Hoops Rumors Originals

Community Shootaround: Rookie Of The Year Eligibility

November 1st, 2017 at 9:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Ben Simmons entered this season as the odds-on favorite to be named Rookie of the Year, and he hasn’t disappointed.

The Sixers guard has been outstanding over the first two weeks of the season, averaging 18.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game. He’s a tough matchup for opposing point guards at 6’10”, he’s versatile enough to defend multiple positions and he has a shooting touch that is better than advertised. But is he really a rookie?

Simmons was the first player picked in the 2016 draft as a highly touted prospect out of LSU, but he missed all of last season after suffering a Jones fracture in his right foot during training camp. Although he didn’t play his first game until this season, Simmons had the advantage of learning the game in an NBA environment for an entire year.

Joel Embiid, Simmons’ teammate, was third in last year’s Rookie of the Year voting. His stats of 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per night dwarfed those of the top two finishers, but he only appeared in 31 games, which disqualified him in the eyes of many voters. Like Simmons, Embiid was technically a rookie, but he was in his third season since being drafted.

Clippers forward Blake Griffin is the only player to win the Rookie of the Year trophy after sitting out a season with an injury. Griffin suffered a broken left kneecap during the 2009 preseason and didn’t make his official debut until the following year.

Another aspect to this discussion is international players, such as Clippers guard Milos Teodosic, who is classified as a rookie even though he is 30 years old and has more than a decade of international experience. Is it fair for players in the prime of their careers to be competing with kids just out of college, many of whom are still in their teens?

We want to know what you think. Should the Rookie of the Year race be open to all first-year players, or does the NBA need to make a distinction for players who sat out with injuries or spent time overseas? Please share your thoughts in the space below.

Explaining The Celtics’ Disabled Player Exception

November 1st, 2017 at 12:13pm CST by Luke Adams

As a result of Gordon Hayward‘s ankle injury, the Celtics were granted a disabled player exception by the NBA last week. Disabled player exceptions aren’t used with nearly the same frequency as other salary cap exceptions, such as the mid-level or bi-annual, and the rules surrounding DPEs are a little more complicated than they are for most other exceptions.

With that in mind, we’re here to answer a few questions related to disabled player exceptions. We’ll be taking a closer look at the Celtics’ DPE specifically, in the hopes of clearing up any misconceptions about it and explaining exactly what Boston can and can’t do with the new exception. Let’s dive in…

Why did the Celtics receive a disabled player exception?

A team can apply for a disabled player exception when it has an injured player who is expected to miss the entire season. If an NBA-designated physician determines that the injured player is more likely than not to be sidelined through the following June 15, the league will grant the team a DPE.

In this instance, Hayward is considered likely to miss the rest of the 2017/18 season and to be out through June 15, so the Celtics were given a disabled player exception to replace him.

So the Celtics get an extra roster spot?

No. A disabled player exception is about cap flexibility rather than roster flexibility. The Celtics are still limited to 15 players on NBA contracts, but they’re allowed to spend an extra $8.4MM to add a replacement for Hayward. If not for that exception, the over-the-cap C’s would be limited to offering a minimum salary contract to a free agent.

Why is the Celtics’ DPE worth $8.4MM?

A disabled player exception is worth 50% of the injured player’s salary or the amount of the full mid-level exception, whichever is less.

For instance, last season, when Justise Winslow sustained a season-ending shoulder injury, the Heat applied for and were granted a disabled player exception. However, because Winslow was only earning $2.6MM, the exception was worth 50% of his salary — $1.3MM. As a result, Miami couldn’t do much with that DPE.

Hayward, on the other hand, is earning $29.7MM in the first year of his maximum salary contract with the Celtics. Half of his salary would be nearly $15MM, but the value of a disabled player exception can’t exceed the mid-level exception. This year, the full MLE is worth $8.406MM, so that’s also the value of Boston’s DPE.

Are there any free agents left worth $8MM?

Probably not. There are a few interesting names on the list of available free agents, but Boston could probably sign just about any of them for a minimum salary contract.

Still, if the Celtics are willing to be patient, it’s possible their DPE could come in handy for a free agent addition later in the season. Each year, a few potential impact players are bought out after the trade deadline, and Boston’s ability to offer up to $8.4MM to one of those players could be valuable.

Additionally, the disabled player exception doesn’t need to be used on a free agent — it can also be used to acquire a player in a trade. The player must be in the final year of his contract, but as long as he’s earning $8.506MM or less (the DPE allows for a $100K buffer in trades), the Celtics wouldn’t have to send out any salary in a trade.

So a disabled player exception functions like a combo mid-level/traded player exception?

Sort of. It can be used to sign a free agent, like the mid-level exception, or to acquire a player in a trade, like a traded player exception. Also, like MLEs and TPEs, it can’t be combined with another exception or a player’s salary to increase its value. Still, there are a few differences that set the DPE apart.

For one, the disabled player exception can only be used once. Mid-level and trade exceptions can be used to acquire multiple players, but if the Celtics decide to use their DPE to trade for a player earning $3.4MM, they wouldn’t still have $5MM left to use on someone else. The DPE would be gone.

Additionally, because the disabled player exception is intended to be a short-term solution to replace an injured player, a team can’t use it to add a player for multiple seasons. If it’s used to sign a free agent, he has to sign a one-year deal. If it’s used to acquire a player via a trade, he has to have just one year left on his contract (or one year plus an option, if the option is declined as part of the deal).

If the DPE is designed to help a team replace its injured player, what happens if Hayward comes back this season?

If Hayward makes a miraculous recovery and returns to the court in April, with the Celtics having already used their DPE to add another player, that’s great news for the team — Boston would be able to activate Hayward without the replacement player being affected.

Hayward’s injury has already been deemed season-ending by the NBA. If it hadn’t been, the Celtics’ application for the disabled player exception wouldn’t have been approved. If his diagnosis changes later, that’s not a problem.

The only scenario in which a Hayward return would compromise the Celtics’ ability to use the DPE is if he gets back on the court before the team has used the DPE and before it expires. Then they’d lose it.

And when does it expire?

March 10. If the Celtics haven’t used it by that point, they lose it.

That date applies to all disabled player exceptions — teams have until January 15 to apply for a DPE, and until March 10 to use it.

So which players might the Celtics target with their DPE?

It’s probably still too early to come up with a comprehensive list. The Celtics have adjusted well since losing Hayward and aren’t in immediate need of reinforcements. They can afford to wait until closer to the trade deadline (February 8) – or even after the deadline, if they have their eye on a buyout candidate – to determine which player would be the best fit.

As the season progresses, more and more teams will fall out of contention and more players will land on the trade block. Additionally, the Celtics will have more time to assess which position is their greatest area of need.

Still, there are at least a handful of trade candidates already out there. Jahlil Okafor is the most popular name now that the Sixers have turned down his 2018/19 option. Young big men on rebuilding teams, such as Nerlens Noel and Alex Len, would be intriguing possibilities, though they have the ability to veto trades and would lose their Bird rights if dealt. If the Celtics are eyeing a wing, veterans like Corey Brewer and Vince Carter meet the necessary criteria.

Again though, it probably makes sense for the C’s to wait and see how the season plays out. Many players – including a few listed above – aren’t yet trade-eligible, and most teams aren’t looking to deal quite yet anyway.

Have more DPE questions that aren’t answered above? Ask away in the comment section below.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Eight 2018/19 Rookie Scale Options Not Exercised

October 31st, 2017 at 11:15pm CST by Luke Adams

October 31 represented the deadline for teams to exercise their rookie scale team options for the 2018/19 season, and the majority of those options were picked up, as expected.

Although making option decisions a year early can be challenging, rookie scale salaries are affordable enough that most of those decisions are no-brainers, assuming the player is part of his club’s rotation. Of the 2018/19 rookie scale options, the most expensive one was Karl-Anthony Towns‘ fourth-year option, which will count for $7,839,435 against the Timberwolves‘ cap. That’s less than the value of the mid-level exception, and most are much cheaper than that.

Still, not every rookie scale option is a great investment. For clubs looking to reduce future tax bills or create some additional cap flexibility going forward, it may make sense to turn down an option for a former first-round pick who has underwhelmed in his first couple NBA seasons.

This year, eight available rookie scale options weren’t exercised, with Jahlil Okafor and Mario Hezonja – a pair of top-five picks in 2015 – heading the group of players who will now become unrestricted free agents next summer.

Here’s the full list of those players whose options weren’t picked up:

Jahlil Okafor, Sixers (fourth year, $6,313,832)
Mario Hezonja, Magic (fourth year, $5,167,231)
Rashad Vaughn, Bucks (fourth year, $2,901,565)
Josh Huestis, Thunder (fourth year, $2,243,326)
Chris McCullough, Wizards (fourth year, $2,243,326)
Kevon Looney, Warriors (fourth year, $2,227,081)
Wade Baldwin, Grizzlies (third year, $1,955,160)
- Note: Baldwin was waived by the Grizzlies this month.
Brice Johnson, Clippers (third year, $1,544,951)

For the full list of the players whose rookie scale options for 2018/19 were exercised, be sure to check out our tracker.

2017 NBA Offseason In Review Series

October 31st, 2017 at 12:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Over the last month and a half, Hoops Rumors has been examining the 2017 offseason moves for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and other key news and transactions. Our Offseason in Review pieces for each of the league’s 30 teams are linked below, sorted by conference and division.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic Division

Central Division

Southeast Division

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Northwest Division

Pacific Division

Southwest Division

2017 Offseason In Review: Golden State Warriors

October 30th, 2017 at 2:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2017 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 2017/18 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Golden State Warriors.

Signings:

Stephen Curry: Five years, $201.159MM (35% maximum salary). Designated veteran contract.
Kevin Durant: Two years, $51.25MM. Second-year player option.
Andre Iguodala: Three years, $48MM.
Shaun Livingston: Three years, $23.692MM. Third year partially guaranteed ($2MM).
Nick Young: One year, $5.192MM.
Zaza Pachulia: One year, $3.478MM.
Omri Casspi: One year, minimum salary.
JaVale McGee: One year, minimum salary.
David West: One year, minimum salary.
Chris Boucher: Two-way contract. Two years. $50K guaranteed in each season.
Quinn Cook: Two-way contract. Exact details not yet known.

Camp invitees:

Michael Gbinije: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10. (Waived)
Georges Niang: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10. (Waived)
Antonius Cleveland: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10. (Waived)
Alex Hamilton: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract. (Waived)
Trevor Thompson: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract. (Waived)

Trades:

Acquired the draft rights to Jordan Bell (No. 38 pick) from the Bulls in exchange for cash ($3.5MM).

Draft picks:

2-38: Jordan Bell — Signed to two-year, minimum salary contract.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Special consultant Jerry West left Warriors to join Clippers.

Salary cap situation:

Operating over the cap and over the tax line. Carrying approximately $135MM in guaranteed team salary. Projected tax bill of approximately $32.3MM. Only minimum salary exception available.

Check out the Golden State Warriors’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

The top two free agents of the NBA’s 2017 class were members of the Warriors, but Golden State was never worried about losing either Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant. Coming off a dominant 2016/17 season, which was capped off by a 16-1 playoff record and the team’s second championship in three years, the Dubs were a lock to bring back Curry and Durant.

Curry and Durant were far from the Warriors’ only free agents though. Role players such as David West, Zaza Pachulia, and JaVale McGee were also set to hit the open market, and important contributors like Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston would join them.

Retaining Curry and Durant meant keeping Golden State’s Big Four intact, and there would always be free agents willing to team up with that group for a shot at a title. But the Warriors faced the very real possibility of turning over half their roster and losing guys like Iguodala and Livington, who played key roles in the team’s two championships.

However, just when it looked like the Warriors might lose their 2015 Finals MVP, Iguodala agreed to re-sign. And each of the players listed above joined him on new deals of their own. All in all, Golden State re-signed a league-high seven of their own free agents, ultimately undergoing the least roster turnover in the NBA.

The willingness of team ownership to pay a big luxury tax bill made that possible, as did Durant’s offer to take a more modest salary than he needed to. While Durant’s discount didn’t give Golden State any additional cap flexibility, it will significant reduce the Warriors’ projected tax bill, and may have made a difference in the Warriors’ willingness to go a little higher than they wanted to on Iguodala’s new deal.

Key offseason losses:

While most of the Warriors’ rotation players are back, the team did lose a couple notable veterans. Matt Barnes, who provided the club with toughness and depth down the stretch last season, reached free agency and wasn’t re-signed. In fact, Barnes has yet to sign with any team, raising questions about whether or not we’ll see the 37-year-old in the NBA again. I expect he’ll catch on somewhere eventually, but if 2016/17 was his swan song, Barnes went out on a high note.

Ian Clark departed in free agency as well, though in Clark’s case, I believe the Warriors expected his price tag to increase too much to make a reunion viable. That ended up not being the case, as Clark landed in New Orleans on a minimum salary contract.

Even if the Dubs – or Clark’s camp – misjudged the market, it shouldn’t have a major impact on the roster. Neither Barnes nor Clark played many minutes in the postseason, and given how far down the depth chart they were, it shouldn’t be hard to find adequate replacements for them.

Key offseason additions:

In need of replacements for Barnes, Clark, and big man James McAdoo, the Warriors arguably upgraded all three spots. In place of Barnes, the team added veteran swingman Omri Casspi, who was coming off an injury-plagued contract year in Sacramento, New Orleans, and Minnesota.

Casspi doesn’t necessary provide the same sort of attitude and locker-room presence that Barnes did, but he’s arguably a more effective on-court performer at this stage of their respective careers. In three years prior to signing with the Warriors, Casspi converted on 40.1% of his three-point attempts, and he should have plenty of open looks playing with Golden State’s collection of All-Stars.

To replace Clark, the Warriors used their mid-level exception to sign Nick Young. Clark, who is still just 26 years old, may still have some untapped potential, which probably isn’t the case for the 32-year-old Young. But Young, who made a career-high 2.8 three-pointers per game last season on 40.4% shooting, has a more extensive résumé than Clark and has the ability to be a bigger difference-maker. At some point this season, Young will win the Warriors a game or two with a scoring outburst off the bench.

Finally, the Warriors replaced the little-used McAdoo with Jordan Bell, sending $3.5MM in cash to Chicago for the right to draft the rookie power forward with the 38th overall pick. It’s fair to excoriate the rebuilding Bulls for that trade, which looks like a coup for the Dubs. Despite spending three years in Golden State, McAdoo never played a regular role for the club, outside of garbage-time minutes. Bell, on the other hand, already looks polished enough to step in as a rotation player for the NBA’s best team.

Outlook for 2017/18:

A year after making the biggest splash of the summer by landing Durant, the Warriors flew under the radar for most of the 2017 offseason. While their top rivals made blockbuster moves involving the likes of Paul George, Chris Paul, Kyrie Irving, Isaiah Thomas, and Gordon Hayward, the Dubs brought back all of the main pieces of last year’s squad and quietly improved their roster around the edges.

The Warriors have won at least 67 regular season games in each of the last three years, so the idea that they got even better over the summer seems outrageous. That’s exactly what they did though — on paper, at least.

With rival contenders stockpiling stars in an attempts to knock off the champs, the Warriors won’t have an easy path to another title, particularly if they get hit with a key injury or two. For now though, it’s hard to imagine another club beating a healthy Warriors squad in a best-of-seven series. Golden State heads into the 2017/18 campaign as the odds-on favorite to be the last team standing for the third time in the last four years.

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

Weekly Mailbag: 10/23/17 – 10/30/17

October 30th, 2017 at 1:35pm 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.

If a deal gets done with Eric Bledsoe going to Milwaukee, who are the players most likely leaving Milwaukee? — Dan Vachalek, via Twitter

A report this week said the Suns are asking for reigning Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon, along with either John Henson or Mirza Teletovic to help match salaries. The Bucks responded by offering Matthew Dellavedova, which won’t be enough to get the deal done. Dellavedova is nearly as old as Bledsoe and has more guaranteed money, which isn’t what the Suns are looking for. With Milwaukee unwilling to part with the rest of its young core, Brogdon seems like a fair price, and it’s probably the only way the Bucks can get a deal done.

How’s it different when an owner trades a player and it’s business, but when a player asks to be traded he’s selfish and punished? — Chane Miller, via Twitter

There’s unquestionably a double standard throughout sports where players are expected to live up to their contracts, but teams can treat the talent as disposable assets. We suspect comments this week by Phoenix GM Ryan McDonough about Eric Bledsoe‘s failings as a team leader weren’t well received around the league by players and their agents. It’s true that the disgruntled point guard is signed for one more year at $15MM, but it’s also true that he’s in the prime of his career and is trapped on a terrible team that hasn’t managed its assets well — that includes shutting down a healthy Bledsoe to tank down the stretch last season. As more power shifts to the players, asking for a trade like Bledsoe or Kyrie Irving did will become more common.

Do you think Milos Teodosic is a better passer than Lonzo Ball and has a chance to be Rookie of the Year? — Greg Dizon

This question was received before Teodosic’s plantar fascia injury that has him out indefinitely, but it demonstrates the impact the 30-year-old Serbian was having for the Clippers. Teodosic was just as good as advertised, with some highlight passes in the preseason, but he only averaged 16 minutes per night before the injury and will be stuck behind Patrick Beverley when he returns. Teodosic will be fun to watch, but Ball will have the better season, and Ben Simmons looks like a clear favorite for the award so far.

2017 Offseason In Review: Cleveland Cavaliers

October 29th, 2017 at 6:00pm CST by Austin Kent

Signings:

Kyle Korver: Three years, $22.06MM. Third year partially guaranteed ($3.44MM).
Jose Calderon: One year, minimum salary.
Jeff Green: One year, minimum salary.
Derrick Rose: One year, minimum salary.
Dwyane Wade: One year, minimum salary.
John Holland: Two-way contract. Two years. $50K guaranteed.

Camp invitees:

Kendrick Perkins: One year, minimum salary. Exhibit nine. (Waived)
JaCorey Williams: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract. (Waived)
Isaac Hamilton: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract. (Waived)

Trades:

Acquired Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, the Nets’ 2018 first-round pick, and the Heat’s 2020 second-round pick from the Celtics in exchange for Kyrie Irving.
Acquired the draft rights to Dimitrios Agravanis and draft rights to Sergiy Gladyr from the Hawks in exchange for Richard Jefferson, Kay Felder, a 2019 second-round pick, the Trail Blazers’ 2020 second-round pick (top-55 protected), and cash.
- Note: 2019 second-round pick will be the less favorable of the Lakers’ and Timberwolves’ selections.

Draft picks:

None

Draft-and-stash signings:

Cedi Osman (2015; No. 31): Signed to three-year, $8.325MM contract.

Departing players:

Kay Felder
Kyrie Irving
Richard Jefferson
Dahntay Jones
James Jones
Edy Tavares (waived)
Deron Williams
Derrick Williams

Other offseason news:

Parted ways with general manager David Griffin.
Offered president of basketball operations job to Chauncey Billups, who withdrew from consideration.
Promoted assistant general manager Koby Altman to GM.
Isaiah Thomas expected to be out until at least late December.
Kendrick Perkins joins Cavaliers’ G League affiliate.

Salary cap situation:

Operating over the cap and over the tax line. Carrying approximately $134MM in guaranteed team salary. Projected tax bill of approximately $43MM. Portion of taxpayer mid-level exception ($2,549,143) available.

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

Story of the summer:

The Cavaliers looked thoroughly overpowered by the Warriors in the 2017 NBA Finals, so it’s understandable that their offseason was punctuated by moments of panic and general uncertainty.

It wasn’t long before the Cavs’ plan of making a landmark move to emphatically one-up their Western Conference rival in Golden State quickly gave way to desperate attempts at self-preservation. After missing out on early targets like Jimmy Butler and Paul George, the franchise managed to survive, emerging from a substantial personnel shuffle with an oddly intriguing smorgasbord of assets.

This couldn’t have been the summer that LeBron James hoped for on the heels of Cleveland’s season-ending loss in Oakland last June, but the club handled unforeseen adversity as well as anybody inside or outside of the organization could have hoped.

Will the forced – but nonetheless decent – moves that the team made in 2017 be enough to convince James to re-sign in Cleveland in 2018? Well, that will be the story of next summer.

Key offseason losses:

When Kyrie Irving forced the Cavaliers’ hand into trading him over the course of the summer, the team had little choice but to oblige. Irving’s ability to create offense on the perimeter will be missed heading forward, as will his general presence as an unquestioned superstar talent who drew significant attention from opposing teams. There’s no single player that will make up the loss of Uncle Drew (not even a fully healthy Isaiah Thomas), so the best the Cavs can hope for is success from the backcourt committee they’ve assembled.

While the Cavs didn’t initially intend to part ways with Richard Jefferson this offseason, the opportunity to pick up a recently bought-out Dwyane Wade was too irresistible to pass up considering everything else that transpired over the summer. Fortunately for Cleveland, there are no shortage of valued veterans in the team’s locker room.

The Cavs didn’t exactly get what they hoped for when they brought Deron Williams aboard during buyout season last year, so the 33-year-old’s exit won’t have a major impact. Williams averaged 7.5 points per game for the team in 2016/17 and remains unsigned.

Key offseason additions:

Despite an MVP-caliber campaign and his role in the revitalization of the Celtics as a legitimate contender, Thomas doesn’t move the needle as much as Cavaliers might have hoped. Perhaps it’s the hip injury that could keep him out until Christmas; perhaps it’s the pending free agent’s affinity for measuring his salary in Brink’s trucks. Regardless, it’s hard to be confident in a guard who only transitioned from good to great last season, particularly because of the shoes he’ll need to fill when he gets back on the court.

The Cavaliers haven’t had a particularly physically imposing perimeter defender during their most recent Eastern Conference reign so the addition of Jae Crowder could add a much-needed element to their lineup. If he can provide value checking the likes of Klay Thompson and/or Kevin Durant, he could end up being the most influential component of Cleveland’s offseason haul.

It’s easy to disregard the idea of Derrick Rose as an NBA star these days, but the former MVP had a decent, if weird, lone season with the Knicks last year. The fact that the Cavs were able to lure him on a minimum contract could go down as one of the steals of the summer so long as he’s able to stay on the court. Rose will never again be the prolific threat to penetrate that he was during his heyday, but he finally appears to be trending in the right direction.

After one underwhelming year in Chicago, Wade and the Bulls parted ways, and it didn’t take long for the veteran to team up with James, his former running mate during their time with the Heat. Just what Wade can provide for the Cavs remains to be seen, but he remains capable of moments of greatness, as he showed sporadically last season. While Wade’s contributions in the regular season may be pedestrian, it’s inevitable that he’ll prove dangerous come playoff time.

It’s hard to know quite what to make of Jeff Green, considering the various forms he’s taken with five teams over the past four seasons. Still, in the worst-case scenario, he’s a long, experienced combo forward capable of getting hot intermittently throughout the season. Green is an underrated depth add and yet another massive bargain signed to a minimum contract.

Outlook for 2017/18:

The Cavaliers seem to be in good hands with Koby Altman at the helm (not that they were in necessarily bad hands with outgoing general manager David Griffin). Altman managed to cash in on James’ years of accumulated goodwill in the form of not one, not two, but three presumed rotation pieces signed to team-friendly, veteran’s minimum contracts.

Questions abound for the Cavs this regular season, but there’s no denying that they hastily patched together a veritable firing squad of established talent. On paper, at least. It may take some time for the acquisitions of Thomas, Wade, and Rose to bear fruit, but – in theory – they help make up one of the most prolific supporting casts James has been surrounded with in Cleveland.

If this team gets healthy and gels at the right time, the Cavs will be as scary as ever in 2017/18.

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

Hoops Rumors Originals: 10/21/17 – 10/28/17

October 28th, 2017 at 2:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

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

Our Offseason in Review series, which sees us looking back at the biggest stories and roster moves of each team’s summer, continued this week with breakdowns of the following clubs:
- Washington Wizards
- Houston Rockets
- New York Knicks
- San Antonio Spurs
- Boston Celtics
We took a closer look at what the Bulls might do next to resolve the ongoing Nikola Mirotic–Bobby Portis saga.
The deadline for teams to exercise their options on rookie scale contracts is Tuesday, October 31. We listed the significant players whose option decisions remain up in the air.
There are many notable names on G League rosters. We took a closer look at those players.
The dates when recently-signed free agents are eligible to be traded vary a great deal. We listed those dates here.
Will the Pistons blow up their roster in the near future? That’s one of the questions Arthur Hill tackled in his weekly mailbag.
Mike James is a point guard that fantasy players should consider when filling out their lineups. Chris Crouse explained why in his weekly fantasy column.
We asked in our Community Shootarounds which available free agent is most deserving of a contract, which team would be the best fit for Eric Bledsoe, and whether the Celtics remain one of the East’s top two teams despite the loss of Gordon Hayward.
Our 2017 Free Agent Tracker rounds up all of the free agent signings that took place in the 2017 offseason, meaning it won’t be updated going forward. You can still use it to revisit all of the signings from the last four months.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Five Key Stories: 10/21/17 – 10/28/17

October 28th, 2017 at 1:23pm CST by Dana Gauruder

If you missed this week’s NBA headlines, we’ve got your covered. Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the past seven days:

Eric Bledsoe expressed on social media that he didn’t want to remain in the Suns’ organization. The team’s brass took swift action, holding the starting point guard out of games while seeking to trade him. The Knicks, Bucks and Nuggets are among the teams interested in Bledsoe but the Suns are driving a hard bargain, trying to package veteran center Tyson Chandler with Bledsoe. The Suns fired coach Earl Watson shortly after Bledsoe’s tweet but the team’s brass insisted there was no connection between those two actions.

Jahlil Okafor has seen his playing time dramatically decrease in the early going, which is why the Sixers are collaborating with his representatives to find a suitable trade partner. Okafor’s has been a healthy scratch in a majority of Philadelphia’s games this season. Those trade discussions will play a role in whether or not the Sixers pick up the center’s fourth-year option before Tuesday’s deadline.

Meyers Leonard suffered a significant ankle sprain that will keep him out of action an estimated 4-6 weeks. The Trail Blazers big man, who suffered the injury during practice on Wednesday, avoided major structural damage. Leonard had lost playing time to Ed Davis prior to the injury.

The Bobby Po rtis–Nikola Mirotic saga took a couple more twists, with Mirotic reportedly willing to waive his no-trade clause while the Bulls exercised their option on Portis’ contract. Mirotic suffered a concussion and facial fractures when Portis punched him during a scrimmage scuffle, resulting an eight-game suspension for Portis.

The Celtics were granted an $8.4MM disabled player exception due to Gordon Hayward‘s season-ending injury. The Celtics can use the exception any time before March 10 and don’t appear to be in any hurry to add another player. Boston can sign, trade or claim a player whose contract expires at the end of the season.

Here are 10 more notable NBA headlines from the last week:

Joseph Tsai, the co-founder of Alibaba, has agreed to buy a 49% share of the Nets’ franchise.
Josh Smith is on the verge of returning to the NBA. Smith is expected to sign with the Pelicans, who have an extra roster spot via an injury hardship exception.
Top overall pick Markelle Fultz will miss at least three games due to a sore right shoulder. The injury has affected the Sixers’ point guard’s shooting stroke.
Hawks forward DeAndre’ Bembry will miss 4-6 weeks after undergoing surgery on his fractured wrist.
The Lakers picked up their 2018/19 team options on forwards Brandon Ingram and Larry Nance Jr.
Point guard Isaiah Canaan signed a one-year, non-guaranteed contract to fill the Rockets’ final roster spot.
The Rockets also signed another point guard, Briante Weber, via a two-way contract.
Nuggets forward Juan Hernangomez is out at least two weeks after contracting mononucleosis.
Clippers guard Milos Teodosic is out indefinitely due to a foot injury.
The Pelicans signed point guard Jameer Nelson to a one-year deal.

2017 Offseason In Review: Houston Rockets

October 27th, 2017 at 10:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Signings:

P.J. Tucker: Four years, $32MM. Fourth year partially guaranteed ($2.569MM).
Nene Hilario: Three years, $10.954MM. Third-year player option.
Troy Williams: Three years, $4.693MM. Second year partially guaranteed ($614K). Third year non-guaranteed.
Tarik Black: One year, $3.29MM.
Luc Mbah a Moute: One year, minimum salary.
Demetrius Jackson: Two-way contract. One year. $50K guaranteed.

Camp invitees:

Cameron Oliver: Two years, minimum salary. $300K guaranteed. (Waived)
Chris Johnson: One year, minimum salary. $25K guaranteed. (Waived)
Bobby Brown: One year, minimum salary. Exhibit nine.
George de Paula: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract. (Waived)
Danuel House: One year, minimum salary. Exact terms not known. (Waived)

Trades:

Acquired a 2018 second-round pick from the Grizzlies in exchange for the draft rights to Dillon Brooks (No. 45 pick).
- Note: The 2018 second-round pick will be the least favorable of the Grizzlies’, Hornets’, and Heat’s selections.
Acquired DeAndre Liggins from the Mavericks in exchange for cash ($75K).
Acquired Ryan Kelly from the Hawks in exchange for cash ($75K).
- Note: Later waived Kelly.
Acquired Tim Quarterman from the Trail Blazers in exchange for cash ($100K).
- Note: Later waived Quarterman.
Acquired Darrun Hilliard from the Pistons in exchange for cash ($1MM).
Acquired Shawn Long from the Sixers in exchange for the Rockets’ 2018 second-round pick and cash ($100K).
- Note: Later waived Long.
Acquired Chris Paul from the Clippers in exchange for Lou Williams, Patrick Beverley, Sam Dekker, Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Wiltjer, DeAndre Liggins, Darrun Hilliard, the Rockets’ 2018 first-round pick (top-three protected), and cash ($661K).
Acquired Jarrod Uthoff from the Mavericks in exchange for cash.
- Note: Later waived Uthoff.

Draft picks:

2-43: Isaiah Hartenstein — Signed G League contract.

Draft-and-stash signings:

Zhou Qi (2016; No. 43) — Signed to three-year, minimum salary contract. Second and third years not guaranteed.

Extensions:

James Harden: Five years, 35% maximum salary. Designated veteran extension. Starts in 2019/20.

Departing players:

Patrick Beverley
Sam Dekker
Montrezl Harrell
Isaiah Taylor (waived)
Lou Williams
Kyle Wiltjer

Other offseason news:

Leslie Alexander sold the franchise to new owner Tilman Fertitta for $2.2 billion.
Extended general manager Daryl Morey through 2022.
Hired former NBA big man Chuck Hayes as a scout.

Salary cap situation:

Operating over the cap, but under the tax line. Carrying approximately $115MM in guaranteed team salary. Only minimum salary exception available.

Check out the Houston Rockets’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

Daryl Morey‘s quest for superstars led him this summer to Chris Paul, who at first glance seems to be an odd match for the Rockets and their up-tempo offense. During his years running the show for the Clippers, Paul preferred to slow things down, excelling in half-court sets. With James Harden emerging as a bona fide star point guard last season for the run-and-gun Rockets, Houston wasn’t really in the discussion throughout the year as a probable landing spot for CP3.

Nevertheless, Morey and the Rockets’ front office had a vision for how the two star point guards could coexist alongside one another, and both players bought into that vision. Heavily recruited by Harden, Paul told the Clippers several days before free agency that he intended to head to Houston.

The only problem? The Rockets didn’t have the cap space necessary to sign Paul if he were to opt out of his contract and become a free agent. Rather than trying to trade Ryan Anderson and his $19.5MM+ cap hit to clear that space – a difficult task, as the team discovered later in the summer – the Rockets made a trade with the Clippers in advance of free agency, with Paul opting into the final year of his deal to make it work.

Key offseason losses:

The Paul blockbuster with the Clippers cost the Rockets a significant amount of depth, with salary-matching rules necessitating the inclusion of several rotation players from last season. Chief among the players heading to Los Angeles in the trade were Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams.

Beverley, a member of the All-NBA Defensive First Team for 2016/17, was an excellent fit alongside Harden. The MVP runner-up acted as the point guard on offense, with Beverley not needing to handle the ball as frequently as a traditional point guard. On defense though, Beverley was tasked with guarding the Stephen Currys and Russell Westbrooks of the world, lightening Harden’s load.

Although it worked well for the Rockets, Beverley didn’t love that arrangement, confirming after being dealt to the Clippers that he had asked Houston to trade him. The Rockets are hoping that Paul, who won’t be asked to carry as much of the offensive load as he was in L.A., can replace Beverley as the backcourt stopper, but at age 32, CP3 may not be quite the same tenacious defender he was a few years ago. Beverley’s D will be missed.

Williams, meanwhile, placed third in Sixth Man of the Year voting last season, creating instant offense off the bench for the Lakers and – after a deadline deal – the Rockets. He’ll be missed too, but it’s not as if Houston will be lacking for scoring off the bench — the team still has Eric Gordon, the player who beat out Williams for the Sixth Man award.

A pair of 23-year-olds, Sam Dekker and Montrezl Harrell, were the other key players included in the Paul deal. Dekker and Harrell – born 100 days apart and drafted 14 spots apart in 2015 – were both solid contributors in Houston last season, averaging about 18 minutes per game apiece. If the Rockets weren’t on the verge of title contention, they likely would have been happy to hang onto Dekker and Harrell to see if they could develop into more reliable core pieces. A focus on immediate on-court results made the duo expendable, however.

Key offseason additions:

I made note of a few of the potential concerns about the acquisition of Paul in the sections above, and as long as he remains sidelined due to his knee issue, those concerns figure to linger. But it’s also worth mentioning how dangerous (and fun) the Harden/Paul duo can be if it gets going — and if CP3 fully adjusts to Houston’s style of play. Harden and Steve Nash have put up some of the best point guard numbers of all-time in Mike D’Antoni‘s system. The idea of having either Harden or Paul playing that role for a full 48 minutes per game is tantalizing.

Paul wasn’t the only notable addition of the offseason for the Rockets, however. After sacrificing much of their depth in the deal with the Clippers, the Rockets built their rotation back up through free agency.

Although their signings flew somewhat under the radar compared to other summer splashes, P.J. Tucker and Luc Mbah a Moute are very intriguing pieces for the Rockets, who will need big, defensive-minded wings to slow down players like Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Kawhi Leonard in the postseason. Tucker and Mbah a Moute fit that bill.

In addition to playing solid defense on the wing, Tucker and Mbah a Moute each should be capable of hitting open three-pointers. Tucker made 35.7% of his outside shots last season, while Mbah a Moute converted 39.1%. They’ll both be asked to attempt those shots more frequently in Houston, with Harden and Paul getting them plenty of open looks in the corner. If they can maintain or improve upon last year’s percentages, they could be underrated difference-makers for the Rockets.

Tarik Black is the Rockets’ other free agent addition worth noting, though it remains to be seen how much playing time he’ll get as long as Clint Capela and newly re-signed center Nene are healthy.

Outlook for 2017/18:

After the Rockets acquired Paul in June, a report surfaced suggesting that the team was confident it could cap off its offseason by adding either Paul George or Carmelo Anthony, creating a new Big Three alongside Harden and CP3. Instead, Houston’s efforts to add a high-scoring forward fell short, and the club watched as the conference-rival Thunder landed both players.

As the Thunder have discovered early in the season, the process of incorporating two new All-Stars can be bumpy, and the Rockets will already have their hands full making sure Paul is comfortable in his new home. Still, in the long run, Houston likely would’ve had a better chance to knock off the Warriors in the spring with one more impact addition. As solid as guys like Tucker and Mbah a Moute are on the defensive end, a two-way forward like George would have been a godsend in a seven-game series against Golden State.

Without that final piece to the puzzle, I’m skeptical that the Rockets will be capable of a major postseason upset, but the addition of Paul is intriguing. A player of his caliber certainly raises Houston’s ceiling, but given the lingering uncertainty about his fit, there’s potential downside too. I’m eager for him to get healthy and return to the court, since the more we see of the Rockets’ backcourt in action, the better sense we’ll have of just how dangerous this team is.

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

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