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Five Western FAs Who Have Boosted Their Value In 2018/19

April 5th, 2019 at 11:40am CST by Luke Adams

When we recently identified a handful of Eastern Conference free-agents-to-be who have significantly increased their stock this season, that list was headlined by players like D’Angelo Russell, Nikola Vucevic, and Bojan Bogdanovic, all of whom should be in line for big-money deals this summer. It’s a little trickier to identify similar players in the West.

That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of big-name free agents in the Western Conference. However, guys like Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson entered the year expecting to be in line for lucrative long-term deals and nothing they’ve done has changed that outlook one way or the other.

Still, there are a number of lower-tier FAs-to-be in the West whose strong years have boosted their earning potential for the 2019 offseason. Today, we’ll shine a spotlight on a few of those guys, identifying five players in contract years who have improved their stock with their play this season.

Let’s dive in…

  1. Kelly Oubre, F, Suns (RFA): With Otto Porter ahead of him on the depth chart in Washington, Oubre never really had a chance to thrive with the Wizards in the same way he did after being traded to the Suns. In 40 games with his new team, Oubre played a career-high 29.5 minutes per contest, averaging career bests in PPG (16.9), RPG (4.9), APG (1.6), SPG (1.4), and FG% (.453) as well. Despite a crowded depth chart at small forward in Phoenix, Oubre looks like a core long-term piece, and should receive a long-term contract this offseason.
  2. Patrick Beverley, G, Clippers: After he missed nearly all of the 2017/18 season due to microfracture and meniscus surgery on his knee, it wasn’t clear whether Beverley would be the same player upon his return. His play for the Clippers this season has put those concerns to rest. In addition to filling the stat sheet with 7.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.8 APG, and a .393 3PT%, the veteran point guard has continued to make life miserable for opposing perimeter players with his aggressive defense. The 30-year-old may not be in line for a massive payday, but he has proven he can still be an important contributor.
  3. Ivica Zubac, C, Clippers (RFA): Beverley’s teammate for the last two months, Zubac joined the Clippers in the most baffling deadline deal of 2019. The young center had been enjoying a breakout year for the Lakers, who gave him up for Mike Muscala. Zubac has been ever better for the Clippers than he was for the Lakers, averaging 8.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 0.9 BPG in 19.7 MPG since his arrival. His impact on defense has been particularly noticeable — the Clips’ 103.9 defensive rating with Zubac on the court would rank first in the NBA, and is 6.2 points better than their rating when he sits.
  4. Seth Curry, G, Trail Blazers: Like Beverley, Curry missed the 2017/18 season due to an injury, raising questions about what sort of player we’d see when he returned. The Trail Blazers, who signed Curry to a one-year, $2.8MM contract last July, have to be thrilled with their investment, as the 28-year-old’s .448 3PT% ranks third in the NBA, just ahead of his brother’s mark. Players who can knock down outside shots at that rate tend to do pretty well on the open market these days.
  5. Danuel House, F, Rockets (RFA): With apologies to Derrick Rose, whose impressive comeback season was marred to some extent by ongoing health concerns, House claims the last spot on my shortlist due to his unexpected impact on the Rockets. Houston’s season got off to a rough start, and the absence of reliable three-and-D players like Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute was a factor. House helped right the ship with his solid play on both ends of the court, as he shot 42.0% from downtown and forced the Rockets’ hand in a contract dispute — the team had to convert House’s two-way contract into a one-year NBA deal, putting him in line for restricted free agency in July. He’ll certainly draw more interest this time around than he did a year ago.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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2019 NBA Draft Dates, Deadlines To Watch

April 4th, 2019 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Only four teams are still alive in this year’s NCAA tournament, and the list of 2019 early entrants continues to grow by the day, signaling that NBA draft season is just about here.

We’re still two and a half months away from draft day, but there are a number of important dates and deadlines on the calendar in the coming weeks and months as seniors look to boost their draft stock and underclassmen weigh whether or not to enter the draft — and then whether or not to keep their names in the 2019 pool.

Let’s run through the timeline of dates and deadlines to watch up until draft day…

April 11 (11:59pm ET): Deadline to request evaluation from NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee

Beginning this year, an early entrant who requests an evaluation from the NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee can hire an NCAA-certified agent without worrying about losing his remaining college eligibility.

April 17-20: Portsmouth Invitational Tournament

Only college seniors are eligible for this pre-draft camp, which takes place in Portsmouth, Virginia.

April 21 (11:59pm ET): Deadline for early entrants to declare for the draft

College underclassmen and international early entrants have until the end of the day on April 21 (Easter Sunday) to submit their names into the 2019 NBA draft pool. They can always withdraw their names later if they decide they’re not quite ready to go pro.

Once the early entrant list is set, NBA teams can begin conducting or attending workouts for those players.

April 26 – May 3: Invites issued for draft combine, G League Elite Camp

While the combine has been a part of the NBA’s pre-draft process for years, the G League Elite Camp has been revamped for this season to accommodate draft prospects. We have the details on those changes right here.

May 12-14: G League Elite Camp

NBA G League invitees will participate in the first half of this mini-camp before 40 top draft-eligible players who weren’t invited to the combine participate in the second half. Again, more details can be found here.

May 14: NBA draft lottery

The 2019 draft lottery will be conducted on May 14, marking the first time that the NBA’s new lottery format will be used. The full odds under the new format can be found right here, while our reverse standings provide a glimpse at which the pre-lottery draft order will look like.

With the lottery odds flattened out, the NBA’s worst team will only have a 14% shot at the No. 1 overall pick, as opposed to the 25% chance it had in the past. In other words, the new format could make for a very interesting night on May 14.

May 15-19: NBA draft combine

This five-day event, which takes place in Chicago, allows NBA teams to get a first-hand look at many of this year’s top draft-eligible players (though perhaps not a handful of 2019’s very best prospects, since potential top-five picks don’t have much to gain by participating in the combine).

The combine will be particularly important for early entrants who have yet to decide whether or not to stay in the draft. The feedback they get at the combine could go a long way toward dictating whether they keep their names in the draft or return to school for another year.

May 29 (11:59pm): NCAA early entrant withdrawal deadline

College underclassmen who want to retain their NCAA eligibility will have to withdraw their names from the draft pool by May 29. NBA rules call for a later withdrawal deadline, but the NCAA has its own set of rules that say the deadline is 10 days after the combine.

As such, a college underclassmen could technically wait until the first week of June to withdraw from the draft and retain his NBA draft eligibility for a future year. However, he would forfeit his amateur status in that scenario, making him ineligible to return to his NCAA squad.

June 10: NBA early entrant withdrawal deadline

This is the NBA’s final deadline for early entrants to withdraw their names from the draft pool and retain their draft eligibility for a future year. By this point, we generally know whether an NCAA underclassman kept his name in the draft or not, but this is an important deadline for international players, who aren’t subject to the same restrictions as college players. We’ll likely hear about several international early entrants withdrawing from the draft during the days leading up to June 10.

June 20: NBA draft day

The most exciting few weeks of the NBA offseason unofficially get underway on draft day, which is often when the first major trades of the summer are completed and we get a sense of which direction certain teams are heading.

It’s also worth noting that the hours and days after the draft ends will be hugely important for many of this year’s draft-eligible prospects — a ton of players who aren’t selected with one of the 60 picks in the draft will reach agreements shortly thereafter to play for an NBA team’s Summer League squad, or even to attend training camp with a club.

Note: The NCAA previously announced a rule change that would allow players to remain in the draft through draft day and still return to school if they go undrafted. However, that rule change wasn’t mentioned at all in a recent memo issued by the NCAA, so we’re operating under the assumption that it won’t go into effect this year. If that changes, we’ll update this article as required.

Information from ESPN’s Jonathan Givony was used in the creation of this post.

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Community Shootaround: Jimmy Butler’s Future

April 2nd, 2019 at 11:22pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Jimmy Butler‘s stay in Philadelphia isn’t guaranteed to last beyond this spring, as he’s widely expected to opt out of the $19.8MM final year of his deal. Negotiations will likely hinge on how far the Sixers get in the postseason, a challenge he is embracing.

“I’m ready,” Butler recently said (via Michael Lee of The Athletic). “I feel great. I’m in a great place right now. We’re headed into the playoffs with a smooth little momentum and a rhythm. I just want the group of guys that we have to know that I’m here, man. I’m here to battle and I’m here to fight, no matter what. That’s what they got me in Philly for.”

Butler will search for a max contract in the offseason. He may or may not get that offer from the Sixers, with the team having to work on new deals for fellow free agents Tobias Harris and J.J. Redick as well. It was previously reported that a scenario where Butler returns to the team but Harris does not is unlikely. If Philadelphia has to make a choice between the two newcomers for fear of luxury tax concerns, it appears Harris is the favorite child.

Butler will have other suitors and the Lakers could be a destination to watch out for, as Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report contends. Los Angeles was one of several teams to reach out to the Timberwolves about trading for Butler prior to the Sixers making the deal for him.

Magic Johnson & Co. will likely only have the cap space to sign one maximum salary free agent with the team shelling out nearly $37.5MM for LeBron James‘ max deal while also paying nearly $16MM combined for Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball (L.A. is also on the hook for $5MM as a result of stretching Luol Deng‘s contract).

The Lakers’ path to providing LBJ with two co-stars would likely involve signing a player and then trading their remaining players for another one. Butler could be an easier target to land than Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving due to lessened demand. Butler’s perceived baggage may dissuade organizations from considering him an addition.

Butler recently had a chance to further explain his Wolves’ trade demands on Saturday when the Sixers visited his old team He decided to tell the media that it was “none of their business.”

“You don’t know what’s going on unless you’re in there every day,” Butler said on Saturday. “You’re just taking bits and pieces and trying to fill in the gaps that you don’t know. So, now you’ve got to guess. I let people think what they want to think, I really do. It don’t faze me. I don’t read into the media, because nobody knows.”

While Butler’s candidness can be off-putting, he isn’t wrong. At times, the media gets just a snapshot of the inner workings of the team. Reporters may be able to sense when something has gone astray, but they don’t always have the whole picture. How one human acts in a moment shouldn’t necessarily be extrapolated as a final conclusion on his personality.

“I don’t even want to put all his business out there, with all the stuff he [does], even with people in the front office, that sells tickets.,” teammate Amir Johnson said. “He does stuff for them that you don’t even hear about. He has conversations with them people. Not only does it help people do their job better but it just brings an organization and a team closer when you see stuff like that. It makes you feel like everybody is more involved when you help out the ticket girl that hands out tickets at the arena. It’s dope when you do that.

“He’s a good person. Just an all-around good dude.”

Butler’s exit from Minnesota became circus-like and his time in Philadelphia has been awkward and rocky at times. Yet, the Sixers are embracing him as the franchise hopes to improve on their second-round ousting from last season.

The last time Philadelphia won at least two straight playoff series? Back in 2001, when an outspoken player with a disruptive reputation led the franchise to the NBA Finals.

Do you believe the Sixers will win more than two playoff series this postseason and should the team bring Butler back if they fall short of the Eastern Conference Finals? If he walks, which rival teams make the most sense for him in free agency?

Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!

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NBA Teams With Open Roster Spots

April 2nd, 2019 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, the Kings and Knicks filled the final open spot on their respective rosters, signing a 15th man to a rest-of-season contract. With the NBA’s 2018/19 regular season set to come to an end next Wednesday, we can expect to see more teams making that kind of transaction in the next week.

While teams often leave a roster spot or two open during the season to maintain flexibility or to help reduce their projected tax bill, most of those clubs won’t leave any openings at season’s end. After all, the one-day cap hit for a minimum-salary player signed on the last day of the season maxes out at $8,548.

For playoff-bound clubs, that’s a small price to pay to add one more depth piece who might be needed for a game or two in the postseason. For lottery-bound teams, it’s a worthwhile investment to fill that 15th roster spot with a developmental player who could be an option for the 2019/20 roster.

With that in mind, here are the teams that still have at least one 15-man roster spot available:

Teams with two open roster spots:

  • Miami Heat

Teams with one open roster spot:

  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Houston Rockets
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Toronto Raptors
  • Washington Wizards

Teams with a full 15-man roster who have one player on a 10-day contract:

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2019 NBA Draft Early Entrants List

April 2nd, 2019 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

The NCAA rule changes related to early entrants for the NBA draft, initially instituted in 2016, remain in effect this year. Those rule changes will allow underclassmen to “test the waters” before officially committing to the 2019 NBA draft.

However, those rules come with a new twist this time around — for the first time, NCAA underclassmen will be permitted to formally hire representation without forgoing their remaining college eligibility. As the NCAA explains in a memo, relayed by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, there are a handful of rules that players must follow throughout the process to maintain their eligibility, but it’s still the first time that prospects will be permitted to be represented by an agent without losing that eligibility.

NCAA underclassmen have until the end of the day on April 21 to declare for the draft, and can withdraw at any time up until May 29 while maintaining their college eligibility. That means that prospects testing the waters can take part in the NBA draft combine from May 14-19 – if invited – and can work out for individual teams starting later this month. Meanwhile, the NBA’s only withdrawal deadline is on June 10 at 4:00pm CT, so international early entrants will have until then to decide whether or not to remain in the draft.

A year ago, the NBA’s initial list of early entrants included a record 236 names, but many of those players eventually withdrew from consideration prior to the May and June deadlines. This year, the final draft list will be set after the early entrant withdrawal deadline for international and other non-NCAA players passes on June 10.

In the meantime, we’ll use this post to keep track of reports and announcements on early entrant prospects and their decisions. We’ll archive them all in a running list here, which will be accessible anytime under “Hoops Rumors Features” on the right sidebar of our desktop site, or in the “Features” page found in our mobile menu.

The players below are listed in alphabetical order. If you have any corrections or omissions, please contact us.

Last updated 6-11-19 (9:10pm CT)

College Underclassmen:

Stayed in draft:

  1. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, G, Virginia Tech (sophomore)
  2. R.J. Barrett, G/F, Duke (freshman)
  3. Tyus Battle, G, Syracuse (junior)
  4. Darius Bazley, F, Princeton HS (OH) (N/A)
  5. Bol Bol, C, Oregon (freshman)
  6. Marques Bolden, C, Duke (junior)
  7. Jordan Bone, G, Tennessee (junior)
  8. Ky Bowman, G, Boston College (junior)
  9. Ignas Brazdeikis, F, Michigan (freshman)
  10. Oshae Brissett, F, Syracuse (sophomore)
  11. Armoni Brooks, G, Houston (junior)
  12. Charlie Brown, G, St. Joseph’s (sophomore)
  13. Moses Brown, C, UCLA (freshman)
  14. Brandon Clarke, F, Gonzaga (junior)
  15. Nicolas Claxton, F, Georgia (sophomore)
  16. Amir Coffey, G, Minnesota (junior)
  17. Tyler Cook, F, Iowa (junior)
  18. Jarrett Culver, G/F, Texas Tech (sophomore)
  19. Aubrey Dawkins, G, UCF (junior)
  20. Luguentz Dort, G, Arizona State (freshman)
  21. Jason Draggs, F, Lee College (TX) (freshman)
  22. Carsen Edwards, G, Purdue (junior)
  23. Bruno Fernando, F, Maryland (sophomore)
  24. Daniel Gafford, F/C, Arkansas (sophomore)
  25. Darius Garland, G, Vanderbilt (freshman)
  26. Kyle Guy, G, Virginia (junior)
  27. Rui Hachimura, F, Gonzaga (junior)
  28. Jaylen Hands, G, UCLA (sophomore)
  29. Jared Harper, G, Auburn (junior)
  30. Jaxson Hayes, F/C, Texas (freshman)
  31. Dewan Hernandez, F, Miami (junior)
  32. Tyler Herro, G, Kentucky (freshman)
  33. Amir Hinton, G, Shaw (junior)
  34. Jaylen Hoard, F, Wake Forest (freshman)
  35. Daulton Hommes, F, Point Loma Nazarene University (junior)
  36. Talen Horton-Tucker, G, Iowa State (freshman)
  37. De’Andre Hunter, F, Virginia (sophomore)
  38. Ty Jerome, G, Virginia (junior)
  39. Keldon Johnson, F, Kentucky (freshman)
  40. Mfiondu Kabengele, C, Florida State (sophomore)
  41. Louis King, F, Oregon (freshman)
  42. V.J. King, F, Louisville (junior)
  43. Sagaba Konate, F, West Virginia (junior)
  44. Martin Krampelj, F, Creighton (junior)
  45. Romeo Langford, G, Indiana (freshman)
  46. Cameron Lard, F, Iowa State (sophomore)
  47. Dedric Lawson, F, Kansas (junior)
  48. Jalen Lecque, G, Brewster Academy (NH) (N/A)
  49. Jacob Ledoux, G, UTPB (junior)
  50. Nassir Little, F, UNC (freshman)
  51. Trevor Manuel, F, Olivet (MI) (junior)
  52. Charles Matthews, G, Michigan (junior)
  53. Jalen McDaniels, F, San Diego State (sophomore)
  54. Ja Morant, G, Murray State (sophomore)
  55. Zach Norvell Jr., G, Gonzaga (sophomore)
  56. Jaylen Nowell, G, Washington (sophomore)
  57. Chuma Okeke, F, Auburn (sophomore)
  58. KZ Okpala, F, Stanford (sophomore)
  59. Miye Oni, G/F, Yale (junior)
  60. Lamar Peters, G, Mississippi State (junior)
  61. Shamorie Ponds, G, St. John’s (junior)
  62. Jordan Poole, G, Michigan (sophomore)
  63. Jontay Porter, F, Missouri (sophomore)
  64. Kevin Porter Jr, G, USC (freshman)
  65. Brandon Randolph, G, Arizona (sophomore)
  66. Cam Reddish, F, Duke (freshman)
  67. Isaiah Reese, G, Canisius (junior)
  68. Naz Reid, C, LSU (freshman)
  69. Austin Robinson, G, Kentucky Christian (sophomore)
  70. Isaiah Roby, F, Nebraska (junior)
  71. Ayinde Russell, G, Morehouse (junior)
  72. Samir Sehic, F, Tulane (junior)
  73. Simisola Shittu, F, Vanderbilt (freshman)
  74. Justin Simon, G, St. John’s (junior)
  75. D’Marcus Simonds, G, Georgia State (junior)
  76. Jalen Sykes, F, St. Clair College (Canada) (junior)
  77. Rayjon Tucker, G, Little Rock (junior)
  78. Nick Ward, F, Michigan State (junior)
  79. P.J. Washington, F, Kentucky (sophomore)
  80. Tremont Waters, G, LSU (sophomore)
  81. Coby White, G, UNC (freshman)
  82. Lindell Wigginton, G, Iowa State (sophomore)
  83. Kris Wilkes, G, UCLA (sophomore)
  84. Grant Williams, F, Tennessee (junior)
  85. Zion Williamson, F, Duke (freshman)
  86. Kenny Wooten, F, Oregon (sophomore)

Withdrew from draft after testing the draft waters:

  1. Milan Acquaah, G, California Baptist (sophomore)
  2. Bryce Aiken, G, Harvard (junior)
  3. Wajid Aminu, F, North Florida (junior)
  4. Desmond Bane, G, TCU (junior)
  5. Charles Bassey, C, Western Kentucky (freshman)
  6. Troy Baxter Jr., F, Florida Gulf Coast (sophomore)
  7. Kerry Blackshear Jr., F, Virginia Tech (junior)
  8. Phil Bledsoe, F, Glenville State (junior)
  9. DaQuan Bracey, G, Louisiana Tech (junior)
  10. Keith Braxton, G, St. Francis (PA) (junior)
  11. Nico Carvacho, C, Colorado State (junior)
  12. Yoeli Childs, F, BYU (junior)
  13. R.J. Cole, G, Howard (sophomore)
  14. Anthony Cowan, G, Maryland (junior)
  15. Jarron Cumberland, G, Cincinnati (junior)
  16. Tulio Da Silva, F, Missouri State (junior)
  17. Caleb Daniels, G, Tulane (sophomore)
  18. Silvio De Sousa, F, Kansas (sophomore)
  19. Javin DeLaurier, F, Duke (junior)
  20. Mamadi Diakite, F, Virginia (forward)
  21. Alpha Diallo, G, Providence (junior)
  22. James Dickey, F, UNC Greensboro (junior)
  23. David DiLeo, F, Central Michigan (junior)
  24. Davon Dillard, G, Shaw (NC) (junior)
  25. Devon Dotson, G, Kansas (freshman)
  26. Aljami Durham, G, Indiana (sophomore)
  27. C.J. Elleby, F, Washington State (freshman)
  28. Steven Enoch, C, Louisville (junior)
  29. Jaylen Fisher, G, TCU (junior)
  30. Savion Flagg, G, Texas A&M (sophomore)
  31. Eugene German, G, Northern Illinois (junior)
  32. TJ Gibbs, G, Notre Dame (junior)
  33. Quentin Goodin, G, Xavier (junior)
  34. Tony Goodwin II, G/F, Redemption Christian Academy (N/A)
  35. Kellan Grady, G, Davidson (sophomore)
  36. Devonte Green, G, Indiana (junior)
  37. Quentin Grimes, G, Kansas (freshman)
  38. Jon Axel Gudmundsson, G, Davidson (junior)
  39. Jerrick Harding, G, Weber State (junior)
  40. Kevon Harris, G, Stephen F. Austin (junior)
  41. Jayce Johnson, C, Utah (junior)
  42. Markell Johnson, G, North Carolina State (junior)
  43. Tyrique Jones, F, Xavier (junior)
  44. Sacha Killeya-Jones, F, North Carolina State (junior)
  45. Nathan Knight, F, William & Mary (junior)
  46. Anthony Lamb, F, Vermont (junior)
  47. A.J. Lawson, G, South Carolina (freshman)
  48. Tevin Mack, G, Alabama (junior)
  49. Malik Maitland, G, Bethune-Cookman (junior)
  50. Jermaine Marrow, G, Hampton (junior)
  51. Naji Marshall, F, Xavier (sophomore)
  52. Skylar Mays, G, LSU (junior)
  53. Davion Mintz, G, Creighton (junior)
  54. EJ Montgomery, F, Kentucky (freshman)
  55. Andrew Nembhard, G, Florida (freshman)
  56. Kouat Noi, F, TCU (sophomore)
  57. Joel Ntambwe, F, UNLV (freshman)
  58. Jordan Nwora, F, Louisville (sophomore)
  59. Devonte Patterson, F, Prairie View A&M (junior)
  60. Reggie Perry, F, Mississippi State (freshman)
  61. Filip Petrusev, F, Gonzaga (freshman)
  62. Jalen Pickett, G, Siena (freshman)
  63. Cletrell Pope, F, Bethune-Cookman (junior)
  64. Nik Popovic, F, Boston College (junior)
  65. Myles Powell, G, Seton Hall (junior)
  66. Payton Pritchard, G, Oregon (junior)
  67. Neemias Queta, C, Utah State (freshman)
  68. Nick Richards, F, Kentucky (sophomore)
  69. Laquincy Rideau, G, South Florida (junior)
  70. Kevin Samuel, C, TCU (freshman)
  71. Paul Scruggs, G, Xavier (sophomore)
  72. Josh Sharkey, G, Samford (junior)
  73. Nike Sibande, G, Miami (OH) (sophomore)
  74. Javonte Smart, G, LSU (freshman)
  75. Justin Smith, F, Indiana (sophomore)
  76. Derrik Smits, C, Butler (junior)
  77. Xavier Sneed, F, Kansas State (junior)
  78. Lamar Stevens, F, Penn State (junior)
  79. Marlon Taylor, G, LSU (junior)
  80. Ethan Thompson, G, Oregon State (sophomore)
  81. Killian Tillie, F, Gonzaga (junior)
  82. Donnie Tillman, F, Utah (sophomore)
  83. Tres Tinkle, F, Oregon State (junior)
  84. Obi Toppin, F, Dayton (freshman)
  85. Justin Turner, G, Bowling Green (sophomore)
  86. Kaleb Wesson, F, Ohio State (sophomore)
  87. Jimmy Whitt, G, SMU (junior)
  88. Joe Wieskamp, G, Iowa (freshman)
  89. Charles Williams Jr., G, Howard (junior)
  90. Emmitt Williams, F, LSU (freshman)
  91. Holland Woods, G, Portland State (sophomore)

International Early Entrants:

Stayed in draft:

  1. Goga Bitadze, C, Georgia (born 1999)
  2. Yago Mateus Dos Santos, G, Brazil (born 1999)
  3. Sekou Doumbouya, F, France (born 2000)
  4. Matas Jogela, G, Lithiuania (born 1998)
  5. Marcos Louzada Silva, G/F, Brazil (born 1999)
  6. William McDowell-White, G, Germany (born 1998)
  7. Adam Mokoka, G, France (born 1998)
  8. Joshua Obiesie, G, Germany (born 2000)
  9. David Okeke, F, Italy (born 1998)
  10. Luka Samanic, F, Croatia (born 2000)
  11. Deividas Sirvydis, G, Lithuania (born 2000)
  12. Yovel Zoosman, G/F, Israel (born 1998)

Withdrew from draft after testing the waters:

  1. Dikembe Andre, C, Brazil (born 1999)
  2. Darko Bajo, F, Croatia (born 1999)
  3. Aleksander Balcerowski, C, Poland (born 2000)
  4. Vrenz Bleijenbergh, F, Belgium (born 2000)
  5. Adrian Bogucki, C, Poland (born 1999)
  6. Leandro Bolmaro, G, Argentina (born 2000)
  7. Ognjen Carapic, G, Montenegro (born 1998)
  8. Kevin Cham, G, France (born 1998)
  9. Leo Cizmic, F, Croatia (born 1998)
  10. Digue Diawara, F, France (born 1998)
  11. Nenad Dimitrijevic, G, Macedonia (born 1998)
  12. Felipe Dos Anjos, C, Brazil (born 1998)
  13. Henri Drell, F, France (born 2000)
  14. Paul Eboua, F, Cameroon (born 2000)
  15. Osas Ehigiator, C, Spain (born 1999)
  16. Biram Faye, F, Senegal (born 2000)
  17. Ivan Fevrier, F, France (born 1999)
  18. Aleix Font, G/F, Spain (born 1998)
  19. Philipp Herkenhoff, F, Germany (born 1999)
  20. Dalibor Ilic, F, Bosnia (born 2000)
  21. Panagiotis Kalaitzakis, G/F, Greece (born 1999)
  22. Mate Kalajzic, G, Croatia (born 1998)
  23. Lukasz Kolenda, G, Poland (born 1999)
  24. Andrija Marjanovic, G/F, Serbia (born 1999)
  25. Gytis Masiulis, F/C, Lithuania (born 1998)
  26. Jonas Mattisseck, G, Germany (born 2000)
  27. Nikita Mikhailovskii, G/F, Russia (born 2000)
  28. Nikola Miskovic, F, Serbia (born 1999)
  29. Muhaymin Mustafa, G, Turkey (born 1999)
  30. Abdoulaye N’doye, G, France (born 1998)
  31. Toni Nakic, G, Croatia (born 1999)
  32. Tanor Ngom, C, Senegal (born 1998)
  33. Louis Olinde, G/F, Germany (born 1998)
  34. Zoran Paunovic, G, Serbia (born 2000)
  35. Dino Radoncic, F, Montenegro (born 1999)
  36. Sander Raieste, F, Estonia (born 1999)
  37. Neal Sako, C, France (born 1998)
  38. Tadas Sedekerskis, F, Lithuania (born 1998)
  39. Njegos Sikiras, F, Bosnia (born 1999)
  40. Borisa Simanic, F, Serbia (born 1998)
  41. Khadim Sow, C, Senegal (born 1999)
  42. Filip Stanic, F/C, Germany (born 1998)
  43. Michael Uchendu, C, Brazil (born 1998)
  44. Bastien Vautier, C, France (born 1998)
  45. Arnas Velicka, G, Lithuania (born 1999)
  46. Warren Woghiren, C, France (born 1998)
  47. Arturs Zagars, G, Latvia (born 2000)
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2018/19’s 10-Day Contract Window Ends

April 1st, 2019 at 9:01am CST by Luke Adams

Wednesday, April 10 is the last day of the 2018/19 NBA regular season, which means there are just 10 days left in this season. As such, we won’t see another 10-day contract signed this season, as cap expert Albert Nahmad notes (via Twitter), since a 10-day deal wouldn’t expire until after a team’s final regular season contest. Any contract signed the rest of the way will be either a rest-of-season pact or a multiyear deal.

With no more 10-day contracts on the way for 2018/19, we’ll make use of our 10-day tracker to break down a few details on this year’s 10-day signings. Let’s dive in…

Total number of 10-day contracts signed:

  • Signed one 10-day contract: 22
  • Signed one 10-day contract, then signed for rest of season: 5
  • Signed two 10-day contracts: 10
  • Signed two 10-day contracts, then signed for rest of season: 3
  • Total 10-day contracts signed: 53

While the number of 10-day contracts signed this season will stay at 53, the number of players who signed rest-of-season contracts after inking a 10-day deal or two could still increase. Justin Bibbs (Clippers), Greg Monroe (Celtics), Michael Carter-Williams (Magic), Deyonta Davis (Hawks), Dusty Hannahs (Grizzlies), Mitch Creek (Timberwolves), and JaKarr Sampson (Bulls) all have active 10-day contracts. Those players could be re-signed when their current contracts expire.

Teams that completed the most 10-day signings:

  • Atlanta Hawks: 6 (four players)
  • Minnesota Timberwolves: 5 (three players)
  • Houston Rockets: 4 (three players)
  • Phoenix Suns: 4 (three players)

No NBA team signed more than four different players to 10-day contracts this season, and the Hawks were the only team to sign more than three different players to 10-day deals.

While Atlanta auditioned several players, none of those guys have been able to parlay those 10-day auditions into a rest-of-season contract yet — Tyler Zeller, B.J. Johnson, and Jordan Sibert are free agents again, while Davis is currently playing out his second 10-day contract.

Teams that didn’t complete any 10-day signings:

  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Denver Nuggets
  • Detroit Pistons
  • Golden State Warriors
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Utah Jazz

For many of the teams on this list, roster limits prevented a 10-day signing — with full 15-man rosters, they would have needed to waive a player on a guaranteed contract in order to sign a player to a 10-day contract.

The Hornets, Nuggets, Pistons, Warriors, and Spurs are the only teams that haven’t signed a single player to a 10-day contract for either of the last two seasons.

10-day MVPs:

While no players have really parlayed 10-day contracts into true breakout years this season, there are a handful of guys who turned 10-day auditions into regular rotation roles and have been solid contributors for their respective clubs.

Corey Brewer, who inked two 10-day contracts with the Sixers and two more with the Kings before getting a rest-of-season deal from Sacramento, was a solid rotation player for both clubs. In total, he has appeared in 26 games, averaging 5.4 PPG in 15.8 minutes per contest and playing solid perimeter defense.

Former first-round pick Bruno Caboclo is enjoying a mini-breakout season for the Grizzlies, recording 7.3 PPG and 4.3 RPG on .424/.360/.795 shooting in 29 games (15 starts).

Michael Carter-Williams, a former Rookie of the Year, has assumed backup point guard duties in Orlando and has played a part in helping the Magic push for one of the final playoff spots in the East.

Cameron Reynolds has shot 37.9% on three-pointers for the Timberwolves, who reportedly view him as a future rotation piece.

Jodie Meeks probably won’t be a part of the Raptors‘ rotation in the postseason, but he has looked good in a limited role for the team on a pair of 10-day contracts. In five games (12.6 MPG), he has put up 7.4 PPG with a blistering .556/.429/1.000 shooting line.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Hoops Rumors Originals: 3/24/19 – 3/31/19

March 30th, 2019 at 4:00pm CST by ChrisCrouse

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

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Free Agent Stock Watch 2019: Northwest Division

March 29th, 2019 at 8:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we turn our attention to the Northwest Division:

Isaiah Thomas, Nuggets, 30, PG (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $2MM deal in 2018
The sad and swift decline in Thomas’ career hit a new low a couple of weeks ago when the veteran was informed by Nuggets coach Michael Malone he would not be in the rotation going forward. Thomas didn’t even make his season debut until mid-February due to his hip condition. He has only seen action in one game since March 8 — a scoreless seven-minute stint in Boston, where his career peaked two seasons ago when he averaged 28.9 PPG. Thomas will probably have to settle for another one year, “show me” contract this summer.

Tyus Jones, Timberwolves, 22, PG (Up) – Signed to a four-year, $6.54MM deal in 2015
Jones has received steady playing time since late February and is now the starter by default with Jeff Teague and Derrick Rose out for the rest of the season. He isn’t much of a scoring threat but he rarely turns the ball over. He’s averaging less than one turnover per game in 25.8 MPG this month. Teague has a $19MM option on his contract for next season and is expected to exercise it, so Jones’ starting gig probably won’t last. The Timberwolves can make Jones a restricted free agent by extending a qualifying offer of $3.57MM and that seems likely, given his age and steady hand at the point.

Markieff Morris, Thunder, 29, SF/PF (Down) — Signed to a one-year, $573K deal in 2019
The above salary figure doesn’t reflect that Morris was making $8.6MM before he was traded by the Wizards to the Pelicans, who waived him. He seemed to be walking into a good situation with a playoff-bound team but hasn’t made much of an impact. He’s averaging 6.0 PPG and 3.5 RPG in 15.9 MPG in 17 appearances with Oklahoma City. He played just seven scoreless minutes against Indiana on Wednesday. Morris brings enough to the table to be a rotation piece but it’s increasing unlikely he’ll get a starter-level offer on the open market.

Enes Kanter, Trail Blazers, 26, C (Up) – Signed to a one-year, $653K deal in 2019
Jusuf Nurkic‘s gruesome leg injury changes the outlook for Kanter in the short- and long-term. He’ll suddenly be playing heavy minutes for Portland, which signed him as a backup after the Knicks reached a buyout agreement with him on his $18.6MM salary this season. A productive postseason by Kanter should enhance his prospects as an unrestricted free agent. He’s not going to make anyone’s All-Defense team but he’s a double-double machine when he plays half the game. While it seems Kanter has been around for awhile, he’s still only 26 and in the prime of his career.

Derrick Favors, Jazz, 27, PF (Up)– Signed to a two-year, $37.6MM deal in 2018
Favors’ $16.9MM contract for next season isn’t guaranteed unless he’s on the roster through July 6. That seemed unlikely from the time he signed the deal but it’s not a given the Jazz will let him go. That salary isn’t outrageous for a starter and the Jazz have plenty of cap room to absorb that salary. Plus, they’d need to have a solid plan to replace Favors, who has posted a 21.9 PER this season. Favors nearly got dealt to Memphis for Mike Conley and Utah could use his expiring contract in a blockbuster trade next season if it retains him.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Hoops Rumors Glossary: Qualifying Offers

March 29th, 2019 at 11:30am CST by Luke Adams

Players eligible for restricted free agency don’t become restricted free agents by default. In order to make a player a restricted free agent, a team must extend a qualifying offer to him — a player who doesn’t receive one becomes an unrestricted free agent instead.

The qualifying offer, which is essentially just a one-year contract offer, varies in amount depending on a player’s service time and previous contract status.

If a player reaches free agency with three or fewer years of NBA service time under his belt, his qualifying offer is worth 125% of his prior salary, or his minimum salary plus $200K, whichever is greater. For instance, after earning $1,378,242 this season, Jordan Bell will be eligible for a qualifying offer worth a projected $1,818,486 this offseason — that’s calculated by adding $200,000 to his projected minimum salary for 2019/20 ($1,618,486). Tomas Satoransky‘s 2018/19 salary, on the other hand, was $3,129,187, so his qualifying offer will be worth 125% of that figure: $3,911,484

The qualifying offer for a former first-round pick coming off his rookie scale contract is determined by his draft position. The qualifying offer for a first overall pick is 130% of his fourth-year salary, while for a 30th overall pick it’s 150% of his previous salary — QOs for the rest of the first-rounders fall somewhere in between. The full first-round scale for the draft class of 2015, whose first-rounders will be hitting free agency this summer, can be found here, courtesy of RealGM.

Here are a pair of examples for this offseason, based on RealGM’s chart: 2015’s second overall pick D’Angelo Russell, coming off a fourth-year salary of $7,019,698, must be extended a qualifying offer of $9,160,706 (a 30.5% increase) to become a restricted free agent. Meanwhile, 20th overall pick Delon Wright will be eligible for a qualifying offer of $3,635,375, a 43.3% increase on this season’s $2,536,898 salary.

A wrinkle in the Collective Bargaining Agreement complicates matters for some RFAs-to-be, since a player’s previous usage can impact the amount of his qualifying offer. Certain players who meet – or fail to meet – the “starter criteria,” which we break down in a separate glossary entry, become eligible for higher or lower qualifying offers. Here’s how the starter criteria affects QOs:

  • A top-14 pick who does not meet the starter criteria will receive a same qualifying offer equal to 120% of the amount applicable to the 15th overall pick.
    • Note: For the summer of 2019, the value of this QO will be $4,485,665. Kristaps Porzingis is one example of a player who falls into this group.
  • A player picked between 10th and 30th who meets the starter criteria will receive a qualifying offer equal to 120% of the amount applicable to the ninth overall pick.
    • Note: For the summer of 2019, the value of this QO will be $4,915,726. Kelly Oubre is one example of a player who falls into this group.
  • A second-round pick or undrafted player who meets the criteria will receive a qualifying offer equal to 100% of the amount applicable to the 21st overall pick.
    • Note: For the summer of 2019, the value of this QO will be $3,021,354. Thomas Bryant is one example of a player who falls into this group.

A qualifying offer is designed to give a player’s team the right of first refusal. Because the qualifying offer acts as the first formal contract offer a free agent receives, his team then receives the option to match any offer sheet the player signs with another club.

A player can also accept his qualifying offer, if he so chooses. He then plays the following season on a one-year contract worth the amount of the QO, and becomes an unrestricted free agent at season’s end if he has at least four years of NBA experience. A player can go this route if he wants to hit unrestricted free agency as early as possible, or if he feels like the QO is the best offer he’ll receive. Accepting the qualifying offer also gives a player the right to veto trades for the season.

During the 2018 offseason, for instance, Rodney Hood signed his qualifying offer after failing to secure a longer-term deal with the Cavaliers. When Cleveland agreed to send him to the Trail Blazers prior to the trade deadline, Hood had to give his consent to be dealt, which he did.

Finally, while the details outlined above apply to players on standard NBA contracts who are eligible for restricted free agency, a different set of rules applies to players coming off two-way contracts. For most of those players, the qualifying offer would be equivalent to a one-year, two-way salary, with $50K guaranteed.

If a player coming off a two-way contract is ineligible to sign another one – either because he has already been on two-way deals with his current team for two seasons or because he has four years of NBA service – his qualifying offer would be a standard, minimum-salary NBA contract. The guarantee on that QO would have to match or exceed what a two-way player would earn in the G League.

Note: This is a Hoops Rumors Glossary entry. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to trades, free agency, or other aspects of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ and salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post.

Earlier versions of this post were published in previous years. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Poll: Eastern Conference Playoff Race

March 27th, 2019 at 11:53am CST by Luke Adams

While they haven’t all technically clinched yet, the eight playoff teams in the Western Conference have been pretty much set for the last couple weeks. That’s not the case in the Eastern Conference though, where late-season hot streaks for the Magic and Hornets have created an all-out, five-team battle for the final three postseason seeds.

With two weeks left in the regular season, the Nets have a tenuous hold on the No. 6 seed at 38-37, but they’re faced with the league’s most brutal end-of-season schedule, per Tankathon.com. Brooklyn’s next six games come against the East’s top five teams, including a pair against Milwaukee. The Nets will then close the season against Miami, one of the five clubs battling it out for a playoff berth.

At 37-37, the Pistons are right behind Brooklyn in the standings, but have lost three games in a row and will need to turn things around quickly to hang onto a playoff spot. Detroit will get to finish the season by playing Memphis and New York, but before that, a four-game stretch against the Trail Blazers, Pacers (twice), and Thunder will be sandwiched by crucial home contests against Orlando and Charlotte.

Speaking of Orlando, the Magic‘s six-game winning streak has put them in the No. 8 seed in the East for now, at 37-38. They’ll have to finish strong on the road to hang onto that spot, as five of their last seven games are away from home — and none of those games (in Detroit, Indiana, Toronto, Boston, and Charlotte) will be easy.

After falling last night to the Magic, the Heat are a half-game out of the postseason at 36-38. With games this week vs. Dallas and New York, Miami will have a chance to get back to .500, but after that, things get significantly more challenging — the Heat finish the season with games against Boston (twice), Minnesota, Toronto, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn.

As for the Hornets, Jeremy Lamb‘s incredible buzzer-beater on Sunday kept their playoff hopes alive, and they’ve since extended their winning streak to four games to push their record to 35-39. A daunting Western road trip looms, with games vs. the Lakers, Warriors, Jazz, and Pelicans on tap. If they can hold their own during that stretch, the Hornets will have a chance to make up ground in the season’s final week with games vs. Detroit and Orlando. Matchups with the Raptors and Cavaliers round out Charlotte’s remaining slate.

What do you think? Will the Magic and Hornets keep rolling and earn playoff spots? Will the Nets’ tough schedule cost them down the stretch? Can the Pistons and Heat finish the season strong?

Vote in our poll below on which three teams you ultimately expect to claim the final three postseason slots in the East, then head to the comment section to weigh in with your thoughts!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

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