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Weekly Mailbag: 3/19/18 – 3/25/18

March 25th, 2018 at 12:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

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

With Isaiah Thomas hitting free agency, do you think Celtics will get stronger if they bring him back? A Kyrie Irving and IT backcourt duo can rival the James Harden and Chris Paul tandem. — Gregory Dizon

Thomas addressed the possibility this week, tweeting “Anything can happen” when a fan asked him about returning to Boston. And although anything can happen, Thomas still has to feel betrayed by the Celtics’ decision to trade him after all he did for the franchise last season. Also, don’t forget that Irving wanted to leave Cleveland so he could be a clear franchise player. He may not be open to the idea of sharing the ball with Thomas. Boston is already over the cap for next season, so without a deal to open some space, it can’t offer Thomas more than the mid-level exception. That’s less than he wants, but it may be the best offer he can get until he proves his hip has healed enough to allow him to play a full season. It’s hard to predict where Thomas will end up, but it feels like his time with the Celtics is over.

Do you think Atlanta will blow it up this summer? I know they tanked this season, but I think they have some quality talent. Add a high draft pick and impact free agent with their cap space and they could be right back in the playoff mix next year. Thoughts on their direction? — VJ Cruz, via Twitter

There’s not much left to blow up in Atlanta, where they fully committed to rebuilding when they opted not to re-sign Paul Millsap last summer. The Hawks have three first-round draft picks, plus their own near the top of the second round, so they will continue to load up on young, affordable talent. They could have as much as $45MM in cap space, but they aren’t in a position to attract elite free agents and won’t spend it recklessly. Kent Bazemore ($18MM next season with a $19.27MM option for 2019/20) or Dennis Schroder ($15MM in each of the next three seasons) could be available for the right offer, but otherwise the Hawks are content to take things slow and build for the future.

How many teams will make coaching changes once the season is over? — Robert, via Twitter

The Suns are an obvious one as they’ve already launched their coaching search. Although interim coach Jay Triano will get consideration, it seems like the organization wants a fresh start. Jeff Hornacek appears out in New York. It’s hard to see how Stan Van Gundy can survive a late-season collapse in Detroit. And with a new front office team in place, the Magic will likely want to move on from Frank Vogel. Charlotte will be an interesting situation to watch as Steve Clifford has one more year left on his contract and has been to the playoffs just twice in five seasons. So will Los Angeles, where Doc Rivers and Luke Walton may be replaced even though their teams have both overachieved.

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Community Shootaround: Curry, Irving Injuries

March 24th, 2018 at 5:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

Two point guards who squared off in the last three NBA Finals suddenly face health problems heading into this year’s playoffs.

Stephen Curry was diagnosed with a Grade 2 MCL sprain that was revealed in an MRI performed today on his left knee. Curry suffered the injury in Friday’s game, which marked his return to the court after missing two weeks with a tweaked right ankle. The Warriors announced that he will be re-evaluated in three weeks, which coincides with the start of the playoffs.

In Boston, Kyrie Irving is sidelined after undergoing a surgical procedure today on his left knee. The operation was described as minimally invasive and was performed to remove a tension wire that was inserted when he fractured his patella during the 2015 NBA Finals. Doctors say Irving should be able to resume basketball activities in three to six weeks, which doesn’t necessarily mean he will be cleared to play at that point.

Both teams are locked pretty solidly into second place in their respective conferences, so today’s injury news shouldn’t affect the regular season standings. However, both become more vulnerable in a first-round matchup if Curry and Irving can’t play.

The bottom of the West remains jumbled with the fourth-place Thunder and 10th-place Clippers separated by only four games in the loss column. Realistically, there are seven teams that could face Golden State in the first round, with each presenting a different challenge.

Things are a little more settled in the East, where the Bucks, Heat, Wizards or Pacers seem most likely to land in the seventh seed. Any of those teams could throw a scare into the Celtics, who will also be without Marcus Smart for about six more weeks after surgery to fix a torn ligament in his right thumb and Daniel Theis, who had season-ending surgery for a torn meniscus.

Our question for today is whether the Warriors or Celtics are now in danger of a first-round upset without their floor leaders. A lot depends on the eventual matchups, but do you see either team suffering an early playoff exit? Please jump into the comments section below and give us your feedback.

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Hoops Rumors Originals: 3/17/18 – 3/24/18

March 24th, 2018 at 3:57pm CST by clarkcrum

Every week, we here at Hoops Rumors strive to create interesting original content to complement our news feed. Here are the original segments and features from the past seven days:

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Eight RFAs Well Positioned For Long-Term Contracts

March 23rd, 2018 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Restricted free agency can be a minefield for NBA players, who have to work with their agents to determine whether it makes sense to negotiate directly with their own teams or to seek an offer sheet from another suitor.

For certain players, restricted free agency can be a route to a monster payday, since teams looking to pry away an RFA from another team often have to overpay to do it — just ask Tim Hardaway Jr., who almost certainly did better as a restricted free agent than he would have if he had been unrestricted last summer. Otto Porter, Tony Snell, Joe Ingles, Cristiano Felicio, and Mason Plumlee were among the other 2017 RFAs who secured lucrative long-term deals.

However, for some restricted free agents, seeking out that mega-deal can backfire. Nerlens Noel and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope reportedly turned down big four-year offers last offseason and then had to settle for one-year contracts instead. Alex Len and Nikola Mirotic were among the other RFAs who remained on the market for months before eventually signing modest deals.

While it’s not necessarily the end of the world if an RFA has to accept a one-year deal that sets him up for unrestricted free agency 12 months later, a lucrative long-term deal is generally preferred, since that sort of payday can increase a young player’s career earnings exponentially.

Heading into the 2018 free agent period, league-wide cap space isn’t expected to be as abundant as it has been over the past couple years, but there are still a number of restricted free agents who appear well positioned to secure big contracts. Here are eight of them:

  1. Clint Capela, C (Rockets): Capela may not have the dynamic sort of skill set that some of the NBA’s best big men possess, but he does exactly what the Rockets need him to — finish at the basket (.651 FG%), grab rebounds (10.9 RPG), and protect the rim (1.8 BPG). Barring a major surprise, I’d expect Houston to go well into tax territory to ensure that he and Chris Paul both get lucrative new deals this summer.
  2. Aaron Gordon, PF (Magic): After opening the season with a red-hot shooting stretch (.595 3PT% in his first 10 games), Gordon has posted more pedestrian shooting numbers since then (.299 3PT% in his last 39 games). The former fourth overall pick becomes an extremely dangerous offensive weapon when his three-pointer is working, but even without it, he makes for an intriguing free agent option. Gordon is still just 22 years old, and coming off a career year, he’s a good bet to land a big offer sheet from a team with cap room if the Magic drag their feet in negotiations.
  3. Julius Randle, F/C (Lakers): With Larry Nance Jr. sent to Cleveland and Kyle Kuzma unable to sustain his hot start all season long, Randle has been the Lakers‘ most impressive big man for the last three months. Since entering the starting lineup on December 29, the former Kentucky standout has averaged 19.1 PPG, 9.3 RPG, and 3.2 APG, making a case for a spot on the Lakers’ long-term plans even if the team is able to land a top outside free agent or two this summer. The Mavericks have been cited most frequently as a potential suitor for Randle if he seeks out an offer sheet.
  4. Zach LaVine, G (Bulls): Although injuries have prevented LaVine from taking another step forward this season, that’s unlikely to significantly impact his free agent value. The Bulls traded for LaVine last offseason knowing that a pricey new deal was on the horizon, and there has been no indication that the team has wavered on the idea of locking him up to a long-term pact.
  5. Jabari Parker, F (Bucks): Had Parker stayed healthy during his first four NBA seasons, he may already have a maximum salary extension secured. Instead, two ACL injuries have created uncertainty about what his next contract will look like. The former No. 2 overall pick reportedly passed on an offer last fall that would have paid him $18MM annually, and while he may not do better than that on the open market, his market shouldn’t crater. Parker already has a 20+ PPG season under his belt, and has put up career-best shooting numbers since returning from his latest ACL tear — his scoring potential will be tantalizing enough for a team with cap flexibility to take a shot on him if the Bucks don’t re-sign him right away.
  6. Jusuf Nurkic, C (Trail Blazers): Nurkic has been somewhat inconsistent this season, particularly on offense, but the Trail Blazers‘ defense continues to perform better and commit fewer fouls when he’s on the court, as ESPN’s Zach Lowe wrote this week. A 23-year-old center capable of anchoring a defense for a top-six team in the NBA is a rarity — that makes him a good bet to do well for himself in free agency.
  7. Marcus Smart, G (Celtics): Like Nurkic, Smart isn’t necessarily a reliable go-to option on offense, but his defensive ability makes him a valuable rotation piece. According to Basketball-Reference’s on/off-court stats, the Celtics allow about five fewer points per 100 possessions and force more turnovers when Smart is on the floor. While his shooting numbers (.367/.301/.729) leave something to be desired, the 24-year-old should at least be in line for an Andre Roberson-type contract (three years, $30MM).
  8. Fred VanVleet, G (Raptors): The only player on this list who wasn’t a first-round pick, VanVleet actually wasn’t drafted at all, joining the Raptors as a rookie free agent in 2016. He has developed into a solid backup point guard this season, averaging 11.0 PPG and 3.5 APG with a .450/.432/.867 shooting line since the start of 2018. His success creates an interesting predicament for the Raptors, who project to be a taxpayer in 2018/19, and could have to contend with a rival suitor back-loading an offer sheet for VanVleet via the Arenas provision. Toronto may ultimately need to trade another expensive contract if they want to retain VanVleet without committing to a huge tax bill.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Damion Lee’s Resilience Paid Off With NBA Opportunity

March 22nd, 2018 at 12:40pm CST by marksuleymanov

Damion Lee has twice suffered an injury that is known to shorten – or even end – careers.

While at Drexel University, Lee missed most of his junior season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee in December 2013. Just 16 games into his professional career in January 2017, Lee tore the ACL in his left knee and was released by the G League’s Maine Red Claws.

Successfully returning from one ACL tear is difficult enough, as the recovery process can last upwards of one year – Lee had to endure that process twice. Despite the long odds, Lee said he was never deterred from his goal of playing in the NBA.

“Retirement has never crossed my mind,” Lee said in an interview with Hoops Rumors via email earlier this month. “After the second injury in 2016, it actually made me stronger and motivated me, because I knew that I have returned from the same injury.  My belief during the entire rehab process was that I could return to the court the second time around stronger than ever.”

Lee, 25, said his first ACL injury was the more challenging of the two tears. Lee’s first bout with the injury included a meniscus tear, which kept him off his feet for two months. The second injury was a partial tear of the ACL, which enabled Lee to do weight-bearing exercises the day after surgery and be off crutches in two weeks.

“The second time I tore my ACL it was a freak accident,” Lee said. “I actually thought it was a meniscus injury. I received an MRI the following morning, and the doctors told me it was partially torn; there are two bundles (of ligaments), and only one bundle was torn. I sort of knew what to expect from the recovery process that time around, so I attacked the recovery process better because I had expectations on how to approach it.”

Lee was rewarded for his persistence last week when the Hawks signed the combo guard to a 10-day contract. It was the payoff to a successful G League campaign in which Lee averaged 15.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG and 2.6 APG in 38 games with the Santa Cruz Warriors.

Four games into his NBA career, Lee has shown flashes of the skills that earned him a look in Atlanta.

Lee recorded 13 points and 14 points in his first two contests, becoming the first Hawks rookie to score double-digit points in his first two games since Paul Graham in 1992, per Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link). On Tuesday, he played 32 minutes against the Jazz in his first career start.

Lee said he made it a point to not let his past injuries impact his ability to contribute to his team.

“My playing style actually hasn’t changed at all. I’ve always been a land-loving, slashing, high basketball IQ player since I started playing the game,” Lee said. “I may not be the flashiest, but I try to be the most efficient, effective player I can be. I try to do the little things on the court that contribute to the success of my team.”

That mentality was noticed by Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer, who spoke highly of Lee after his second NBA appearance in a 129-117 loss to the Hornets.

“There’s a confidence. He has the ability to shoot the 3 but also slashing behind shifts,” Budenholzer said, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Just a good feel for the game. Sticking his nose in there on rebounds and loose balls. Great first impression for him this week.”

The Hawks have brought in several guards on 10-day contracts recently, including Antonius Cleveland and Jaylen Morris, who have both since signed multiyear deals with the team. Atlanta now has 14 players on guaranteed contracts, with Lee’s 10-day deal – which is set to expire – occupying the 15th and final spot on the roster.

While it remains to be seen if the Hawks will sign him to a second 10-day contract, Lee said his long journey to the NBA has taught him to persevere.

“Tearing an ACL is devastating, but the reality is that everyone in life experiences devastating and tragic events,” Lee said. “One thing that I took away from going through these injuries is a confidence that one day I will return to the court and play this game, and it will be a safe haven for me.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Community Shootaround: Nuggets’ Short-, Long-Term Outlook

March 21st, 2018 at 3:15pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets have played reasonably well since the start of February, posting a 12-8 record in their last 20 contests. However, Denver’s spot in the Western Conference standings has slipped since then, as the team now finds itself in the No. 9 seed. While the Nuggets are still within three games of four Western playoff teams, they trail the eighth-place Jazz by two full games, and face an uphill battle for a postseason berth.

In addition to having to play catch-up, the Nuggets also have one of the most difficult remaining schedules in the NBA, per Tankathon.com. After facing the Bulls on Wednesday night, the Nuggets will have 10 more games on their schedule, including six on the road — that stretch includes nine games vs. playoff teams and one in L.A. vs. the Clippers, who are right on Denver’s heels for the No. 9 seed.

There are other Western contenders with difficult schedules going forward. The remaining slates for the Thunder, Spurs, Pelicans, Clippers, and Jazz also rank among the 10 toughest in the league, according to Tankathon. Still, while Denver’s playoff hopes remain alive for now, that could change quickly. With a stretch of road games in Washington, Philadelphia, Toronto, and Oklahoma City on tap in the next nine days, the Nuggets’ shot at the postseason could be on life support by the end of the month. FiveThirtyEight’s playoffs odds already only give Denver a 12% chance to make it.

Although the Nuggets didn’t enter the season expected to be a title contender, they were a popular pick to make big strides after adding Paul Millsap in free agency. Denver hadn’t won more than 40 games or made the playoffs for four seasons, but this was the year that was expected to change. Instead, Millsap has appeared in just 27 games due to a wrist injury, and the Nuggets are on the verge of a fifth straight lottery appearance.

The Nuggets have posted a respectable 38-33 record so far, and if Millsap had stayed healthy, they may have added a few more wins to that total. But missing the playoffs would be a disappointing outcome, and could kickstart a discussion about the job security of Michael Malone, who is in his third year as Denver’s head coach.

A lottery appearance would also make for an even more interesting offseason for the Nuggets, who don’t have the cap flexibility to make another splash in free agency like they did with Millsap. If Wilson Chandler and Darrell Arthur pick up their player options for 2018/19, the Nuggets will have about $106MM in guaranteed money on their cap for next season, and that’s without considering a possible raise for Nikola Jokic.

The Nuggets will have to either make Jokic a restricted free agent this summer and give him a long-term deal, or exercise his inexpensive team option, which would put him on track for unrestricted free agency in 2019 and would increase the risk of him leaving Denver. If Jokic gets a new contract this summer, the Nuggets may end up in tax territory without making any real changes to this year’s squad.

It’s not an ideal situation for the Nuggets, who will need a late-season run to salvage their playoff chances for this spring, and will face an offseason of tough decisions whether or not they make the postseason.

What do you think? Can the Nuggets still make the playoffs this year? Will Malone be back if they don’t? What moves could they make this offseason to improve their long-term outlook?

Jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!

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How End Of G League Season Affects Two-Way Players

March 21st, 2018 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

The 2017/18 league year represents the first time that NBA teams have had the opportunity to carry players on two-way contracts on their rosters. As such, the season has been something of a learning experience — with no history of two-way contracts to refer to, teams are figuring out in real time how to maximize the value of those two-way signings.

[RELATED: 2017/18 NBA Two-Way Contract Tracker]

As we detailed last year in our glossary entry on two-way contracts, players on two-way deals are limited to 45 days of NBA service per season. That means a team can’t simply carry a two-way player on its active roster all season long — in order to maximize that player’s value, the club will likely transfer him back and forth between the NBA and the G League for much of the season, getting the most out of his days on the NBA squad.

However, there’s one crucial workaround for that 45-day limit. Here’s how it’s written in the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement:

“If a player provides one or more NBA Days of Service before the first day of any NBADL training camp or after the final game of the player’s team’s NBADL Regular Season, such day(s) will not count toward the 45-Day Two-Way Service Limit.”

Again, we have no history of past two-way contracts to refer to, so we’re figuring out how those deals work as we go along this year, but the language in the CBA seems pretty clear — after a player’s G League team finishes its regular season schedule, the player is free to rejoin his NBA team without having to worry about the 45-day service limit.

The NBA G League schedule runs through the end of this week, with 22 of the league’s 26 teams playing their final games of the regular season on Saturday. That means that after Saturday, a player like Tyrone Wallace – who used up his 45 NBA days earlier this season – should be free to rejoin the Clippers. Meanwhile, someone like Quinn Cook, who is fast approaching that 45-day limit, will be able to stick with the Warriors without having to worry about that clock continuing to tick beyond Saturday.

Although two-way players should be free to play for NBA teams without service time concerns after this Saturday, they still won’t be eligible to participate in the postseason unless they’re signed to standard NBA contracts before the end of the regular season, as we’ve previously outlined. So if Golden State wants to have Cook on its playoff roster, the team will need to open up a roster spot and convert his contract before April 11.

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Community Shootaround: Hornets’ Next GM

March 19th, 2018 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Even before the Hornets informed general manager Rich Cho that his contract wouldn’t be renewed, there were rumblings around the NBA about the possibility of Mitch Kupchak joining Charlotte’s front office as the new head of basketball operations.

Kupchak has a long-standing relationship with fellow UNC alum Michael Jordan, and has multiple championships on his résumé as the Lakers’ top decision-maker. While Kupchak made some high-profile missteps near the end of his tenure in Los Angeles – including mega-deals for Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov – it made sense that he was being considered for the Hornets’ job.

However, it appears Kupchak is not a lock for that opening. A report from Marc Stein of The New York Times suggests that Rockets executive VP of basketball operations Gersson Rosas is emerging as a serious GM candidate for the Hornets, and the team is also reportedly interviewing Sixers VP of player personnel Marc Eversley and Heat assistant GM Adam Simon.

Rosas, Eversley, and Simon don’t have previous general manager experience like Kupchak, with the exception of a brief stint in Dallas for Rosas, who had the title of GM but wasn’t in control over personnel decisions. However, all three men have held key roles alongside veteran executives over the past couple decades.

Rosas has been a key advisor for Daryl Morey in Houston, Eversley has worked extensively for Bryan Colangelo in Toronto and Philadelphia, and Simon has more than two decades of experience in the Miami front office under Pat Riley. While they haven’t run a basketball operations department before, all three execs are seasoned veterans, having logged significant time in respected organizations around the NBA.

With their star player (Kemba Walker) headed for unrestricted free agency in 2019 and a plethora of expensive, undesirable contracts on their cap, the Hornets aren’t in an ideal rebuilding situation, so the new GM will face a challenge in attempting to turn the club into a contender. What type of candidate do you think the Hornets should be targeting for that role?

Is hiring a veteran with extensive GM experience like Kupchak the way to go? Should Charlotte instead be targeting a seasoned executive who hasn’t yet had a chance to call the shots in a front office, like Rosas, Eversley, or Simon? Or is there another direction you think the Hornets should be taking their search?

Jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!

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2017/18 NBA Reverse Standings

March 19th, 2018 at 2:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Throughout the 2017/18 NBA season, Hoops Rumors has maintained a feature that allows you to keep an eye on what the 2018 draft order will look like. Our 2017/18 Reverse Standings tool, which lists the NBA’s 30 teams from worst to first, is updated daily to reflect the outcomes of the previous night’s games.

Our Reverse Standings take into account playoff teams in each conference, so they’re essentially a reflection of what 2018’s draft order would look like with no changes to lottery position. In addition to not considering the results of the lottery, our tracker lists teams in random order when they have identical records. At the end of the year, those ties would be broken via random drawings.

Traded first-round picks are included via footnotes. For instance, the note next to Minnesota’s pick says that the Timberwolves will send their pick to the Hawks if it’s not in the top 14. As of today, the Wolves are 18th in the lottery standings, meaning their pick would head to Atlanta, though that could change if their recent slide continues.

Our Reverse Standings tracker can be found at anytime on the right sidebar under “Hoops Rumors Features” on our desktop site, or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu. It’s a great resource not just for monitoring a team’s draft position, but also for keeping an eye on whether or not traded picks with protection will be changing hands in 2018. So be sure to check back often as the regular season winds down!

Note: Mobile users are advised to turn their phones sideways when viewing the Reverse Standings in order to see team records and lottery odds.

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Latest Update On 10-Day Contracts

March 19th, 2018 at 12:29pm CST by Luke Adams

Ten-day signings continue to be the most common NBA transaction taking place at this point in the 2017/18 season, with most rest-of-season contracts only being signed after the player has already played on a 10-day deal or two.

Currently, 11 of the league’s 30 teams are carrying at least one player on a 10-day contract, giving them the opportunity to take a look at that player without being committed to him for the rest of the season.

A week ago, we checked in on the active 10-day contracts around the NBA, but the turnover on those agreements is so frequent that it’s worth revisiting them this week. Because 10-day contracts can be challenging to keep up with, we created a tracker to keep tabs on all the 10-day deals around the NBA. Updated daily, our tracker shows which 10-day contract recipients still have active deals.

With the help of our tracker, here’s a quick roundup of the players currently on 10-day contracts, along with a handful of players whose deals recently expired. The expiration date noted below for each player represents the final day of his contract.

Active 10-day contracts:

Recently expired 10-day contracts that haven’t been renewed:

Players recently signed for the season after their 10-day contracts ended:

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