Hoops Rumors Originals

2018 Offseason In Review: Cleveland Cavaliers

October 7th, 2018 at 7:04pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2018 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s moves from the last several months and look ahead to what the 2018/19 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Signings:

Standard contracts:
- Rodney Hood: One year, $3.47MM. Accepted qualifying offer as restricted free agent.
- Channing Frye: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
- David Nwaba: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Two-way contracts:
- Billy Preston
Non-guaranteed camp contracts:
- Bonzie Colson: One year, minimum salary.
- Levi Randolph: One year, minimum salary.
- Kobi Simmons: One year, minimum salary.
- Isaiah Taylor: One year, minimum salary.
- Note: Isaac Hamilton, Scoochie Smith, and JaCorey Williams also signed non-guaranteed camp contracts, but were later waived.

Trades:

Acquired Sam Dekker, the draft rights to Renaldas Seibutis, and cash ($1,247,494) from the Clippers in exchange for the draft rights to Vladimir Veremeenko.

Draft picks:

1-8: Collin Sexton — Signed to rookie contract.

Contract extensions:

Kevin Love: Signed four-year, $120.4MM extension. Starts in 2019/20.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Discussing contract extension with Larry Nance Jr.

Salary cap situation:

Remained over the cap.
Carrying approximately $115.7MM in guaranteed salaries.
Full mid-level exception ($8.64MM) still available.
Full bi-annual exception ($3.38MM) still available.

Check out the Cleveland Cavaliers’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

In a move that was neither as shocking or as heartbreaking as the first time he left Cleveland, LeBron James walked away from the Cavaliers this summer for the bright lights of Los Angeles. James’ departure put the Cavs in a precarious position, one in which they could have shifted their long-term plan to a rebuild centered around first-round draft pick Collin Sexton.

Instead, the team extended Kevin Love and focused on retaining or adding young role players around him in the form of Rodney Hood, David Nwaba and Sam Dekker. However, the Cavaliers also brought back veteran forward Channing Frye, signaling their desire to stay competitive in the Eastern Conference.

LeBron’s departure is even more damaging for the Cavaliers as a result of their roster being constructed around his playmaking abilities. In recent seasons, the Cavaliers have focused on adding shooters and players who thrived as off-ball contributors around James. Those players will now face more pressure to create their own shots and initiate the offense.

George Hill, Sexton, Hood, and Cedi Osman figure to increase their usage on offense and shoulder the burden of offensive creation when the ball isn’t in Love’s hands. Speaking of Love, this will be his first opportunity to be the featured offensive player since he was routinely averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game with the Timberwolves.

How the rotation shapes up around Love and the role players will be interesting, as the Cavaliers don’t have a plethora of intriguing young talent. Instead, the roster is heavy on veterans who are either in their prime or exiting their prime in the near future. Will the emphasis be placed on player development? Or will the Cavaliers look to make the playoffs at all costs and avoid a rebuild for at least another season? The Cavs’ intentions aren’t clear, making them an intriguing team to watch in the upcoming season as they navigate the post-LeBron waters for the second time.

Key offseason losses:

In addition to witnessing LeBron take his talents to the Lakers, the Cavaliers also saw Jeff Green and Jose Calderon depart for other Eastern Conference foes. Those losses aren’t significant (though Green did have somewhat of a bounce back season in Cleveland), but it’s hard to overstate the impact of LeBron’s departure, which will force complementary players into more featured offensive roles with the ball in their hands.

James’ absence also paves the way for Love to be the featured player on offense and initiate the offense from all over the court. How the lineups are built around his shooting and underrated playmaking will be something to watch on the offensive end for the Cavaliers.

Key offseason additions:

The Cavaliers made very few additions in the offseason, thereby making Sexton their key acquisition by default. Sexton joins the Cavaliers with a staunch defensive reputation and impressive physical tools, but will have to improve his playmaking and shooting to be a productive offensive player. If the Cavs are focused on developing their young players, Sexton should see a featured role fairly early in his NBA career, but he may also have to wait behind Hill before assuming the reins at point guard.

Dekker and Nwaba are two other additions that will look to carve out a spot in the team’s rotation. Dekker struggled mightily with his shot and confidence with the Clippers last season, while Nwaba is coming off the best season of his career with the Bulls and can bring some much-needed defense to Cleveland.

Outlook for 2018/19:

There’s no doubt that losing James would set any NBA team back significantly. However, that loss will be felt even more strongly by a Cavaliers club that had built its roster specifically around LeBron’s play style and skill set.

While the Cavs have plenty of shooters and solid role players to support Love as the featured star of the team, they will struggle to sustain an above-average offense, especially if Love goes down with an injury.

While the Cavaliers may still be focused on making the playoffs, they simply don’t have enough to contend, even in the weaker Eastern Conference. As a result, I expect them to miss out on playoff basketball, perhaps even struggling to win more than 30 games.

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

Hoops Rumors Originals: 8/30/18 – 10/6/18

October 6th, 2018 at 2:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

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

In his Weekly Mailbag, Arthur Hill tackled the question of whether Anthony Davis hired LeBron James‘ agent with the aim of eventually joining forces with him. Hill also answered queries regarding Andrew Bynum and Luka Doncic.
We continued our 2018 Offseason in Review, and analyzed the following teams:
- Denver Nuggets
- Washington Wizards
- San Antonio Spurs
- Brooklyn Nets
- Los Angeles Lakers
- New York Knicks
In three Community Shootaround posts, we asked:
- What is Terry Rozier‘s future with the Celtics if Kyrie Irving remains with them beyond this season?
- Which teams will be the most enjoyable to watch this season?
- Which players will sign and/or deserve a rookie scale extension?
We polled our readers on the following topic: Which team is the biggest threat to the Warriors this season?
Luke Adams provided a recap of all the contracts signed by this year’s draft picks.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

2018 Offseason In Review: Denver Nuggets

October 5th, 2018 at 9:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Signings:

Standard contracts:
- Nikola Jokic: Five years, $142.71MM. Includes unlikely incentives. Re-signed using Bird rights.
- Will Barton: Four years, $53MM. Re-signed using Bird rights.
- Monte Morris: Three years, $4.6MM. Third year non-guaranteed. Re-signed using Non-Bird rights.
- Torrey Craig: Two years, $4MM. Re-signed using taxpayer mid-level exception.
- Isaiah Thomas: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Two-way contracts:
- DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell
Non-guaranteed camp contracts:
- Emanuel Terry: Two years, minimum salary. $35K partial guarantee.
- Xavier Silas: One year, minimum salary.
- Donald Sloan: One year, minimum salary.

Trades:

Acquired the draft rights to Jarred Vanderbilt (No. 41 pick) from the Magic in exchange for the draft rights to Justin Jackson (No. 43 pick) and either the Nuggets’ or Wizards’ 2019 second-round pick (whichever is less favorable).
- Note: The Nuggets’ 2019 second-round pick would be sent to Milwaukee if it falls between 56-60, in which case the Magic would receive the Wizards’ second-rounder.
Acquired cash ($110K) from the Sixers in exchange for Wilson Chandler, the Nuggets’ 2021 second-round pick, and the right to swap 2022 second-round picks.
Acquired Isaiah Whitehead from the Nets in exchange for Kenneth Faried, Darrell Arthur, the Nuggets’ 2019 first-round pick (top-12 protected), and the Nuggets’ 2020 second-round pick.
- Note: Whitehead was later waived.

Draft picks:

1-14: Michael Porter Jr. — Signed to rookie contract.
2-41: Jarred Vanderbilt — Signed to three-year, $3.92MM contract. First two years guaranteed. Signed using taxpayer mid-level exception.
2-58: Thomas Welsh — Signed to two-way contract.

Departing players:

Darrell Arthur
Wilson Chandler
Kenneth Faried
Devin Harris
Richard Jefferson

Other offseason news:

Hired Mark Price to coaching staff.

Salary cap situation:

Remained over the cap.
Carrying approximately $116.4MM in guaranteed salaries.
$2.5MM of taxpayer mid-level exception still available ($2.84MM used on Torrey Craig and Jarred Vanderbilt).

Check out the Denver Nuggets’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

Coming off a season in which they barely missed the playoffs, the Nuggets had one major goal: Lock up center Nikola Jokic at all costs.

Technically, Denver’s front office didn’t have to negotiate with their stats-stuffing center until next summer. They could have exercised their 2018/19 option on him and paid him a bargain-basement $1.6MM this season.

That approach would have prudent in the short term but could have wrecked their future plans. Jokic would have been an unrestricted free agent next summer and surely wouldn’t have appreciated being underpaid heading into the open market.

Instead, they declined the option and made him a restricted free agent, while assuring his reps he’d get a near max five-year deal once free agency began in July.

President of basketball operations Tim Connelly thus delivered on his June promise that “Nikola’s going to be here for a long, long time.”

Jokic set new career highs in PPG (18.5), RPG (10.7), APG (6.1), and 3PT% (.396) last season. Still just 23 years old, Jokic still has room to improve in his overall game even if his numbers decline somewhat with an upgraded roster. The Nuggets’ frontcourt could be even more imposing this season if Paul Millsap can stay healthy after he appeared in just 38 games in his first year with the club due to injury.

Key offseason losses:

The Nuggets were eager to dump some salary in order to re-sign Jokic and Will Barton while staying out of luxury tax territory. They successfully found new homes for veterans Wilson Chandler, Kenneth Faried and Darrell Arthur, a trio of frontcourt players with bloated contracts.

Brooklyn was willing to add Faried and Arthur to the payroll, though the Nuggets had to surrender a protected first-rounder and a second-round pick to sweeten the pot. The ‘Manimal’ has a chance to revive his career with the Nets after injuries and Jokic’s emergence steadily diminished his role the past three seasons. Arthur appeared in just 19 games last season.

The Nuggets only had to toss in a second-rounder while essentially gifting Chandler to the Sixers. He started 71 games last season but became the last option on offense, attempting just 8.5 shots per game. They’ll elevate Barton to the starting unit to replace Chandler, with Torrey Craig and Juan Hernangomez in reserve.

Key offseason additions:

With a limited budget, the Nuggets couldn’t make any sizable offers in free agency. But they still managed to land a proverbial big fish, even if he’s one of the smaller players in the NBA.

Isaiah Thomas is only a couple of years removed from his MVP-caliber season with the Celtics. The high-volume scorer endured a disastrous 2017-18 season that included hip surgery, a trade to Cavaliers, a forgettable 15-game stint with Cleveland and a trade to the Lakers.

Thomas was willing to accept a one-year, “prove it” deal with the hope of getting a much more lucrative pact in free agency next summer. If he pulls that off, it will be a win-win situation for both him and the Nuggets. He’ll be the main scoring option off the bench.

Drafting Michael Porter Jr. was fraught with risk but perhaps a very big reward if he can return to full health after two back surgeries. The club views the versatile forward as a long-term asset and anything he contributes this season will be a bonus.

Outlook for 2018/19:

The Nuggets retained most of their core pieces and made an intriguing low-risk, high-reward addition in Thomas. Given reasonably good health, Denver has no excuse to come up short again in the postseason race.

Jokic is a difficult, if not impossible, matchup for most of the bigs in the league. Millsap provides rebounding, leadership and toughness and they’ll need that with an undersized lineup that also features Barton, Gary Harris and Jamal Murray.

The Nuggets are still a very young team and Murray could be ready to take the next step to stardom. The bench is generally unproven but if 22-year-old power forward Trey Lyles can continue on an upward trajectory, the second unit should be at least adequate.

It adds up to a 50-win campaign and a trip to the playoffs.

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

2018 Offseason In Review: Washington Wizards

October 5th, 2018 at 1:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Signings:

Standard contracts:
- Dwight Howard: Two years, $10.94MM. Second-year player option. Signed using taxpayer mid-level exception.
- Jeff Green: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Two-way contracts:
- Jordan McRae
Non-guaranteed camp contracts:
- Lavoy Allen: One year, minimum salary.
- Chris Chiozza: One year, minimum salary.
- Tiwian Kendley: One year, minimum salary.
- Chasson Randle: One year, minimum salary.

Trades:

Acquired Austin Rivers from the Clippers in exchange for Marcin Gortat.

Waiver claims:

Claimed Thomas Bryant off waivers from the Lakers.

Draft picks:

1-15: Troy Brown — Signed to rookie contract.
2-44: Issuf Sanon — Will play overseas.

Departing players:

Tim Frazier
Marcin Gortat
Ty Lawson
Chris McCullough
Mike Scott
Ramon Sessions

Other offseason news:

Introduced expansion G League team Capital City Go-Go; hired Pops Mensah-Bonsu as GM and Jarell Christian as head coach.
Hired Robert Pack as an assistant coach.

Salary cap situation:

Remained over the cap.
Carrying approximately $134.9MM in guaranteed salaries.
Projected tax bill of $19.1MM.
No free agent cap exceptions left besides minimum salary exception.

Check out the Washington Wizards’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

After an impressive 2016/17 showing that ended with a Game 7 loss to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Wizards took a step back in 2017/18. Washington finished the year as the No. 8 team in the East and was quickly dispatched in the first round of the playoffs by the top-seeded Raptors.

While the performance raised questions about the upside of the Wizards’ current core, injuries were at least partly to blame for the club’s ’17/18 struggles. John Wall missed half the season after undergoing knee surgery and Otto Porter wasn’t able to suit up for the season-ending home loss to Toronto.

Taking into account those factors – along with their lack of cap flexibility – the Wizards decided to give the current core led by Wall, Porter, and Bradley Beal another chance. All three players are back for the coming season, with new role players like Dwight Howard and Austin Rivers joining the mix.

While the front office opted not to make major changes to the roster this summer, 2018/19 will be an important year for this group. If the Wizards fail to win a playoff series once again in a weakened Eastern Conference, it’s not hard to envision a scenario in which the roster looks significantly different a year from now.

Key offseason losses:

Marcin Gortat‘s five-year run as a Wizard came to an end this offseason, with the team sending him to the Clippers in exchange for Rivers. A deal was long overdue, with Gortat having been mentioned in trade rumors for years. And despite his steady production for the club, it’s not hard to see why Washington wanted to move him.

Gortat, who has always been outspoken with the media, clashed last season with Wall, who responded to perceived criticism from the veteran center by suggesting that Gortat should be grateful for all the “spoon-fed baskets” he got as a result of playing with Wall. The 34-year-old has also shown virtually no willingness to modernize his game, indicating this spring that he had no intention of working on increasing his shooting range. Around the same time, Wall was talking about the Wizards’ need for “athletic” big men.

While it’s certainly possible that Gortat himself wasn’t the problem in the Wizards’ locker room, his days in D.C. were numbered once his differences of opinion with the team’s franchise player became more public and more frequent.

None of the Wizards’ other offseason departures should have an impact on their starting lineup, but they’ll be replacing three backup point guards in Tim Frazier, Ramon Sessions, and Ty Lawson. The loss of Mike Scott shouldn’t be overlooked either. A key reserve, Scott enjoyed a career year for the Wiz in 2017/18, averaging 8.8 PPG with a .527 FG% and .405 3PT%. Having used their mid-level exception elsewhere, the Wizards had no way of matching or topping the $4.3MM offer Scott received from the Clippers.

Key offseason additions:

Already projected to be over the tax line, the Wizards decided to use their full mid-level exception on Howard, a move that will cost them more than his $5.34MM salary due to tax penalties. It’s a fascinating decision, given how quickly he has worn out his welcomes in Houston, Atlanta, and Charlotte over the last three years. The Wizards and Howard all saying all the right things leading up to the season, but it’s a risky move to replace Gortat with Howard and hope that it will help solve last year’s on- and off-court issues.

On the court, Howard certainly has more upside than Gortat, giving the Wizards the sort of rim-protecting center and elite rebounder they’ve lacked in the middle. But he’ll turn 33 this December and is past his prime at this point. Howard has to be willing to accept a complementary role after attempting more than 11 shots per game last season — he shouldn’t be taking many touches from the likes of Wall, Beal, and Porter.

Elsewhere, the Wizards’ additions of Rivers and Jeff Green should bolster a bench that has struggled to produce in recent years. Neither Rivers nor Green is a consistent difference-maker, but they’re solid defenders who should stabilize the second unit. Getting Green on a minimum-salary deal was a particularly nice move.

While Howard, Rivers, and Green should contribute immediately, the best long-term addition for the Wizards this summer figures to be Troy Brown, a talented – but raw – wing who enters his rookie season as the fourth-youngest player in the NBA. The Wizards have made a habit of trading away their first-round picks for veterans over the last few years, and needed an injection of high-upside youth this summer. Brown provides that, becoming the first player the Wizards have drafted in the first round – and kept – since Porter in 2013.

Outlook for 2018/19:

As usual, the Wizards will head into the 2018/19 campaign believing that they’re the best team in the East — just ask Markieff Morris. That confidence hasn’t led to deep playoff runs in past seasons though, and most prognosticators don’t believe that this year will be any different, ranking the Celtics, Raptors, and Sixers – and perhaps the Pacers and Bucks – ahead of Washington in the East.

With one of the NBA’s best backcourts, the Wizards have the talent to make some noise in a conference that’s no longer dominated by LeBron James, but this roster still probably lacks championship upside, and the acquisition of Howard creates as many questions as answers.

With team owner Ted Leonsis talking about wanting to win 50 games and earn a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals, expectations are high in D.C. If the Wizards are unable to meet those expectations, changes will be coming next summer.

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

Community Shootaround: Terry Rozier’s Future

October 5th, 2018 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams

On Thursday night, Kyrie Irving announced to fans at a Celtics event that he plans to re-sign with the club next July when he can become a free agent. Irving’s verbal commitment to the Celtics doesn’t necessarily guarantee anything, since a lot can change between now and July 1. But it was a rare declaration for a star free-agent-to-be — even if a player ultimately intends to re-sign with his current team, he’ll usually hedge his bets this far out, talking about how he wants to “focus on the season” or how he knows the NBA is “a business.”

Irving stating in no uncertain terms that he intends to remain a Celtic going forward is great news for the franchise, but it also casts some uncertainty on Terry Rozier‘s future with the team. If Irving receives a maximum-salary contract from Boston next summer, the club would be committing an estimated $45MM to Irving and Marcus Smart in 2019/20, with that number projected to increase to $52MM+ by 2021/22.

That’s already a lot of money to invest in a pair of point guards, and adding a lucrative new deal for Rozier on top of that would probably be financially irresponsible. After all, based on what he showed down the stretch last season, Rozier should have a great chance to match – if not exceed – Smart’s four-year, $52MM contract as a restricted free agent in 2019. By re-signing him, Boston would be looking at using well over half of its cap room on point guards.

We don’t know for sure that Irving will get the full max from the Celtics. And it’s possible that the team could consider moving Smart to create additional cap flexibility. It’s even conceivable that the C’s could bite the bullet and re-sign Rozier without cutting costs elsewhere, since no cap rules prevent them from doing so — it would simply result in a big tax bill.

Still, it seems like something’s got to give.

Trading Rozier in advance of the 2019 deadline might allow the team to maximize his value, but that seems unlikely as long as the Celtics are vying for a title. Waiting until free agency in 2019 and hoping to negotiate a trade at that point is another option, but it’s a risky one, since there would be nothing stopping Rozier from signing an offer sheet outright with a rival suitor. Matching an offer sheet for Rozier with the intent to cut costs later would also be dangerous, since potential trade partners could drive a harder bargain knowing that the C’s are anxious to reduce their tax bill.

What do you think? What path will the Celtics take with Rozier, with Irving now on track to re-sign? What should the team do with him?

Jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Recap Of 2018 NBA Draft Pick Signings

October 5th, 2018 at 8:50am CST by Luke Adams

When word broke on Thursday that Thunder second-round pick Kevin Hervey would play in the G League this season, it ensured that we now know the 2018/19 plans for all 60 of this year’s NBA draft picks.

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

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

First-rounders:

Generally, at least one or two first-round picks become draft-and-stash prospects, but that didn’t happen this year. All 30 first-rounders signed standard NBA contracts and immediately joined their teams’ respective rosters.

All 30 rookie contracts for this year’s first-rounders include the standard two guaranteed seasons, with team options for years three and four. Assuming he plays out his entire four-year contract, Suns center Deandre Ayton – the No. 1 overall pick – would earn a total of $40MM+. On the other end of the spectrum, No. 30 pick Omari Spellman will make just over $9MM in his first four seasons with the Hawks.

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

Second-rounders:

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

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

Four-year contracts:

Elie Okobo, Suns ($6.12MM). First two years guaranteed.
Jalen Brunson, Mavericks ($6.11MM). First three years guaranteed.
Mitchell Robinson, Knicks ($6.57MM). First two years guaranteed.
Rodions Kurucs, Nets ($6.96MM). First three years guaranteed.
Ray Spalding, Mavericks ($5.72MM). First year guaranteed.

Three-year contracts:

Devonte’ Graham, Hornets ($4.07MM). First two years guaranteed.
Melvin Frazier, Magic ($4.13MM). First two years guaranteed.
Gary Trent Jr., Trail Blazers ($3.92MM). Fully guaranteed.
Khyri Thomas, Pistons ($3.92MM). First two years guaranteed.
Isaac Bonga, Lakers ($4.08MM). First two years guaranteed.
Jarred Vanderbilt, Nuggets ($3.92MM). First two years guaranteed.
Bruce Brown, Pistons ($3.92MM). First two years guaranteed.
Hamidou Diallo, Thunder ($3.92MM). First two years guaranteed.
Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, Lakers ($4.57MM). First year guaranteed.
Keita Bates-Diop, Timberwolves ($3.92MM). First two years guaranteed.
Chimezie Metu, Spurs ($3.92MM). First two years guaranteed.

Two-year contracts:

Jevon Carter, Grizzlies ($2.26MM). Fully guaranteed.
De’Anthony Melton, Suns ($2.37MM). Fully guaranteed.
Alize Johnson, Pacers ($2.26MM). First year guaranteed.

One-year contracts:

Vince Edwards, Rockets ($838K). Non-guaranteed.

With 20 second-round picks signing standard NBA contracts ranging from one year to four years, that leaves 10 second-rounders who ended up taking a different path. These players won’t start the season on 15-man NBA rosters, but their teams still hold their NBA rights.

Here’s what those players are doing:

Signed two-way contracts:

Shake Milton, Sixers
Thomas Welsh, Nuggets
George King, Suns
Kostas Antetokounmpo, Mavericks

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

Justin Jackson, Magic
Kevin Hervey, Thunder

Playing overseas (international draft-and-stash):

Issuf Sanon, Wizards: Playing in Slovenia (Petrol Olimpija).
Tony Carr, Pelicans: Playing in Italy (Fiat Torino).
Devon Hall, Thunder: Playing in Australia (Cairns Taipans).
Arnoldas Kulboka, Hornets: Playing in Germany (Brose Bamberg).

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

Trade Rumors App For iOS/Android

October 4th, 2018 at 3:25pm CST by Luke Adams

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

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

All the articles from Hoops Rumors, MLB Trade Rumors, Pro Football Rumors, and Pro Hockey Rumors in an easy-to-navigate, eye-catching format. Swipe through stories to quickly consume all the news and rumors from our four sites. Not into all four sports? No problem – any sport can be easily removed.
Customize what you see. You can create feeds for any team or player across any of our sites.
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Did we mention Trade Rumors is a free app? What do you have to lose? Download it now!

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

2018 Offseason In Review: San Antonio Spurs

October 4th, 2018 at 11:35am CST by Arthur Hill

Signings:

Standard contracts:
- Davis Bertans: Two years, $14MM. Includes unlikely incentives. Re-signed using Early Bird rights.
- Marco Belinelli: Two years, $12MM. Signed using mid-level exception.
- Rudy Gay: One year, $10.09MM. Re-signed using Non-Bird rights.
- Bryn Forbes: Two years, $6MM. Re-signed using Early Bird rights.
- Dante Cunningham: One year, $2.49MM. Signed using bi-annual exception.
Two-way contracts:
- Drew Eubanks
Non-guaranteed camp contracts:
- Quincy Pondexter: One year, minimum salary. $150K partial guarantee.
- Nick Johnson: One year, minimum salary.
- Okaro White: One year, minimum salary.
- Note: Amida Brimah and Julian Washburn signed non-guaranteed camp contracts, but were later waived.

Trades:

Acquired DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl, and the Raptors’ 2019 first-round pick (top-20 protected) from the Raptors in exchange for Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, and cash ($5MM).

Draft picks:

1-18: Lonnie Walker — Signed to rookie contract.
2-49: Chimezie Metu — Signed to three-year, $3.92MM contract. First two years guaranteed. Signed using mid-level exception.

Draft-and-stash signings:

Jaron Blossomgame (2017 draft; No. 59): Signed to one-year, minimum salary contract. Non-guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Note: Olivier Hanlan (2015 draft; No. 42) also signed a one-year, non-guaranteed, minimum salary contract, but was later waived.

Departing players:

Kyle Anderson (declined to match offer sheet)
Matt Costello (two-way)
Manu Ginobili (retired)
Danny Green
Darrun Hilliard (two-way)
Joffrey Lauvergne
Kawhi Leonard
Tony Parker
Brandon Paul (waived)

Other offseason news:

Exercised 2019/20 team options on Dejounte Murray, Jakob Poeltl, and Derrick White.
Promoted assistant coach Becky Hammon to front of bench to replace James Borrego.
Hired former NBA players Brent Barry and Darius Songaila to front office positions.
Reached jersey sponsorship deal with Frost Bank.

Salary cap situation:

Remained over the cap.
Carrying approximately $121.2MM in guaranteed salaries.
Hard-capped at $129.82MM.
$1.65MM of mid-level exception still available ($6.99MM used on Marco Belinelli and Chimezie Metu).
$895K of bi-annual exception still available ($2.49MM used on Dante Cunningham).

Check out the San Antonio Spurs’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

The power struggle between Kawhi Leonard and Spurs management got uglier as last season went along and ended with a separation over the summer. Leonard was sent to the Raptors in July in a deal that brought All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan and Jakob Poeltl in return.

It was a disappointing end in San Antonio for Leonard, who was once anointed as the player to keep the Spurs’ winning tradition alive once Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker had retired. Instead, at age 27, Leonard is likely to have his best seasons elsewhere, whether that’s in Toronto or another city after he enters free agency next summer.

Leonard’s dispute with the Spurs started with a quad injury that lingered throughout the summer of 2017 and into the start of the regular season. The team expected Leonard to return to action once he was cleared by the medical staff, but he claimed he was still in too much pain to play and consulted with private physicians who backed up his claims.

Leonard wound up playing just nine games last year, leaving a huge hole in the lineup for San Antonio following a near-MVP season. The Spurs struggled to earn the seventh seed, then were quickly dispatched in the first round. Leonard didn’t show up to support his teammates in the postseason, which heightened tensions between him and the organization. He informed team officials that he wouldn’t re-sign once he reached free agency, which left the Spurs with no choice other than to trade him.

Key offseason losses:

It’s hard to imagine a Spurs team without Ginobili and Parker, but neither was on the roster as San Antonio opened camp. After considering retirement for several seasons, Ginobili finally decided it was time at age 41. Although coach Gregg Popovich tried to talk him into another season, Ginobili said he didn’t have the desire to face another difficult 82-game season. A member of four NBA title teams, Ginobili leaves San Antonio as one of the most popular players in franchise history.

Parker is also gone, but not to retirement. After 17 seasons with the Spurs, the point guard accepted a two-year deal with the Hornets, where he expects to have a better shot at playing time. Parker is accompanying former Spurs assistant James Borrego, who was hired over the summer as the new head coach in Charlotte.

Another important loss was Kyle Anderson, who had a breakthrough season last year after taking Leonard’s spot in the starting lineup. Anderson turned that into a four-year, $37.2MM offer sheet from the Grizzlies, which the Spurs elected not to match. Shooting guard Danny Green, another member of the championship era, was shipped to the Raptors as part of the Leonard trade.

Key offseason additions:

After years of success with home-grown talent, the Spurs’ top player is now an outsider. DeRozan spent nine years in Toronto, made four All-Star appearances and just signed an extension in 2016. He will be counted on to replace the scoring punch that Leonard used to provide. DeRozan has been a consistent 20 PPG scorer for the past five seasons, but the Spurs would like to see him improve from 3-point territory, where he is a career .288 shooter.

The Spurs are also excited about Poeltl, who will bring some youth to a front line that features veterans Pau Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge and Rudy Gay. The ninth pick in the 2016 draft, Poeltl appeared in all 82 games for Toronto last season, averaging 6.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in a reserve role.

San Antonio also picked up some shooting help over the summer by bringing back Marco Belinelli, who was part of the title-winning team in 2013/14. Belinelli is a productive bench scorer who shot .377 on 3-pointers last season with the Hawks and Sixers.

Outlook for 2018/19:

The loss of Ginobili and Parker means the new era of Spurs basketball has finally arrived, although it’s still shocking that Leonard isn’t part of it. This summer’s roster turnover makes it difficult for San Antonio fans to know what to expect from their team.

The addition of DeRozan will provide perimeter scoring that the Spurs lacked last year. Leonard averaged 25.5 PPG during his last healthy season, and San Antonio didn’t have anyone of that caliber to challenge defenses last year. DeRozan, who averaged a career-best 5.2 assists per game a year ago, also provides another ballhandler and playmaker to the team’s backcourt.

However, replacing Leonard on defense won’t be as easy and the loss of Anderson will only make things more challenging. The addition of free agent Dante Cunningham should help, but the Spurs will eventually need to find a better solution.

San Antonio has the longest-running streak of postseason appearances in the NBA at 21 consecutive years. An offseason of change, an aging roster without a superstar and a long list of Western Conference challengers may require Popovich to do his best coaching job to extend that streak to 22.

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

2018 Offseason In Review: Brooklyn Nets

October 2nd, 2018 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Signings:

Standard contracts:
- Joe Harris: Two years, $16MM. Re-signed using Early Bird rights.
- Ed Davis: One year, $4.45MM. Signed using room exception.
- Shabazz Napier: Two years, $3.79MM. Second year non-guaranteed. Signed using cap room.
- Treveon Graham: Two years, minimum salary. Second year non-guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Two-way contracts:
- Alan Williams
Non-guaranteed camp contracts:
- Mitch Creek: One year, minimum salary.
- Jordan McLaughlin: One year, minimum salary.
- Nuni Omot: One year, minimum salary.
- Theo Pinson: One year, minimum salary.

Trades:

Acquired Dwight Howard from the Hornets in exchange for Timofey Mozgov, the draft rights to Hamidou Diallo (No. 45 pick), the Nets’ 2021 second-round pick, and cash ($5MM).
- Note: Howard was later bought out.
Acquired the rights to Isaia Cordinier and the Trail Blazers’ 2020 second-round pick (top-55 protected) from the Hawks in exchange for Jeremy Lin, the Nets’ 2025 second-round pick, and the right to swap 2023 second-round picks.
Acquired Kenneth Faried, Darrell Arthur, the Nuggets’ 2019 first-round pick (top-12 protected), and the Nuggets’ 2020 second-round pick from the Nuggets in exchange for Isaiah Whitehead.
Acquired Jared Dudley and the Suns’ 2021 second-round pick (top-35 protected) from the Suns in exchange for Darrell Arthur.

Draft picks:

1-29: Dzanan Musa — Signed to rookie contract.
2-40: Rodions Kurucs — Signed to four-year, $6.96MM contract. First three years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option. Signed using cap room.

Departing players:

Quincy Acy
Dante Cunningham
Milton Doyle (two-way)
Jeremy Lin
Timofey Mozgov
Jahlil Okafor
Nik Stauskas
James Webb III (two-way)
Isaiah Whitehead

Other offseason news:

Named Will Weaver head coach of G League affiliate Long Island Nets.
Kenneth Faried charged with possession of marijuana.

Salary cap situation:

Used cap space; now over the cap.
Carrying approximately $116MM in guaranteed salaries.
No cap exceptions left besides minimum salary exception.

Check out the Brooklyn Nets’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

For the fifth straight year, the Nets were without their first-round pick in 2018, and for the third consecutive year, that pick would have been a top-10 selection. Brooklyn’s dearth of lottery picks, a result of an ill-fated trade with the Celtics, has slowed the team’s rebuild. Even as the Nets’ front office has made savvy and sound roster decisions, the lack of opportunities to land future stars has limited the club’s progress.

The 2018 offseason didn’t present any new opportunities to draft or sign a franchise-altering player, but it may have been the last Brooklyn summer defined by gathering assets and moving pieces around with an eye toward making a future splash.

After all, the summer of 2019 will mark the first time since 2013 that the Nets will have their own first-round pick, and the team also owns Denver’s first-rounder (top-12 protected) in that draft. On top of that, Brooklyn’s trade of Timofey Mozgov this offseason ensured that the team will clear a massive amount of salary from its books at season’s end, opening the door for the possibility of a major signing (or two) in 2019.

It has been a long, slow, and painful process, but the Nets’ patience has put them in a position to make some noise in the not-so-distant future.

Key offseason losses:

One of the first big moves Sean Marks made after taking over as general manager of the Nets was giving three years and $36MM to veteran point guard Jeremy Lin. That turned out to be a poor investment, but only for reasons out of Marks’ control — a pair of significant injuries limited Lin to just 37 games over two seasons.

During Lin’s absence(s), the club stocked their point guard depth chart by acquiring D’Angelo Russell, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Shabazz Napier, leaving no room for Lin this season. The Nets did well to get off his $12.5MM salary without having to attach more than a 2023 second-round pick swap and a 2025 second-round pick to him.

A pair of midseason additions from last winter, Jahlil Okafor and Nik Stauskas, were worthwhile fliers at the time, but didn’t prove worthy of long-term commitments from the Nets, who allowed both former lottery picks to walk in free agency.

Other departing veterans include Quincy Acy, Dante Cunningham, and Mozgov. All three players are capable of providing value in limited roles, but Cunningham and especially Acy will be remembered more fondly by fans than Mozgov, whose massive contract impeded other roster moves.

Key offseason additions:

Although they didn’t have their own first-round pick this year, the Nets did have two selections in the top 40 and used them to add a pair of international prospects in Dzanan Musa and Rodions Kurucs. Musa and Kurucs will likely spend some time in the G League in 2018/19 and may not be ready to play regular roles in Brooklyn right away, but the Nets were able to lock up both players to four-year deals, giving them plenty of time to develop the young duo.

On the free agent market, the Nets made some of the NBA’s best low-cost investments of the summer, adding Ed Davis, Treveon Graham, and Napier on bargain deals. Graham and Napier were underrated bench pieces in Charlotte and Portland respectively last season. As for Davis, he’s the sort of solid veteran player who will play a key role for the Nets if they make a push for the playoffs, and who could be an interesting trade chip at the February deadline if they’re out of contention.

The Nets acquired three draft picks in the trades that netted them Kenneth Faried and Jared Dudley, but – like DeMarre Carroll a year ago – those players may end up being more than just bad contracts. Faried is one of the NBA’s most productive rebounders when given the chance to play, and Dudley’s veteran leadership and ability to stretch the floor could be useful for Brooklyn.

Finally, the Nets even made an intriguing two-way signing, adding former Sun Alan Williams to their roster last month. Like Faried, Williams is a tenacious rebounder, averaging 15.0 boards per 36 minutes over the course of his NBA career. He’s only one year removed from earning $6MM with the Suns. Brooklyn will have him on a two-way salary that starts at $77,250.

Outlook for 2018/19:

The Nets are certainly headed in the right direction, but this is a team that won just 28 games last season and didn’t add any difference-making players during the offseason. Challenging for a postseason spot in a weakened Eastern Conference would probably be the best-case scenario for the franchise.

Would that outcome be in the Nets’ best long-term interests though? The franchise in a fascinating spot right now, since it’s not clear whether the club’s best chance to add an impact player in 2019 would be in the draft or in free agency. Finishing poorly enough to land a high draft pick would almost certainly have a negative effect on Brooklyn’s odds of landing a top-tier free agent, since most stars aren’t looking to join a 25-win team.

Given the unpredictability of the draft lottery – particularly with the lottery odds flattened for 2019 – and the Nets’ aversion to tanking, the organization is more likely to go all-out in hopes of cracking the top eight in the East. Even if they fall short, the Nets would be able to show prospective free agent targets that they’re committed to building a winning culture and that they’re ready to take a big step forward with one or two key additions.

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

Community Shootaround: League Pass Rankings

October 2nd, 2018 at 11:43am CST by Luke Adams

For the seventh consecutive year, ESPN’s Zach Lowe has published his annual NBA League Pass Rankings, listing the NBA teams from No. 30 to No. 1 based on how watchable each club will be during the upcoming season. As Lowe explains in his intro, he considers several factors in his rankings, including a team’s popularity, highlight potential, playing style, and – of course – unintentional comedy.

Although the Warriors had landed atop Lowe’s rankings for four of the last five seasons, the defending champions finished a close third this year, with the Sixers and Celtics sneaking ahead of them. Lowe gave Philadelphia the slight edge for the No. 1 spot, pointing to his interest in Markelle Fultz as a deciding factor — whether Fultz starts to reach his potential or crashes and burns, it will be fascinating to watch.

Many of Lowe’s other choices in the top 10 don’t come as a real surprise — the new-look Lakers come in at No. 4, with the Nuggets and their dynamic offense rounding out the top five. Potential contenders like the Rockets (7), Bucks (8), Raptors (9), and Jazz (10) also show up near the top of the list, though the final team in the top 10 is an unexpected one. The Bulls come in at No. 6, with Lowe explaining that they earned high marks due to their “superficially fun offense, tidy [uniform and court] art, [and] players who deliver both highlights and gaffes.”

Lowe’s full top 15 can be found here, along with the bottom 15. But we want to know what your personal League Pass rankings would look like.

Outside of your favorite team(s), which clubs are you most looking forward to watching in 2018/19? Do you agree that the Sixers, Celtics, Warriors, and Lakers make up the top tier, or are there other teams that intrigue you more? Which club’s games are you most likely to seek out during the coming season?

Jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!

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