Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Hoops Rumors Originals

Offseason In Review: New Orleans Pelicans

October 21st, 2016 at 9:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Over the next several weeks, Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the 2016 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 2016/17 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the New Orleans Pelicans.

Free agent signings:

Camp invitees:

Trades:

Draft picks:

  • 1-6: Buddy Hield. Signed to rookie contract.
  • 2-33: Cheick Diallo. Signed for three years, minimum salary. Third year partially guaranteed.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Check out our salary cap snapshot for the New Orleans Pelicans right here.

NBA: New Orleans Pelicans-Media DayThe Pelicans’ 2015/16 campaign was a brutal one, with the team’s players missing a total of 351 games due to illness or injury. That was the most in the past six NBA seasons and second-most in the past decade, resulting in the franchise using 42 different starting lineups. There aren’t many teams that could weather that sort of personnel strife, so it’s no surprise that New Orleans only won 30 games, finishing 12th in the Western Conference. The franchise entered the offseason with a number of decisions to make regarding the future, needing to do its best to maximize the talents of its young star Anthony Davis. and to surround him with the players necessary to achieve that goal.

New Orleans allowed Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon to leave in free agency, with both players ending up in Houston, and added the likes of Solomon Hill, E’Twaun Moore, Langston Galloway and Terrence Jones. On paper, the Pelicans look worse on offense, with the loss of their two best three-point shooters in Gordon and Anderson. However, the team should improve on the defensive end thanks to the presence of Hill and Moore. It shouldn’t take much for the Pelicans to make strides in that area, given that they ended last season ranked 28th overall in the league in defensive efficiency, surrendering a whopping 107.3 points per 100 possessions. The only two squads that were more porous were the Nets and Lakers.

Despite the loss of production from Anderson and Gordon, allowing them to depart was a wise move on the organization’s part. Anderson will be missed the most, as his skillset is perfect for the direction the NBA is headed regarding how big men are used. But the 28-year-old has only averaged 60 games per season over the course of his career, and he isn’t likely to grow more durable as he enters his 30s. Committing $20MM+ per season over four years would not have been a prudent move. Gordon has been even more brittle since entering the league, averaging just 52 contests each season.

The team’s biggest external offseason move was inking Hill to a four-year, $48MM pact. I have to question the logic of New Orleans handing Hill a long-term deal with an average annual value of $12MM per season given his track record. The 26-year-old’s best season came in 2014/15, when he averaged 8.9 points and 3.8 rebounds over 82 appearances for the Pacers. Last season, his minutes were sliced in half and he notched 4.2 PPG and 2.8 RPG in just 14.7 minutes per outing while connecting on 44.7% of his shots overall and 32.4% from beyond the arc. While he did provide a spark in small stretches for Indiana in 2015/16, his addition isn’t something to get too excited over. Even in this new era of the expanded salary cap, this is a contract that has an extremely high probability of backfiring for the franchise. The Jazz, Grizzlies, Mavs and Bulls were all reportedly interested in Hill this summer, but I’m still surprised he was able to parlay a strong playoff showing into this contract.

I’m a bit more enthusiastic about the addition of Moore, who will never be a star in the league, but is a valuable rotation piece who can do a number of things well. He can play either guard spot, is a solid perimeter defender and can be effective shooting the ball from the outside. Moore’s versatility will serve the Pelicans well, especially with the constant injury concerns the team seems to have, and he’ll make a fine mentor for 2016 lottery pick Buddy Hield. While I don’t necessarily like New Orleans giving him a four year pact, especially considering he has averaged just 57.5 games the past two seasons for the Bulls, I’d bet on Moore providing more value over the course of his deal than Hill will.

The two signings the Pelicans made that I like without any reservations are the additions of Langston Galloway (two years, $10.634MM) and Terrence Jones (one year, $980,431). Both deals carry very little risk and could pay off for the franchise. Galloway is a versatile player who can play multiple positions and provide solid depth for the team. He’s averaged 9.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG and 2.8 APG in his two seasons in the league, and at 24 years of age, still has quite a bit of upside. He needs to improve his shooting, connecting on just 39.6% of his field goal attempts for his career, but he’s a hard-worker and solid locker room presence who will strengthen the team’s culture.

As for Jones, he desperately needed a change of scenery after never living up to his potential during his four seasons in Houston. He should garner more consistent playing time in New Orleans and could blossom into a solid rotational piece for the franchise. He’s still a tweener without a defined position, with his outside shooting not necessarily making him a good fit as a stretch-four in a smaller lineup. But the 24-year-old should be plenty motivated to prove he belongs in the league this season, and there is absolutely no risk for the Pelicans in giving him a shot on a minimum salary deal. I expect a bounce back campaign from the former first-rounder as he is playing for his next contract, and perhaps, his NBA career.

Given its multiple roster holes, New Orleans needed a strong showing on draft night to have some hope for a turnaround. The team did extremely well, nabbing Hield with the No. 6 overall pick and acquiring the draft rights to Cheick Diallo (No. 33). Hield was one of the top players in college last season and he fits the Pelicans’ roster perfectly. His outside shooting is sorely needed with the losses of Anderson and Gordon, and he’s a player who can pair with Davis to form a solid young core for the franchise. Hield doesn’t arrive without question marks, as there is concern among some scouts regarding his defense and ability to create his own shot at the NBA level. I’m a big fan of Hield and believe he will become a star in New Orleans. Snagging Diallo, who was a projected first-rounder in a number of mock drafts was a solid move. He is incredibly raw, but given his athleticism, high-motor and upside, the Pelicans landed an intriguing piece for the future.

Of course, the fate of the Pelicans rests on the shoulders (or knees, feet and ankles) of Davis, who is still under contract for four more seasons beyond this one. The big man’s future earnings took a bit of a hit this past season, thanks to him not being named to the All-NBA third team. As a result, the Derrick Rose Rule won’t apply to his max extension, costing him an extra $20MM+ over the life of his contract. The franchise needs to surround him with solid talent before Davis begins to get frustrated by all the losses and perhaps starts to contemplate heading elsewhere. It would also help the team’s fortunes immensely if the 23-year-old can remain healthy, with Davis missing an average of 17 games per season since being selected No. 1 overall in the 2012 NBA Draft.

The Pelicans aren’t off to a great start in 2016/17, with Tyreke Evans and Quincy Pondexter expected to be out of action until mid-December, Jrue Holiday out indefinitely due to family reasons and Davis already nursing a sprained ankle. Despite all that, it is difficult to imagine the team being hit as hard by injuries as it was in 2015/16. By virtue of that alone the team should be more competitive this season. Plus, the new additions should provide coach Alvin Gentry with greater flexibility to weather those losses and implement a system that will take advantage of his roster’s strengths. I don’t expect the Pelicans to make the playoffs this season, especially with the loss of scoring this offseason. But the franchise appears headed in a better direction than a season ago, though the contracts of Hill and Moore may prove to be problematic in the coming years.

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

Retweet 6 Share 0 Send via email0

2016/17 NBA Over/Unders: Southeast Division

October 21st, 2016 at 9:12am CST by Luke Adams

The 2016/17 NBA regular season will get underway next week, which means it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign. With the help of the lines from offshore betting site Bovada.lv, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division, and having you weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic. Having looked at the Atlantic, Northwest, Central, and Southwest divisions so far, we’re moving on to the Southeast today…

Atlanta Hawks

(App users, click here for Hawks poll)

Charlotte Hornets

(App users, click here for Hornets poll)

Washington Wizards

(App users, click here for Wizards poll)

Orlando Magic

(App users, click here for Magic poll)

Miami Heat

(App users, click here for Heat poll)

Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

  • Boston Celtics (52.5 wins): Under (54.59%)
  • Toronto Raptors (50.5 wins): Over (54.63%)
  • New York Knicks (38.5 wins): Over (71.41%)
  • Philadelphia 76ers (23.5 wins): Under (54.62%)
  • Brooklyn Nets (20.5 wins): Under (60.74%)

Northwest:

  • Utah Jazz (49 wins): Under (68.72%)
  • Portland Trail Blazers (45.5 wins): Over (69.92%)
  • Oklahoma City Thunder (43.5 wins): Over (65.71%)
  • Minnesota Timberwolves (40.5 wins): Over (50.11%)
  • Denver Nuggets (37 wins): Under (68.81%)

Central:

  • Cleveland Cavaliers (56.5 wins): Over (66.5%)
  • Detroit Pistons (44.5 wins): Over (55.03%)
  • Indiana Pacers (44.5 wins): Over (73.06%)
  • Chicago Bulls (38.5 wins): Over (61.9%)
  • Milwaukee Bucks (34.5 wins): Over (67.48%)

Southwest:

  • San Antonio Spurs (58.5 wins): Under (57.4%)
  • Houston Rockets (44 wins): Over (52.76%)
  • Memphis Grizzlies (42.5 wins): Over (59.69%)
  • Dallas Mavericks (38.5 wins): Over (69.71%)
  • New Orleans Pelicans (37 wins): Under (70.9%)
Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Offseason In Review: Houston Rockets

October 20th, 2016 at 7:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Over the next several weeks, Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the 2016 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 2016/17 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Houston Rockets.

Free agent signings:

Pending restricted free agents:

Camp invitees:

Contract extensions:

  • James Harden: Four years, $117.965MM. Extension gave him a raise to the maximum salary for 2016/17 and added two extra years to his contract, including a fourth year player option.

Trades:

Draft picks:

  • 2-37: Chinanu Onuaku. Signed for three years, minimum salary. Fully guaranteed.
  • 2-43: Zhou Qi. Will play overseas.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Check out our salary cap snapshot for the Houston Rockets right here.

NBA: Preseason-New York Knicks at Houston RocketsIt’s easy to forget, considering all the changes the franchise has made over the past year, that the Rockets reached the Western Conference Finals in 2015. They were considered one of the elite teams at this time last year but their season fell apart quickly after a slow start. Right now, it’s difficult to say whether their current roster is any better than the dysfunctional group that finished .500 and barely qualified for the playoffs last season.

When all the smoke cleared this summer, the new-look Rockets headed into training camp with two clearcut leaders: franchise player James Harden and coach Mike D’Antoni. The Rockets made a long-term commitment to Harden, despite his quirky personality and questionable desire to play defense, by restructuring and extending his contract for four years and $118MM.

The disconnect between Harden and the team’s other superstar, Dwight Howard, was evident last season but with Howard out of the picture, Harden is embracing the leadership role. He organized mini-camps and workouts with some of his teammates prior to training camp. “Just trying to shake things up, just trying to make sure we really know each other in and out on and off the court,” he said. “I think that will translate to a better team.”

Harden’s 29.0 scoring average last year was second only to the 30.1 averaged posted by Stephen Curry and he could be even more dangerous under offensive guru D’Antoni. The Rockets pursued a number of high-profile candidates to replace interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who took over after the early-season firing of Kevin McHale. They settled on the former Suns, Knicks and Lakers coach, who will put the ball in Harden’s hands as much as possible.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski believes D’Antoni’s scheme perfectly suits Harden’s skills. “When you have plays and reads, it’s the best combination,” Krzyzewski said. “It’s especially good if you have a special player, and they do in James. It will be interesting to see how that develops because James is not just a really good scorer; James is a heck of a passer.”

Howard wore out his welcome in Houston and the front office gladly let him walk after he opted out of the final year of his contract. What the franchise did in free agency was both intriguing and risky.

The Rockets handed generous contracts to two oft-injured players. Power forward Ryan Anderson inked a colossal four-year, $80MM deal and guard Eric Gordon received a four-year, $52.9MM commitment. Anderson seems like a great fit as the stretch four in D’Antoni’s free-flowing attack. The biggest drawback is that Anderson has only once played more than 66 games during his eight-year career because of various ailments.

Compared to Gordon, Anderson is an iron man. His balky knees limited him to 221 games in five seasons with the Pelicans. When he’s on the court, Gordon is a solid, aggressive scorer and 3-point shooter. The pressure on the Rockets’ medical staff to have Gordon wearing a uniform instead of a suit on game nights.

Harden could see a lot of time at the point with Gordon at shooting guard, particularly with Patrick Beverley experiencing knee issues in camp that may require surgery. The Rockets do have some other options at the point, despite renouncing their rights to Jason Terry as well as forwards Terrence Jones and Josh Smith at the start of free agency. Pablo Prigioni was re-signed to a partially-guaranteed contract and Tyler Ennis was acquired from the Bucks in exchange for forward Michael Beasley.

The Rockets also added depth at center behind new starter Clint Capela by signing another player with a long injury history, 34-year-old Nene Hilario, to a one-year contract.

With Trevor Ariza and Corey Brewer signed through the 2017/18 season, the Rockets didn’t feel the need to tinker with their small forward position.

They could add more depth at power forward, depending upon how the Donatas Motiejunas saga plays out.

Motiejunas remains the last retricted free agent on the market but long-term concerns over his back have virtually destroyed his bargaining power. The Pistons rescinded a trade for him last winter after their medical personnel examined Motiejunas.

Houston made a qualifying offer to Motiejunas, which expired at the beginning of this month. However, that only strengthens the Rockets’ position. They still have the right of first refusal and Motiejunas no longer has the safety net of signing that one-year QO, which would have allowed him become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Houston didn’t have a first-round pick in the draft and the remainder of its training-camp roster mainly consists of rookies and marginal players trying to make the team.

Undoubtedly, the Rockets should be fun to watch, with Harden leading a quick-paced attack that might lead the league in scoring. But the Rockets finished fourth in that category last year despite all the chemistry issues.

The big challenge is whether the Rockets will defend well enough to become a true contender again. They were 25th in points allowed and 19th in defensive field-goal percentage. They also finished at the bottom in defensive rebounding percentage last season despite the presence of Howard.

Can they protect the rim well enough with the duo of Capela and Anderson, as well as improve their defensive rebounding to get their high-powered offense in gear? Those are questions that will only be resolved as the season moves along.

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

Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Community Shootaround: Potential CBA Changes

October 20th, 2016 at 10:21am CST by Luke Adams

Following the Clippers’ game in Sacramento on Tuesday night, NBPA president Chris Paul caught a flight to New York to participate in Wednesday’s meeting between the league and the players’ union, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein (via Twitter). The sitdown was the latest indication that the two sides are making progress on negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

There’s plenty of optimism that the NBA and NBPA will strike a deal well before the opt-out deadline of December 15, and while we don’t know exactly what changes will be made to the CBA, we’ve gotten some hints. We’re not expecting any massive, game-changing alterations to the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, but it seems as if plenty of smaller changes will be implemented to attempt to improve the game.

The league’s rookie scale system is expected to be adjusted so that it aligns more with salary cap increases, rather than increasing at a fixed rate. Veteran contract extensions are expected to be tweaked to make them more appealing to players, giving teams a better chance to lock up potential free agents before they reach the open market. The NBA’s draft and D-League are among the other areas expected to receive attention in CBA talks.

As Howard Beck details in a piece this week at Bleacher Report, the NBA also hopes to include a mechanism in the new CBA to prevent another massive spike in the salary cap, since this year’s $24MM+ increase was viewed as problematic. According to Beck, some team executive believe a new CBA might also adjust the maximum salary concept, making it a little harder for clubs to collect multiple superstars.

For today’s Community Shootaround, we’re asking this: What one change would you like to see the NBA and NBPA make to the CBA? Do you consider it crucial to address one of the areas mentioned above, or is there another are you believe the two sides should be focused on?

Weigh in below in the comments section with your thoughts on the subject, and feel free to get creative in your answers. Got an off-the-wall idea for NBA draft lottery reform or a new-look salary cap? Share it below, even if it’s unlikely to be implemented in the next CBA.

Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

2016/17 NBA Over/Unders: Southwest Division

October 19th, 2016 at 1:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2016/17 NBA regular season will get underway next week, which means it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign. With the help of the lines from offshore betting site Bovada.lv, we’re going to run through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division, and have you weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic. Having looked at the Atlantic, Northwest, and Central divisions so far, we’re moving on to the Southwest today…

San Antonio Spurs

(App users, click here for Spurs poll)

Houston Rockets

(App users, click here for Rockets poll)

Memphis Grizzlies

(App users, click here for Grizzlies poll)

Dallas Mavericks

(App users, click here for Mavericks poll)

New Orleans Pelicans

(App users, click here for Pelicans poll)

Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

  • Boston Celtics (52.5 wins): Under (54.59%)
  • Toronto Raptors (50.5 wins): Over (54.63%)
  • New York Knicks (38.5 wins): Over (71.41%)
  • Philadelphia 76ers (23.5 wins): Under (54.62%)
  • Brooklyn Nets (20.5 wins): Under (60.74%)

Northwest:

  • Utah Jazz (49 wins): Under (68.72%)
  • Portland Trail Blazers (45.5 wins): Over (69.92%)
  • Oklahoma City Thunder (43.5 wins): Over (65.71%)
  • Minnesota Timberwolves (40.5 wins): Over (50.11%)
  • Denver Nuggets (37 wins): Under (68.81%)

Central:

  • Cleveland Cavaliers (56.5 wins): Over (66.5%)
  • Detroit Pistons (44.5 wins): Over (55.03%)
  • Indiana Pacers (44.5 wins): Over (73.06%)
  • Chicago Bulls (38.5 wins): Over (61.9%)
  • Milwaukee Bucks (34.5 wins): Over (67.48%)
Retweet 6 Share 0 Send via email0

Offseason In Review: Memphis Grizzlies

October 18th, 2016 at 10:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Over the next several weeks, Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the 2016 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 2016/17 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Memphis Grizzlies.

Free agent signings:

  • Mike Conley: Five years, $152.608MM. Maximum salary contract. Fifth year partially guaranteed.
  • Chandler Parsons: Four years, $94.439MM. Maximum salary contract.
  • Troy Daniels: Three years, $10MM. Sign-and-trade deal with Hornets.
  • James Ennis: Two years, $5.926MM.

Draft-and-stash signings:

Camp invitees:

Trades:

  • Acquired the draft rights to Deyonta Davis (No. 31 pick) and the draft rights to Rade Zagorac (No. 35 pick) from the Celtics in exchange for Clippers’ 2019 first-round pick (lottery protected).
  • Acquired Troy Daniels (sign-and-trade) from the Hornets in exchange for cash.

Draft picks:

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Check out our salary cap snapshot for the Memphis Grizzlies right here.

As the list of recent NBA Finals winners shows, star power is a key ingredient for most championship teams. The last 12 NBA champs are littered with All-Stars and future Hall-of-Famers, including Tim Duncan, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Dirk Nowitzki, and Stephen Curry. Finding those star players, and accumulating two or three of them on one roster, can be difficult, but once a team lands them, it’s worth paying a premium to keep them — depth and roster gaps can be filled on the cheap.Chandler Parsons vertical

On the surface, the Grizzlies’ offseason resembles the kind of summer a star-studded championship contender would have as it gears up for a title run — with one maximum-salary All-Star already on the roster, Memphis locked up another one of its starters to the biggest contract in NBA history, and signed another free agent to a max deal of his own. The league’s growing salary cap means that the Grizzlies’ three max contracts don’t soak up all of the team’s cap room, like they would have a year or two ago, but the money committed to Marc Gasol, Mike Conley, and Chandler Parsons is significant, and signals that the club views the trio as its core pieces going forward.

While Gasol, Conley, and Parsons are certainly above-average NBA starters, the Grizzlies’ Big Three isn’t exactly comparable to that of the Heat circa 2010. We’ll start with Conley, who has never made an All-Star team, but has been a steady and productive second-tier point guard in the Western Conference over the last several years, behind a top tier led by Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook. Since Memphis held Conley’s Bird rights, retaining him was a key component of the team’s offseason, but the price to do so was awfully high. No NBA player has ever signed for more than the $152.608MM Conley will receive over the life of his five-year deal.

The Grizzlies were victimized by bad timing when it came to Conley’s free agency. Other suitors, including the division-rival Mavericks, were ready to offer the veteran point guard a maximum-salary contract of their own, so Memphis had little choice but to put max money on the table. After Conley, the best unrestricted free agent point guards of 2016 were players like Jeremy Lin, Rajon Rondo, and D.J. Augustin, so if the Grizzlies had let Conley walk, the team would have been looking at a major downgrade at the position, and wouldn’t have been able to fully maximize its cap room. Still, Conley is entering his age-29 season and has never averaged more than 17.2 PPG or 6.5 APG in a season. It’s reasonable for Grizzlies fans to be a little uneasy about his new contract.

Around the same time the Grizzlies secured Conley, the team was also finalizing a max contract for former Maverick Parsons, another player who has never made an All-Star team. You could make the argument that the Grizzlies would be mismanaging an asset by losing it for nothing if they’d let Conley go, but that wasn’t the case for Parsons, whom the team used most of its remaining cap room to sign. The veteran forward, who turns 28 later this month, is a talented sharpshooter, but he has yet to truly break out, and has been limited by injuries in recent years. Having undergone knee surgery in March, Parsons has yet to make his preseason debut for the Grizzlies, and may not be ready for the club’s regular-season opener.

If Parsons were still 23 or 24 years old, it would be easier to be optimistic about his chances of getting 100% healthy and putting it all together for two or three solid years with the Grizzlies. But he’s entering his sixth NBA season, and there are major questions about whether he’ll live up to his new deal.

The question marks surrounding Parsons’ health also relate to broader concerns about the Grizzlies’ roster. Conley finished the 2015/16 season on the shelf with an Achilles injury, and Gasol – who is returning from a broken foot – suffered a bone bruise during the preseason. Memphis can certainly still contend for the playoffs if one of the club’s top players is sidelined for a month or two, but for the team to reach its full potential, Conley, Parsons, and Gasol need to play 70+ games apiece. The odds of that happening don’t seem great at this point.

With most of their cap room committed to their top three players, the Grizzlies got a little creative to add depth, particularly in the backcourt. The club acquired Troy Daniels in a sign-and-trade deal, brought over draft-and-stash prospect Andrew Harrison, used its room exception to sign James Ennis, and drafted Wade Baldwin and Deyonta Davis.

Not all of those players will be ready to contribute immediately, which could complicate matters at point guard. The Grizzlies signed, but waived, Tony Wroten, leaving Baldwin and Harrison to battle for the right to back up Conley. The team has no other viable point guard options, so if the youngsters aren’t ready, or if Conley misses any time, another veteran addition will probably be necessary. For the most part though, Memphis did well with its limited leftover cap flexibility to add promising young players capable of taking on greater roles as the season progresses.

New head coach David Fizdale will be tasked with helping to develop those talented young newcomers, and while a coach’s first offseason and preseason don’t tell us a whole lot, the Grizzlies appear to like what they have in Fizdale. The former Heat assistant received rave reviews from his players in Miami, and reportedly made a strong first impression in Memphis. Although he’s a first-time head coach, Fizdale indicated he wasn’t interested in leading a franchise through a rebuilding process, and expressed a desire to take the Grizzlies “from good to great.”

One of Fizdale’s first moves has been to move veteran big man Zach Randolph from the starting lineup to the bench, with JaMychal Green taking over as Memphis’ starting power forward. Replacing one of the longest-tenured Grizzlies with a third-year player on a non-guaranteed contract is a bold move, but one that makes sense. Green won’t be asked to do too much as a starter, with Conley, Parsons, and Gasol prepared to handle the offensive load, while Randolph will add some much-needed scoring punch to the club’s second unit.

Of course, Randolph’s role may remain flexible once the season gets underway — having him play off the bench is a move that could be easily undone. The same can’t be said for the Conley and Parsons contracts, which combine to total nearly $250MM. If the Grizzlies’ high-priced gamble that Conley and Parsons are max-salary players pays off, they should vie for a top-four spot in the West and would be one of the top challengers to the Warriors in the postseason. But if the team’s standout players continue to battle health problems and don’t live up to those big-money deals, Fizdale could be in for a major challenge during his first year in Memphis.

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

Retweet 8 Share 0 Send via email0

2016/17 NBA Over/Unders: Central Division

October 18th, 2016 at 5:10pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2016/17 NBA regular season will get underway next week, which means it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign. With the help of the lines from offshore betting site Bovada.lv, we’re going to run through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division, and have you weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic. Having looked at the Atlantic and Northwest division so far, we’re moving on to the Central today…

Cleveland Cavaliers

(App users, click here for Cavaliers poll)

Detroit Pistons

(App users, click here for Pistons poll)

Indiana Pacers

(App users, click here for Pacers poll)

Chicago Bulls

(App users, click here for Bulls poll)

Milwaukee Bucks

(App users, click here for Bucks poll)

Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

  • Boston Celtics (52.5 wins): Under (54.59%)
  • Toronto Raptors (50.5 wins): Over (54.63%)
  • New York Knicks (38.5 wins): Over (71.41%)
  • Philadelphia 76ers (23.5 wins): Under (54.62%)
  • Brooklyn Nets (20.5 wins): Under (60.74%)

Northwest:

  • Utah Jazz (49 wins): Under (68.72%)
  • Portland Trail Blazers (45.5 wins): Over (69.92%)
  • Oklahoma City Thunder (43.5 wins): Over (65.71%)
  • Minnesota Timberwolves (40.5 wins): Over (50.11%)
  • Denver Nuggets (37 wins): Under (68.81%)
Retweet 7 Share 0 Send via email0

Offseason In Review: Dallas Mavericks

October 17th, 2016 at 7:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Over the next several weeks, Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the 2016 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 2016/17 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Dallas Mavericks.

Free agent signings:

Camp invitees:

Trades:

Draft picks:

  • 2-46: A.J. Hammons: Signed for three years, $2.606MM. Fully guaranteed.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Check out our salary cap snapshot for the Dallas Mavericks right here.

NBA: Preseason-Dallas Mavericks at New Orleans Pelicans“Always a bridesmaid and never the bride.” That classic phrase sums up what the Mavericks’ offseasons have become the past few years. In 2013, the team set its sights on Deron Williams and Dwight Howard, a year when both were still highly sought after free agents, only to end up with Monta Ellis. In 2015 the franchise let Tyson Chandler depart (for the second time) and targeted DeAndre Jordan, only to have the big man switch gears and after a bizarre psuedo-standoff at his home, rejoin the Clippers. Instead, the Mavs ended up signing Zaza Pachulia. This past summer, Mark Cuban and company had designs on signing Mike Conley and Hassan Whiteside, but instead ended up with Harrison Barnes. Notice a disturbing trend here?

One could easily argue that the Warriors’ signing of Kevin Durant ultimately saved Dallas from having an absolutely disastrous summer. If KD doesn’t join the Warriors, Golden State has no reason to let Barnes leave as a free agent or to trade Andrew Bogut, and the Mavs would have been left high and dry as a result of overreaching for players who had no intention of joining the team. While the Bogut acquisition was a solid move for the club, perhaps it may have been better to bottom out for a year rather than fork over the exorbitant contract that the team gave to Barnes.

Dallas essentially chose Barnes over Chandler Parsons, who signed with the Grizzlies this offseason. Given Parsons’ injury woes, I don’t knock the Mavs for balking at offering him a maximum salary contract, but committing that amount of money to Barnes is just as big of a risk. Barnes has been a solid rotational piece for the Warriors throughout his first four NBA seasons, shooting 37.6% on three-pointers and averaging double-digits in points for his career. However, he was inconsistent in the playoffs this past season, no-showing in some key games down the stretch for Golden State. In the 2016 NBA Finals, Barnes shot just 35.2% from the floor, including 31.0% from three-point range, and many of those misses were uncontested shots. Now he’s going to be the focal point of Dallas’ rebuilding plan and have the weight of needing to live up to his contract on his shoulders.

If Parsons wasn’t worthy of this level of investment, I’m not sure how Barnes is. Granted, his numbers should see an uptick based on increased playing time and coach Rick Carlisle‘s ability to squeeze production out of his players, but it is extremely unlikely that the 24-year-old will perform to the level his contract. Adding him seems reactionary on the part of Dallas, with the team needing to do something over the summer to try and change up the formula. I like Barnes as a third-option on a playoff team, but not as one of its primary building blocks, which is what earning $22MM-$25MM per season over the course of his contract forces him to be.

As I previously mentioned, I’m a fan of the team’s acquisition of Bogut for the low cost of a protected second-rounder in what was a clear salary dump for the Warriors. The 31-year-old is an injury risk, but with just one year remaining on his current deal at the very reasonable rate of $11,027,027 for 2016/17, this one could pay off big for Dallas. The Mavs have had a gaping hole in the middle since Chandler departed, and Bogut’s defense, grit and rebounding are all welcome additions. Coupled with the arrival of Barnes, who is a defensive upgrade over Parsons, and a healthy Wesley Matthews, the team should be much improved on that end of the court.

The rest of the Mavs’ offseason signings were solid, if unspectacular. Given the lack of options, re-signing Deron Williams for one-year, $9MM was a decent move. Williams is no longer the star player he was during his time with the Jazz, which seems like a lot longer than six seasons ago, but his 2015/16 numbers of 14.1 PPG, 2.9 RPG and 5.8 APG to go along with a shooting line of .414/.344/.869 are worth keeping him around on this low-risk pact. However, I’m not as bullish on re-signing Dwight Powell to a four-year, $37.27MM deal. Giving that level of commitment to a player who has been as inconsistent as Powell has been is a risky move that could hamper the team in future offseasons. The 25-year-old has struggled to remain healthy during his brief time in the league and he doesn’t quite fit the mold of where the league is headed regarding how big men are utilized.

One signing that I am excited about for the Mavericks is the addition of Seth Curry, whose two-year, $5.93MM could turn out to be an absolute steal for the team. Curry has looked very sharp thus far in the preseason, averaging  12.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG and 1.5 APG while connecting on 53.3% of his shots from beyond the arc. While he’s never likely going to approach the skill level of his brother Stephen Curry,, the younger Curry has a legitimate shot under Carlisle to be a Sixth Man of the Year candidate. Dallas should focus more on adding undervalued players who can have breakout seasons, rather than chasing the “big fish” every offseason without having a legitimate chance of landing them.

Perhaps the best move the Mavericks made this offseason was re-signing Dirk Nowitzki to a two-year, $50MM deal. The franchise finally did right by the big German, upping the initial deal by $10MM when it became clear that the money wasn’t going to other players. Nowitzki has been the textbook example of unselfish, taking far less than market rate on his past two contracts in order to give the team flexibility to add players around him. Besides rewarding his loyalty, Dallas avoided having its longtime franchise player depart over a lowball offer the way Dwyane Wade ended his tenure in Miami this summer. Kudos to Cuban on the move, its just unfortunate that Nowitzki will likely end his career without having a legitimate shot at winning another NBA title.

After what turned out to be another disappointing summer for the team and its fans, the Mavs enter the new season as an unknown quantity. The team will likely struggle to equal its 42 wins from a season ago and it will take a number of players meeting and exceeding expectations for the club to reach the postseason again. The only true positive I can offer is that Dallas at least has a higher ceiling than it did last year, with the defense likely to be improved and some new blood on the roster. If Barnes can come close to living up to his contract, the Mavs could surprise. But that is a tall order, especially if the young forward succumbs to the pressure of silencing his critics. Hopefully, the franchise will enter next offseason with a more realistic shopping list, which could help it avoid having to play catch-up like it has the past few summers.

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

Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

2016/17 NBA Over/Unders: Northwest Division

October 17th, 2016 at 2:20pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2016/17 NBA regular season will get underway in just over a week, which means it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign. With the help of the lines from offshore betting site Bovada.lv, we’re going to run through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division, and have you weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic. Having looked at the Atlantic division last Friday, we’re moving on to the Northwest today…

Utah Jazz

(App users, click here for Jazz poll)

Portland Trail Blazers

(App users, click here for Trail Blazers poll)

Oklahoma City Thunder

(App users, click here for Thunder poll)

Minnesota Timberwolves

(App users, click here for Timberwolves poll)

Denver Nuggets

(App users, click here for Nuggets poll)

Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

  • Boston Celtics (52.5 wins): Under (54.59%)
  • Toronto Raptors (50.5 wins): Over (54.63%)
  • New York Knicks (38.5 wins): Over (71.41%)
  • Philadelphia 76ers (23.5 wins): Under (54.62%)
  • Brooklyn Nets (20.5 wins): Under (60.74%)
Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

Offseason In Review: Cleveland Cavaliers

October 16th, 2016 at 8:27pm CST by Arthur Hill

Over the next several weeks, Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the 2016 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 2016/17 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Free agent signings:

Camp invitees:

Trades:

Draft picks:

  • 2-54: Kay Felder. Signed for three years, minimum salary. Second year partially guaranteed. Third year team option.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Check out our salary cap snapshot for the Cleveland Cavaliers right here.

"JulThe band is finally back together in Cleveland, although there’s not much rehearsal time before the season starts.

The Cavaliers brought back the final piece of their championship puzzle Friday when J.R. Smith ended his long standoff by agreeing to a contract with $45MM guaranteed over the first three seasons. A fourth year at about $12MM will become guaranteed if he remains on the Cavs’ roster at the end of the 2018/19 season.

Smith has been an indispensable member of the team’s backcourt since coming to Cleveland in a trade with the Knicks in January of 2015. He averaged 11.5 points per game and shot 43% from 3-point range during last season’s playoff run. During the season, Smith started all 77 games in which he played and averaged 12.4 points per night.

Getting Smith under contract solidifies one backcourt position, but uncertainty remains at point guard. Kyrie Irving has become one of the league’s best players and added to his legend with the winning shot in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. But it’s uncertain who will be backing him up after Matthew Dellavedova was shipped to Milwaukee in a sign-and-trade over the summer.

Veteran Toney Douglas was waived Saturday after Smith was signed, and Jordan McRae has been pulled from the competition because head coach Tyronn Lue wants him to concentrate on being a shooting guard. Rookie Kay Felder has been sharing reserve duties in the preseason with DeAndre Liggins, so that arrangement will probably continue once the season starts.

Veteran Mo Williams, who played 41 games for the Cavs last season, told the team late last month that he plans to retire, and he had surgery on his left knee three days ago. However, Williams hasn’t filed retirement papers with the league and he still has a spot on the Cavaliers’ roster. The team plans to monitor his progress in case he decides to play again. Williams would receive his full $2.2MM salary if Cleveland waives him, and buyout talks have produced little progress.

After winning his third NBA title in June, LeBron James reached another milestone in August as a new three-year, $99.857MM contract made him the league’s highest-paid player for the first time. His $33MM salary in 2017/18 will be the largest in NBA history.

It’s a fitting reward for a player who led the Cavs to the first championship in their 45-year history. James is coming off another brilliant year, averaging 25.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game during the regular season and raising those numbers to 26.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 7.6 assists in the playoffs.

Cleveland also re-signed veteran small forward Richard Jefferson for three years at $7.613MM, with the third season non-guaranteed. The 36-year-old initially announced his retirement while the Cavaliers celebrated their championship, but he changed his mind as the summer wore on.

Another important re-signing was Lue, who led the Cavs to the title after taking over as head coach when David Blatt was fired in January. Lue received a five-year extension believed to be worth $35MM.

The Cavs reached offseason agreements with two of James’ teammates from his days in Miami, re-signing James Jones for one year at a veteran’s minimum salary and giving a similar deal to center Chris Andersen. Cleveland had a need for center help after losing Timofey Mozgov to the Lakers in free agency and trading Sasha Kaun to the Sixers. Andersen appeared in just seven games for the Heat and 20 for the Grizzlies last season.

Cleveland picked up another veteran when the Bulls had to unload Mike Dunleavy Jr.‘s salary to create enough cap room to sign Dwyane Wade. The Cavs swung a trade that brought Dunleavy from Chicago for virtually nothing in return, giving them another potent 3-point shooter to help stretch defenses.

The championship helped to quiet trade speculation surrounding Kevin Love, who appears to be set as the power forward for years to come. Complaints that Love wasn’t a good fit alongside James and Irving have been following him ever since he was acquired from Minnesota in a 2014 deal. Love turned in a strong playoff performance, averaging 14.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game after missing most of the 2015 playoff run with a shoulder injury. A report last month said the Cavaliers stopped listening to trade offers for Love in the middle of the season.

Draft night was quiet in Cleveland except for a deal with the Hawks that brought in Felder, the 54th pick, in exchange for cash considerations. A speedy 5’9″ sparkplug, Felder impressed the Cavs during summer league and was signed to a three-year contract.

The last-minute addition of Smith means the Cavaliers will have a very familiar look as they try to defend their NBA title. Dellavedova, Mozgov and Wiliams are the only significant losses from last year, and the additions of Dunleavy and Andersen will help offset those, along with a full season from Channing Frye, who was acquired from Orlando at February’s trade deadline.

The Cavs make have to tweak the roster a little bit if Felder doesn’t work out as the reserve point guard, but they enter the season as very heavy favorites to tear through the East again and return to the NBA Finals. The Big Three of James, Irving and Love will always be in the spotlight in Cleveland, but owner Dan Gilbert has proven that he will spend big to put a dangerous team around them.

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

Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts