Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Hoops Rumors Originals

How Teams Are Using 2023/24 Mid-Level Exceptions

July 12th, 2023 at 11:15am CST by Luke Adams

In addition to receiving approximately $136MM in cap room and being allowed to surpass that threshold in order to sign players using Bird Rights or the minimum salary exception, each NBA team also receives a mid-level exception. The value of this exception varies depending on a club’s total team salary.

A team that goes under the cap to use its available cap room, for instance, receives a form of the MLE known as the room exception. An over-the-cap team receives the full mid-level exception, unless that team is also over the first tax apron, in which case it gets a modest taxpayer version of the MLE. A team whose salary is over the second tax apron isn’t permitted to use its mid-level at all.

We detailed the exact values of each form of mid-level exception earlier this offseason, but here’s a quick breakdown:

  • Room exception: Can be used for contracts up to three years, with a starting salary worth up to $7,723,000.
  • Taxpayer mid-level exception: Can be used for contracts up to two years, with a starting salary worth up to $5,000,000.
  • Full/non-taxpayer mid-level exception: Can be used for contracts up to four years, with a starting salary worth up to $12,405,000.
    • Note: Though its name suggests otherwise, using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception doesn’t mean a team can’t or won’t be above the tax line ($165,294,000) at season’s end; it simply means the team’s total salary can’t surpass the first tax “apron” ($172,346,000).

Now that most of the NBA’s teams have used up their cap space, it’s worth keeping an eye on which teams still have part or all of their mid-level exceptions available, which we’ll do in the space below.

This list will be kept up to date throughout the 2023/24 league year, with new MLE deals added once those signings are officially completed and we confirm the contract details.

Note: After the 2024 trade deadline, the value of the exceptions below will begin to prorate downward.

Here’s where things currently stand:

Mid-Level Exception:

Non-taxpayer: $12,405,000
Taxpayer: $5,000,000

Atlanta Hawks

  • Used: $0

Boston Celtics

  • Used: $0
  • Note: The Celtics are limited to the taxpayer mid-level exception, at best.

Brooklyn Nets

Charlotte Hornets

  • Used: $0

Chicago Bulls

Cleveland Cavaliers

Dallas Mavericks

  • Used: $3,000,000 (Dante Exum); $4,000,000 (Seth Curry); $1,000,000 (A.J. Lawson)
  • Note: The Mavericks used $10.5MM of their mid-level exception to sign Matisse Thybulle to an offer sheet, but it was matched by the Trail Blazers, freeing up Dallas’ MLE.

Denver Nuggets

  • Used: $5,000,000 (Reggie Jackson)
  • Note: The Nuggets are limited to the taxpayer mid-level exception.

Golden State Warriors

  • Used: $0
  • Note: The Warriors are over the second tax apron and don’t have the mid-level exception available.

Los Angeles Clippers

  • Used: $0
  • Note: The Clippers are over the second tax apron and don’t have the mid-level exception available.

Los Angeles Lakers

Memphis Grizzlies

Miami Heat

  • Used: $0
  • Note: The Heat aren’t expected to have the mid-level exception available due to their proximity to the second tax apron.

Milwaukee Bucks

  • Used: $0
  • Note: The Bucks are over the second tax apron and don’t have the mid-level exception available.

Minnesota Timberwolves

New Orleans Pelicans

New York Knicks

Philadelphia 76ers

Phoenix Suns

  • Used: $0
  • Note: The Suns are over the second tax apron and don’t have the mid-level exception available.

Portland Trail Blazers

Toronto Raptors

Washington Wizards

Room Exception:

Available: $7,723,000

Detroit Pistons

  • Used: $0

Houston Rockets

  • Used: $0

Indiana Pacers

Oklahoma City Thunder

Orlando Magic

  • Used: $0

Sacramento Kings

San Antonio Spurs

  • Used: $0

Utah Jazz

  • Used: $500,000 (Kenneth Lofton Jr.); $500,000 (Darius Bazley)
  • Note: The Jazz used their room exception to sign Paul Reed to an offer sheet, but it was matched by the Sixers, freeing up Utah’s exception.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Hoops Rumors’ 2023 NBA Free Agent Tracker

July 11th, 2023 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams

With most of the free agent signings reported in late June and early July now official and updates on new contract agreements still coming in, Hoops Rumors is here to help you keep track of which players are heading to which teams this offseason.

To this end, we present our Free Agent Tracker, a feature we’ve had each year since our inception in 2012. Using our tracker, you can quickly look up deals, sorting by team, position, free agent type, and a handful of other variables.

A few notes on the tracker:

  • Some of the information you’ll find in the tracker will reflect tentative agreements, rather than finalized deals. As signings become official, we’ll continue to update and modify the data as needed.
  • Similarly, contract years and dollars will be based on what’s been reported to date, so in some cases those amounts will be approximations rather than official figures. Salaries aren’t necessarily fully guaranteed either.
  • Players who have reportedly agreed to training camp/Exhibit 10 deals won’t be added to the tracker until those deals are official.
  • A restricted free agent who signs an offer sheet won’t be included in the tracker right away. We’ll wait to hear whether the player’s original team will match or pass on that offer sheet before we update our tracker, in order to avoid any confusion.
  • If you’re viewing the tracker on our mobile site, be sure to turn your phone sideways to see more details.

Our 2023 Free Agent Tracker can be found anytime on the right sidebar of our desktop site under “Hoops Rumors Features,” and it’s also under the “Tools” menu atop the site. On our mobile site, it can be found in our menu under “Free Agent Lists.”

The tracker will be updated throughout the offseason, so be sure to check back for the latest info. If you have any corrections, please let us know right here.

Our lists of free agents by position/type and by team break down the players who have yet to reach contract agreements.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

2023/24 NBA Contract Extension Tracker

July 11th, 2023 at 8:30am CST by Luke Adams

A number of 2023 free agents, such as Jerami Grant and Fred VanVleet, did very well for themselves on the open market this summer. However, the most lucrative contracts signed since the new league year began weren’t free agent deals at all — they were contract extensions.

Extensions, of course, don’t involve adding a new player to the roster. By extending a contract, a team ensures that a current player will remain locked up for multiple years to come. Although a contract extension may not change the club’s outlook on the court, it can have a major impact on that team’s salary cap situation for the next several seasons.

Rookie scale extensions are one form of contract extension. Former first-round picks who are entering the fourth and final year of their rookie deals are eligible to sign those up until the day before the 2023/24 regular season begins. It’s common for at least four or five players eligible for rookie scale extensions to sign them, and that number is often much higher — there were 11 rookie scale extensions signed in both 2021 and 2022.

[RELATED: Players Eligible For Rookie Scale Extensions In 2023 Offseason]

While they used to be rarer than rookie scale extensions, veteran extensions are happening more frequently these days. The league’s 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement expanded the rules for eligibility and created some additional incentives for star players to sign new deals before they reach free agency, and the 2023 CBA has further incentivized veteran extensions. During the 2022/23 league year, a total of 23 veteran extensions were signed, more than doubling the amount of rookie scale extensions completed during that same window.

The deadline for a veteran extension for a player who isn’t in the final year of his current contract is the day before the regular season tips off. However, a player eligible for a veteran extension who is on an expiring deal can sign a new contract throughout the league year, all the way up to June 30, the day before he becomes a free agent.

Listed below are the players who have finalized contract extensions so far in 2023/24. This list, which can be found on the right-hand sidebar under “Hoops Rumors Features” on our desktop site (or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu), will be kept up to date throughout the ’23/24 league year, with more extension details added as we learn them.

Note: Projected values for maximum-salary extensions are based on a $141,000,000 salary cap for 2024/25 and a 10% increase for 2025/26. Those contracts are based on a percentage of the cap, so their values would fluctuate depending on exactly where the ’24/25 and ’25/26 caps end up.

Rookie scale contract extensions:

  • LaMelo Ball (Hornets): Five years, maximum salary (story). Projected value of $204,450,000. Projected value can increase to $245,340,000 if Ball meets Rose Rule criteria. Includes 15% trade kicker. Starts in 2024/25.
  • Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves): Five years, maximum salary (story). Projected value of $204,450,000. Projected value can increase to $245,340,000 if Edwards meets Rose Rule criteria. Includes 15% trade kicker. Starts in 2024/25.
  • Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers): Five years, maximum salary (story). Projected value of $204,450,000. Projected value can increase to $245,340,000 if Haliburton meets Rose Rule criteria. Includes 15% trade kicker. Starts in 2024/25.
  • Desmond Bane (Grizzlies): Five years, $197,230,450 (story). Includes $8,669,550 in incentives. Includes 15% trade kicker. Starts in 2024/25.
  • Devin Vassell (Spurs): Five years, $135,000,000 (story). Includes $11,000,000 in incentives. Starts in 2024/25.
  • Jaden McDaniels (Timberwolves): Five years, $131,000,000 (story). Includes $5,000,000 in incentives. Starts in 2024/25.
  • Onyeka Okongwu (Hawks): Four years, $62,000,000 (story). Starts in 2024/25.
  • Isaiah Stewart (Pistons): Four years, $60,000,000 (story). Includes $4,000,000 in incentives. Includes fourth-year team option. Starts in 2024/25.
  • Deni Avdija (Wizards): Four years, $55,000,000 (story). Starts in 2024/25.
  • Josh Green (Mavericks): Three years, $41,000,000 (story). Starts in 2024/25.
  • Cole Anthony (Magic): Three years, $39,100,000 (story). Includes third-year team option. Starts in 2024/25.
  • Aaron Nesmith (Pacers): Three years, $33,000,000 (story). Starts in 2024/25.
  • Zeke Nnaji (Nuggets): Four years, $32,000,001 (story). Includes fourth-year player option. Starts in 2024/25.
  • Payton Pritchard (Celtics): Four years, $30,000,000 (story). Starts in 2024/25.

Veteran contract extensions:

  • Jaylen Brown (Celtics): Five years, maximum salary (story). Projected value of $286,230,000 (super-max). Includes trade kicker (lesser of 7% or $7,000,000). Starts in 2024/25.
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks): Three years, maximum salary (story). Third-year player option. Projected value of $175,883,400. Starts in 2025/26.
  • Anthony Davis (Lakers): Three years, maximum salary (story). Third-year player option. Projected value of $175,883,400. Starts in 2025/26.
  • Domantas Sabonis (Kings): Four years, $175,616,000 (story). Includes renegotiation (2023/24 salary increased by $8,600,000 to $28,000,000). $184,216,000 in total new money. Includes $10,400,000 in incentives (plus $2,600,000 in existing incentives in 2023/24). Extension starts in 2024/25.
  • Kawhi Leonard (Clippers): Three years, $149,650,000 (story). Includes 15% trade kicker. Starts in 2024/25.
  • Jrue Holiday (Celtics): Four years, $134,400,000 (story). Includes fourth-year player option. Starts in 2024/25.
  • Dejounte Murray (Hawks): Four years, $111,102,208 (story). Includes $9,015,993 in incentives. Includes fourth-year player option. Includes 15% trade kicker. Starts in 2024/25.
  • Josh Hart (Knicks): Four years, $80,915,820 (story). Includes fourth-year team option. Starts in 2024/25.
  • Grayson Allen (Suns): Four years, $70,000,000 (story). Includes fourth-year player option. Starts in 2024/25.
  • Kristaps Porzingis (Celtics): Two years, $60,000,000 (story). Starts in 2024/25.
  • Jarred Vanderbilt (Lakers): Four years, $48,000,000 (story). Includes fourth-year player option. Starts in 2024/25.
  • Zach Collins (Spurs): Two years, $34,821,696 (story). Starts in 2024/25.
  • Jordan Clarkson (Jazz): Two years, $28,378,291 (story). Includes renegotiation (2023/24 salary increased by $9,227,629 to $23,487,629). $37,605,920 in total new money. Includes $1,134,081 in incentives. Extension starts in 2024/25.
  • Kelly Olynyk (Raptors): Two years, $26,250,000 (story). Starts in 2024/25.
  • Richaun Holmes (Wizards): Two years, $25,929,058 (story). Second year partially guaranteed ($250K). Starts in 2024/25.
  • Mike Conley (Timberwolves): Two years, $20,750,000 (story). Starts in 2024/25.
  • Miles McBride (Knicks): Three years, $13,000,000 (story). Starts in 2024/25.

Note: Multiple veterans, including Nikola Vucevic (Bulls), Naz Reid (Timberwolves) and Harrison Barnes (Kings), signed extensions less than a week before the 2023/24 league year began. Those deals are listed in our 2022/23 extension tracker.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

2023/24 NBA Two-Way Contract Tracker

July 8th, 2023 at 4:33pm CST by Luke Adams

Two-way contracts allow NBA teams to carry three extra players in addition to the 15 on their regular season roster. These players generally bounce back and forth between the NBA and G League, but remain under team control and can’t be poached by rival franchises.

First introduced in 2017, two-way deals have undergone some rule changes in recent years, and the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement has updated them further. Here are some key points to remember:

  • Teams can now carry three players on two-way contracts, rather than two.
  • Two-way players are eligible to be active for up to 50 of their team’s 82 regular season games. If a team isn’t carrying a full 15-man roster, its two-way players can only be active for a combined 90 games.
  • Players on two-way contracts will earn $559,782 in 2023/24, half of the rookie minimum.

You can check out our glossary entry to learn more about two-way contracts.

NBA teams have begun to fill in their two-way slots for the 2023/24 league year, so we’ll track all those deals in the space below. Some two-way players from 2022/23 inked two-year contracts and remain under contract for this season, while others have been newly signed.

If a two-way signing has been reported by a trusted source but isn’t yet official, we’ll list it in italics and link to the report, updating the info as necessary. Players who are in the first year of two-way contracts that cover two years (the maximum length), will be noted with an asterisk (*) once that info is confirmed.

This tracker will continue to be updated throughout the 2023/24 league year, and can be found anytime in the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on the right-hand sidebar of our desktop site, or in the “Features” menu on our mobile site.

Here are 2023/24’s two-way players:

Updated 4-23-24

Atlanta Hawks

  1. Seth Lundy, G/F
  2. Vit Krejci, G
  3. Dylan Windler, G/F

Boston Celtics

  1. JD Davison, G
  2. Drew Peterson, F
  3. Empty

Brooklyn Nets

  1. Keon Johnson, G
  2. Jaylen Martin, G/F *
  3. Jacob Gilyard, G

Charlotte Hornets

  1. Amari Bailey, G
  2. Leaky Black, F *
  3. Marques Bolden, C *

Chicago Bulls

  1. Adama Sanogo, F
  2. Henri Drell, G/F
  3. Andrew Funk, G *

Cleveland Cavaliers

  1. Isaiah Mobley, F
  2. Emoni Bates, F
  3. Pete Nance, F

Dallas Mavericks

  1. Greg Brown, F
  2. Brandon Williams, G
  3. Alex Fudge, F *

Denver Nuggets

  1. Collin Gillespie, G
  2. Braxton Key, F
  3. Jay Huff, C

Detroit Pistons

  1. Jared Rhoden, G
  2. Buddy Boeheim, G/F *
  3. Tosan Evbuomwan, F *

Golden State Warriors

  1. Jerome Robinson, G
  2. Pat Spencer, G *
  3. Empty

Houston Rockets

  1. Jermaine Samuels, F
  2. Jeenathan Williams, G/F
  3. Nate Hinton, G/F

Indiana Pacers

  1. Oscar Tshiebwe, C
  2. Isaiah Wong, G
  3. Quenton Jackson, G

Los Angeles Clippers

  1. Moussa Diabate, C
  2. Jordan Miller, F *
  3. Xavier Moon, G/F

Los Angeles Lakers

  1. Colin Castleton, F/C
  2. Skylar Mays, G
  3. Harry Giles, C

Memphis Grizzlies

  1. Scotty Pippen Jr., G *
  2. Trey Jemison, C *
  3. Jordan Goodwin, G

Miami Heat

  1. Jamal Cain, F
  2. Cole Swider, F
  3. Alondes Williams, G

Milwaukee Bucks

  1. TyTy Washington Jr., G
  2. Ryan Rollins, G *
  3. Jaylin Galloway, G/F *

Minnesota Timberwolves

  1. Jaylen Clark, G *
  2. Daishen Nix, G
  3. Empty

New Orleans Pelicans

  1. Dereon Seabron, G
  2. Malcolm Hill, G/F *
  3. Empty

New York Knicks

  1. Charlie Brown Jr., G
  2. Duane Washington, G
  3. Jacob Toppin, F

Oklahoma City Thunder

  1. Keyontae Johnson, G/F
  2. Olivier Sarr, C
  3. Adam Flagler, G *

Orlando Magic

  1. Kevon Harris, G
  2. Admiral Schofield, F
  3. Trevelin Queen, G

Philadelphia 76ers

  1. Terquavion Smith, G
  2. Empty
  3. Empty

Phoenix Suns

  1. Saben Lee, G
  2. Udoka Azubuike, C
  3. Ish Wainright, F

Portland Trail Blazers

  1. Justin Minaya, F
  2. Ibou Badji, C
  3. Ashton Hagans, G

Sacramento Kings

  1. Jalen Slawson, F
  2. Jordan Ford, G
  3. Mason Jones, G *

San Antonio Spurs

  1. David Duke, G
  2. Jamaree Bouyea, G *
  3. RaiQuan Gray, F/C *

Toronto Raptors

  1. D.J. Carton, G *
  2. Mouhamadou Gueye, F *
  3. Empty

Utah Jazz

  1. Micah Potter, C
  2. Johnny Juzang, G
  3. Jason Preston, G *

Washington Wizards

  1. Jules Bernard, G
  2. Justin Champagnie, G/F *
  3. Empty
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Extension Candidate: Deni Avdija

July 7th, 2023 at 10:25am CST by Rory Maher

This is the second 2023 installment in our series examining players who are prime candidates for contract extensions. This series will explore the player’s strengths and weaknesses, and will evaluate what a fair deal between the player and his team might look like.

Rundown

The ninth overall pick of the 2020 draft, Deni Avdija received regular playing time as a rookie in 2020/21, averaging 6.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists on .417/.315/.644 shooting in 54 games (32 starts, 23.3 minutes).

Avdija was one of a select handful of players to appear in all 82 games (eight starts, 24.2 minutes) in ‘21/22 during his second season, averaging 8.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists on .432/.317/.757 shooting.

Last season, the combo forward once again increased his counting stats and showed more aggression offensively, averaging 9.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists on .437/.297/.739 shooting in 76 games (40 starts, 26.6 minutes). He averaged 10.2 points, 7.3 boards and 2.9 assists on .443/.310/.708 shooting in 37 games (27.4 minutes) after Washington traded Rui Hachimura to the Lakers in January.

Both of Avdija’s parents are former athletes. His Serbian-born father was a professional player and is now the president of basketball operations of Bnei Herzliya of the Israeli Premier League, while his mother is another former basketball player who also participated in track and field.

As with Jaden McDaniels, whose candidacy we previously examined, Avdija is entering the final year of his rookie contract, which makes him eligible for a rookie scale extension until the start of the ’23/24 regular season.

Strengths

The first thing that immediately comes to mind with Avdija is that he has a strong feel for the game. He has above-average vision, timing and touch as a passer, and is a plus play-maker.

He can bring the ball up the court, initiate the offense, navigate pick-and-rolls – things you’d normally expect from a guard. But he can also be the roll man and is a strong slasher with good timing on cuts to the basket.

Due to his guard-like skills, Avdija can serve as an offensive hub from several areas on the court. His spontaneity and instinctual ability to make correct reads make him difficult to game-plan against.

Avdija is not someone who should be hidden in the corner waiting for open threes – in order to take advantage of his strengths, he needs to be directly involved in the offense.

When he’s at his best, he’s a solid, switchable defender across multiple positions. He can be stifling one-on-one at times and is a respectable rebounder for a forward, pulling down 8.7 boards per 36 minutes in ‘22/23 (8.0 for his career).

At 6’9” and 210 pounds, Avdija has above-average size for his position. He’s not a top-flight athlete or the strongest player, but he’s tough and doesn’t get pushed around.

Effort in general is a strength for Avdija. He runs the floor hard and has good intangibles when it comes to making winning plays, such as hustling after loose balls and being unselfish.

Just 22 years old, Avdija is still developing and has shown signs of progress in becoming a more confident and aggressive offensive player, which will need to continue in order for him to unlock his potential.

Weaknesses

There’s a reason I mentioned that Avdija should not be utilized strictly as a spot-up shooter: He has converted just 31.0% of his threes in 212 NBA games, with his attempts decreasing slightly over time (which is likely by design).

He’s not a total non-shooter from deep, but he lacks confidence in the shot. Having a forward who can’t space the floor effectively isn’t ideal, because there aren’t many centers who can both shoot and protect the rim (the Wizards just traded one in Kristaps Porzingis). Having two subpar shooters in the game mucks up most offenses unless the players around them are supremely talented.

While Avdija is a solid driver and timely cutter, he has not been an efficient scorer inside the arc either, only converting 53% of his twos in ‘22/23, which is right in line with his career average (52.9%). His 53.5% true shooting percentage is subpar, especially for a forward.

He’s just an OK finisher at the rim and has no real semblance of a floater game or touch on short-range bank shots. His feel as a passer doesn’t translate to his touch as a scorer.

That makes Avdija a tricky player to have on your roster. His blend of skills are atypical for someone who spends a lot of time on the wing and is often tasked with defending star wings.

The young forward can get down on himself when he isn’t making open shots, which can bleed into other aspects of his game. He reminds me of Cedi Osman a bit in that regard — his defense and decision-making can be affected by how he’s shooting.

Because he’s not an incredible athlete by NBA standards, Avdija lacks a degree of burst and isn’t a great weak-side rim protector. He can be undisciplined at times on defense and a little bit stiff and upright in his stance, which are normal mistakes for young players. Becoming more consistent from night to night is definitely a goal to work toward.

Conclusion

Avdija’s mix of skills makes him a difficult player to evaluate at the best of times. Ideally, he would be used in a sort of poor man’s Draymond Green-type role offensively, where his passing and play-making can enhance scorers who don’t necessarily need to have the ball in their hands to be effective. He can also leverage that to drive.

Improving his jump shot would change that trajectory. 31% from deep just isn’t good enough to be treated like a threat right now though, which limits Avdija’s appeal as a plug-and-play starter.

Complicating matters further is the fact that Washington’s new front office just took over last month, so it’s impossible to know how they might view Avdija. The prior regime dealt Hachimura last season in part to give Avdija more of an opportunity, but that might be irrelevant now.

In theory, moving Porzingis should open additional minutes for Avdija, and the Wizards don’t really have any proven scorers on the roster beyond Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole. That means the young Israeli has a chance to claim a major rotation role entering his contract year.

It’s hard to come up with contract comparisons for Avdija on a potential extension. He certainly has upside on both ends of the court, and if he gains confidence and consistency, he could blossom. As with many role players, he could also look overpaid if the situation he’s in doesn’t suit his skill set.

Perhaps Kyle Anderson’s two-year, $18MM deal with the Wolves last year sort of works as a reference. There are some similarities between the two players, though Avdija is seven-plus years younger.

I doubt Avdija would receive more than the full mid-level exception right now if he were a free agent on the open market. The MLE starts at $12.4MM in ‘23/24 and maxes out at $53.4MM over four years, or about $13.6MM annually.

Trying to sign him to a deal in the $10-12MM per year range could be reasonable for the Wizards if they like him going forward. Something like Matisse Thybulle’s recent three-year, $33MM offer sheet from Dallas (which Portland matched) could be another reference point. They’re very different players, but it’s in the range of what I think he could get. Locking Avdija into that type of salary could look like a bargain if he improves as a scorer, and a possible larger role in ‘23/24 could boost his numbers ahead of restricted free agency next year if he doesn’t get an extension before the season starts.

On the other hand, waiting a year would give management more time to evaluate him both personally and professionally, and unless he really turns the corner as a shooter and/or finisher, it seems unlikely that his value will drastically change. He might also want to bet on himself.

Avdija is one of many young players on the Wizards roster worth keeping an eye on going forward with new management on board. Since he was drafted by the prior regime, he could also be a trade candidate.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Major July NBA Storylines To Watch

July 5th, 2023 at 7:48am CST by Luke Adams

A majority of the top free agents in the 2023 class came off the board over the weekend, but there are still several unresolved storylines to follow as the offseason continues. Here are a few of them:

Where – and when – will Damian Lillard and James Harden be traded?

A pair of stars who have earned 14 All-NBA berths between them have requested trades from their respective teams, with Lillard seeking a move out of Portland and Harden looking for an exit from Philadelphia.

There should be no shortage of suitors for Lillard, who averaged a career-high 32.2 points per game in his 58 contests last season and still has four years left on his current contract. However, he has reportedly conveyed that he only wants to go to the Heat, limiting the Trail Blazers‘ leverage in trade talks.

The other 28 teams not on Lillard’s wish list may be reluctant to give up their best assets without knowing how he’ll respond if they acquire him. And the Blazers might be wary of taking a reputational hit if they send arguably the best player in franchise history somewhere he doesn’t want to go.

Still, Portland will want to maximize the return in its most important move of the season, so if Lillard’s going to end up in Miami, it will likely require a multi-team structure that gets the Blazers the assets they want — Tyler Herro reportedly isn’t one of them. That could take some time to figure out.

As for Harden, he’s said to be focused on the Clippers. The former MVP has requested three trades since the start of the 2020/21 season and is on an expiring contract that can’t be extended, so it’s unlikely that any team is prepared to give up a massive haul for him. However, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey is known to operate very deliberately in these situations and is unlikely to settle for an offer he doesn’t feel good about.

Will a restricted free agent sign an offer sheet?

As we outlined on Tuesday, many of this year’s best remaining free agents – including five of the eight still in play from our top-50 list – are restricted. That group includes players like Hornets forward P.J. Washington, Celtics forward Grant Williams, and Trail Blazers forward Matisse Thybulle.

An offer sheet can be signed during the July moratorium, but it’s rare for it to actually happen during that time, since the clock on the matching period doesn’t start until July 6. Teams typically aren’t eager to compromise their cap flexibility for several days waiting to see if their offer sheets will be matched, so if one is going to be signed this year, it’s likely to happen on or after Thursday.

While Washington, Williams, and Thybulle are the best candidates for an offer sheet, don’t overlook the other two available standard RFAs, Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu or Sixers big man Paul Reed. There’s also a large group of two-way players who are technically restricted free agents, though we haven’t really seen teams pursue offer sheets with those players in the past.

Of course, if a team with strong interest in a restricted free agent wants to land him and doesn’t want to have to worry about whether his old team will match an offer, a sign-and-trade deal could get both sides what they want. Williams looks like the top candidate for such a move.

What will the Spurs do with their remaining cap room?

Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link) estimated on Sunday that the Spurs still have north of $25MM in cap room. They’re the only team whose salary currently projects to be well below the minimum floor (90% of the cap), and the rule tweaks in the CBA mean they have every reason to spend at least to the minimum before the regular season begins. If they don’t, they’ll lose their cap room up to the floor and forfeit a portion of their share of the end-of-season luxury tax distribution.

There has been no indication so far that the Spurs are considering making a play for one of the top available restricted free agents. That certainly doesn’t mean it won’t happen, but it appears San Antonio’s preferred route would be to accommodate a salary-dump trade or two and continue stockpiling assets. That was the path the team took when it got involved in the Max Strus sign-and-trade deal between Cleveland and Miami, picking up a second-round pick along with Cedi Osman and Lamar Stevens.

That makes the Spurs a team to watch as a potential factor in the Lillard and Harden sweepstakes.

San Antonio isn’t the only club with some cap room remaining. Houston and Orlando can generate between $10-15MM, per Smith.

That’s probably more interesting for the Rockets than the Magic, given how the two teams have approached the offseason so far — after agreeing to lucrative multiyear deals with Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, Houston could be looking to strike once more in free agency, whereas Orlando has been pretty quiet outside of making a deal to add Joe Ingles. I don’t get the feeling the Magic are looking to take advantage of their cap flexibility by making a significant addition.

Will the end of the July moratorium spur more action?

Most of the major free agent deals and trade agreements that have been reported since June 30 are tentative, since they can’t be officially completed until after 11:00 am Central time on Thursday, when the July moratorium ends.

Often, there’s a second wave or mini-rush of moves around that time, as teams begin officially using up their cap room and filling out their rosters. Notable unrestricted free agents who have yet to find a deal – such as perhaps Christian Wood or Kelly Oubre – may soon line up an opportunity, while separate trades that have been reported in pieces in recent days will come together as expanded multi-team deals.

While the end of the moratorium period doesn’t typically provide the sort of fireworks it did in 2019, when the Clippers landed Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in the early hours of the morning on July 6, it should be a busy Thursday in the NBA.

Which young players will make an impact in Summer League?

The Salt Lake City and Sacramento Summer Leagues got underway in Monday, but the main event – the Las Vegas Summer League – won’t tip off until Friday.

All eyes on the first day in Vegas will be on Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 pick in last month’s draft. Wembanyama hasn’t suited up for his new NBA team at the Sacramento Summer League, but is expected to make his Spurs debut on Friday against No. 2 pick Brandon Miller and the Hornets, Marc Stein writes at Substack.

I wouldn’t expect Wembanyama to suit up for more than a game or two, but there will be plenty of other intriguing young players to watch in Las Vegas, including last year’s No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren, who had a promising 2023 debut on Monday in Salt Lake City.

Summer League success certainly doesn’t always carry over to the regular season, but it was a springboard to strong seasons last year for players like Keegan Murray (the 2022 Summer League MVP), Quentin Grimes, Santi Aldama, and Bennedict Mathurin.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Washington, Williams, Thybulle Among RFAs Still Available

July 4th, 2023 at 1:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Of the eight free players on our list of top 50 free agents who have yet to reach new deals, five are restricted free agents. Those five restricted free agents are also the only ones still available at all (not including those coming off on two-way deals). Those players are as follows:

While I’m sure these five players would’ve preferred to agree to lucrative new contracts in the opening hours of free agency, it’s not necessarily an ominous sign that they’ve yet to line up new deals four days later. It can sometimes take a little longer for the market for restricted free agents to develop, but it doesn’t mean they won’t get paid.

A year ago, for instance, Deandre Ayton didn’t sign his maximum-salary offer sheet with the Pacers (which was quickly matched by the Suns) until July 14, two weeks after the start of free agency. Collin Sexton, who received a four-year, $71MM in a sign-and-trade deal that sent him to Utah as part of the Donovan Mitchell blockbuster, didn’t resolve his restricted free agency until September.

The same thing happens with a few restricted free agents just about every year. In 2021, RFAs like Josh Hart (three years, $38MM) and Lauri Markkanen (four years, $67MM) took multiple weeks to reach new contract agreements.

In other words, there’s still plenty of time for Washington, Williams, Thybulle, Dosunmu, and Reed to find deals they like.

Washington, Williams, and Thybulle, in particular, seem like good bets to cash in sooner or later. A report over the weekend indicated that Washington was drawing interest from multiple teams besides the Hornets. Williams has reportedly received interest from Charlotte and Dallas, with the Mavericks also said to be keeping an eye on Thybulle.

It would be a surprise if any of them had to settle for a below-market deal. It sounds like teams are still in the process of figuring out if an offer sheet will be an exercise in futility or if there’s a legitimate chance to pry away one of those players from his current club — and if so, what the price point would be.

There hasn’t been as much chatter about Dosunmu or Reed, but there haven’t been any red flags on either front. Their qualifying offers ($5.2MM for Dosunmu; $2.3MM for Reed) remain in place as one-year fallback options.

The Spurs are the one team that still has enough cap room to make a strong play for any of those top RFAs, if they so choose. The Rockets may also be able to offer more than the full mid-level, depending on how all their moves shake out, and teams below the tax apron are free to try to negotiate sign-and-trades.

It has become pretty rare for restricted free agents to change teams via offer sheets, but sign-and-trade deals aren’t uncommon — they get the player to his preferred landing spot while ensuring that his old team picks up an asset or two.

There are still several unrestricted free agents whose landing spots will be worth watching too, including Christian Wood, Kelly Oubre, Hamidou Diallo, Jaylen Nowell, and Dario Saric. But at this point in free agency, it’s the RFA market that looks more intriguing.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Hoops Rumors Glossary: Second-Round Pick Exception

July 4th, 2023 at 7:57am CST by Luke Adams

When an NBA team selects a player in the first round of the draft, there’s never any concern about how the player will be signed, regardless of how far over the salary cap the team might be. The rookie scale exception allows teams to sign as many first-round picks as they need to, within a predetermined salary range, without requiring cap room.

However, there hasn’t historically been a similar cap exception for second-round picks. That means clubs intent on locking up their second-rounders to three- or four-year contracts have had to use cap space or a portion of the mid-level exception to do so. If a team wanted to give its second-round pick more than the minimum salary, it would require cap room, the mid-level, or another exception such as the room or bi-annual.

In the 2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the NBA and NBPA addressed this issue by adding a new second-round pick exception, which looks like a win for both sides. Teams will have more freedom to sign their young players to multiyear contracts without having to worry about carving out cap room or exception money for them.

Players, meanwhile, don’t have to worry that their new team’s cap situation might force them to accept a minimum-salary contract or a two-way deal. Of course, some late second-rounders will still sign a two-way deal or for the minimum salary, but a team will no longer be able to point to its lack of spending power to explain why that’s the only offer on the table.

Like the rookie scale exception, the second-round pick exception isn’t limited to a single use. It can be deployed as many times as needed in a given league year.

The second-round exception can be used to sign a player to either a three-year contract that includes a third-year team option or a four-year contract that features a fourth-year team option. Here’s what the salary structure looks like:

Three-year deal

  • The first year can be worth up to the minimum salary for a player with one year of NBA experience.
  • The second and third years are worth the second- and third-year minimum salaries for a rookie.
  • The third year is a team option.

As our chart of minimum salaries shows, in 2023/24, the maximum three-year salary for a contract with this structure would be about $5.9MM. Here’s the year-by-year breakdown (option year in italics):

Year Salary
2023/24 $1,801,769
2024/25 $1,891,857
2025/26 $2,221,677
Total $5,915,303

Four-year deal

  • The first year can be worth up to the minimum salary for a player with two years of NBA experience.
  • The second year can be worth up to the second-year minimum salary for a player with one year of experience.
  • The third and fourth years are worth the third- and fourth-year minimum salaries for a rookie.
  • The fourth year is a team option.

In 2023/24, the maximum four-year salary for a contract with this structure would be nearly $8.8MM. Here’s what it looks like from year to year (option year in italics):

Year Salary
2023/24 $2,019,706
2024/25 $2,120,693
2025/26 $2,221,677
2026/27 $2,406,205
Total $8,768,281

In any deal that uses this four-year contract structure, the salary increase or decrease between the first and second season can’t exceed 5%. For instance, a team wouldn’t be permitted to negotiate a contract that starts at the rookie minimum ($1,119,563) and jumps to $2,120,693 in year two.

Players who are signed using the second-round pick exception won’t count against a team’s cap between July 1 and July 30 of their first season. That will allow teams to preserve all the cap room they need until July 31 without having to worry about their second-rounders cutting into it. And it will position those players to sign their first NBA contracts before taking part in Summer League games.

The introduction of the second-round exception doesn’t mean that teams must use it to sign their second-round picks. They’re still permitted to use cap room or another exception to negotiate deals with those players. That would be necessary in situations where the player has the leverage to command a salary greater than the two-year veteran’s minimum.

This has already happened a couple times in 2023/24. Second-round picks Vasilije Micic (Thunder) and Sasha Vezenkov (Kings) have reportedly agreed this offseason to three-year contracts worth $23.5MM and $20MM, respectively.

Both players are experienced EuroLeague stars who will be arriving in the NBA several years after being drafted in the second round, so their new deals will exceed what a team can offer using the second round pick exception. They’ll be signed using either cap space or the room exception.

Finally, it’s worth noting that no matter how his NBA career plays out, Kings rookie wing Colby Jones has already earned a minor claim to fame by being the first player to ever sign a contract that uses the second-round exception.

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.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Community Shootaround: Free Agency Winners & Losers

July 3rd, 2023 at 10:06am CST by Arthur Hill

Provisions in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement were designed to make teams more fiscally prudent, but it seemed like business as usual when the NBA’s annual free agent frenzy began on Friday.

Jerami Grant received $160MM from the Trail Blazers, Fred VanVleet got more than $128MM from the Rockets and Kyrie Irving accepted $126MM to stay with the Mavericks — and that was all within the first few hours of free agency. Seven nine-figure deals have been handed out already, as it appears some teams aren’t giving a second thought to the second apron.

Grant has been the biggest winner so far, benefiting from Portland’s desire to make bold moves to keep Damian Lillard from leaving town. Although Lillard asked for a trade the next morning anyway, Grant still wound up with a new five-year deal that makes him this year’s highest-paid free agent. The 29-year-old forward turned down a four-year, $113MM extension offer during the season and was able to cash in with a significant offer from the desperate Blazers.

VanVleet was the target of a bidding war between the Raptors, who were hoping to hold onto one of their franchise cornerstones, and the Rockets, who were armed with more than $60MM in cap space and were seeking an experienced point guard to run the offense for new head coach Ime Udoka. Toronto officials reportedly sweetened their offer to VanVleet by adding an extra season at a meeting Friday night, but Houston was willing to do the same, giving VanVleet a new deal that averages nearly $43MM per year.

Irving remained with the Mavericks, who weren’t dissuaded by the lack of success that he and Luka Doncic had together after they were united in a February trade. Irving had disputed interest from other teams, but it turns out that he didn’t need a strong outside suitor to convince the Mavs to open their checkbook.

Also reaching the $100MM mark were Nets forward Cameron Johnson (four years, $108MM), Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (four years, $102MM), Bucks forward Khris Middleton (three years, $102MM) and Warriors forward Draymond Green (four years, $100MM). They were part of a noticeable trend, as most prominent free agents re-signed with their current teams.

Among those who didn’t was Dillon Brooks, who got probably the most surprising contract of the weekend when the Rockets agreed to pay him $80MM for four years in a sign-and-trade deal with Memphis. Brooks’ reputation suffered after a confrontation with LeBron James in the playoffs and a report that the Grizzlies wouldn’t re-sign him “under any circumstances,” but he was a second team All-Defensive selection and is an easy fit for a Houston team that needs to upgrade its defense.

Other notable free agents who changed teams include Bruce Brown, who left the champion Nuggets for a two-year, $45MM offer from the Pacers; Max Strus, who reached the NBA Finals with the Heat and will be counted on to bring some outside shooting to the Cavaliers; his backcourt partner, Gabe Vincent, who left Miami for the Lakers; and Donte DiVincenzo, who will join his former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart on the Knicks.

We want to get your input. Which teams have used their cap room wisely so far in free agency and who has spent foolishly? Give us your votes for the best and worst contracts as well.

Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

2023 NBA Draft Pick Signings

July 3rd, 2023 at 7:22am CST by Luke Adams

Free agent and trade news has dominated NBA headlines over the last few days, but teams around the league are also taking care of the rookies they drafted on June 22, signing them to their first NBA contracts. Because cap holds for first-round picks count for 120% of the rookie scale instead of 100% in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, there’s little incentive for teams to wait to lock up their first-rounders.

For first-round picks, rookie contracts are fairly rigid, having essentially been predetermined. The NBA’s rookie-scale structure dictates that first-rounders will be signed to four-year deals, which include two guaranteed years, then team options in years three and four.

The value of those contracts depends on where a player was drafted. This year, No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama signed a four-year deal worth in excess of $55MM, which represents the maximum allowable 120% of his scale amount. No. 30 pick Kobe Brown, on the other hand, would be in line for a four-year contract worth about $12.4MM.

The full breakdown of this year’s first-round rookie salaries and contracts can be found right here — if you see a first-rounder listed below as “signed,” you can assume his contract looks like that, unless otherwise indicated.

Second-round picks, meanwhile, aren’t assured of two guaranteed seasons, though some players will receive them. The NBA’s latest Collective Bargaining Agreement introduced a new salary cap exception for second-rounders, which will allow teams to sign those players to contracts of up to four years with a starting salary worth up to the equivalent to the minimum for a two-year veteran. In the past, such a deal would have required cap room or another exception such as the mid-level.

Some second-rounders won’t sign standard NBA deals immediately. They may get two-way contracts, play in the G League, or head overseas to refine their games while their NBA teams retain their rights. We’ll make note of that below too, wherever it’s applicable.

Here’s a breakdown of 2023’s draft pick signings. This list will continue to be updated as more draftees sign their first NBA contracts:

First Round:

  1. San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wembanyama, C, Metropolitans 92: Signed
  2. Charlotte Hornets: Brandon Miller, F, Alabama: Signed
  3. Portland Trail Blazers: Scoot Henderson, G, G League Ignite: Signed
  4. Houston Rockets: Amen Thompson, G, Overtime Elite: Signed
  5. Detroit Pistons: Ausar Thompson, G, Overtime Elite: Signed
  6. Orlando Magic: Anthony Black, G, Arkansas: Signed
  7. Washington Wizards: Bilal Coulibaly, F, Metropolitans 92: Signed
  8. Indiana Pacers: Jarace Walker, F, Houston: Signed
  9. Utah Jazz: Taylor Hendricks, F, UCF: Signed
  10. Oklahoma City Thunder: Cason Wallace, G, Kentucky: Signed
  11. Orlando Magic: Jett Howard, G, Michigan: Signed
  12. Dallas Mavericks: Dereck Lively II, C, Duke: Signed
  13. Toronto Raptors: Gradey Dick, G, Kansas: Signed
  14. New Orleans Pelicans: Jordan Hawkins, G, UConn: Signed
  15. Atlanta Hawks: Kobe Bufkin, G, Michigan: Signed
  16. Utah Jazz: Keyonte George, G, Baylor: Signed
  17. Los Angeles Lakers: Jalen Hood-Schifino, G, Indiana: Signed
  18. Miami Heat: Jaime Jaquez Jr., F, UCLA: Signed
  19. Golden State Warriors: Brandin Podziemski, G, Santa Clara: Signed
  20. Houston Rockets: Cam Whitmore, F, Villanova: Signed
  21. Brooklyn Nets: Noah Clowney, F, Alabama: Signed
  22. Brooklyn Nets: Dariq Whitehead, G/F, Duke: Signed
  23. Portland Trail Blazers: Kris Murray, F, Iowa: Signed
  24. Dallas Mavericks: Olivier-Maxence Prosper, F, Marquette: Signed
  25. Detroit Pistons: Marcus Sasser, G, Houston: Signed
  26. Indiana Pacers: Ben Sheppard, F, Belmont: Signed
  27. Charlotte Hornets: Nick Smith Jr., G, Arkansas: Signed
  28. Utah Jazz: Brice Sensabaugh, F, Ohio State: Signed
  29. Denver Nuggets: Julian Strawther, F, Gonzaga: Signed
  30. Los Angeles Clippers: Kobe Brown, F, Missouri: Signed

Second Round:

  1. Charlotte Hornets: James Nnaji, C, Barcelona: Will play overseas
  2. Denver Nuggets: Jalen Pickett, G, Penn State: Signed

    • Four-year, $8,227,882 contract. First three years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  3. Minnesota Timberwolves: Leonard Miller, F, G League Ignite: Signed

    • Four-year, $8,319,739 contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year partially guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  4. Sacramento Kings: Colby Jones, G, Xavier: Signed

    • Four-year, $8,768,279 contract. First two years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option. Includes likely incentives.
  5. Chicago Bulls: Julian Phillips, F, Tennessee: Signed

    • Four-year, $8,119,739 contract. First three years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  6. Milwaukee Bucks: Andre Jackson Jr., G, UConn: Signed

    • Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First year guaranteed. Second year partially guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  7. Denver Nuggets: Hunter Tyson, F, Clemson: Signed

    • Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First three years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  8. Boston Celtics: Jordan Walsh, F, Arkansas: Signed
    • Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year partially guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  9. Atlanta Hawks: Mouhamed Gueye, F, Washington State: Signed

    • Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  10. Los Angeles Lakers: Maxwell Lewis, F, Pepperdine: Signed

    • Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year partially guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  11. Charlotte Hornets: Amari Bailey, G, UCLA: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  12. Washington Wizards: Tristan Vukcevic, F, Partizan Belgrade: Signed
    • Two-year, $4,849,784 contract. First year guaranteed. Second-year team option.
  13. Portland Trail Blazers: Rayan Rupert, G, New Zealand Breakers: Signed
    • Three-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Third-year team option.
  14. San Antonio Spurs: Sidy Cissoko, G, G League Ignite: Signed
    • Three-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed.
  15. Memphis Grizzlies: GG Jackson, F, South Carolina: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  16. Atlanta Hawks: Seth Lundy, G, Penn State: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  17. Indiana Pacers: Mojave King, G, G League Ignite: Will play in G League
  18. Los Angeles Clippers: Jordan Miller, F, Miami: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  19. Cleveland Cavaliers: Emoni Bates, G/F, Eastern Michigan: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  20. Oklahoma City Thunder: Keyontae Johnson, F, Kansas State: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  21. Brooklyn Nets: Jalen Wilson, F, Kansas: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  22. Phoenix Suns: Toumani Camara, F, Dayton: Signed
    • Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First year guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  23. Minnesota Timberwolves: Jaylen Clark, G, UCLA: Signed

    • Two-way contract.
  24. Sacramento Kings: Jalen Slawson, F, Furman: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  25. Indiana Pacers: Isaiah Wong, G, Miami: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  26. Memphis Grizzlies: Tarik Biberovic, G/F, Fenerbahce: Will play overseas
  27. Golden State Warriors: Trayce Jackson-Davis, F, Indiana: Signed

    • Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  28. Milwaukee Bucks: Chris Livingston, F, Kentucky: Signed
    • Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.

Note: The Bulls and Sixers forfeited second-round picks due to free agency gun-jumping. They would have been No. 57 and No. 58, respectively.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts