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Five Key Offseason Questions: Detroit Pistons

By | at June 5, 2017 9:18 pm

The Detroit Pistons were a massive disappointment this season and enter the offseason with plenty of tough decisions to make.

Coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy committed to the core group of players he assembled the past two years by handing out multiyear contracts to his two top players, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson, and adding some expensive pieces.

The Pistons, who made the playoffs for the time since the 2008/09 season the previous year, sank out of contention as virtually everyone on the roster underachieved. Their longest winning streak was a meager three games. Drummond and Jackson both had subpar seasons and heard their names bandied about in trade rumors.

Van Gundy now heads into a pivotal summer seeking to make roster upgrades despite an unpalatable cap situation.

Here’s a look at the major questions confronting the club this offseason:

NBA: Detroit Pistons at Orlando Magic1. Should the Pistons hold onto restricted free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at all costs?

It’s expected that locking up Caldwell-Pope will require a contract in excess of $20MM per year.

Caldwell-Pope is the team’s best perimeter defender and he’s entering his prime years. If the team’s curve continued on an upward arc this season, it would a pretty easy decision to match any offer.

The team’s cap situation and Caldwell-Pope’s spotty offense changes that dynamic. They’ll be perilously close to the luxury tax threshold if they re-sign him to a big number and he’s not a consistent offensive threat. In 31 of the 76 games he played this season, Caldwell-Pope scored 10 or fewer points.

Van Gundy wants to keep Caldwell-Pope, but he shouldn’t take an “at any cost” approach to the shooting guard’s free-agency foray.

2. Should Reggie Jackson be given a mulligan or do the Pistons need to trade for another point guard?

Read more

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Community Shootaround: Game 3

By | at June 5, 2017 6:25 pm

The third installment of the Warriors–Cavaliers Finals promised plenty of drama and tight finishes. Instead, it’s looking more like a Golden State coronation, as the Western Conference champions dominated the first two games.

Cleveland seems helpless in slowing down the Warriors and their turbo-boost attack, fueled by Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. Curry is averaging 30 PPG, 8 RPG and 10.5 APG, while Durant is posting 35.5 PPG, 11 RPG and 7 APG in the series.

Meanwhile, the Cavaliers have a multitude of issues, particularly regarding the role players around their Big 3. Two of their starters, shooting guard J.R. Smith and center Tristan Thompson, have provided nothing but angst for Cavaliers supporters. Smith has scored three points in 42 minutes and is still looking for his first assist and steal. Thompson has grabbed a total of eight rebounds in 43 minutes and hasn’t blocked a shot.

Cleveland’s bench, fortified by a variety of front office moves this season, has also not helped the cause. Veteran point guard Deron Williams has not scored in 33 minutes. Long-range specialist Kyle Korver is 1-for-6 on 3-point attempts. None of the other reserves have made a significant impact.

LeBron James has 12 turnovers, a sign that he may be trying to do too much while his teammates are doing too little. However, fans must be reminded that the Warriors only did what they were supposed to do — win at home. With the series shifting to Cleveland, the Cavaliers should put up much more resistance.

In any case, no team with LeBron James should be underestimated. The Cavaliers were counted out by virtually everyone last year after falling behind 3-1 in the series.

There are rumblings that Smith will be replaced in the lineup by Iman Shumpert for Game 3. It could be just one of several tweaks coming for the Cavs.

That brings us to today’s question: What moves should Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue make for Game 3 of the Finals in order to get his club back on track?

Please take to the comments section to voice your opinion. We look forward to what you have to say.

11 comments Community Shootaround Hoops Rumors Originals Uncategorized

2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Miami Heat

By | at June 5, 2017 3:18 pm

The Heat started the 2016/17 season with a 7-12 record, then had a pair of wild swings, losing 18 of their next 22 games before winning 30 of their final 41. There’s reason to believe that Miami’s strong second half is a positive sign of things to come, but a few of the club’s key players from that run are now eligible for free agency. That will create some uncertainty going forward, but with Chris Bosh‘s $25MM+ salary no longer on their books, the Heat will have a little more room to maneuver this offseason.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Heat financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2017:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

  • None

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Restricted Free Agents

  • None

Cap Holds

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $38,232,519

  • Taking into account their five guaranteed contracts, plus cap holds for a first-round pick and six empty roster spots, the Heat have a team salary of $62,767,481. However, that would mean waiving all their non-guaranteed players, including Richardson and McGruder, which is very unlikely — still, since those players are on veteran minimum salaries, they won’t cut into Miami’s cap room in a major way.

Footnotes:

  1. Ellington’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 6.
  2. Richardson’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30.
  3. McGruder’s salary becomes partially guaranteed ($452,625) after August 1.
  4. White’s salary becomes partially guaranteed ($226,312) after July 1. Partial guarantee increases to $452,624 after August 1.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post.

6 comments Hoops Rumors Originals Miami Heat Offseason Salary Cap Digest

Players Eligible For Rookie Scale Extensions In 2017

By | at June 5, 2017 12:38 pm

July 1 marks the start of the NBA’s new league year. At that point, players eligible for free agency will be able to begin negotiating and reaching contract agreements with suitors. In addition to those free agents, another group of players will also become eligible to sign new deals.

For players who are entering the fourth and final year of their rookie scale contracts, July 1 is the first day that they can sign rookie scale extensions. Those players, who are – for the most part – 2014 first-round selections, will have until the start of the 2017/18 regular season to finalize long-term deals with their current teams.

Players eligible for rookie scale extensions can sign new deals that run at least four years, with those contracts taking effect to start the 2018/19 season. If they don’t sign extensions during this offseason, those players will be eligible for restricted free agency in the summer of 2018.

A year ago, eight players eligible for rookie scale extensions signed new deals between July 1 and October 31. Here are the players eligible to sign rookie scale extensions this year, beginning on July 1:

The following players were selected in the first round of the 2014 draft along with most of the players above, but aren’t eligible for rookie-scale extensions this year:

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Community Shootaround: Media Obligations

By | at June 4, 2017 11:04 pm

Displeased with how the media scheduling has been set up in the NBA Finals, LeBron James opted out of speaking at the podium after Game 2, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. James also chose to bypass the podium after practice on Saturday.

Per Vardon, James wasn’t happy having to wait for the Warriors to finish their own interviews before he could give his own following the Game 1 loss last Thursday. Instead, on Sunday, James opted to speak to the media in the team’s locker room as soon as he was available to do so.

This begs the question of whether James’ response is appropriate given the situation. We’d like to hear what readers have to say about it in the comments section below.

Should athletes like James, paid handsomely to serve as professional athletes (a role that comes with inherent media obligations) speak whenever they’re scheduled by the league’s media department? Or does James have a point here?

In contrast, should the league’s media department be more sensitive to the fact that frustrated players aren’t likely to be enthused by the thought of sitting around waiting just to answer questions?

Ultimately the majority of fans acknowledge the media commitments that come with playing in the NBA but perhaps there’s a compromise that would appease all parties.

Weigh in below!

17 comments Cleveland Cavaliers Community Shootaround Hoops Rumors Originals

Weekly Mailbag: 5/29/17 – 6/4/17

By | at June 4, 2017 11:50 am

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. Here are this week’s inquiries:

How big will Dion Waiters‘ contract be? — LG3, via Twitter

Waiters has opted out of a deal worth more than $3.2MM next season and will be one of the top shooting guards in free agency. The 25-year-old averaged 15.8 points in 46 games this season and shot a career-best 39.5% from 3-point range. In an April article on The Players Tribune, Waiters expressed a desire to remain in Miami, saying team president Pat Riley helped him revive his career. But that will likely mean taking less money than he could get on the open market. The Nets offered Allen Crabbe four years at $75MM last summer and Tyler Johnson four years at $50MM, so a team may be willing to give Waiters something in that neighborhood, even though he was limited to about half a season because of injuries. The Heat won’t have full Bird rights on Waiters for another year, and Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel suggested last month that he might agree to a two-year, $20MM deal to stay in Miami with an option year to maximize his earnings next summer. Waiters’ salary will depend on how patient he is and how strongly he wants to remain with the Heat.

With the numerous second-rounders that they have this year, can you see the Celtics trying to turn them into a late first-rounder to snatch someone like Harry Giles if he’s still on the board? Before the knee trouble he was the first pick on practically every GM’s board. They need front court help/depth, and his athleticism came through at the combine. Medical concerns may put [president of basketball operations] Danny Ainge off, but they could get a steal for a minimum price. Then if the Nets fail in free agency and tumble in the standings again, the Celtics could target Deandre Ayton in 2018 as a long-term replacement for Al Horford. — Chris Hawkins

Ainge has the assets to make almost any move he wants, though it will probably take more than the Celtics’ three second-rounders [Nos. 37, 53 and 56] to move into the first round. Giles goes 20th in the latest mock published by DraftExpress, and some team might gamble on him even higher if it believes his knees can hold up. Roster spots are another concern in Boston, which has 10 players under contract for next season, not including free agents Kelly Olynyk, Jonas Jerebko, Amir Johnson, Gerald Green and James Young, draft-and-stash prospects Guerschon Yabusele and Ante Zizic and whatever they do with the No. 1 pick. Ainge may not want to bring another rookie with a guaranteed contract into that mix, especially if it involves a medical gamble like Giles.

I really want the Mavericks to take Jonathan Isaac or Dennis Smith Jr. with the ninth pick. I feel New York is going to select Frank Ntilikina with the eighth pick, so if they are not available does Dallas have interest in trading its pick to Denver for Emmanuel Mudiay and the 13th pick? At No. 13, Dallas can select OG Anunoby or Isaiah Hartenstein or Lauri Markkanen if there’s a miracle and he’s still available. Don’t forgot Mudiay is only 21 years old, he has time to learn to shoot and I heard the Mavs have a very good shooting coach. — Jason Tom

The question is whether the Mavericks believe any shooting coach can fix what’s wrong with Mudiay. He was a highly touted prospect who was taken with the seventh pick two years ago, but his NBA career has been a major disappointment so far. Denver would jump at the chance to move up four spots and get rid of Mudiay, who fell completely out of the rotation at midseason. He’s still young and he’s the type of player worth taking a chance on, but the Mavericks could probably pick him up much cheaper if they’re interested.

1 comment Hoops Rumors Originals Weekly Mailbag

Hoops Rumors Originals: 5/27/17 – 6/3/17

By | at June 3, 2017 12:56 pm

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

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Community Shootaround: Klay Thompson’s Struggles

By | at June 3, 2017 11:33 am

The Warriors blew out the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, and received little offensive help from sharpshooter Klay Thompson. Thompson posted just six points on 3-of-16 shooting as teammates Kevin Durant (38 points) and Stephen Curry (28 points) picked up the slack. Despite his shooting, Thompson’s impact was felt on on the defensive side of the ball.

Thompson’s defense on LeBron James, J.R. Smith, and Kevin Love helped Golden State in its 113-91 win, entering Sunday’s Game 2 with an early series lead. However, Thompson’s struggles with shooting in the playoffs have been evident; one half of the Splash Brothers is shooting 36.6 percent from the field, 33.8 percent from beyond the arc, and hasn’t posted a 20-point game since Game 4 of the Semifinals against the Jazz on May 8. The reason could be a prolonged slump or it could be the addition of Durant disrupting his role on offense. Either way, Dennis Chambers of Basketball Insiders feels that the 76ers should pursue the 27-year-old shooting guard.

During a recent interview on Philadelphia ESPN radio affiliate, 97.5 The Fantatic, Thompson’s father and former first overall pick Mychal Thompson spoke highly of the Sixers’ evolving core.

“Yes, [former general manager] Sam Hinkie was right,” Thompson told host Mike Missanelli. “The talent that he amassed there with Ben [Simmons] and Joel [Embiid], as long as those two guys stay healthy Philadelphia is the team of the future in the Eastern Conference. No doubt about that. They’re going to be better than Washington, better than Atlanta, better than Toronto. Love that roster that you have there in Philly right now.”

The elder Thompson also added that Philadelphia is “one shooter” away from being a complete team, mentioning soon-to-be free agent J.J. Redick as a target. However, Redick is 32 years old and is closer to the end of his prime whereas Thompson is in the midst of his. Thompson is no stranger to trade rumors as his name was connected to a possible Love deal years ago before the Cavaliers — the Warriors’ opponent in the NBA Finals the last three years — snagged the talented big man. Thompson told Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post last January how much those rumors motivated him.

“A little bit. I was very happy. But I did take it as motivation,” Thompson said. “I had to prove they made the right decision. But I also look at the bright side of everything. It also meant that I’m wanted. It did motivate me to prove them right, and show them they made the right decision, and just keep working.”

For his part, Thompson enjoyed a strong regular season, posting 22.3 PPG while shooting .468 percent from the field and .414 percent from three. Any trade talks for Thompson with the 76ers would likely include the team’s third overall pick and other young assets.

That brings up a few questions: Is trading Thompson something the Warriors should explore this offseason? What should the team look to acquire in such a scenario? Could Kevin Durant‘s hefty salary in the future be a good reason to deal Thompson now?

21 comments Community Shootaround Golden State Warriors Hoops Rumors Originals

Community Shootaround: Re-evaluating The NBA’s Age Limit

By | at June 2, 2017 10:57 pm

As we wrote about earlier today, Adam Silver has an interest in raising the NBA’s age limit from 19 to 20. The commissioner says that the current system in place hasn’t done enough to adequately prepare prospects for life in the pros considering how many simply use the NCAA as a one-and-done launchpad for the NBA Draft.

The player’s union, however, is opposed to the age limit just as they were when the original was implemented over 10 years ago. Doing so restricts young players from dictating when and how they begin careers even though they’re legally old enough to vote or enlist in the army.

Essentially, the two parties have every reason to disagree but sooner or later they’ll have to agree on something. If this is a battle that Silver ultimately wins, we could see players waiting two years before declaring for the draft. The question is, would that be any better? Would student athletes end up being significantly more motivated to see their college programs through to completion if they’ve already logged two years as opposed to just one?

Alternatively, it’s hard not to empathize with the player’s union when they talk about players running the risk of injuring themselves in college and jeopardizing million-dollar careers all because of an arbitrary decision that some young prospects aren’t prepared enough to succeed in the pros.

A compromise would be ideal but it’s hard to gauge what that may look like. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer recently suggested that the league could follow Major League Baseball’s lead and let players choose one of two paths. On one hand players could opt to jump straight out of high school, on the other they could commit to playing at least two seasons of college ball if they choose to accept an NCAA scholarship.

What do you think about all of the options presented? Are there any other compromises that could give all parties what they want?

Weigh in with the comments section below!

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2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Denver Nuggets

By | at June 2, 2017 3:10 pm

The Nuggets missed the postseason for a fourth straight season this year, but they took steps in the right direction and unearthed a franchise-type center in Nikola Jokic. Set to earn the minimum salary in 2017/18, Jokic will be perhaps the NBA’s best bargain. He won’t be this inexpensive forever, but while he is, Denver has a great opportunity to attempt to take advantage of the flexibility by adding talent around him.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Nuggets financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2017:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

  • None

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Restricted Free Agents

  • Mason Plumlee ($4,588,840 qualifying offer / $5,821,325 cap hold)
  • Total: $5,821,325

Cap Holds

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $43,170,506

  • With 11 guaranteed salaries on their books and a cap hold for their first-round pick, the Nuggets have a modest team salary of $57,829,494. If the club intends to make a serious effort to re-sign Gallinari, that figure will grow, reducing cap flexibility. But if Gallinari departs and Denver makes a trade or two, the team could create even more cap room.

Footnotes:

  1. Miller’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 12.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post.

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