.
  • Memphis Grizzlies: Traded to Bulls or Wizards (56-60 protected).
    • The Wizards will receive the more favorable of the Bulls’ and Grizzlies’ second-round picks (both 56-60 protected); the Bulls will receive the less favorable of the two picks.
    • If both picks fall in the 56-60 range, the Grizzlies and Bulls would keep their picks and their obligations to the Wizards would be extinguished.
  • New Orleans Pelicans: Own pick.
  • San Antonio Spurs: Own pick.

Information from RealGM was used in the creation of this post.

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Poll: Will Pistons Make Playoffs In 2019/20?

August 26th, 2019 at 12:12pm CST by Luke Adams

No NBA playoff team from the 2018/19 season came closer to missing the postseason than the 41-41 Pistons, who finished just two games ahead of the Hornets and Heat (39-41).

Now, with the 2019/20 NBA season fast approaching, no team has closer to even odds to make the playoffs next spring than the Pistons, according to BetOnline.ag. The betting site gives Detroit -155 odds to miss the postseason and +135 odds to make it. That means that if you bet $100 on the Pistons to be a playoff team and they come through, you’d win $135 — if you think they’re a lottery team, you’d have to risk $155 to win $100.

Based on the rest of the Eastern teams’ playoff odds at BetOnline.ag, it’s easy to understand the bookmakers’ logic. The Bucks, Raptors, Sixers, Celtics, Pacers, Nets, and Magic – all of whom made the postseason a year ago – are viewed as favorites to finish ahead of the Pistons again in 2019/20. Meanwhile, the Heat are considered the most likely club to join that group of seven, leapfrogging the Pistons in the projected standings after adding star swingman Jimmy Butler.

Unlike Miami, the Pistons didn’t make any splashy free agent or trade acquisitions this summer. Sure, they signed a former MVP, but at this point Derrick Rose is a solid role player, not a difference-making star. Detroit’s list of modest additions also included forwards Markieff Morris, Tony Snell, and rookie Sekou Doumbouya, along with veteran point guard Tim Frazier.

Now that Andre Drummond, Blake Griffin, and Reggie Jackson have a full year together under their belts, perhaps they’ll reach new heights in 2019/20, but it might be too optimistic to count on all three players to suit up for 75+ games again, especially given Griffin’s and Jackson’s injury histories.

Still, there are reasons to be bullish on the Pistons. Head coach Dwane Casey is a proven winner – at least in the regular season – and rotation players like Luke Kennard, Bruce Brown, and Thon Maker are still young enough to take major steps forward. Drummond will be motivated to have a huge contract year, and Jackson finally looks fully healthy. With some good injury luck, the Pistons should have no problem staying in the playoff hunt.

What do you think? Are the Pistons a playoff team in 2019/20? Will last year’s seven postseason representatives and the Heat make the playoffs in the East, or is there another dark horse contender you like ahead of Detroit?

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

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

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Bucks, Knicks Carrying Most 2019/20 Dead Money

August 26th, 2019 at 11:01am CST by Luke Adams

Over three-quarters of the NBA’s 30 teams are carrying some sort of “dead money” on their salary cap for the 2019/20 season. This dead money is created as a result of having, at some point, waived a player who had guaranteed money left on his contract.

In some cases, teams are carrying cap hits for players even though they released them several years ago. That’s the case in Brooklyn, for instance, where the Nets have a $5,474,787 cap charge for Deron Williams this season — the Nets cut Williams in 2015.

In other situations, the dead money is a result of having waived a player within the last couple months. The Heat, for example, created $5,214,584 in dead money on their ’19/20 cap when they released Ryan Anderson in July. Because Anderson’s remaining guaranteed money was stretched across three seasons, he’ll count for that amount annually on Miami’s cap through 2021/22.

The dead money total for most teams will increase over the course of the season. A few players on guaranteed contracts will be cut when rosters are reduced to 15 players in October. Some clubs will carry players on non-guaranteed contracts for a little while, then waive them before their full salaries guarantee, leaving a partial cap charge on their books. Expired 10-day contracts are also a common source of dead money later in the season.

A year ago at this time, the Hawks and Nets were each carrying more than $24MM in dead money on their books, but no team is anywhere near that amount for 2019/20 at this point. In 2018, Atlanta and Brooklyn acquired draft picks and pricey salary-dump contracts, then waived those players, but most teams this year have kept the players they acquired in salary-dump trades.

For instance, the Hawks still have Allen Crabbe on their roster, while Andre Iguodala remains under contract with the Grizzlies. If veterans like Crabbe and Iguodala are cut at some point, the dead-money totals for those teams will increase substantially.

Currently, the Bucks are carrying the most dead money for the 2019/20 season, with a mix of stretched salaries from years past (Larry Sanders, Spencer Hawes) and more recent cuts (Jon Leuer, George Hill).

Here’s the full list of 2019/20 dead money by team, as of August 26, starting with those Bucks:

  1. Milwaukee Bucks: $8,041,952
  2. New York Knicks: $6,431,667
  3. Orlando Magic: $5,906,667
  4. Miami Heat: $5,664,671
  5. Memphis Grizzlies: $5,498,511
    • Note: This is an estimate based on Dwight Howard‘s reported buyout and the assumption that the Grizzlies aren’t stretching his cap hit.
  6. Brooklyn Nets: $5,474,787
  7. Detroit Pistons: $5,331,729
  8. Portland Trail Blazers: $5,091,108
  9. San Antonio Spurs: $5,074,856
  10. Los Angeles Lakers: $5,000,000
  11. Phoenix Suns: $3,440,000
  12. Indiana Pacers: $2,245,400
  13. Sacramento Kings: $2,133,541
  14. Oklahoma City Thunder: $1,736,267
  15. Cleveland Cavaliers: $1,456,667
  16. Boston Celtics: $1,131,937
  17. Toronto Raptors: $1,000,000
  18. Washington Wizards: $1,000,000
  19. Dallas Mavericks: $708,426
  20. Minnesota Timberwolves: $685,340
  21. Golden State Warriors: $666,667
  22. Houston Rockets: $122,741
  23. Atlanta Hawks: $100,000
  24. Charlotte Hornets: $0
  25. Chicago Bulls: $0
  26. Denver Nuggets: $0
  27. Los Angeles Clippers: $0
  28. New Orleans Pelicans: $0
  29. Philadelphia 76ers: $0
  30. Utah Jazz: $0

Carrying a significant amount of dead money doesn’t necessarily mean a team has mismanaged its cap, and carrying little to no dead money isn’t a concrete sign of solid cap management. Still, contending clubs generally want to be spending as much of their cap space as possible on players who are actually suiting up for the team.

Over the course of the 2019/20 campaign, we’ll likely see several rebuilding teams inch up a few spots on this list as they jettison veterans in favor of younger projects, or cycle through prospects on 10-day contracts.

Contract information from Basketball Insiders and Early Bird Rights was used in the creation of this post.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Trade Rumors App For iOS/Android

August 26th, 2019 at 10:11am CST by Luke Adams

If you enjoy Hoops Rumors on your smartphone or tablet, be sure to check out our free Trade Rumors app!

Trade Rumors, available for iOS and Android, is the best way to consume our content on a mobile device. Here’s what it delivers, all for free:

  • All the articles from Hoops Rumors, MLB Trade Rumors, Pro Football Rumors, and Pro Hockey Rumors in an easy-to-navigate, eye-catching format. Swipe through stories to quickly consume all the news and rumors from our four sites. Not into all four sports? No problem – any sport can be easily removed.
  • Customize what you see. You can create feeds for any team or player across any of our sites.
  • Notifications. For any team or player, you can set up push notifications to ensure you always get breaking news instantly. Notifications can also be set up at the sport level.
  • Commenting. You can read and contribute comments on the app seamlessly.
  • Customer service. If you find a bug, we’ll fix it. If you have a feature request, we’ll consider it. The app is continually evolving and improving.
  • Did we mention Trade Rumors is a free app? What do you have to lose? Download it now!
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Community Shootaround: Rookie Scale Extension Candidates

August 26th, 2019 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

Caris LeVert‘s contract agreement with the Nets on Sunday marked the third time this offseason that a player eligible for a rookie scale extension has reached a deal with his team.

Heading into July, 20 players were eligible for rookie scale extensions. So far, Ben Simmons, Jamal Murray, and LeVert have received them, leaving 17 players still up in the air. Not all of those players are legitimate candidates for new deals, but many of them figure to enter negotiations with their respective clubs, and they still have plenty of time to work something out before the October 21 deadline.

Rookie scale extensions haven’t been completed quite as frequently within the last couple years as they were in the past, but five deals were reached last year and four occurred in 2017. In other words, we can probably count on at least one or two more happening before the 2019/20 season begins.

Pascal Siakam (Raptors), Domantas Sabonis (Pacers), Buddy Hield (Kings), and Jaylen Brown (Celtics) are among the most productive players who remain eligible for rookie scale extensions. Their teams would certainly like to lock them up long-term, but it might be in the players’ best interests to wait.

After all, if any of their teams were willing to put a max contract on the table right now though, a deal would likely already be done — that’s why Simmons and Murray didn’t waste much time in agreeing to their new pacts. And while a max contract may not be waiting in free agency for the likes of Sabonis, Hield, and Brown, the 2020 unrestricted free agent class projects to be weak. There could very well be teams willing to overpay on huge offer sheets for the top restricted free agents.

The Pelicans seem unlikely to invest heavily in Brandon Ingram before he suits up in a single game for the franchise, but a bridge deal like the one LeVert is signing with Brooklyn could make sense for another player who has dealt with health issues: Dejounte Murray. This offseason might be the Spurs‘ best chance to lock up Murray at a team-friendly rate, since he appeared poised for a breakout before tearing his ACL last fall.

Dario Saric (Suns), Taurean Prince (Nets), and Damian Jones (Hawks) are the other extension-eligible players who changed teams this offseason — new deals seem like long shots unless their clubs really like what they see in the preseason.

Role players who could sign modest rookie scale extensions if the price is right include Malik Beasley (Nuggets), Juan Hernangomez (Nuggets), Thon Maker (Pistons), DeAndre’ Bembry (Hawks), and Jakob Poeltl (Spurs).

Bulls guards Kris Dunn and Denzel Valentine and Trail Blazers big man Skal Labissiere are the remaining players eligible for rookie scale extensions. Valentine is the best extension candidate of the three, but I’d be surprised if any one of them signs a new deal.

What do you think? Are more rookie scale extensions are on the way before the season begins? Which of the eligible players do you think are most likely to sign new deals, and what would a fair price be in those cases?

Head to the comment section below to join the discussion!

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Community Shootaround: Best Available Veteran Center

August 25th, 2019 at 7:03pm CST by JD Shaw

With the Lakers claiming another veteran center off the open market by agreeing to a one-year deal with Dwight Howard, it’s time to take a look at the best remaining veteran big men who still don’t have a job for next season.

In addition to Howard, Los Angeles worked out the likes of Joakim Noah and Marreese Speights, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, ultimately choosing a reunion with the eight-time All-Star and three-time Defensive Player of the Year. Noah was also said to impress the Lakers, with Speights being unable to attract enough interest for an offer.

Speights, 32, also worked out for nearly 20 teams just over a month ago in Las Vegas, eager to showcase he still has enough in the tank for another run. Only a handful of NBA clubs were in attendance of those 20 teams, which mostly consisted of groups from overseas, according to a league source. The Lakers had kept tabs on Speights throughout the summer as a potential back-up option in the frontcourt.

Noah, 34, is coming off an underrated season that saw him average 7.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in just 16.5 minutes per contest with Memphis. A two-time All-Star in his own regard, Noah hasn’t played over 50 games in a single season since the 2014/15 campaign with Chicago, though many league observers believe he can still contribute off the bench for a playoff team.

Other veteran free agent centers include Marcin Gortat, Kenneth Faried, Nene, Zaza Pachulia, Willie Reed, Salah Mejri, Jason Smith, Alexis Ajinca and more.

Which of these players is the most valuable option for a team still seeking an experienced center this season? Is there a player not mentioned above that you believe deserves to be? Take to the comments section below!

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