Hoops Rumors Originals

Five Key Offseason Questions: Houston Rockets

June 27th, 2019 at 11:51pm CST by Luke Adams

After coming agonizingly close to the NBA Finals in 2018, the Rockets were once again the most serious threat in the Western Conference to knock off the Warriors in 2019. This time around though, the two teams met in the second round, and Houston blew a golden opportunity, losing Game 6 to a Warriors team that was missing Kevin Durant.

Unlike in 2018, when the Rockets could point to Chris Paul‘s hamstring injury and a fluky 0-for-27 run on three-pointers in Game 7 as reasons why they couldn’t sneak past the Warriors, this year’s loss felt more demoralizing, and the team doesn’t appear quite as likely to simply run things back with the same core.

Here are five key questions facing the franchise this summer:

1. How real is this Jimmy Butler thing?

Multiple reports in recent weeks have identified Jimmy Butler as the Rockets’ top free agent target. Houston is reportedly “extremely confident” about its chances to land Butler. There are just a few potential roadblocks:

Butler’s level of interest in the Rockets remains unclear.
Butler will command a maximum salary of $32.7MM and the Rockets have no cap room.
The Sixers would have to agree to sign-and-trade Butler to Houston, despite the fact that allowing him to walk could create significant cap room.
Base year compensation restrictions would likely force the two teams to involve a third club for salary-matching purposes.
Even if the Rockets could work out a deal, it would almost certainly cost them Eric Gordon, Clint Capela, and maybe other pieces.
The Rockets would become hard-capped at the tax apron by acquiring a player via sign-and-trade, substantially limiting their ability to add reinforcements around James Harden, Paul, Butler, and perhaps P.J. Tucker.

The sheer number of obstacles standing in the way of a Rockets acquisition of Butler should make it a long shot. And even if GM Daryl Morey could pull it off, I’m not convinced it would be the right move. Harden, Paul, and Butler all have big personalities and ball-dominant playing styles that could clash. The hard cap would limit Houston’s ability to acquire quality depth. And making further trades would be nearly impossible due to a lack of mid-level type salaries on the Rockets’ books.

It’d be a mistake to rule out the possibility of Butler – a Texas native – heading to the Rockets, given the creativity we’ve seen from Morey over the years. But if the Sixers are willing to offer Butler five years at the maximum salary or something close to it, I have to imagine it’s back to the drawing board for the Rockets’ front office.

2. If the Rockets can’t land Butler, would they still shake up their roster?

Virtually every Rocket besides Harden has been mentioned in trade rumors since the team’s season ended. If Houston really wants to land Butler, trades will be necessary, but if the club big-game hunt falls short, there’d be no obligation to continue shopping the likes of Gordon, Capela, and Tucker.

While Morey should be lauded for always trying to find upgrades, it’s hard to envision many realistic scenarios that would allow the team to upgrade on Gordon and Tucker, who have been high-level contributors in Houston over the last two years on very reasonable contracts.

Capela is a different story. His contract is actually fairly team-friendly as well, particularly after he failed to meet some incentives in 2018, dropping his 2019/10 cap hit from $16.4MM to $14.9MM. But the Rockets’ most effective lineups in the postseason have often featured Tucker as the de facto center in Capela’s place. Given the Rockets’ preference for constant switches in defense, Capela’s limited ability to defend on the perimeter can burn them.

Whether or not they land Butler, the Rockets may shop Capela, who should draw interest from several teams in need of a rim-running center — I could see the Kings eagerly pursuing a deal for the big man to replace RFA-to-be Willie Cauley-Stein, for instance. If the Rockets could pick up an asset or two for Capela, it would give the team added cap flexibility and a few more trade options.

For what it’s worth, Paul has been mentioned in some trade rumors this spring, but his contract would make him virtually impossible to move, and I don’t expect the Rockets to go that route this offseason.

3. How serious is the supposed Harden/Paul rift?

Speaking of Paul, there have been multiple reports since the end of the season suggesting that he and Harden haven’t exactly been seeing eye-to-eye. Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports went so far as to describe their relationship as “unsalvageable,” adding that CP3 had asked to be traded and Harden had issued a “him-or-me” ultimatum.

All involved parties have vociferously denied those allegations. Still, Goodwill wasn’t the only reporter to write about the discord between the star guards. A report from ESPN’s Tim MacMahon touched many of the same bases, without going so far as to call their relationship unsalvageable. It seems clear that the two stars grated on one another at times, and disagreed on how the Rockets’ offense should be run.

How problematic will that be for the Rockets going forward? Based on everything they’ve said in recent weeks, they’re willing to work through it — and they should. After all, with Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson set to miss most or all of the 2019/20 season, the Rockets should have a much clearer path to the NBA Finals in 2020 than they have the last two years. This isn’t the time to let in-fighting break up the team.

Based on the details that have surfaced in recent weeks, the Harden/Paul relationship will be worth watching going forward, and there’s a chance that it’s a powder keg that could eventually explode. But it’s in the team’s and the players’ best interests for everyone involved to try to get on the same page, since the Rockets won’t trade Harden and likely can’t trade Paul for a reasonable return.

4. If the Rockets don’t acquire Butler or another star, who should the team target with the mid-level?

The Rockets will have some form of mid-level exception available this offseason. Whether it’s the full mid-level (projected to be worth $9.25MM) or the taxpayer MLE ($5.71MM) will depend on how the rest of the club’s cap sheet looks, and whether or not the team is comfortable with being hard-capped. Using more than the taxpayer MLE would prohibit Houston from spending beyond the apron.

Last season, the Rockets used part of their mid-level to sign players like Isaiah Hartenstein and Gary Clark, forgoing a veteran addition. I don’t expect the team to take that same route this season. There are simply too many quality role players available on the open market, and the Rockets have a slightly cleaner cap sheet and a clearer path to using the full mid-level.

Sam Amick of The Athletic recently reported that Danny Green, Jeremy Lamb, Al-Farouq Aminu, DeAndre Jordan, Brook Lopez, and Kevon Looney will be among the Rockets’ targets this offseason. That’s a good list, and reflects what the team is looking for, particularly on the wing.

The bigs named by Amick are especially interesting — it’s not clear if those players would be targets only in the event that the Rockets move Capela, or if the team would look to add another center even if its incumbent starter returns. It’s intriguing to imagine what a floor-spacing, rim-protecting big man like Lopez could do in Houston, though I expect he could be out of the team’s price range. Looney’s switchability on defense would also make him a great fit for the Rockets.

With perhaps a couple exceptions, it might be unrealistic to expect any of these players to be available for the mid-level, since I expect most of them to land eight-figure annual salaries. But NBA players are fond of Houston, and the opportunity to compete for a championship may inspire some to accept a slight discount. Using the mid-level to sign Tucker in 2017 was one of the Rockets’ best moves in recent years, and I’d expect the team to try to acquire a similar impact player with the MLE this time around.

If they devote their full MLE to a single player, the Rockets will once again have to rely on the minimum salary exception to fill out its bench. That didn’t work out too well last summer, as none of Carmelo Anthony, Michael Carter-Williams, and James Ennis finished the season with the team. But Houston showed during the season that it could find solid contributors on the cheap, signing Austin Rivers, Kenneth Faried, and Danuel House to minimum deals. The club will have to hope to repeat that success in 2019/20.

5. Will the Rockets extend Mike D’Antoni?

It’s extremely rare for an NBA team to offer an incentive-heavy contract to its head coach or to ask a successful coach to enter the final year of his contract as a “lame duck” without a new deal. The Rockets did the first and seem prepared to do the second, having played hardball in negotiations with D’Antoni so far this offseason.

D’Antoni’s contract situation may not have a tangible effect on the Rockets’ season — it’s not as if he’ll only give an 80% effort instead of 100% if he knows he’s on an expiring deal. Given the reported tension between the Rockets’ two stars though, it seems unnecessary to add more uncertainty to the mix by not locking up a coach who has won 173 regular season games and four playoff series over the last three years.

Additionally, D’Antoni’s ability to secure top assistants may be compromised to some extent, since his preferred targets know he doesn’t have security beyond the 2019/20 season.

The Rockets and D’Antoni still have plenty of time to work out an agreement that adds an extra year or two to his current deal, but it’s somewhat surprising that they haven’t already found common ground.

Check out the Houston Rockets’ offseason salary cap outlook right here.

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

2019 NBA Offseason Trades

June 26th, 2019 at 11:29am CST by Luke Adams

As we did with last year’s offseason trades and the in-season swaps from 2018/19, Hoops Rumors will be keeping track of all of the trades made this offseason, right up until the start of the 2019/20 season, updating this post with each transaction.

Trades are listed here in reverse chronological order, with the latest on top. So, if a player has been traded multiple times, the first team listed as having acquired him is the one that ended up with him.

If a trade has been agreed upon, but not yet been formally finalized, it will be listed below in italics.

For our full story on each trade, click on the date above it. For more information on the specific conditions dictating if and when draft picks involved in these deals will actually change hands, be sure to check out RealGM.com’s breakdown of the details on traded picks.

Here’s the full list of the NBA’s 2019 offseason trades:

2019/20 League Year

July 16

Rockets acquire Russell Westbrook.
Thunder acquire Chris Paul, the Rockets’ 2024 first-round pick (top-four protected), the Rockets’ 2026 first-round pick (top-four protected), the right to swap 2021 first-round picks (top-four protected), the right to swap 2025 first-round picks (top-10 protected), and conditional cash ($1MM).
- Note: The Rockets would only owe the Thunder $1MM (and a 2026 second-round pick) if the 2026 first-round pick falls in the top four.

July 10

Clippers acquire Paul George.
Thunder acquire Danilo Gallinari, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Heat’s 2021 first-round pick (unprotected), the Clippers’ 2022 first-round pick (unprotected), the Heat’s 2023 first round pick (top-14 protected), the Clippers’ 2024 first-round pick (unprotected), the Clippers’ 2026 first-round pick (unprotected), and the right to swap first-round picks with the Clippers in both 2023 and 2025.

July 8

Timberwolves acquire Treveon Graham, Shabazz Napier, and cash ($3.6MM).
Warriors acquire the draft rights to Lior Eliyahu.
Agreed upon on June 30.

July 8

Mavericks acquire Delon Wright (sign-and-trade).
Grizzlies acquire the draft rights to Satnam Singh, the Trail Blazers’ 2021 second-round pick, and either the Mavericks’ or Heat’s 2023 second-round pick (whichever is less favorable).

July 8

Nuggets acquire Jerami Grant.
Thunder acquire the Nuggets’ 2020 first-round pick (top-10 protected).

July 8

Timberwolves acquire Jake Layman (sign-and-trade).
Trail Blazers acquire the draft rights to Bojan Dubljevic.

July 8

Hawks acquire Damian Jones and the Warriors’ 2026 second-round pick.
Warriors acquire Omari Spellman.

July 7

Nets acquire Kevin Durant (sign-and-trade) and the Warriors’ 2020 first-round pick (top-20 protected).
Warriors acquire D’Angelo Russell (sign-and-trade), Treveon Graham, and Shabazz Napier.
Agreed upon on June 30.

July 7

Pelicans acquire Derrick Favors.
Jazz acquire the Warriors’ 2021 second-round pick and the Warriors’ 2023 second-round pick.
Agreed upon on June 30.

July 7

Bulls acquire Tomas Satoransky (sign-and-trade).
Wizards acquire either the Bulls’ or Grizzlies’ 2020 second-round pick (whichever is more favorable), the right to swap the Lakers’ 2022 second-round pick for either the Bulls’ or Pistons’ 2022 second-round pick (whichever is more favorable), and the Bulls’ 2023 second-round pick with protections removed.
- Note: The Wizards had acquired the Bulls’ 2023 second-round pick with 31-36 protection in a previous trade.

July 7

Hawks acquire Chandler Parsons.
Grizzlies acquire Miles Plumlee and Solomon Hill.

July 7

Grizzlies acquire Josh Jackson, De’Anthony Melton, the Suns’ 2020 second-round pick, and the Suns’ 2021 second-round pick (protected 36-60).
Suns acquire Kyle Korver and Jevon Carter.

July 7

Grizzlies acquire Andre Iguodala, the Warriors’ 2024 first-round pick (top-four protected), and cash ($2MM).
Warriors acquire Julian Washburn (two-way).
Agreed upon on June 30.

July 7

Pistons acquire the draft rights to Jordan Bone (No. 57 pick).
Sixers acquire the Heat’s 2024 second-round pick (top-55 protected) and cash ($2MM).
Agreed upon on June 20.

July 7

Hawks acquire the draft rights to Bruno Fernando (No. 34 pick).
Sixers acquire the draft rights to Jordan Bone (No. 57 pick), the Hawks’ 2020 second-round pick (56-60 protected), and either the Hawks’, Hornets’, or Nets’ 2023 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable).
Agreed upon on June 20.

July 7

Hawks acquire Solomon Hill, the draft rights to De’Andre Hunter (No. 4 pick), the draft rights to Jordan Bone (No. 57 pick), and the Pelicans’ 2023 second-round pick (31-45 protected).
Pelicans acquire the draft rights to Jaxson Hayes (No. 8 pick), the draft rights to Nickeil Alexander-Walker (No. 17 pick), the draft rights to Marcos Louzada Silva (No. 35 pick), and the Cavaliers’ 2020 first-round pick (top-10 protected).
- Note: The Cavaliers’ protected 2020 first-rounder will become two second-round picks (2021 and 2022) if it’s not conveyed in 2020.
Agreed upon on June 20.

July 6

Grizzlies acquire the draft rights to Brandon Clarke (No. 21 pick).
Thunder acquire the draft rights to Darius Bazley (No. 23 pick) and the Grizzlies’ 2024 second-round pick.
Agreed upon on June 20.

July 6

Lakers acquire Anthony Davis.
Pelicans acquire Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, the draft rights to De’Andre Hunter (No. 4 pick), the Lakers’ 2021 first-round pick (8-30 protected; unprotected in 2022), the Lakers’ 2024 first-round pick (unprotected), the right to swap 2023 first-round picks with the Lakers, and cash ($1.1MM from Wizards; $1MM from Lakers).
- Note: The Pelicans will have the option to defer the 2024 first-round pick to 2025.
Wizards acquire Moritz Wagner, Isaac Bonga, Jemerrio Jones, and the Lakers’ 2022 second-round pick.
Agreed upon on June 15.

July 6

Celtics acquire Kemba Walker (sign-and-trade) and either the Nets’ or Knicks’ 2020 second-round pick (whichever is less favorable).
Hornets acquire Terry Rozier (sign-and-trade) and the Celtics’ 2020 second-round pick (top-53 protected).
Agreed upon on June 30.

July 6

Pacers acquire Malcolm Brogdon (sign-and-trade).
Bucks acquire the Pacers’ 2020 first-round pick (top-14 protected), the Pacers’ 2021 second-round pick, and the Pacers’ 2025 second-round pick.
- Note: The Pacers’ 2021 second-round pick will convey one year after the Pacers’ 2020 second-round pick (45-60 protected through 2022; unprotected in 2023) conveys.
Agreed upon on June 30.

July 6

Spurs acquire DeMarre Carroll (sign-and-trade).
Wizards acquire Davis Bertans.
Nets acquire the draft rights to Aaron White and the draft rights to Nemanja Dangubic.

July 6

Grizzlies acquire Dwight Howard.
Wizards acquire C.J. Miles.

July 6

Heat acquire Jimmy Butler (sign-and-trade), Meyers Leonard, and cash ($110K; from Clippers).
Sixers acquire Josh Richardson.
Clippers acquire Maurice Harkless, the Heat’s 2023 first-round pick (top-14 protected), and the draft rights to Mathias Lessort.
Trail Blazers acquire Hassan Whiteside.

July 6

Suns acquire Aron Baynes and the draft rights to Ty Jerome (No. 24 pick).
Celtics acquire the Bucks’ 2020 first-round pick (top-7 protected).
Agreed upon on June 20.

July 6

Timberwolves acquire the draft rights to Jarrett Culver (No. 6 pick).
Suns acquire Dario Saric and the draft rights to Cameron Johnson (No. 11 pick).
Agreed upon on June 20.

July 6

Jazz acquire Mike Conley.
Grizzlies acquire Jae Crowder, Kyle Korver, Grayson Allen, the draft rights to Darius Bazley (No. 23 pick), and the Jazz’s 2020 first-round pick (1-7 and 15-30 protected).
Agreed upon on June 19.

July 6

Hawks acquire Allen Crabbe, the draft rights to Nickeil Alexander-Walker (No. 17 pick), and the Nets’ 2020 first-round pick (top-14 protected).
Nets acquire Taurean Prince and the Hawks’ 2021 second-round pick.
Agreed upon on June 6.

July 6

Heat acquire the draft rights to KZ Okpala (No. 32 pick).
Pacers acquire T.J. Warren, the Heat’s 2022 second-round pick, the Heat’s 2025 second-round pick, and the Heat’s 2026 second-round pick.
Suns acquire cash ($1.1MM; from Pacers).
Agreed upon on June 20.

2018/19 League Year

June 26

Pistons acquire the draft rights to Deividas Sirvydis (No. 37 pick).
Mavericks acquire the draft rights to Isaiah Roby (No. 45 pick), the Jazz’s 2020 second-round pick, and the Trail Blazers’ 2021 second-round pick.

June 26

Cavaliers acquire the draft rights to Kevin Porter Jr. (No. 30 pick).
Pistons acquire 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).

June 24

Trail Blazers acquire Kent Bazemore.
Hawks acquire Evan Turner.

June 21

Wizards acquire Jonathon Simmons and the draft rights to Admiral Schofield (No. 42 pick).
Sixers acquire cash ($2MM).

June 21

Jazz acquire the draft rights to Miye Oni (No. 58 pick).
Warriors acquire cash ($2MM).

June 21

Knicks acquire the draft rights to Ignas Brazdeikis (No. 47 pick).
Kings acquire the draft rights to Kyle Guy (No. 55 pick) and cash ($1MM).

June 21

Jazz acquire the draft rights to Jarrell Brantley (No. 50 pick).
Pacers acquire the Jazz’s 2021 second-round pick and cash ($1MM).

June 21

Clippers acquire the draft rights to Mfiondu Kabengele (No. 27 pick).
Nets acquire the Sixers’ 2020 first-round pick (top-14 protected) and the draft rights to Jaylen Hands (No. 56 pick).

June 21

Sixers acquire the draft rights to Matisse Thybulle (No. 20 pick).
Celtics acquire the draft rights to Ty Jerome (No. 24 pick) and Carsen Edwards (No. 33 pick).

June 21

Nuggets acquire the draft rights to Bol Bol (No. 44 pick).
Heat acquire either the Nuggets’ or Sixers’ second-round pick (whichever is least favorable) and cash ($1.2MM).

June 20

Lakers acquire the draft rights to Talen Horton-Tucker (No. 46 pick).
Magic acquire the Lakers’ 2020 second-round pick and cash ($2,226,778).

June 20

Warriors acquire the draft rights to Alen Smailagic (No. 39 pick).
Pelicans acquire the Warriors’ 2021 second-round pick, the Warriors’ 2023 second-round pick, and cash ($1MM).

June 20

Pistons acquire Tony Snell and the draft rights to Kevin Porter Jr. (No. 30 pick).
Bucks acquire Jon Leuer.

June 20

Warriors acquire No. 41 pick in 2019 draft (used to select Eric Paschall).
Hawks acquire the Warriors’ 2024 second-round pick and cash ($1.3MM).

June 19

Heat acquire No. 44 pick in 2019 draft (used to select Bol Bol).
Hawks acquire Heat’s 2024 second-round pick (protected 31-50 and 56-60) and cash ($1.88MM).

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Hoops Rumors Originals

Five Key Offseason Questions: Boston Celtics

June 26th, 2019 at 8:14am CST by Luke Adams

No NBA team besides the defending-champion Warriors had higher expectations entering the 2018/19 season than the Celtics. After all, they’d come within one game of reaching the NBA Finals during the spring of 2018 without having Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward in their lineup. With those two stars back and LeBron James leaving the conference, what could go wrong?

As it turns out, a whole lot. The Celtics were disappointing and dysfunctional all season long, with Irving’s and Hayward’s returns resulting in an overcrowded rotation that led to chemistry issues. In an Eastern Conference that only really had three legit contenders, Boston earned the No. 4 seed and won a first-round series, but the team didn’t come close to winning the conference and may be headed for a major overhaul this offseason.

Here are five key questions facing the franchise this summer:

1. Are Kyrie Irving and Al Horford really goners?

Last fall, Irving announced to Celtics fans at a preseason event that he intended to re-sign with the team when he became eligible for free agency in 2019. Players always talk in platitudes about wanting to stick with their current teams, but Irving’s declaration seemed different — it was more definitive, and it was unprompted, rather than a response to a reporter’s question.

Still, that apparent commitment to the Celtics came nine months before Irving would hit the open market, and as we noted at the time, he was always free to change his mind depending on how the Celtics’ season went. Sure enough, halfway through a year in which he repeatedly – and publicly – expressed frustrations with his team and teammates, Irving changed course, telling reporters in February to ask him “on July 1” about his intentions for free agency.

Now, a return to Boston looks like an extreme long shot. The Celtics and their fans appear to be moving on from the Irving era, with several reports indicating that the Nets are the frontrunners for the star point guard. It looks like Kyrie is a goner.

The same is true of Horford, which is even more unexpected. The veteran big man had fit in well with the Celtics since signing a four-year, maximum-salary deal with the team in the summer of 2016. He had a player option for 2019/20, but always seemed pretty likely to either pick up that option or to turn it down to negotiate a new contract with the C’s.

Instead, he’ll decline it to reach the open market, and the Celtics are now preparing to lose Horford as well, as rumors swirl about the possibility of a four-year, $100MM+ offer waiting for him in free agency. It’s hard to blame the C’s for being reluctant to match such an offer for a 33-year-old, and it’s hard to blame Horford for leaving Boston for a shot at one last monster payday.

It doesn’t appear there’s any animosity between Horford and the Celtics. It simply comes down to a difference in opinion on his value. That difference in opinion will leave Boston with a big hole in its frontcourt.

2. How will the departures of Irving and Horford impact the Celtics’ cap outlook?

With Horford’s option and a maximum salary for Irving on their books, the Celtics would have been on the hook for nearly $63MM in additional guarantees. We would have been talking about them as a taxpaying team. Instead, they can realistically create the space necessary for a maximum-salary free agent.

The Celtics’ exact cap room will hinge on what they do with certain players. Do they want to bring back Marcus Morris? If so, retaining his Bird rights via his $10MM+ cap hold would make sense. How about Terry Rozier? He has a $9MM+ cap hold of his own. Guaranteeing Semi Ojeleye‘s non-guaranteed $1.6MM salary would also slight cut into the club’s flexibility.

If we assume Ojeleye returns along with the rest of the Celtics’ players on guaranteed contracts and the team renounces Morris while retaining Rozier, that would work out to about $25.8MM in cap room. Withdrawing Rozier’s qualifying offer and renouncing him too could get Boston up to about $34MM in room.

Losing Irving, Horford, Morris, Rozier, and Aron Baynes – who is being sent to Phoenix in a deal that was agreed to on draft night would decimate the Celtics’ rotation, but it could open up some interesting options in free agency — a player with between 7-9 years of NBA experience projects to have a maximum salary of $32.7MM (30% of the cap)

3. Will Terry Rozier be back?

In order to be a legit contender for a max free agent worth 30% of the cap, the Celtics would need to renounce Rozier. Based on his underwhelming 2018/19 numbers (9.0 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.9 APG, .387/.353/.785 shooting), that doesn’t look like a bad idea.

Still, Rozier never seemed comfortable in his role last season after having taken on more responsibilities during the 2018 postseason. In those playoffs, he started all 19 games for Boston, averaging 16.5 PPG, 5.7 APG, and 5.3 RPG in 36.6 minutes per contest and setting himself up for what looked like a big payday in the summer of 2019.

With Irving apparently headed elsewhere this offseason, the idea of re-signing Rozier looks more appealing. Rozier’s subpar ’18/19 performance might limit his appeal to other teams, reducing the odds of Boston having to match a big offer sheet. And if the C’s are willing to hand him the reins at point guard, his attitude and his numbers may be a whole lot better in 2019/20.

If I had to bet though, I’d expect the Celtics to move on from Rozier as well as Irving. President of basketball operations Danny Ainge recently spoke about wanting to field a roster full of players who are willing to play any role asked of them, so retaining a player like Rozier – who said after the season that he “might have to go” if the C’s wanted to bring him back in a similar role – is a risk. It could be just a matter of time until his discontent resurfaces.

4. How will the Celtics use their potential cap room?

After historically not being a top destination for elite free agents, the Celtics had success on the open market in 2016 and 2017, when they secured Horford and Hayward, two of the best players available in those offseasons.

They could try their luck in free agency again this summer, especially if Irving and Rozier both depart. That would open the door for the C’s to make a run at a top FA point guard like Kemba Walker, who has been linked to Boston, or even an RFA such as D’Angelo Russell or Malcolm Brogdon. All three players have strong catch-and-shoot numbers, which could make them nice fits in an offense that also includes other play-makers like Hayward and Jayson Tatum.

Spending all their cap room on a point guard would leave the Celtics short-handed up front though. With both Horford and Baynes apparently on the way out, Boston could look to use most or all of its cap room to address that hole instead, leaving point guard duties to Marcus Smart.

The Celtics have been mentioned as a possible suitor for Nikola Vucevic, though I’d be a little surprised if Ainge made the Magic center his big summer acquisition. On the trade market, Clint Capela and Steven Adams are among the centers whose teams have reportedly been trying to move them. Adams, in particular, could probably be had for a real discount at this point, as the cap-strapped Thunder looked to avoid another huge tax bill.

It’s not clear if any of those players really move the needle for the Celtics though, so it’ll be fascinating to see how Ainge makes use of his cap flexibility. With Boston not believed to be in the running for the summer’s truly elite free agents, the club will have to assess whether it makes sense to spread its money out among multiple targets or whether making a substantial investment in one player would help avoid overcrowding the rotation again.

5. Are the Celtics prepared to build around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown?

Assuming the Celtics don’t land a major impact player in free agency, their star power would take a hit. Between them, Irving and Horford have made 11 All-Star appearances. Of the remaining players on Boston’s roster, only Hayward has made an All-Star team, and it’s not clear if he’ll ever return to his pre-injury form.

In other words, resetting the Celtics’ roster could put a lot of pressure on two of the team’s young players: Tatum and Brown. Long mentioned as a possible centerpiece in an offer for Anthony Davis, Tatum looks like a safe bet to stay put now, and the C’s will be counting on him to take a leap forward in 2019/20 after an up-and-down sophomore year.

Tatum flashed All-Star potential during the 2018 playoffs, averaging 20.3 PPG on .509/.333/.836 shooting in the team’s final two rounds as a 20-year-old. Questionable decision-making and shot selection plagued him at times last season, but he’s still very young and very capable of establishing himself as a franchise cornerstone.

Brown may not have as high a ceiling as Tatum, but he has shown strong upside as a two-way player as well, and he’s still just 22. With more defined roles in 2019/20 – and without Irving around to lecture them in the media – Tatum and Brown could be breakout candidates. But it remains to be seen how confident the C’s are in counting on those sort of breakout performances from the two youngsters.

Check out the Boston Celtics’ offseason salary cap outlook right here.

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

NBA Dates, Deadlines To Watch This Week

June 24th, 2019 at 4:06pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2019 NBA draft is behind us, but the offseason fun is just beginning. With free agency right around the corner, here are the key NBA dates and deadlines to watch for this week:

NBA Awards Show

It has been about two months since we were seriously debating whether James Harden or Giannis Antetokounmpo deserved the 2018/19 MVP award. Now, with the postseason in the books and NBA fans focused on the offseason, the league is circling back to finally answer the Harden vs. Giannis questions and others in its curiously-timed awards broadcast.

The 2018/19 NBA awards show will air tonight (June 24) at 9:00pm eastern time on TNT.

To refresh your memory on who is in contention for tonight’s awards, here’s our story on this year’s nominees. We also made our own picks for MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and the rest of the NBA’s individual honors.

Qualifying Offers

Not every player eligible for restricted free agency this summer will actually become a restricted free agent. A team has to issue a qualifying offer to make a player restricted.

That qualifying offer serves as a one-year contract offer which a player can accept. It also gives his team the right of first refusal. So if (and when) the Mavericks tender a QO to Kristaps Porzingis, they’ll gain the ability to match any offer sheet he signs with another team.

So far, the Raptors are the only team to tender a qualifying offer, having done so for Patrick McCaw and Nando De Colo. But many other teams will follow suit this week. The last day to issue a qualifying offer is June 29.

Team and Player Options

Many of this year’s player option and team option decisions have already been officially made — or at least reported.

However, there are still several outstanding decisions to be made on option seasons, including the Nuggets‘ $30MM+ team option on Paul Millsap.

All player and team option decisions are due by June 29.

Certain Non-Guaranteed Contracts

Players with non-guaranteed salaries for 2019/20 won’t necessarily have those salaries become fully guaranteed until next January. But many players who have non-guaranteed ’19/20 salaries have guarantee dates that arrive much earlier than that — some will even happen within the next week.

J.R. Smith (Cavaliers) and Shaun Livingston (Warriors) are among the veteran players whose salaries for next season will become fully guaranteed if they remain under contract through June 30, per Basketball Insiders‘ data. Smith is expected to be waived or possibly traded, but it’s not clear what Golden State’s plans are for Livingston.

Free Agency

In past years, the NBA’s new league year and free agent period officially got underway on July 1 at 12:01am ET. That won’t be the case in 2019.

The NBA has adjusted the start of its free agent period, announcing last month that teams will be permitted to start negotiating with players as of 6:00pm ET on June 30. It’s safe to assume that contract agreements will start being reported early and often that evening.

The league will also now allow teams to begin communicating with players and/or their agents on 6:00pm ET on June 29 for the sole purpose of scheduling free agent meetings. Those meetings can’t take place until at least 24 hours later, when free agency officially opens, but it’ll be interesting to see if deals start leaking during that 24-hour window.

Be sure to check out our full lists of free agents by position/type and free agents by team.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Jarrett Allen Discusses Nets’ Season, Playoffs, Russell, More

June 24th, 2019 at 10:00am CST by JD Shaw

Nets center Jarrett Allen is coming off an impressive season with the team, one that saw him significantly improve on both ends of the floor, emphatically block the shots of superstars like LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, and help lead the franchise to the playoffs for the first time since 2015.

Allen, who was drafted by Brooklyn with the No. 22 pick back in 2017, averaged 10.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 26.2 minutes in 80 total games this year. He credits the Nets’ strong camaraderie and willingness to sacrifice as two major reasons for the late-season surge that helped the club claim the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. Based on most preseason projections and predictions in October, the Nets easily outperformed expectations.

“What was so special about this season was the team. Not just the team itself, but the people we had on it,” Allen told Hoops Rumors. “I mean, other than D’Angelo [Russell], we didn’t have any All-Star players. We all had to find our place and our role on the team, and everybody did it acceptingly.”

Allen discussed the Nets’ roller-coaster season, how the team made a sudden playoff surge, his offseason priorities, Russell’s upcoming restricted free agency, and much more in a wide-ranging conversation with Hoops Rumors.

What’s it like to play for fans of a true basketball city, a loyal, energetic and supportive fanbase like Brooklyn? They stuck with you guys through the good and bad all season long.

“It feels good. They’re always there to support you. Last year when we didn’t have the best season, everybody we saw at the arena or even out on the streets were just telling us, ‘You’ll get them next year, you’ll get them next year.’ They kept having that support all throughout and we ended up making the playoffs [this year] and gave back on that promise.”

So how did this team turn it around? You guys had eight straight losses in November and immediately followed it up with seven straight wins. What started the turnaround into a successful second half of the season?

“Well I think the turnaround started when [head coach] Kenny [Atkinson] and the vets all sat us down and told us basically that the season’s not over. We had a team meeting, a players-only meeting, just to go over that if we don’t start winning then the season’s going to be over. You know, the vets told us that it was still possible to turn it around. I think all of us just rallied behind what they were saying. We all just kept our heads up and put in the work that we needed to.”

So I’m willing to bet money that one of those guys who stepped up in the meeting was Jared Dudley. Am I correct?

“Yep, he was the one.”

How important was Jared for the team? A lot of fans look at the on-court product and base their final opinion on that, but what they don’t see is what happens behind the scenes and in the locker room.

“He’s just so important. He helped coach on the floor, basically like a player-coach. In the locker room he always brought us positive energy. He’s just a good guy to be around. But then just him showing the fight and telling us how basketball needs to be played, because he has a lot of experience, how basketball needs to be played to become a better team. It was easy to trust the vets, and we did it.”

How was playing in the postseason for you? I’d imagine a lot different from playing in the regular season, yeah?

“Oh, it’s a lot different. The amount of preparation that goes into every game, and then just being out on the court for the first time during the postseason, you can just feel the atmosphere was different between the players. It was just a new experience for me, just different.”

Do you think there’s a rivalry today between the Knicks and Nets, or at the very least could there be a rivalry going into next season?

“I think there’s a little bit of a rivalry. We’re an across-town team and everybody wants to be the best team in the city [of New York]. But, you know, it’s hard to be a rivalry because Brooklyn’s a new team. We don’t have a lot of history behind the Brooklyn name, so it’s hard to make a rivalry when we haven’t really showed anything.”

So, looking into free agency, obviously D’Angelo Russell is set to become a restricted free agent. Have you spoken with him about it, or do you plan on speaking with him about it?

“No, not really. I know he’s out doing his own thing right now. He has to figure out his own path right now, and I know him and his group are going to make the best decision for themselves.”

And obviously you want him back, considering how important of a piece he was to your puzzle this season?

“We would take him back in a heartbeat. He’s a leader. He led the team throughout everything that happened last year, with Spencer [Dinwiddie] and Caris [LeVert] going down to injury. He’s helped me tremendously grow as a player, so I would have him back in heartbeat.”

What do you know about Taurean Prince? Obviously the agreed-upon trade with Atlanta won’t become official until the first week of July — have you gotten the chance to meet or speak with him yet?

“No, I haven’t gotten the chance yet. I know him from his Baylor days. But I think he’ll fit right into the type of system Brooklyn’s making: grit, and just knowing our role and accepting it.”

Do you plan on having a recruiting role for your team this offseason, or do you prefer to sit back and just let the dominoes fall?

“I’m letting those dominoes fall — I’ll deal with it when it happens.”

What’s your ceiling as a player? In other words, where do you see yourself and your game in the next three to five years?

“Honestly — I have no idea. I know a lot of people say I have a high ceiling and the potential to be something great, and all I know is that I’m going out and giving my best effort every night.”

Do you have any primary goals for improving during the offseason? A lot of people have pushed for you to add more weight for next season, as you know.

“I would say that basically the whole world knows I need to put on some weight. You know, just dealing with big guys like that, it showed in the playoffs that I kind of struggled with the strength aspect. That’s obviously going to come with age, it’s just coming with working out, so I’m not too worried about it. Something I want to work on skill-wise is decision-making with the ball, and expanding my range to the three.”

Have you spoken with Kenny Atkinson about either of those two things?

“Oh yeah, he’s in the gym quite a bit. You know, walking around just checking on us. He said the exact same thing.”

In your mind, what truly allowed this team to prove so many people wrong this season?

“We knew we could do it. Like you said, at the beginning of the season there was a lot of doubt, people thinking we wouldn’t be in the playoffs. But coming into training camp, coming into practices we all practiced with the thought of the playoffs in our heads. So I think that was the one thing — speaking about the playoffs and playing for it.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Weekly Mailbag: 6/16/19 – 6/23/19

June 23rd, 2019 at 12:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com.

Do you think the super max-rule is turning out to be a bad rule? Players are getting so overpaid, but not deserving it like what’s happening now to John Wall and Chris Paul? — Greg Dizon

Formally known as the Designated Veteran Extension, the super-max is a good rule for the players, who will likely fight to keep it in the next collective bargaining agreement. It rewards loyalty and achievement, enabling players who have 7-9 years of experience with their original team to qualify for a contract at 35% of the cap, a privilege normally reserved for players with 10 or more years of service. Certain criteria such as MVP, Defensive Player of the Year or all-NBA appearances must also be met.

However, having a player eligible for a super-max can put a team in a bind, which is happening to the Hornets this summer with Kemba Walker, who is now eligible to earn about $221.3MM over five years instead of the standard max-level deal of $189.7MM. That’s a huge investment in one player, and as Wall showed in Washington, it can devastate a team if something goes wrong. Paul wasn’t eligible for a super-max because the Clippers traded him, but he still got a nice deal in Houston.

Can Golden State and Boston afford max-level players if Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and Al Horford leave? How do you think Ricky Rubio fits on the Lakers? — Bloody knuckle show, via Twitter

The Warriors won’t have cap room unless they lose both Durant and Klay Thompson, and it wouldn’t be nearly enough to offer a max deal. With Aron Baynes off the books now that he has been traded to Phoenix, the Celtics can create up to $34MM in space. That’s enough to compete for the top free agents, but they would need to renounce Terry Rozier and Marcus Morris to get there. Point guard seems to be the primary focus for the Lakers heading into free agency. Rubio might be cheaper than some other options, but he’s not a shooter, which is the mistake L.A. made last summer. They need to surround LeBron James and Anthony Davis with players who can space the floor.

Which contender is the best fit for Carmelo Anthony and why? — Leonard Carollo

It may be time to accept that there is no best fit for Anthony anymore. The Rockets seemed like a good spot for him last year because of the chance to play with two excellent passers in Paul, one of his best friends, and James Harden. However, he lasted just 10 games. Anthony was also disappointing in his season with the Thunder and put up good numbers on bad teams for much of his time with the Knicks. The Lakers may sign him because of his relationship with LeBron, but Anthony is probably past the point where he can help anyone.

Community Shootaround: 2020 All-Rookie Team

June 22nd, 2019 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

NBA general managers nailed the top of the draft last year, taking the entire All-Rookie first team off the board in five picks. Deandre Ayton, Marvin Bagley, Luka Doncic, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Trae Young were all highly regarded, but it’s rare that the first five selections are instantly the best five players.

This year’s draft is considered weaker, which makes it harder to predict. That only adds to the fun of speculating about who will wind up on the 2020 All-Rookie team.

There’s a lot left to happen this offseason, but there are a few things we know about this year’s draft class that we didn’t know a few days ago.

For example, we know the Anthony Davis era is over in New Orleans and the Zion Williamson era is about to begin. Unlike many top picks, Williamson will be surrounded by a strong supporting cast thanks to the generous return the Pelicans extracted from the Lakers. He won’t have to be dominant right away, but the spotlight will be on him and his natural talent should shine through. He’s the early favorite for Rookie of the Year.

Ja Morant should get the keys to the Memphis offense right from the start now that Mike Conley is on his way to Utah. It will take a while to reach Conley’s level, but Morant’s athleticism and highlight-reel dunks should make the Grizzlies a must-see team on League Pass.

R.J. Barrett may be considered a consolation prize in New York after the No. 1 pick slipped away, but his love for the city and his sweet shooting touch should win over Knicks fans. It’s easy to envision him topping all first-year players in scoring.

De’Andre Hunter is joining a Hawks organization that is amassing the brightest collection of young talent in the league. He and Cam Reddish could help Atlanta become the team of the future.

Darius Garland seems to duplicate a lot of the talents of Collin Sexton, the Cavaliers’ top pick last year, but the team is excited about the shooting threat he brings. Cleveland may not be ready to win, but Garland and Sexton will be a treat to watch in the open court.

Those are the top five picks, but are they all destined for the All-Rookie team? Are there better players taken later in the lottery or even later in the draft? We want to get your input on next season’s top rookies. Please leave your responses in the space below.

Hoops Rumors Originals: 6/15/19 – 6/22/19

June 22nd, 2019 at 12:49pm CST by clarkcrum

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

Arthur Hill and Chris Crouse made picks back-and-forth in this year’s 2019 NBA Mock Draft, correctly identifying the top 7 selections from the actual draft.
Our Five Key Offseason Questions series focused on the following teams this week:
We finished up our 2019 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest series with the NBA’s 2019 conference champions, the Golden State Warriors and NBA-champion Toronto Raptors.
Chris Crouse also hosted a live chat during the 2019 NBA Draft. Check out the transcript, here.
Our lone Community Shootaround discussion post this week addressed the draft, asking our readers to give us their initial assessments of the winners and losers from this year’s event.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Community Shootaround: NBA Draft Winners, Losers

June 21st, 2019 at 8:26am CST by Luke Adams

The concept of “winners” and “losers” in an NBA draft isn’t necessarily a flawed one, but naming those winners and losers within 24 hours of the draft’s completion is probably misguided. Three years ago, for example, how many fans or even draft experts would have called the Raptors a winner of the 2016 NBA draft for nabbing little-known forward Pascal Siakam with the 27th overall pick?

Still, the “winner” and “loser” tags are simple short-hand for assessing which teams’ drafts we like, at first glance, and which ones we don’t. With that in mind, we want to hear your thoughts on which teams you believe have a good night on Thursday and which ones you believe could have done better.

The Cavaliers are among the teams that received plenty of praise for their work on Thursday — they came out of the first round with three promising young rookies, having selected Darius Garland at No. 5, Dylan Windler at No. 26, and Kevin Porter Jr. at No. 30. Garland was long viewed as the probable fourth overall pick, and Porter was considered a candidate for the end of the lottery, so Cleveland got seemingly great value in the first round.

[RELATED: 2019 NBA Draft Results]

The Pelicans are among the other teams whose work was lauded, though it’s hard not to get high marks when you come away with Zion Williamson. Besides the No. 1 overall pick, New Orleans also came away with Jaxson Hayes at No. 8, Nickeil Alexander-Walker at No. 17, and Marcos Louzada Silva at No. 35. They also managed to shed Solomon Hill‘s contract in their trade with the Hawks.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Suns‘ moves generated some confusion. They had to give up the No. 32 pick to move T.J. Warren, whose three-year, $35MM contract didn’t look like an albatross. Then they traded down from No. 6 to acquire Dario Saric and used their newly-acquired No. 11 pick to select Cameron Johnson, a player most experts didn’t expect to go in the top 20.

What do you think? Which teams’ drafts did you like most, and which ones were you a little less bullish on? Head to the comment section below to weigh in!

Hoops Rumors’ 2019 NBA Draft Live Chat

June 20th, 2019 at 7:54pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The 2019 NBA Draft is here! In addition to our standard coverage of the NBA, we’ll be hosting a live chat to discuss all the player movement and selections from around the league.

Believe a team is drafting a prospect too high? Concerned that your favorite player has been overlooked? Feeling good about a trade (looking at you Pelicans fans) or upset with your team for making a move?

We’ve got you covered on everything going on around the NBA! We’re starting at 6:30 pm CT through the first round!

Join Hoops Rumors’ live 2019 NBA Draft chat

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