Hoops Rumors Originals

NBA 2019 Free Agency: Day 1 Recap

July 1st, 2019 at 2:57am CST by Luke Adams

One of the wildest days in NBA history – or at least in the history of NBA offseasons – has come to a close.

As expected, a number of free agents decided not to waste any time reaching contract agreements when the free agent period officially got underway on Sunday night (or even a little earlier). The result was an action-packed day that saw more than half of our top 50 free agents of 2019 come off the board.

These deals aren’t yet official, so the reported terms could change — or agreements could fall through altogether. Generally speaking though, teams and players are on track to finalize these contract agreements sometime after the July moratorium ends on Friday.

Here are today’s free agent agreements:

Klay Thompson, Warriors agree to five-year, maximum-salary contract ($189.9MM).
Tobias Harris, Sixers agree to five-year, $180MM contract.
Khris Middleton, Bucks agree to five-year, $178MM contract.
Kevin Durant, Nets agree to four-year contract worth slightly less than the max (sign-and-trade).
Kristaps Porzingis, Mavericks agree to five-year, maximum-salary contract ($158.3MM).
Jimmy Butler, Heat agree to four-year, maximum-salary contract ($140.8MM; sign-and-trade).
Kemba Walker, Celtics agree to four-year, maximum-salary contract ($140.8MM; sign-and-trade).
Kyrie Irving, Nets agree to four-year contract worth slightly less than the max.
D’Angelo Russell, Warriors agree to four-year, maximum-salary contract ($117.3MM; sign-and-trade)
Nikola Vucevic, Magic agree to four-year, $100MM contract.
Al Horford, Sixers agree to four-year, $97MM contract (plus incentives).
Harrison Barnes, Kings agree to four-year, $85MM contract.
Malcolm Brogdon, Pacers agree to four-year, $85MM contract (sign-and-trade).
Bojan Bogdanovic, Jazz agree to four-year, $73MM contract.
Julius Randle, Knicks agree to three-year, $63MM contract.
Terry Rozier, Hornets agree to three-year, $58MM contract (sign-and-trade).
Terrence Ross, Magic agree to four-year, $54MM contract.
Brook Lopez, Bucks agree to four-year, $52MM contract.
Ricky Rubio, Suns agree to three-year, $51MM contract.
Jonas Valanciunas, Grizzlies agree to three-year, $45MM contract.
Dewayne Dedmon, Kings agree to three-year, $41MM contract.
Thaddeus Young, Bulls agree to three-year, $41MM contract.
DeAndre Jordan, Nets agree to four-year, $40MM contract.
Patrick Beverley, Clippers agree to three-year, $40MM contract.
Cory Joseph, Kings agree to three-year, $37MM contract.
Rudy Gay, Spurs agree to two-year, $32MM contract.
Jeremy Lamb, Pacers agree to three-year, $31.5MM contract.
Bobby Portis, Knicks agree to two-year, $31MM contract.
Al-Farouq Aminu, Magic agree to three-year, $29MM contract.
George Hill, Bucks agree to three-year, $29MM contract.
J.J. Redick, Pelicans agree to two-year, $26.5MM contract.
Thomas Bryant, Wizards agree to three-year, $25MM contract.
Trevor Ariza, Kings agree to two-year, $25MM contract.
Reggie Bullock, Knicks agree to two-year, $21MM contract.
Taj Gibson, Knicks agree to two-year, $20MM contract.
Derrick Rose, Pistons agree to two-year, $15MM contract.
DeMarre Carroll, Spurs agree to two-year, $13MM contract.
Rodney Hood, Trail Blazers agree to two-year, $11.7MM contract.
Danuel House, Rockets agree to three-year, $11.1MM contract.
Mike Scott, Sixers agree to two-year, $9.8MM contract.
Ed Davis, Jazz agree to two-year, $9.8MM contract.
Robin Lopez, Bucks agree to two-year, $9.8MM contract.
Garrett Temple, Nets agree to two-year, $9.8MM contract.
Nicolo Melli, Pelicans agree to two-year, $4MM contract.
Mario Hezonja, Trail Blazers agree to two-year, minimum-salary contract.
Gerald Green, Rockets agree to one-year, minimum-salary contract.
Mike Muscala, Thunder agree to contract (terms unknown).

Here are the trades (or trade structures) tentatively agreed upon today:

Warriors, Nets to swap Kevin Durant, D’Angelo Russell in double sign-and-trade. Warriors would also receive Shabazz Napier, Treveon Graham.
Celtics, Hornets to swap Kemba Walker, Terry Rozier in double sign-and-trade.
Heat, Sixers to swap Jimmy Butler, Josh Richardson in sign-and-trade deal; third team still required.
Pacers to acquire Malcolm Brogdon in sign-and-trade from Bucks for draft picks.
Grizzlies to acquire Andre Iguodala, 2024 first-round pick from Warriors.
Pelicans nearing deal to acquire Derrick Favors from Jazz for draft pick(s).

Here are the contract extensions agreed upon today:

Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers agree to four-year, super-max extension (starts in 2021/22; projected value of $196MM).
Jamal Murray, Nuggets agree to five-year, maximum-salary extension (starts in 2020/21; projected value of $169.7MM).
Dwight Powell, Mavericks agree to three-year, $33MM extension (starts in 2020/21).

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Hoops Rumors’ 2019 NBA Free Agent Tracker

July 1st, 2019 at 2:49am CST by Luke Adams

With free agency officially underway and news of contract agreements breaking left and right, Hoops Rumors is here to help you keep track of which players are heading to which teams this July. To this end, we present our Free Agent Tracker, a feature we’ve had each year since our inception in 2012. Using our tracker, you can quickly look up deals, sorting by team, position, free agent type, and a handful of other variables.

A few notes on the tracker:

During the July moratorium (July 1-6), most of the information you’ll find in the tracker will reflect tentative agreements, rather than finalized deals. As signings become official, we’ll continue to update and modify the data as needed.
Similarly, contract years and dollars will be based on what’s been reported to date, so in many cases those amounts will be approximations rather than official figures. Salaries aren’t necessarily fully guaranteed either.
A restricted free agent who signs an offer sheet won’t be included in the tracker right away. We’ll wait to hear whether the player’s original team will match or pass on that offer sheet before we update our tracker in order to avoid confusion.
If you’re viewing the tracker on our mobile site, be sure to turn your phone sideways to see more details.

Our 2019 Free Agent Tracker can be found anytime on the right sidebar of our desktop site under “Hoops Rumors Features,” and it’s also under the “Tools” menu atop the site. On our mobile site, it can be found in our menu under “Free Agent Lists.”

The tracker will be updated throughout the offseason, so be sure to check back for the latest info. If you have any corrections, please let us know right here.

Our lists of free agents by position/type and by team break down the players who have yet to reach contract agreements.

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Hoops Rumors Originals

Top 50 NBA Free Agents Of 2019

June 30th, 2019 at 3:43pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s new league year is set to begin on Sunday night, and this year’s free agent period should be a fun one. Several big-market teams have enough cap room for one or more stars, and as cap expert Keith Smith notes (via Twitter), the 2019 free agent class projects to be the biggest in NBA history in terms of total players hitting the market.

Listed below are our top 50 free agents for the 2019/20 NBA season. The players on this list are on track to become free agents tonight, though they won’t be able to officially finalize new deals until July 6.

Our rankings take into account both a player’s short-term and long-term value. If we were to consider solely a player’s worth for the 2019/20 season, a veteran like J.J. Redick would likely place higher, while younger free agents with upside, such as Terry Rozier, might be ranked a little lower.

Our top-50 list is a tag-team effort, with Clark Crum’s rankings incorporated along with my own.

In addition to the players listed below, there are plenty of other notable free agents available this summer. You can check out our breakdowns of free agents by position/type and by team for the full picture.

Here are our top 50 free agents of 2019:

1. Kawhi Leonard, F, Raptors
In rampaging through the Magic, Sixers, Bucks, and Warriors en route to an NBA championship, Leonard made a strong case for the title of Best Player in the World. He’ll get as much money and as many years as league rules allow from any team he wants to join. Leonard’s suitors include the Raptors, Lakers, Clippers, and Knicks.

2. Kevin Durant, F, Warriors
Leonard’s prime competitor for that Best Player in the World title, Durant earns the second spot on this list despite being in the very early stages of the recovery process from a torn Achilles. Even though he’ll miss the entire 2019/20 season, he still has a chance to get the biggest free agent contract of the summer if he returns to the Warriors on a five-year, $221.6MM deal. He’s also expected to consider the Clippers, Nets, and Knicks, with his decision set to come tonight.

3. Kyrie Irving, G, Celtics
It was a tumultuous year in Boston, and there are questions about Irving’s attitude and locker-room influence, but it’s hard to deny his on-court production (23.8 PPG, 6.9 APG, .487/.401/.873 shooting). Irving is considered very likely to sign a four-year, maximum-salary deal with the Nets.

4. Jimmy Butler, G/F, Sixers
After taking a back seat to his star teammates at times in Philadelphia, Butler showed in the Eastern Semifinals against the Raptors why he’s considered a max-salary player in his own right. Butler was the Sixers’ most consistent player in those seven games, going toe-to-toe with Kawhi Leonard and helping push Toronto to the limit in the toughest series of their title run. The Rockets and Heat are both pursuing sign-and-trade possibilities with Butler.

5. Klay Thompson, G, Warriors
Like his teammate Durant, Thompson won’t be healthy to start the 2019/20 season after suffering a major leg injury in the NBA Finals. And as is the case with Durant, a major injury doesn’t really diminish Thompson’s value. Despite his torn ACL, he’s expected to reach a five-year, maximum-salary deal with the Warriors.

6. Kemba Walker, G, Hornets
Walker was eligible for a super-max deal worth $221MM+ from the Hornets, but Charlotte reportedly wasn’t willing to go that high. After eight years with the franchise, the three-time All-Star looks ready to walk, as he’s on track to sign a four-year, maximum-salary contract with the Celtics.

7. Khris Middleton, G/F, Bucks
Middleton earned his first All-Star nod in 2019 and has emerged as one of the league’s most effective two-way wings in recent years. Over the last two years, he has averaged 19.2 PPG while knocking down 36.9% of his threes and playing strong perimeter defense. A lucrative new five-year deal with the Bucks appears likely for Middleton.

8. Kristaps Porzingis, F/C, Mavericks (RFA)
Investing big money in Porzingis will be a risk. He hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since before the 2018 All-Star break due to his torn ACL, and a sexual assault allegation against him has yet to be resolved. However, the Mavericks reportedly believe in his talent – and his innocence – enough to offer him a five-year, maximum-salary deal.

9. Tobias Harris, F, Sixers
While Butler improved his stock in the Sixers’ final playoff series, Harris saw his take a bit of a hit, as he struggled to make the open shots he was given vs. Toronto. Still, the 76ers and other NBA teams know what Harris is capable of, and his skill set as a scoring combo forward is a coveted one. If he doesn’t get a maximum-salary offer, he’ll get something very close to it.

10. D’Angelo Russell, G, Nets (RFA)
After Caris LeVert went down with a foot injury, Russell seized control of the Nets’ offense and it led to a breakout performance, including his first All-Star berth. At age 23, he still has room to get better, and with Porzingis considered a lock to return to Dallas, D-Lo figures to be the most attractive restricted free agent left on the market. The Lakers and Timberwolves are among his suitors, with L.A. hoping the Nets renounce him and Minnesota perhaps hoping they don’t (in order to accommodate a sign-and-trade).

11. Nikola Vucevic, C, Magic
After years of toiling away in Orlando for a mediocre Magic team, Vucevic – and the Magic – took a major step forward in 2018/19. The veteran center put up 20.8 PPG and 12.0 RPG en route to an All-Star spot, and his Magic finally made it back to the postseason. The two sides appear set to continue their relationship, with rumors swirling about a four-year, $100MM agreement.

12. Al Horford, C, Celtics
I thought Horford might end up just picking up his $30MM option to stick with the Celtics. Instead, he’s hitting the open market and is reportedly in line for a four-year offer that could exceed $100MM in total value. We still don’t know which mystery team will land Horford – the Mavericks, Sixers, Kings, Pelicans, Clippers, and even the Celtics have been mentioned as possibilities – but the perennially underrated big man appears to be set for one last big payday.

13. Malcolm Brogdon, G, Bucks (RFA)
Brogdon’s foot issues may make potential suitors wary, but the potential of acquiring a guard who can post a 50/40/90 shooting line and play strong perimeter defense will probably outweigh those concerns. Brogdon’s tiny cap hold ($3MM) will give the Bucks flexibility to re-sign him, but they’re believed to have a walk-away number if he receives a huge offer sheet.

14. Harrison Barnes, F, Kings
After cashing in during the NBA’s infamous summer of 2016 with a four-year, maximum-salary deal, Barnes is poised to do so again in 2019. He has reportedly lined up a four-year contract with the Kings worth about $88-90MM. As surprising as those numbers may look, Barnes’ size, versatility, and outside shooting (39.5% on threes last season) make him a very valuable asset — and he’s still just 27 years old.

15. Bojan Bogdanovic, F, Pacers
Bogdanovic’s shooting is his calling card, but he’s not a bad defender either, and he showed after Victor Oladipo‘s quad injury last season that he’s even capable of carrying a team’s play-making load in a pinch. The Pacers will try to bring him back, but he’s drawing interest from the Jazz and it wouldn’t be surprising to see a couple other teams kick the tires.

16. DeMarcus Cousins, C, Warriors
After an Achilles injury, a quad injury, and an up-and-down regular season and postseason, it’s hard to get a read on Cousins’ value. He’s still very capable of filling the box score, and his passing makes him a tremendous offensive weapon even when his explosiveness isn’t there. But his combative personality, defensive inconsistencies, and injury history may scare some teams away.

17. Julius Randle, F/C, Pelicans
Like Cousins, Randle isn’t exactly considered an All-Defensive caliber player, but he continues to improve as a scorer, even adding a three-point shot to his game in 2018/19 (0.9 per game at a 34.4% rate) en route to 21.4 PPG. He’ll make an attractive target for teams with cap room that miss out on their No. 1 options.

18. Brook Lopez, C, Bucks
Lopez’s one-year, $3.38MM deal with Milwaukee was perhaps the biggest steal of 2018’s free agent period. He won’t come that cheap this time around. Having established himself as a legitimate three-point threat on offense and a capable rim protector on defense, Lopez will reportedly sign a four-year, $52MM deal to return to the Bucks.

19. Terrence Ross, G/F, Magic
Teams who are in search of a three-and-D swingman but can’t afford a maximum-salary player will likely have Ross at or near the top of their wish lists. The 28-year-old put up 15.1 PPG in just 26.5 minutes per game as Orlando’s sixth man in 2018/19, knocking down 38.3% of his attempts from beyond the arc while jacking up 7.0 per game.

20. Terry Rozier, G, Celtics (RFA)
Rozier never found his groove in 2018/19 as he returned to a bench role behind Kyrie Irving. However, his 2018 postseason performance (16.5 PPG, 5.7 APG, 5.3 RPG) continues to tantalize teams who view the 25-year-old as a long-term starter. The Knicks and Hornets have been linked to Rozier most frequently, though it would likely require a complicated sign-and-trade deal to get him to Charlotte.

21. Jonas Valanciunas, C, Grizzlies
Valanciunas was posting huge per-minute numbers in Toronto early in 2018/19, but played limited minutes behind Serge Ibaka. Once he was sent to Memphis in February’s Marc Gasol trade, Valanciunas took on a larger role and continued to produce, to the tune of 19.9 PPG, 10.7 RPG, and 1.6 BPG. He’s reportedly set to return to the Grizzlies on a three-year deal worth an estimated $45MM.

22. Marcus Morris, F, Celtics
As Markieff battled injuries last season, Marcus emerged as the Morris twin more likely to secure a big payday this summer. Nikola Mirotic‘s decision to head back to Spain may improve Morris’ market, since it took one of the offseason’s top stretch fours off the market.

23. Bobby Portis, F, Wizards (RFA)
Like Morris, Portis continues to improve his three-point shot and should enter the summer as one of the most intriguing stretch fours available. He has reportedly drawn interest from the Jazz, Knicks, Lakers, Clippers, Bucks, and Magic, and is said to be seeking upwards of $16MM per year. The Wizards are unlikely to match an offer sheet in that range.

24. Ricky Rubio, G, Jazz
Rubio’s inconsistent outside shot limits his overall value, but there are few point guards available this summer who better combine play-making, passing, and defense. The Spaniard is expected to commit to the Pacers once free agency officially begins.

25. Patrick Beverley, G, Clippers
I’ll be interested to see the final numbers on Rubio’s deal vs. Beverley’s. Beverley isn’t the play-maker or passer that Rubio is, but based on his defensive intensity and his reliable three-point shot (39.4% over the last four seasons), you could make a case that Beverley is a better fit for many teams. He’s reportedly seeking $40MM on a three-year contract, with the Lakers, Mavericks, Bulls, and Kings among the clubs with interest.

26. Kelly Oubre, F, Suns (RFA)
27. J.J. Redick, G, Sixers
28. Danny Green, G, Raptors
29. Jeremy Lamb, G, Hornets
30. Thaddeus Young, F, Pacers

Oubre thrived in 40 games in Phoenix, posting a career-best 16.9 as a Sun, and he’s only 23 years old. Even at age 35, Redick is a one-man floor stretcher whose shooting will make him a desirable target. Green isn’t as consistent a shooter, but he’s a better defender than Redick. Lamb emerged as the second-most reliable scorer in Charlotte last season with a career-high 15.3 PPG. As for Young, he’s one of the NBA’s most versatile defenders among power forwards.

31. Al-Farouq Aminu, F, Trail Blazers
32. Rodney Hood, G/F, Trail Blazers
33. Tomas Satoransky, G, Wizards (RFA)
34. Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kings (RFA)
35. Kevon Looney, F/C, Warriors

Aminu has been an overlooked part of the Blazers’ success in recent years, but he’s a strong rebounder and defender. Hood’s stint in Portland helped rebuild his value, as he proved he could be a capable rotation player for a conference finalist.

The markets for Satoransky and Cauley-Stein could go either way depending on whether there’s one team that really likes them. They’re both capable of starting. As for Looney, his numbers are unremarkable, but his ability to switch onto perimeter players on defense makes him an intriguing target for teams seeking frontcourt depth.

36. Rudy Gay, F, Spurs
37. Dewayne Dedmon, C, Hawks
38. DeAndre Jordan, C, Knicks
39. Trevor Ariza, F, Wizards
40. Enes Kanter, C, Trail Blazers

Gay’s three-point shot was better than ever in 2018/19 (40.2%), and if teams believe that success is sustainable, he’ll do very well on the open market. Of the three centers in this group, Dedmon is probably the most well-rounded, but Jordan should appeal to a team seeking rebounding and rim protection, while Kanter’s scoring and rebounding ability provides value. It will be interesting to see whether Ariza prioritizes contending teams this summer after spending last season with the Suns and Wizards.

41. Jabari Parker, F, Wizards
42. Tyus Jones, G, Timberwolves (RFA)
43. Thomas Bryant, C, Wizards (RFA)
44. JaMychal Green, F, Clippers
45. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, G, Lakers
46. Ivica Zubac, C, Clippers (RFA)
47. Seth Curry, G, Trail Blazers
48. Wayne Ellington, G, Pistons
49. Reggie Bullock, G, Lakers
50. Derrick Rose, G, Timberwolves

These players can all reliable NBA rotation players, but at this point in the list, we’re looking mostly at non-starters. Jones and Green are my favorite potential targets in this group. Jones, who averaged a career-high 4.8 APG last season, is highly regarded by advanced metrics, as ESPN’s Kevin Pelton recently noted. Green, who knocked down 40.3% of his three-pointers last season, is an underrated stretch four.

Here are 20 more free agents we considered:

Khem Birch, C, Magic (RFA)
James Ennis, F, Sixers
Frank Kaminsky, F, Hornets
George Hill, G, Bucks
Justin Holiday, G/F, Grizzlies
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, F, Nets
Danuel House, G/F, Rockets (RFA)
Cory Joseph, G, Pacers
Maxi Kleber, F, Mavericks (RFA)
Trey Lyles, F, Nuggets (RFA)
Wesley Matthews, G/F, Pacers
JaVale McGee, C, Lakers
Rodney McGruder, G, Clippers (RFA)
Emmanuel Mudiay, G, Knicks
Elfrid Payton, G, Pelicans
Mike Scott, F, Sixers
Ish Smith, G, Pistons
Garrett Temple, G/F, Clippers
Noah Vonleh, F, Knicks
Delon Wright, G, Grizzlies (RFA)

Note: Derrick Favors isn’t included on this list since it’s not clear yet whether the Jazz will waive him. He also wouldn’t necessarily be a lock to clear waivers.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Five Key Offseason Questions: Toronto Raptors

June 30th, 2019 at 12:05pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors‘ decision to part ways with Coach of the Year Dwane Casey and then to trade beloved star DeMar DeRozan generated some angst among the fanbase last summer. But the moves ultimately paid off in dividends for the long-snakebitten organization this spring.

A Raptors postseason run that featured an improbable Game 7 buzzer beater against the Sixers and a comeback from a 2-0 deficit against the Bucks culminated with a Finals win over the Warriors for Toronto’s first NBA championship. Now, with the hangover from that title celebration still wearing off, the club will have to figure out whether it can keep All-NBA forward Kawhi Leonard and make another run in 2019/20.

Here are five key questions facing the franchise this summer:

1. Will Kawhi Leonard re-sign?

With Kevin Durant expected to miss the 2019/20 season due to his torn Achilles, Leonard is unquestionably the top free agent on the market. And with just hours remaining until free agency officially begins, we still don’t really have a sense of what his plans are.

Did his championship run with the Raptors make him gain a new appreciation for Toronto or does he still want to play in his hometown of Los Angeles? Would teaming up with LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the Lakers appeal to him after he led a team to a championship as the unquestioned No. 1 option? Does he want to join forces with another top free agent like Durant or Jimmy Butler? Does he intend to sign a shorter-term deal or opt for long-term security?

All of these questions remain up in the air, which makes it impossible to get a good read on how likely a return to Toronto is. That puts the Raptors in a tough situation, especially if Leonard doesn’t intend to make a quick decision once free agency opens, since their outlook going forward hinges on whether they’ll have the Finals MVP for five years, two years, or one year — or not at all.

Fortunately for the Raptors, they’re not in a position where they’d have to remain in a holding pattern with other top free agents as they wait for Leonard’s decision. They don’t project to have cap room, so Kawhi’s decision may actually not impact their 2019 offseason roster moves in a huge way. Most of their key contributors remain under contract.

It’s possible Danny Green‘s free agency decision will be tied to Kawhi’s to some extent, and the Raptors may not be limited to just the taxpayer mid-level exception if Leonard heads elswhere Otherwise, I wouldn’t expect their short-term plans to change too drastically based on Kawhi’s decision.

2. Will Danny Green re-sign?

Of the eight players who saw the bulk of the minutes in the Raptors’ final two playoff series (Leonard, Kyle Lowry, Marc Gasol, Pascal Siakam, Green, Fred VanVleet, Serge Ibaka, and Norman Powell), only Leonard and Green are free agents.

Green has suggested he’d be interested in running it back with the same group – many of whom will be on expiring contracts – and trying to defend their title. But if Leonard takes a few days to make his decision in free agency, Green probably can’t wait around to see what he does. He’ll be one of the more coveted three-and-D wings on the open market and should draw plenty of interest from around the league.

With Green’s Bird rights in hand, the Raptors are in position to be one of the bidders that makes a strong play for him, and I think they’d be interested in re-signing him whether or not Leonard returns. Despite some up-and-down performances in the playoffs, Green was the team’s best three-point shooter during the regular season, and his ability to lock down perimeter players nearly earned him a spot on one of the NBA’s 2018/19 All-Defensive teams.

Green can reasonably expect to get mid-level offers and it may take a stronger bid than that to land him — I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go for $12MM+ annually. If the Raptors want to keep him, they’ll likely need to commit to a price in that range for multiple years.

So far, Toronto has kept its books relatively clean beyond 2020 (only Powell and OG Anunoby are under contract past next season for now), but the team shouldn’t be hesitant to offer Green a multiyear deal if it wants him back — at age 32, he should still have at least two or three more quality seasons left in him.

3. What’s the plan if Leonard and Green don’t return?

As noted above, many of the Raptors’ veterans will be on expiring contracts in 2019/20. Lowry, Gasol, Ibaka, and VanVleet are all on track for unrestricted free agency next summer. So it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility that the club could begin a retooling process if Leonard leaves, flipping some of those useful veterans on expiring deals for younger pieces or future assets.

I don’t expect that to happen though. Raptors management may feel as if it owes it to its players and fans to keep as much of its championship roster together as possible. And even if the team doesn’t feel that obligation, there’s a much more practical reason to keep the roster intact: It was a pretty good team even without Kawhi last season.

While Leonard managed his load and nursed minor injuries in 22 games over the course of the season, the Raptors posted a 17-5 record. Obviously, Toronto’s championship upside would take a hit without Leonard – and Green – but the club could potentially use its mid-level exception (and possibly its bi-annual exception) to add a starter and a rotation player via free agency. Throw in potential improvements from Anunoby and other young players and this is still a strong playoff team in the East. And if it struggles, midseason trades involving those expiring contracts are always a possibility.

If Leonard and Green walk, I’d expect the Raptors to aggressively pursue wing help on the free agent market. Wesley Matthews, James Ennis, Trevor Ariza, Garrett Temple, Reggie Bullock, Wayne Ellington, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and Rodney Hood are among the many players who could be decent fits.

4. Is Nando De Colo finally in the Raptors’ plans?

De Colo, a longtime EuroLeague standout, appeared in 21 games for the Raptors in 2013/14 after a brief stint with the Spurs, and hasn’t been back in the NBA since then. However, Toronto has made an annual bookkeeping move involving De Colo, issuing him qualifying offers that he has never accepted to ensure the team retains his NBA restricted free agent rights.

Those QOs may finally pay off this summer, as De Colo has parted ways with CSKA Moscow and will be seeking a return to the NBA. If the 32-year-old guard signs an offer sheet with any of the NBA’s 29 teams besides the Raptors, Toronto will have an opportunity to match it.

While De Colo may not be a fit on a roster that features Lowry and VanVleet at point guard, I wouldn’t necessarily expect the Raptors to just renounce their rights to the former second-round pick and move on.

Trading for De Colo was one of the first moves Ujiri made during his tenure as the Raps’ head of basketball operations, and there’s a reason the team never gave up its rights to De Colo over the last five years. I still have a hard time envisioning De Colo suiting up for the Raptors in 2019/20, but this is a situation worth watching.

De Colo is one of two Raptors restricted free agents. Patrick McCaw is the other. McCaw’s situation could be interesting as well, given how his restricted free agency with the Warriors played out last year — the two sides locked in a stalemate well into the regular season. Of the two, McCaw is probably the more likely one to suit up for Toronto next season, but I don’t have a good feel yet for how attached the team is to either player. If Leonard returns, it’s possible both will be renounced for tax-related reasons.

5. Will the Raptors extend Pascal Siakam?

Technically, Siakam is part of that group of Raptors who are entering the final year of their respective contracts and haven’t yet been locked up through next season. But there’s little doubt that the NBA’s Most Improved Player is part of the club’s long-term plans, even if it takes a maximum-salary deal – or something close to it – to keep him in town.

Siakam will become eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason, and if he’s willing to accept something of a team-friendly rate, I’d expect the Raptors to work hard to get something done. If not, it makes more sense for the front office to be patient and re-sign Siakam once he hits restricted free agency in 2020.

With so many contracts set to come off the books next year, the Raptors project to have a massive amount of cap room, which could give the team a ton of options in free agency or on the trade market. A lucrative new extension for Siakam would cut into the team’s flexibility by upwards of $20MM. If Toronto lets the young forward become a restricted free agent, the club could keep his very modest $7MM cap hold on the books for the first part of 2020’s free agent period, then go over the cap to re-sign him once it has used up the rest of its cap room.

It’s hard to envision a scenario in which Siakam isn’t a Raptor for the next several years, so if he doesn’t sign an extension this offseason, it can probably be chalked up to cap-related technicalities rather than a lack of interest in a long-term deal.

Check out the Toronto Raptors’ 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 Qualifying Offer Recap

June 30th, 2019 at 10:44am CST by Luke Adams

Players eligible for restricted free agency don’t become restricted free agents by default. In order for a team to make a player a restricted free agent, it must extend a qualifying offer to him by June 29. The qualifying offer, which is essentially just a one-year contract offer, varies in amount depending on a player’s previous contract status.

A qualifying offer is designed to give a player’s current team the right of first refusal. Because the qualifying offer acts as the first formal contract offer a free agent receives, his team then has the option to match any offer sheet the player signs with another club. If a player doesn’t receive a qualifying offer, he becomes an unrestricted free agent and is free to sign with any team — his previous club is given no formal opportunity to match.

You can read more about qualifying offers here.

Listed below are all the players believed to be eligible to receive qualifying offers this season, with details on which players did and didn’t get them. Our list is based on information from RealGM’s official NBA transactions log, along with various reports leading up to Saturday’s deadline.

It’s possible that one or two qualifying offers slipped through the cracks and will be reported later today before free agency officially gets underway — if so, we’ll update this list. For now though, this is what the qualifying offer landscape looks like. The players who received QOs will be restricted free agents, while the players who didn’t will be unrestricted.

Received qualifying offers:

Players on standard contracts:

D’Angelo Russell, Nets ($9,160,706)
Willie Cauley-Stein, Kings ($6,265,631)
Kelly Oubre, Suns ($4,915,726)
Trey Lyles, Nuggets ($4,485,665)
Kristaps Porzingis, Mavericks ($4,485,665)
Terry Rozier, Celtics ($4,285,798)
Tomas Satoransky, Wizards ($3,911,484)
Delon Wright, Grizzlies ($3,635,375)
Bobby Portis, Wizards ($3,611,813)
Tyus Jones, Timberwolves ($3,573,205)
Malcolm Brogdon, Bucks ($3,021,354)
Thomas Bryant, Wizards ($3,021,354)
Rodney McGruder, Clippers ($3,021,354)
Quinn Cook, Warriors ($1,931,189)
Dorian Finney-Smith, Mavericks ($1,931,189)
Jake Layman, Trail Blazers ($1,931,189)
Ivica Zubac, Clippers ($1,931,189)
Danuel House, Rockets ($1,878,854)
Patrick McCaw, Raptors ($1,878,854)
Nando De Colo, Raptors ($1,828,750)
Ryan Arcidiacono, Bulls ($1,820,564)
Jordan Bell, Warriors ($1,820,564)
Khem Birch, Magic ($1,820,564)
Maxi Kleber, Mavericks ($1,820,564)
Edmond Sumner, Pacers ($1,820,564)
Daniel Theis, Celtics ($1,820,564)
Theo Pinson, Nets ($1,645,697)

Players on two-way contracts:

Note: Qualifying offers for two-way players are one-year, two-way contracts with a $50K guarantee unless otherwise indicated.

Alex Caruso, Lakers ($1,620,564)
- Note: Because he has spent two years on a two-way contract with the Lakers, Caruso’s qualifying offer is a one-year, minimum-salary contract with at least his two-way salary guaranteed.
Johnathan Williams, Lakers
Amile Jefferson, Magic
Brandon Goodwin, Nuggets
Damion Lee, Warriors

Did not receive qualifying offers:

Players on standard contracts:

David Nwaba, Cavaliers
Wayne Selden, Bulls
Jonathan Gibson, Celtics
Brad Wanamaker, Celtics
Tyler Dorsey, Grizzlies
Justin Anderson, Hawks
Isaac Humphries, Hawks
Frank Kaminsky, Hornets
Henry Ellenson, Knicks
Billy Garrett, Knicks
Luke Kornet, Knicks
Emmanuel Mudiay, Knicks
Jerian Grant, Magic
Jarell Martin, Magic
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Nets
Cheick Diallo, Pelicans
Stanley Johnson, Pelicans
Ray Spalding, Suns
Mitch Creek, Timberwolves
Sam Dekker, Wizards
Chasson Randle, Wizards

Players on two-way contracts:

Note: Several players on two-way contracts reportedly signed two-year deals, making them ineligible for free agency this summer. They remain under contract. Additionally, some of the players listed below may have not spent enough time on an NBA active roster to be eligible for a qualifying offer.

Rawle Alkins, Bulls
Brandon Sampson, Bulls
Deng Adel, Cavaliers
Jaron Blossomgame, Cavaliers
Angel Delgado, Clippers
PJ Dozier, Celtics
R.J. Hunter, Celtics
Johnathan Motley, Clippers
Alex Poythress, Hawks
Joe Chealey, Hornets
J.P. Macura, Hornets
Tyler Cavanaugh, Jazz
Naz Mitrou-Long, Jazz
Troy Williams, Kings
Isaiah Hicks, Knicks
Alan Williams, Nets
Davon Reed, Pacers
Kalin Lucas, Pistons
Isaiah Whitehead, Pistons
Trevon Duval, Rockets
Vince Edwards, Rockets
Ben Moore, Spurs
Jawun Evans, Thunder
Jared Terrell, Timberwolves
C.J. Williams, Timberwolves
Marcus Derrickson, Warriors

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

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Five Key Offseason Questions: Golden State Warriors

June 30th, 2019 at 9:08am CST by Luke Adams

After a fortunate run of good health during the previous four seasons, the Warriors suffered back-to-back devastating injuries during their fifth consecutive NBA Finals appearance, as Kevin Durant ruptured his Achilles in Game 5 vs. Toronto and Klay Thompson tore his ACL in Game 6.

The injuries raise questions about the Warriors’ ceiling for the 2019/20 season, but with a move to San Francisco on tap and a healthy Stephen Curry and Draymond Green still leading the way, one thing is clear: Golden State’s management has no intentions of taking a step back and retooling its roster.

Here are five key questions facing the franchise this summer:

1. Will Kevin Durant re-sign with the Warriors?

Klay Thompson was never viewed as a serious threat to sign with any team besides the Warriors, and a Saturday report indicated that he’s planning to agree to terms with Golden State on a five-year, maximum-salary offer shortly after free agency begins. That leaves Durant as the Warriors’ primary concern.

Durant will also be eligible for that five-year max. In fact, because of his additional years of NBA experience, a five-year deal for KD would be worth about $31MM more than it Thompson’s own five-year deal — Durant’s maximum salary is worth over $221MM, while Klay’s falls just shy of $190MM.

Although he has opted for shorter-term contracts since arriving in the Bay Area, the time is right for Durant to shift his focus to long-term security. Because the Warriors now have his full Bird rights, he’s eligible for the first time to sign a five-year contract with the club — and that should look more appealing than ever after the injury he suffered in the Finals.

With no assurances that he’ll ever get back to being the same player he was before tearing his Achilles, Durant can’t count on a future contract to make up the $57MM he’d forfeit by signing a four-year, $164MM deal with another team.

Still, we don’t know exactly what Durant’s thinking heading into free agency. Is that extra year (and that $57MM) a significant factor for him? Is he upset at all about the way the Warriors handled his calf injury in the postseason? Did suffering that Achilles injury in Game 5 after pushing to make it back to the court bring him closer to his Warriors teammates?

I think a reunion with the Warriors is still a possibility, though I’m not sure it’s the most likely scenario at this point. We’ll find it in a matter of days what Durant is thinking.

2. What will the Warriors do next if they get a commitment from Durant?

With Thompson and Durant back in the fold, the Warriors’ team salary would balloon way into luxury-tax territory, limiting the team’s ability to make additional moves. However, it would become even more imperative that the Dubs add extra depth in that scenario, since it’s unreasonable for them to expect to get anything out of Thompson and KD in year one (Thompson may be able to return late in the season, but Durant likely won’t).

In that scenario, Andre Iguodala, Jacob Evans, Damian Jones, Alfonzo McKinnie, Jordan Poole, and perhaps Alen Smailagic and Eric Paschall would likely join Thompson, Durant, Curry, and Green, but the Warriors would have a hard time bringing back other key veterans.

Kevon Looney, especially, could get be in line for a big payday, and he’ll be an unrestricted free agent, meaning the Warriors won’t necessarily get the opportunity to match a big offer from a rival suitor even if they want to.

DeMarcus Cousins will also be unrestricted, and the Warriors won’t be able to offer him more than about $6.4MM, so he’ll likely be gone unless he’s willing to accept a team-friendly deal for a second consecutive year.

Shaun Livingston is under contract, but probably isn’t worth $7.7MM. The Warriors may opt to waive him and eat his $2MM partial guarantee, replacing him with a minimum-salary player.

Quinn Cook will be a restricted free agent, but his outside shooting stroke could make him a popular target for teams looking to fortify their backcourts and deplete the Warriors’ depth in one fell swoop.

Jordan Bell will also be a restricted free agent and may be easier to retain, since I’m not sure he’ll draw as much as interest as Cook. Still, if his cost exceeds his $1.82MM qualifying offer, Golden State will have to decide whether it’s worth it to retain him over a minimum-salary player.

3. Just how much are the Warriors willing to pay for this roster?

Even without bringing back any of their own free agents besides Thompson and Durant, the Warriors may end up with the most expensive roster in NBA history. Thompson, Durant, Curry, Green, Iguodala, Evans, Jones, McKinnie, Poole, and Livingston’s guarantee would cost nearly $157MM before accounting for tax penalties, and that’s only two-thirds of a full roster.

The Warriors have surpassed the Knicks and Lakers as the league’s highest-earning franchise over the last two years, according to Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com, and the move across the Bay should only improve the club’s financial standing. Team owner Joe Lacob has also said ownership is willing to spend whatever it takes to ensure that the Warriors remain a perennial title contender.

That’s clearly true when it comes to stars like Thompson and Durant, but what about the role players? If Looney gets an offer worth $10-12MM per year, would Golden State be ready to meet that price? If management determines that the team won’t be able to find an adequate replacement for Livingston at the minimum, would ownership be prepared to guarantee his $7.7MM salary?

A willingness to spend doesn’t necessarily mean a willingness to commit to unfavorable deals. But if the Warriors let those players go, they’ll have to find another way to add quality depth, which – as noted above – will be more important than ever this year, with Thompson sidelined and Durant out too (via injury or free agency).

The taxpayer mid-level exception (worth $5.72MM, plus exponentially more in tax penalties) and minimum-salary deals are options. The team could also potentially get a disabled player exception worth $9.26MM if Durant is deemed likely to be sidelined through next June 15. That could be used to sign or trade for a player on a one-year deal.

The Warriors’ decisions on their role players may come down to how confident they are in acquiring capable replacements on minimum-salary deals — if they don’t want to rely on bargain-basement additions, ownership’s stated willingness to spend will be put to the test.

4. What will the Warriors do if Durant leaves?

Without a $38MM+ cap hit for Durant on their 2019/20 books, the Warriors’ options don’t actually look much different. They’d still be on track to surpass the tax line, meaning they wouldn’t have the full mid-level exception available, and they’d still be limited in what they could offer a free agent like Cousins.

Still, it could make a difference that the team wouldn’t be starting the offseason $30MM+ over the tax line, where every dollar spent would cost an additional $5.75 in tax penalties. Aggressively matching offers for contributors like Looney and Cook, while also using the full taxpayer mid-level, would be much easier to stomach without a massive KD cap charge on the books.

Again, the Warriors have said they’re willing to spend whatever it takes to make this roster a contender, but with Durant on the cap, the cost of spending big on stars and role players starts to get a little crazy. Bobby Marks broke down the numbers over at ESPN.com, calculating that the difference between the cost of a roster with Durant (projected at $176.2MM in team salary) and without him ($139.7MM) would be more than $180MM in tax penalties for 2019/20 alone.

Common sense suggests that if Durant departs, the Warriors’ chances of retaining Looney, Cook, and others increase, while the odds of the team trying to make a modest splash in free agency using the taxpayer MLE and/or a disabled player exception also grow.

5. Is there a way for the Warriors to acquire another star if Durant leaves?

Based on the hypothesis that the Warriors will spend big on star players but may be reluctant to do so for role players, it’s reasonable to wonder if there a way for the Warriors to acquire a fourth star besides Durant to complement Curry, Green, and Thompson.

On the surface, it seems unlikely. The Warriors won’t have cap room and pulling off a sign-and-trade would be tricky, given their proximity to the tax apron. It’s also probably unreasonable to count on a former All-NBA player like Cousins falling into their lap for a second consecutive summer.

But there is one potential path to an impact acquisition for the Warriors if Durant leaves — sending him to his new team via sign-and-trade. Doing so would create the mother of all trade exceptions for Golden State, worth $30MM. That trade exception would be big enough to acquire nearly any player in the league without sending out any salary in return.

A sign-and-trade would be of no benefit to Durant, who would be eligible for the same max contract (in terms of both years and dollars) whether he signs outright with his new team or goes there via sign-and-trade. And the rest of his suitors – the Clippers, Knicks, and Nets – all have the room to sign him outright, or at least a clear path to open up that room, meaning it wouldn’t be of any real benefit to them either.

As such, the Warriors would have to sweeten the deal. If the Knicks, for instance, were offered the opportunity to acquire Durant and receive a draft pick or two from Golden State, they’d have to consider it. And for the Warriors, surrendering a first-round pick just to create a trade exception might be worth it — they haven’t exactly struck gold frequently with their late first-rounders in recent years.

Durant’s new team might not cooperate. And even then, there’s no guarantee that the Warriors would be able to trade for an impact player with the trade exception they generate. But it’s the sort of creative roster maneuver that the club figures to thoroughly explore as it enters what promises to be an unusual offseason.

Check out the Golden State Warriors’ 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 Minimum Salaries For 2019/20

June 29th, 2019 at 9:15pm CST by Luke Adams

While some NBA teams will head into free agency with more than enough cap room to add a maximum-salary player, other clubs will be totally capped out. However, each of the NBA’s 30 franchises will be on common ground in one respect: No team will be ineligible to sign a player to a minimum salary contract.

Teams with cap room available will have a little more flexibility to sign players to longer-term minimum salary contracts, but over-the-cap clubs will still be able to use the minimum salary exception to add as many players as roster limits allow, for contracts of up to two years. Unlike other exceptions, such as the mid-level or the bi-annual, the minimum salary exception can be used multiple times.

Undrafted free agents and late second-round picks are often recipients of minimum salary contracts, but there are plenty of veterans who end up settling for the minimum too. Of course, because a player’s minimum salary is determined by how much NBA experience he has, many veterans will earn more than twice as much money as a rookie will in 2019/20 on a minimum salary contract.

Listed below are 2019/20’s minimum salary figures, sorted by years of NBA experience. If a player spent any time on an NBA club’s active regular season roster in a given season, he earned one year of experience. So any player with zero years of experience has not yet made his NBA debut.

Here’s the full breakdown:

Years of Experience	Salary
0	$898,310
1	$1,445,697
2	$1,620,564
3	$1,678,854
4	$1,737,145
5	$1,882,867
6	$2,028,594
7	$2,174,318
8	$2,320,044
9	$2,331,593
10+	$2,564,753

Because the NBA doesn’t want teams to avoid signing veteran players in favor of cheaper, younger players, the league reimburses clubs who sign veterans with three or more years of experience to one-year, minimum salary contracts. Those deals will only count against the cap – and against a team’s bank balance – for $1,620,564, the minimum salary for a player with two years of experience.

For instance, if Tyson Chandler – who has 18 years of NBA experience – signs a one-year, minimum salary contract with a new team, that team would only be charged $1,620,564 for Chandler’s contract. He’d earn $2,564,753, but the NBA would make up the difference. This only applies to one-year contracts, rather than multiyear deals.

If a player signs a minimum salary contract after the regular season begins, he’ll earn a pro-rated portion of the amount listed above.

NBA Maximum Salaries For 2019/20

June 29th, 2019 at 8:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Now that the NBA has set its salary cap for the 2019/20 league year at $109,140,000, we have a clear idea of what maximum-salary contracts will look like for the coming season.

While these numbers can probably soon be applied to contracts for free agents like Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker, and others, they’re also relevant for players who signed maximum-salary extensions that will go into effect in ’19/20, such as Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker, John Wall, and James Harden.

Listed below are the maximum-salary contracts for players signing contracts that start in 2019/20. The first chart shows the maximum salaries for a player re-signing with his own team — a player’s previous team can offer five years instead of four, and 8% annual raises instead of 5% raises. The second chart shows the maximum salaries for a player signing with a new team.

A player’s maximum salary is generally determined by his years of NBA experience, so there’s a wide gap between potential earnings for younger and older players. In the charts below, the “6 years or less” column details the maximum contracts for players like Booker and Towns; the “7-9 years” column applies to free agents like Leonard and Irving; and the “10+ years” column applies to vets like Durant or super-max players like Wall and Harden.

Here are the maximum salary figures for 2019/20:

A player re-signing with his own team (8% annual raises, up to five years):

Year	6 years or less	7-9 years	10+ years
2019/20	$27,285,000	$32,742,000	$38,199,000
2020/21	$29,467,800	$35,361,360	$41,254,920
2021/22	$31,650,600	$37,980,720	$44,310,840
2022/23	$33,833,400	$40,600,080	$47,366,760
2023/24	$36,016,200	$43,219,440	$50,422,680
Total	$158,253,000	$189,903,600	$221,554,200

A player signing with a new team (5% annual raises, up to four years):

Year	6 years or less	7-9 years	10+ years
2019/20	$27,285,000	$32,742,000	$38,199,000
2020/21	$28,649,250	$34,379,100	$40,108,950
2021/22	$30,013,500	$36,016,200	$42,018,900
2022/23	$31,377,750	$37,653,300	$43,928,850
Total	$117,325,500	$140,790,600	$164,255,700

Values Of 2019/20 Mid-Level, Bi-Annual Exceptions

June 29th, 2019 at 8:43pm CST by Luke Adams

The salary cap for the 2019/20 NBA league year has officially been set, with the league announcing that the cap will be $109,140,000.

Under the league’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement, the values of the mid-level, room, and bi-annual exceptions are tied to the percentage that the salary cap increases in a given year. The cap figure for 2019/20 represents approximately a 7.1% increase over last season’s $101,869,000, so other exceptions will increase by the same amount, rounded to the nearest thousand.

Listed below are the maximum annual and total values of each of these exceptions, along with a brief explanation of how they work and which teams will have access to them.

Mid-Level Exception (Non-Taxpayer):

Year	Salary
2019/20	$9,258,000
2020/21	$9,720,900
2021/22	$10,183,800
2022/23	$10,646,700
Total	$39,809,400

The non-taxpayer mid-level exception is the primary tool available for over-the-cap teams to add free agents. As long as a team hasn’t dipped below the cap to use cap space and doesn’t go over the tax apron ($138,928,000) at all, it can use this MLE, which runs for up to four years with 5% annual raises.

Mid-Level Exception (Taxpayer):

Year	Salary
2019/20	$5,718,000
2020/21	$6,003,900
2021/22	$6,289,800
Total	$18,011,700

If an over-the-cap team currently projects to be a taxpayer, or expects to move into tax territory later in the 2019/20 season, it will have access to this smaller mid-level exception for taxpaying teams. If a team uses more than $5,718,000 of its mid-level exception, it is forbidden from surpassing the tax apron at any time during the league year. So even if a team isn’t above the apron when it uses its MLE, it might make sense to play it safe by avoiding using the full MLE and imposing a hard cap.

The taxpayer MLE can be used to sign a player for up to three years, with 5% annual raises.

Room Exception:

Year	Salary
2019/20	$4,767,000
2020/21	$5,005,350
Total	$9,772,350

Although this is also a mid-level exception of sorts, it’s colloquially known as the “room” exception, since it’s only available to teams that have used cap room. If a club goes under the cap, it loses its full mid-level exception, but gets this smaller room exception, which allows the team to go over the cap to sign a player, once the team has used up all its cap space. It can be used to sign players for up to two years, with a 5% raise for the second season.

Bi-Annual Exception:

Year	Salary
2019/20	$3,623,000
2020/21	$3,804,150
Total	$7,427,150

The bi-annual exception, as its name suggests, is only available to teams once every two years. Of the NBA’s 30 clubs, only three – the Bucks, Pelicans, Knicks, and Spurs – used it in 2018/19, so they won’t have access to it in 2019/20. The league’s other 26 teams could theoretically use it this season.

Still, even if a team didn’t use its BAE in ’18/19, that club doesn’t necessarily have access to it for the coming year. As is the case with the non-taxpayer MLE, this exception disappears once a team goes under the cap. It’s also not available to teams over the tax apron — using the BAE creates a hard cap at the apron.

The BAE can be used to sign players for up to two years, with a 5% raise after year one.

Note: Be sure to check out our Hoops Rumors Glossary installments for more information on the mid-level exception and the bi-annual exception.

Five Key Offseason Questions: Portland Trail Blazers

June 29th, 2019 at 9:51am CST by Luke Adams

After suffering an embarrassing first-round sweep at the hands of the Pelicans in 2018, the Trail Blazers weren’t even considered a lock to make the postseason in 2019. During the preseason, oddsmakers pegged Portland’s over/under at 42.5 wins, ninth in the Western Conference.

The Blazers easily exceeded that total, finishing with a 53-29 mark and claiming the No. 3 seed in the West. Although their season ended once again with a four-game sweep, it happened in the Conference Finals this time around, after they’d eliminated the Thunder with a memorable Damian Lillard buzzer beater and knocked off the Nuggets in a Game 7 in Denver. Portland will enter the 2019/20 season looking to build on that playoff success.

Here are five key questions facing the franchise this summer:

1. How close are the Trail Blazers to legit title contention?

The Trail Blazers didn’t win a single game against the Warriors in the Western Finals, but they built double-digit leads in each of the last three contests and led for most of those games. Now that Golden State will be without Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson for most or all of next season, do the Blazers have an opening to win the West?

Well, yes and no. Portland’s path to the Western Finals was a favorable one, as the team avoided what would have difficult matchups against the Rockets or Jazz. If the bracket had looked a little different, it’s entirely possible that the Blazers could have been eliminated a round or two earlier.

But the West should be more wide open in 2019/20 than it has been in years, so there’s reason for the Blazers to believe they’re just one or two moves away from breaking through. The Raptors, who could have been considered the Blazers of the East in recent years, are a good reference point for Portland — Toronto suffered several postseason disappointments and repeatedly fell short of the NBA Finals before winning a championship in 2019. Maybe the Blazers could follow suit.

Unlike the Raptors, who had to break up their All-Star backcourt to take that next step, I don’t expect the Blazers to seriously consider moving Lillard or CJ McCollum. Instead, it makes more sense for Portland to try to acquire a third impact player using their growing collection of assets. Kevin Love has been a frequent subject of speculation as that impact player, though I expect the Blazers to aim even higher.

There aren’t likely to be teams pushing hard to pry Love from the Cavaliers this summer, and the Blazers could afford to wait until the 2020 trade deadline to try to make a splash if they don’t find a deal they like this offseason, so Love is an option that could be circled back to down the road.

2. What resources do the Blazers have at their disposal to make upgrades?

With nearly $129MM in guaranteed money already on their books for the 2019/20 season, the Trail Blazers will have no cap room. Given their proximity to the projected tax line ($132MM), they probably won’t even be able to comfortably use the full mid-level exception or the bi-annual exception (using either would create a hard cap), meaning the taxpayer’s mid-level exception will be their only real weapon on the free agent market.

There are enough quality free agents hitting the market that Portland could realistically expect to add a solid rotation player using that exception, but it’s not nearly enough to add an impact starter.

If they want to land a player who fits that bill, the Blazers would need to make a trade. And with many of their questionable contract investments from the summer of 2016 set to expire soon, the Blazers could actually put together a pretty intriguing package.

Maurice Harkless ($11.5MM) and Meyers Leonard ($11.3MM) will be on expiring deals that could be used for salary-matching purposes. In Zach Collins, Anfernee Simons, Nassir Little, and – to a lesser extent – Gary Trent and Skal Labissiere, Portland has a group of young prospects that could appeal to trade partners. And the Blazers also hold all their own first-round picks.

Of course, the Blazers are pretty set in the backcourt, and outside of Love, there aren’t currently many impact frontcourt players out there who look like they’d be eminently available via trade. So while we could speculate about possible targets (how about a LaMarcus Aldridge reunion?), we don’t have a clear idea of who the team might pursue.

In many ways, it might make more sense for Portland to be patient and wait until the winter to push its chips all-in. By that point, all of this year’s free agents will once again be trade-eligible, and another disgruntled star or two may have emerged.

3. Will the Blazers be able to re-sign any of their own key free agents?

The Blazers won’t have the resources to go after many outside free agents, but how about their own guys? Can they go over the cap to re-sign them?

Well, there will be no limitations (beyond a willingness to pay tax penalties) if the Blazers want to bring back Al-Farouq Aminu. The club holds his Bird rights and has the flexibility to offer him essentially whatever it takes to retain him.

However, Portland doesn’t have that same flexibility with other key free agents like Enes Kanter, Seth Curry, and Rodney Hood. Kanter and Curry signed with Portland on one-year deals and Hood agreed to be traded after signing a one-year deal of his own, so all three players have Non-Bird rights. That means the Blazers have a limited ability to offer them raises, and can’t realistically expect to bring them back unless they’re willing to accept discounts or perhaps sign for the taxpayer mid-level ($5.7MM).

Curry and Hood emerged as key pieces on the wing for Portland, and Kanter played a huge role in Jusuf Nurkic‘s absence. The Blazers have young players that could conceivably fill those roles – Collins, Little, and Simons – but given their championship aspirations, they’ll likely want to try to add some veteran reinforcements too, rather than relying too heavily on young prospects. It’ll be interesting to see how they do it — their recent trade for Kent Bazemore was a good start.

4. How much can the Blazers expect from Jusuf Nurkic (and Zach Collins) next season?

Speaking of Nurkic, he continues to recover from his broken left leg and isn’t expected to be ready for the start of the 2019/20 season. The Blazers haven’t offered any sort of specific timeline for his return, but reporter Jason Quick speculated last month that the veteran center may not be ready to play until around the 2020 All-Star break.

If that’s the case, the Blazers will need to figure out how they’ll handle the center position for much of the season. The team likes Collins a lot, and if he can make a third-year leap, it’d go a long way toward filling that hole up front. If Leonard sticks around, he can potentially play a role as well — especially if he can build on that shocking 30-point performance vs. the Warriors in Portland’s last game of the season.

Still, with Nurkic sidelined and Kanter potentially heading elsewhere, that’s a pretty thin center rotation. The Blazers should be on the lookout for under-the-radar free agent targets who might be able to help out up front. A player like Amir Johnson, Daniel Theis, Tyson Chandler, or Kyle O’Quinn could help bridge the gap until Nurkic returns. Nene could also be a decent option if he’s a casualty of the Rockets’ roster shakeup.

With Aminu, Curry, and Hood heading for free agency, the Blazers will likely prefer to use their taxpayer MLE on a wing, but their frontcourt shouldn’t be overlooked.

5. Will Damian Lillard sign a super-max extension?

As a result of earning All-NBA honors this season, Lillard became eligible to sign a Designated Veteran Extension – also known as the “super-max” – this offseason. And a report in May indicated that the Blazers plan to offer it.

Lillard still has two years left on his current contract, so a super-max extension wouldn’t go into effect until the 2021/22 season. And while the exact value will depend on where that season’s salary cap ultimately lands, the extension currently projects to be worth about $191MM over four years.

Based on what we’ve seen from Lillard during the last few years, it’s hard to argue that he doesn’t deserve that commitment from Portland. He has spent his career in the city and with the team, and the franchise will want to reward his loyalty — and his All-NBA caliber play.

Still, if we’re being pragmatic about Lillard’s value, it’s worth noting that he’ll turn 29 this July, meaning his four-year super-max extension would cover his age 31-to-34 seasons. It’s possible he’ll remain very productive during those seasons, but a lot could change between now and 2021, when the extension would begin. John Wall, for instance, tore his Achilles between signing his own super-max deal (in 2017) and actually having that extension go into effect (next week).

It’s a tough spot for the Blazers, who would probably rather wait a year or two to make that sort of investment, but won’t want to alienate their star player by refusing to put that offer on the table this year. I expect the two sides to finalize a super-max deal — after that, it’s a matter of waiting and seeing how it turns out.

Check out the Portland Trail Blazers’ 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.

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