Hoops Rumors Originals

Community Shootaround: Most Underrated Available Free Agent

July 29th, 2023 at 12:01pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Nearly a full month into free agency, the number of impact free agents is dwindling by the day. Veterans like P.J. Washington, Christian Wood and Kelly Oubre are among the most notable players still on the market — they would be fits for most contenders and have each been linked to numerous teams. However, beyond the big names, there are several free agents who made positive impacts on their respective clubs and likely wouldn’t cost much.

Some available free agents include players who began the offseason on teams but were cut, either for financial or fit reasons, including Edmond Sumner, Trendon Watford and Lamar Stevens. Sumner and Stevens are the players with the most NBA experience out of this group, holding 161 and 165 games of experience respectively. Sumner averaged 7.1 points for the Nets last year after missing the 2021/22 season with an Achilles injury while Stevens went undrafted in 2020 but evolved into a key rotation player for the Cavaliers, averaging 5.3 points in three seasons there and making 38 starts.

Watford, on the other hand, has appeared in 110 NBA games after going undrafted in 2021. While he flew under the radar as a member of retooling Trail Blazers squads, he showed quite a bit of promise in two seasons in Portland, so it was somewhat surprising to see him go. Watford averaged 7.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in two seasons in Portland.

Then there are other free agents who have outright gone unsigned to this point. As we wrote yesterday, Derrick Jones Jr. is the only player who is still available after turning down an option for 2023/24. Jones is a high-flying forward who is still just 26 years old despite holding seven years of NBA experience.

Javonte Green is another Bulls free agent who could appeal to teams. Green has 186 games of NBA experience and started in 45 of his 65 appearances in ’21/22 for the Bulls. Meanwhile, Hamidou Diallo is another high-flying athlete who remains available after averaging 8.6 points across 263 career appearances in Oklahoma City and Detroit. He will be just 25 when the season begins.

Other available relatively young players who have proven themselves in past NBA seasons include Kendrick Nunn, who averaged 15.0 points in two seasons with Miami, Jaylen Nowell, who has reportedly drawn interest from the Mavericks, and Terence Davis, who averaged 10.4 points for Sacramento in ’21/22.

Regardless of what teams are looking for, there remain a plethora of options. If clubs are looking to fill out their rosters with veterans, players like George Hill, Will Barton, Danny Green, Ish Smith, JaMychal Green, Terrence Ross and T.J. Warren are available. If teams are looking for high-upside options, guys like Frank Ntilikina, Kevin Knox, Justise Winslow and Romeo Langford are available as former lottery picks who are all 27 or younger. Other guys who flew under the radar last season but impressed in brief stints include Lindy Waters, Jeenathan Williams and Skylar Mays.

Lastly, teams aren’t limited to guys who finished last season on NBA teams. Players like Lance Stephenson and Glenn Robinson III are reportedly seeking NBA comebacks. Ben McLemore, Dion Waiters and Stanley Johnson are some of the other players who fit this bill as guys who either worked out for teams or could hold some appeal as options to fill the bench.

That brings us to our Community Shootaround question(s) of the day: Who do you think is the most overlooked player who is still available in free agency? What teams do you think should sign these players? Is there anyone we missed?

Let us know what you think by sharing your thoughts in the comments section. We look forward to hearing what you think.

20 NBA Teams Still Have Open Two-Way Contract Slots

July 29th, 2023 at 8:08am CST by Luke Adams

Prior to this offseason, NBA teams were limited to carrying two players apiece on two-way contracts, meaning there could never be more than 60 players on two-way deals across the NBA.

Currently, there are 65 players on two-way contracts, but 25 slots remain available. That’s because the new Collective Bargaining Agreement increased the two-way limit from two players to three, raising the league-wide maximum from 60 to 90.

A few teams have still moved fairly quickly to fill all three of their two-way contract slots, but others are taking their time, leaving a spot or two open even after the conclusion of Summer League as they continue to weigh their options. Those clubs may be more inclined to invite a small group of players to training camp on Exhibit 10 contracts and then convert the standout(s) to a two-way deal.

With the help of our two-way contract tracker, here are the details on which teams still have two-way slots available:

Two two-way slots available:

Golden State Warriors
Los Angeles Clippers
New Orleans Pelicans
Oklahoma City Thunder
Phoenix Suns

Every team in the NBA has signed at least one player to a two-way contract – or carried one over from last season – but these five clubs still have a pair of two-way slots open.

For what it’s worth, the Suns won’t have a G League affiliate for the 2023/24 season, so of these five teams, they’re the best bet not to fill all three of their two-way spots.

One two-way slot available:

Atlanta Hawks *
Boston Celtics
Brooklyn Nets
Dallas Mavericks
Detroit Pistons
Houston Rockets
Memphis Grizzlies
Miami Heat *
Milwaukee Bucks
Minnesota Timberwolves *
Orlando Magic
Portland Trail Blazers
Sacramento Kings
San Antonio Spurs
Washington Wizards

The teams marked with an asterisk (*) still have a two-way qualifying offer on the table for a restricted free agent and would have three full two-way slots if those QOs are accepted. Those RFAs are Trent Forrest (Hawks), Jamal Cain (Heat), and Matt Ryan (Timberwolves).

The other 12 of these 15 clubs simply have a pair of players on two-way contracts and one open slot.

All two-way slots filled:

Charlotte Hornets *
Chicago Bulls *
Cleveland Cavaliers
Denver Nuggets
Indiana Pacers
Los Angeles Lakers
New York Knicks
Philadelphia 76ers
Toronto Raptors
Utah Jazz

Because two-way contracts don’t count against the cap and feature such modest guarantees (no more than $75K until the start of the regular season), there’s still plenty of flexibility for these 10 teams that have filled all three of their two-way slots. If they decide there’s another player they want to bring in on a two-way deal, they’d simply waive one of their current guys.

That may be especially necessary for the Hornets and Bulls, who still have two-way qualifying offers on the table for Theo Maledon and Terry Taylor, respectively. If Maledon and Terry accept their QOs, Charlotte and Chicago would have to waive a two-way player, since they wouldn’t be permitted to carry four at a time.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Just One Player Who Declined 2023/24 Option Remains Unsigned

July 28th, 2023 at 12:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Leading up to last month’s June 29 deadline, nine of the veterans who held player options for the 2023/24 season decided to turn down those options, forgoing guaranteed money in favor of the open market.

For the vast majority of those nine players, opting out was the right call.

[RELATED: 2023 NBA Free Agent Tracker]

Fred VanVleet, Draymond Green, Khris Middleton, and Kyle Kuzma landed some of the biggest free agent contracts of 2023. While Green and Middleton technically would’ve earned higher salaries in 2023/24 if they’d opted in, they both locked in multiyear contracts that extend well beyond next season, securing overall guarantees worth $100MM and $95MM, respectively.

Donte DiVincenzo and Jevon Carter got big raises for next season and gained long-term security by opting out. DiVincenzo landed a four-year, $47MM deal after declining a $4.7MM option, while Carter passed on a minimum-salary option in favor of a three-year, $19.5MM contract.

Bruce Brown will earn $22MM in 2023/24 instead of the $6.8MM he would have earned if he had picked up his player option with Denver. Although Brown didn’t receive guaranteed money beyond ’23/24, that’s still a huge win for a player whose career earnings prior to this offseason totaled about $15MM.

Even Montrezl Harrell, who signed a new minimum-salary contract with the Sixers earlier this month, is coming out ahead, since he’ll make more on his new deal ($2,891,467) than he would have if he had exercised his option ($2,760,026).

That leaves just one unsigned player out of the nine who declined player options in June: Derrick Jones Jr.

Jones’ decision was a bit of a surprise, since he said in an April interview that he intended to pick up his $3.36MM player option in order to return to the Bulls. Two months later, word broke that the veteran wing had actually decided to turn it down and would be entering free agency.

Jones has been the subject of a few rumors this month, including being linked to the Mavericks a couple weeks ago. But the fact that he doesn’t yet have a deal in place doesn’t bode especially well for his chances of earning a raise. At this point in the summer, not many players are signing for more than the veteran’s minimum, though Dallas does have the ability to offer a higher starting salary.

Perhaps Jones, who played for the Heat for two-and-a-half seasons from 2017-20, might be interested in taking the Josh Richardson route and returning to his old team in Miami on a minimum-salary deal. But the Heat are in a holding pattern with free agents until they determine one way or another whether they’ll be making a deal for Damian Lillard this offseason.

There’s still a possibility that Jones could sign for more than the $3.36MM he would’ve earned if he had opted in with the Bulls. And even if he has to settle for a minimum-salary contract, it wouldn’t be the end of the world — that sort of deal would pay him $2.7MM, which isn’t far off from the $3.2MM he earned this past season. But that outcome would make him the only one of the nine players who declined options to end up with less guaranteed money than what his option called for.

2023/24 Non-Guaranteed Contracts By Team

July 27th, 2023 at 8:01am CST by Luke Adams

As the NBA regular season approaches and teams reduce their rosters from the 21-player offseason limit to the 15-man regular season max, the best way to determine which players will survive preseason cuts is to consider their contracts. Players with guaranteed salaries for 2023/24 are far more likely to earn spots on 15-man rosters than players whose contracts aren’t fully guaranteed.

Keeping that in mind, we’re using the space below to keep tabs on the players on each NBA team who don’t have fully guaranteed contracts. The players listed here have non-guaranteed salaries, partially guaranteed salaries, or Exhibit 9 or Exhibit 10 contracts, which essentially function like non-guaranteed deals.

Unless otherwise noted, these players are on minimum-salary contracts. Some players on this list have partial guarantees, which we’ve also mentioned below.

Not all of these players will be waived before the regular season begins, so we’ll maintain this list for the next several months, up until January 10, 2024. That’s the day that all players still under contract will have their salaries fully guaranteed for the rest of the 2023/24 season.

Only players who have formally signed contracts are listed below, so if a player has reportedly reached an agreement with a team on a non-guaranteed deal, we’ll add him to our list when that deal becomes official and we confirm the details.

Without further ado, here’s the full list of players without fully guaranteed salaries for 2023/24, broken down by team:

Updated 1-10-24 (5:42am CT)

Atlanta Hawks

None

Boston Celtics

None

Brooklyn Nets

None

Charlotte Hornets

None

Chicago Bulls

None

Cleveland Cavaliers

None

Dallas Mavericks

None

Denver Nuggets

None

Detroit Pistons

None

Golden State Warriors

None

Houston Rockets

None

Indiana Pacers

None

Los Angeles Clippers

None

Los Angeles Lakers

None

Memphis Grizzlies

None

Miami Heat

None

Milwaukee Bucks

None

Minnesota Timberwolves

None

New Orleans Pelicans

None

New York Knicks

None

Oklahoma City Thunder

None

Orlando Magic

None

Philadelphia 76ers

None

Phoenix Suns

None

Portland Trail Blazers

None

Sacramento Kings

None

San Antonio Spurs

None

Toronto Raptors

None

Utah Jazz

None

Washington Wizards

None

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Hoops Rumors Glossary: No-Trade Clause

July 26th, 2023 at 12:13pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s not uncommon in many major professional sports for a player to negotiate a contract that includes a no-trade clause, which prohibits him from being traded – either at all or to certain specific teams – without his consent. However, no-trade clauses are extremely rare in the NBA.

When the Wizards signed Bradley Beal to a new contract in 2022 that included a no-trade clause, Beal became just the 10th player in NBA history to receive that perk.

In order to qualify for a no-trade clause, a player must meet the following criteria:

He must be signing a free agent contract, not an extension.
He must have at least eight seasons of NBA experience.
He must have spent at least four seasons with the team he’s signing with.

This last point is the most malleable of the three. In order to qualify for a no-trade clause, a player doesn’t necessary need to have spent the past four consecutive seasons with his team — he just needs to have spent at least four seasons with that team at some point.

For example, if LeBron James were to become a free agent next summer and decided to sign with the Heat, he could negotiate a no-trade clause into his new contract, since he spent four years in Miami from 2010-14.

Additionally, a partial season can be counted as one of those four seasons a player needs to spend with a team in order to qualify for a no-trade clause. For instance, if Jordan Clarkson had become a free agent this offseason, he would’ve been eligible to negotiate a no-trade clause with the Jazz, who traded for him during the 2019/20 season. Clarkson has only been in Utah for three full years and part of a fourth season, but that’s enough to meet the criteria.

Still, those three requirements are enough to eliminate a no-trade clause as an option for many players. One prominent recent example is Jaylen Brown. Although Brown has spent more than four years with the Celtics, he has only been in the NBA for seven seasons and is signing an extension rather than a free agent contract, so a no-trade clause wasn’t available to him.

A player who has a no-trade clause in his contract and consents to a trade retains the right to veto a trade when he joins his new team. So Beal’s no-trade clause remains in effect now that he’s a member of the Suns.

Although explicit no-trade clauses are rare, there are a couple other scenarios in which a player can receive an implicit no-trade clause, meaning his consent is still required in order to trade him.

First, a player who re-signs with his previous team on a one-year contract, or a two-year deal with an option year, is given no-trade protection for the rest of that league year — or until his second-year option is exercised.

Heat forward Kevin Love and Suns wing Josh Okogie are among the players who will fall into this group in 2023/24.

Here are a few more notes related to these criteria:

A player who meets these criteria and still decides to consent to a trade will lose his Bird or Early Bird rights at the end of the season and will instead be deemed to have Non-Bird rights.
Although those criteria don’t apply to players on two-way contracts, they do apply to players who accept standard (ie. non two-way) one-year qualifying offers as restricted free agents. So Hornets forward Miles Bridges will have the right to veto a trade in ’23/24.
The NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement allows a player who re-signs with his former team on a one-year contract (or two-year deal with an option) to waive his ability to veto a trade. A handful of players have done so this offseason, including Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell and Nuggets guard Reggie Jackson. They’re eligible to be traded without their approval in 2023/24.

Second, a player who signs an offer sheet as a restricted free agent and has that offer matched by his previous team has the ability to veto a trade for a full calendar year. That means Trail Blazers swingman Matisse Thybulle and Sixers big man Paul Reed will have de facto no-trade protection until next July.

While explicit no-trade clauses in the NBA are rare, these criteria that give players veto rights for a year at a time aren’t uncommon at all, and often end up applying to non-stars, giving them a little control over their own professional futures.

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

NBA Teams Facing Potential Fall Roster Crunches

July 26th, 2023 at 8:02am CST by Luke Adams

With two months to go until NBA teams report to training camps, there’s no need for a club to have its 21-man offseason roster – let alone its 15-man standard roster for the regular season – set in stone at this point.

Still, many rosters around the league are clearly taking shape, with several teams carrying 14 or 15 players on standard guaranteed contracts and seemingly unlikely to make any more major changes this offseason.

There are also a handful of teams carrying more than 15 standard contracts who will have to trade or waive at least one or two of those players before the regular season begins in order to adhere to the NBA’s regular season roster limit.

Here are some of the teams who will be facing possible roster crunches in the coming months:

Oklahoma City Thunder

(20 standard contracts)

The Thunder have been a willing trade partner for teams looking to dump unwanted contracts this offseason, and it has resulted in Oklahoma City becoming the first club to reach its full 21-man roster limit (its 21st player, Keyontae Johnson, is on a two-way contract).

Of the Thunder’s 20 players on standard deals, at least 17 have guaranteed salaries for 2023/24. That group doesn’t include Jack White, whose full contract details have yet to be reported, or Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, both of whom are on non-guaranteed contracts after playing well in rotation roles in ’22/23.

If the Thunder intend to keep White, Joe, and Wiggins into the regular season, they’ll have to trade or waive five players on guaranteed salaries. The players recently acquired in those salary-dump deals – including Victor Oladipo, Davis Bertans, TyTy Washington, and Usman Garuba – would probably be most at risk. Of the Thunder’s returning players, Tre Mann and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl are among those whose roster spots may not be fully secure.

Memphis Grizzlies

(17 standard contracts)

Like the Thunder, the Grizzlies took on some unwanted contracts in offseason trades in order to acquire other assets.

The two players Memphis received in those deals – Josh Christopher and Isaiah Todd – are the most likely odd men out for the 15-man regular season roster, since none of Memphis’ other 15 players are obvious trade or release candidates.

San Antonio Spurs

(17 standard contracts)

The Spurs actually only have 16 players on standard contracts for the time being, but are reportedly bringing back Sandro Mamukelashvili on a one-year deal. He has yet to officially re-sign and the exact details of his contract are unclear.

Assuming San Antonio plans to have Mamukelashvili on its 15-man regular season roster, the team will need to trade or waive two other players before opening night. That number could grow if the Spurs want to sign Dominick Barlow or Sidy Cissoko to a standard contract, but they do have two-way slots available for both.

Cameron Payne, Cedi Osman, Reggie Bullock, Devonte’ Graham, and Khem Birch are a few of the veterans on expiring or pseusdo-expiring contracts who probably aren’t in the Spurs’ long-term plans. But some of those guys would be useful contributors on the court this season and might have a little trade value, so San Antonio might not be done dealing.

Washington Wizards

(16 standard contracts)

The Wizards have a new front office in place for this season, so some of the reserves on expiring contracts who were brought in by the old regime could be candidates to be traded or waived. That group includes Delon Wright, whose name has come up in trade rumors this summer, Xavier Cooks, whose multiyear deal is only guaranteed for 2023/24, and Anthony Gill.

The new regime has also acquired a few players this offseason who may have been traded for financial or salary-matching reasons more than for how they fit into the Wizards’ plans going forward. Of those players, Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala are on expiring contracts, while Patrick Baldwin and Landry Shamet aren’t currently owed guaranteed money beyond 2023/24 (Ryan Rollins has a $600K partial guarantee in ’24/25).

It wouldn’t shock me if the Wizards end up moving off multiple players on the current roster and making another addition or two before the regular season begins.

Others to watch

The Hawks are currently carrying 16 players on standard contracts, but only 15 are guaranteed, making Vit Krejci and his non-guaranteed salary the probable odd man out. Atlanta also reportedly remains active in trade talks, which could further shake up the roster.

The Hornets only have 12 players on guaranteed salaries, but they also have a pair (JT Thor and Kobi Simmons) on non-guaranteed deals, plus a pair of restricted free agents (P.J. Washington and Theo Maledon) and a No. 31 overall pick (James Nnaji) who remain unsigned. Charlotte can comfortably manage the 15-man limit, especially if Nnaji spends the season overseas, but may have to deal with a minor roster crunch if Washington and Maledon both return.

The Clippers, like the Hawks, have 15 players on guaranteed salaries and a 16th (Jason Preston) on a non-guaranteed deal. Los Angeles pushed back Preston’s guarantee date, which suggests the team may be open to hanging onto him if a roster spot becomes available (perhaps in multi-player James Harden trade?).

The Trail Blazers and Sixers are worth monitoring, since they would likely take back more players than they send out in any trade involving Damian Lillard or Harden. For now though, both teams have plenty of roster space — Portland has 13 players on standard contracts (12 fully guaranteed), while Philadelphia has 14 (13 fully guaranteed).

Hoops Rumors Glossary: Exhibit 10 Contract

July 25th, 2023 at 9:08am CST by Luke Adams

After the NBA’s biggest-name free agents come off the board, many teams shift their focus to filling out their training camp rosters. Teams can only carry 15 players on NBA contracts (plus three on two-way deals) during the regular season, but their maximum roster size increases to 21 players in the offseason, allowing clubs to bring a few extra players to camp to audition for a place on the regular season roster or a spot on the team’s G League affiliate.

Many of those players will sign a contract with an Exhibit 10 clause. Introduced in the NBA’s 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement, Exhibit 10 contracts are one-year deals worth the minimum salary. They don’t come with any compensation protection, but can include an optional bonus worth as little as $5K and – in 2023/24 – as much as $75K.

Let’s say an undrafted rookie signs an Exhibit 10 contract with the Jazz that includes a $75K bonus. He attends camp with the Jazz, but is waived before the regular season begins, with Utah designating him an affiliate player in order to retain his G League rights. In that scenario, if the rookie elects to play in the G League for the Salt Lake City Stars and remains with the club for 60 days, he’d be entitled to his full $75K bonus.

The player wouldn’t receive that bonus if he opts to sign with a team overseas after being waived by the Jazz. Essentially, the Exhibit 10 bonus serves as an incentive for players to stick with their team’s G League affiliate — they must spend at least 60 days with the NBAGL club in order to get their bonus.

There’s another scenario in which that undrafted rookie who signs an Exhibit 10 deal with the Jazz would receive his $75K. Exhibit 10 contracts can be converted into two-way contracts before the regular season begins, so if Utah opted to do that, the $75K bonus would turn into a salary guarantee for the player. As soon as his contract becomes a two-way deal, he’s entitled to that bonus, even if the Jazz waive him a week later.

The maximum Exhibit 10 bonus will increase in future seasons at the same rate as the NBA salary cap. For instance, if the cap rises by 10% in 2024/25, the maximum Exhibit 10 bonus would rise by 10% too, from $75,000 to $82,500.

Only teams with a G League affiliate can include an Exhibit 10 bonus in a contract. In 2023/24, the Trail Blazers will become the 29th NBA team with its own affiliate, leaving only the Suns on the outside looking in (they’re aiming to get an NBAGL team in place by ’24/25). Phoenix could technically sign players to Exhibit 10 deals, but wouldn’t be able to include bonus money.

Exhibit 10 contracts don’t count against a team’s salary cap during the offseason. However, they would begin to count against the cap if a team decides to keep a player on an Exhibit 10 contract into the regular season, essentially converting his deal to a standard one-year, minimum-salary deal.

Although they’re not technically required to, virtually every Exhibit 10 contract also contains an Exhibit 9 clause, which provides a team protections when a player on a non-guaranteed training camp contract suffers an injury. If a team wants to sign a player to a deal that includes both an Exhibit 9 and Exhibit 10 clause, it must already be carrying at least 14 players on standard contracts.

Here are a few more notes relating to Exhibit 10 contracts:

A team can’t carry more than six Exhibit 10 contracts at a time.
An Exhibit 10 contract can only be converted to a two-way deal before the regular season begins.
An Exhibit 10 contract that gets converted to a two-way deal can subsequently be converted into a standard NBA contract.
An Exhibit 10 bonus earned by a player who ends up in the G League or on a two-way contract isn’t counted toward the NBA team’s total salary.

Earlier versions of this post were published in 2018 and 2019.

Community Shootaround: Rockets Or Spurs?

July 23rd, 2023 at 9:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets and Spurs finished on even terms last season. They tied for the worst record in the Western Conference at 22-60 apiece.

San Antonio’s plunge in the standings proved worthwhile in the long run as they landed the top pick in the draft. Generational talent Victor Wembanyama has instantly energized and revived the franchise and he’ll be the most closely watched rookie in many years.

The Spurs had one of the worst defenses in league history last season, as they gave up an average of 123.1 points and allowed opponents to shoot 50.7 percent. The 7’5”’ Wembanyama still needs to fill out physically but he’ll provide a fearsome shot-blocking and shot-altering presence. He’ll be developed by Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich.

San Antonio returns its starters at every other position, led by leading scorer Keldon Johnson (22 points per game). Jeremy Sochan, Devin Vassell and Tre Jones fill out the rest of the lineup. The Spurs used their cap space to acquire a number of quality reserves in trades, including Cameron Payne, Reggie Bullock and Cedi Osman.

The Rockets slipped to the No. 4 in the draft and selected guard Amen Thompson. That didn’t stop them from making arguably the biggest splash on the free agent market, handing Fred VanVleet a three-year, $128.5MM contract. The former Raptors point man will become the floor leader, while controversial veteran Dillon Brooks also got a chunk of money in free agency to fortify the team’s small forward spot.

They join an otherwise young but intriguing roster, including Jalen Green, Jabari Smith and Alperen Sengun. Smith and rookie Cam Whitmore were two of the biggest standouts in the Summer League.

Houston also hired Ime Udoka as head coach and he’ll look to make the team more accountable on the defensive end. The Rockets had the second-to-worst defense in the West.

That leads us to our questions of the day: Which of the Texas teams that finished at the bottom of the Western Conference standings last season — the Spurs or Rockets — will win more games next season?

Please share your thoughts on this topic in the comments section. We look forward to your input.

Poll: Damian Lillard’s Team On Opening Night

July 23rd, 2023 at 11:56am CST by Luke Adams

When Damian Lillard initially submitted his trade request to the Trail Blazers on July 1, there was a very brief period in which it looked like the bidding for the seven-time All-Star could be wide open.

Lillard had previously mentioned in an interview that Brooklyn and Miami would be among his preferred landing spots if he were ever to ask out of Portland. But surely plenty of other teams would be prepared to get involved for a superstar player with four years remaining on his contract. After all, potential suitors could be confident that the veteran guard wouldn’t just be a rental, and perhaps recognized that his reputation as a consummate professional made him unlikely to be a candidate for a holdout.

In the wake of that trade request though, reports quickly emerged indicating that Lillard’s wish list consisted of just one team: the Heat. His agent Aaron Goodwin eventually confirmed as much, making it clear that any non-Miami club that acquired his client would be getting an unhappy player.

The stance has limited the Blazers’ leverage and cooled the trade market for Dame, resulting in a multi-week stand-off that doesn’t seem on the verge of resolution. But with just over two months until training camps begin and about three months until the 2023/24 regular season tips off, there’s plenty of time for the Trail Blazers to work out a trade involving their longtime franchise player.

At this point, three scenarios are in play. The Blazers and Heat find common ground and make a deal sending Lillard to Miami; another suitor willing to roll the dice on Dame swoops in and acquires him; or the Blazers, unsatisfied with the offers they’re getting, keep Lillard on their roster indefinitely until those offers improve.

While a trade to the Heat may feel like a foregone conclusion, Lillard’s leverage to force his way to Miami is limited by his contract situation and his lack of no-trade clause. Holding out – either in Portland or with a non-Heat team – would cost him pay checks, and for a player on a super-max contract, those checks are sizable. That’s not a viable four-year plan, and despite his stance in the early stages of negotiations, Lillard doesn’t seem like the type of player who would stop playing basketball indefinitely until his demands are met.

Non-Heat suitors may be nervous about how Lillard would respond to being sent somewhere besides Miami, but they also won’t want to allow the Heat to become the odds-on title favorite by acquiring the Blazers star for 25 cents on the dollar. The Heat may not have to meet Portland’s asking price in full in order to land Lillard, but they’ll probably have to at least get in the ballpark.

We want to know what you think. How does this situation get resolved? What jersey will Lillard be wearing on opening night this fall? Or, at least, which roster will he be on when the regular season begins?

Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your predictions!

2023/24 NBA Draft-And-Stash Signings

July 23rd, 2023 at 10:27am CST by Luke Adams

Free agent signees, trade acquisitions, and 2023 draftees have been the most common additions to NBA rosters in recent weeks. However, a small number of players come via the draft-and-stash route, as teams bring aboard players drafted in previous years.

First-round draftees from the last three years are limited to the 2023 rookie scale, though there are no players who will fit that bill this season.

Players who were previously selected in the second round of a draft – or who were first-round picks more than three years ago – are free to sign any type of contract via cap room or exceptions. The new second-round pick exception can be used to sign draft-and-stash players who were second-rounders.

Listed below are the draft-and-stash prospects who have signed so far in 2023/24, with contract details noted.

If and when more teams add draft-and-stash players, we’ll update this list, which can be found at anytime on the right-hand sidebar of our desktop site under “Hoops Rumors Features,” or in the “Features” page in our mobile menu.

Vasilije Micic, G, Thunder

2014 draft (No. 52)
(story)

Originally drafted by Philadelphia, Micic had his NBA rights traded to Oklahoma City in 2020’s Al Horford/Danny Green deal.

As he developed into a star for Anadolu Efes in Turkey, earning EuroLeague MVP honors in 2021 and winning consecutive EuroLeague titles in 2021 and 2022, Micic seemed unlikely to find common ground with the rebuilding Thunder, given his desire to join an NBA playoff team. But OKC held onto his rights and – after earning a play-in spot in 2023 – was able to convince Micic to join an ascendant squad.

Contract:

Three years, $23,555,150.
First two years guaranteed. Third-year team option.
Signed using room exception.

Sasha Vezenkov, F, Kings

2017 draft (No. 57)
(story)

Originally drafted by the Nets, Vezenkov had his NBA rights traded to Cleveland in 2021’s multi-team James Harden blockbuster, then was flipped to Sacramento along with cash for a second-round pick in 2022.

Like Micic, Vezenkov didn’t initially seem eager to join a non-playoff team, but both he and the Kings took huge steps forward in 2022/23 — Vezenkov was named the EuroLeague MVP, while Sacramento made the playoffs for the first time since 2006. That made them a better match this offseason.

Contract:

Three years, $19,975,609.
First two years guaranteed. Third-year team option.
Signed using room exception.

Filip Petrusev, F/C, Sixers

2021 draft (No. 50)
(story)

After being drafted by the Sixers in 2021, Petrusev spent a year with Anadolu Efes in Turkey, then joined Crvena Zvezda in Serbia in 2022/23. Having won a EuroLeague title in 2022 and a Serbian League title in 2023, he was eager to test himself in the NBA, even if his pay and role will be modest.

Petrusev is part of a crowded frontcourt depth chart in Philadelphia, joining Paul Reed, Montrezl Harrell, and Mohamed Bamba behind Joel Embiid, and his minimum-salary deal is only partially guaranteed in year one.

[UPDATE: Petrusev has been traded twice, first to the Clippers and then to the Kings.]

Contract:

Two years, $3,011,420 (minimum salary).
First year partially guaranteed ($559,782). Second year non-guaranteed.
Signed using minimum salary exception.

Gui Santos, F, Warriors

2022 draft (No. 55)
(story)

Santos signed a G League contract after being drafted by the Warriors in 2022, spending the season with Santa Cruz while Golden State retained his NBA rights.

After opening the 2023/24 season with just 13 players on standard contracts, the Warriors had two weeks to add a 14th man to reach the required roster minimum and chose to make Santos that player. While he’s getting a promotion to Golden State’s standard roster, Santos only has a lightly guaranteed contract and will still likely spend plenty of time assigned to Santa Cruz.

Contract:

Three years, $5,143,017 (minimum salary).
First year partially guaranteed ($75,000). Second and third years non-guaranteed. Third-year team option.
Signed using second-round exception.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

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