Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Hoops Rumors Originals

Community Shootaround: NBA Head Coaches On Hot Seat?

August 25th, 2022 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

Nets head coach Steve Nash participated in the recent meeting between Kevin Durant and team leadership that ended with all parties agreeing to “move forward” with their partnership and focus on basketball. Nash also received a vote of confidence from team owner Joe Tsai earlier this month when word first broke that Durant had asked Tsai to trade him or to fire Nash and general manager Sean Marks.

Still, while Nash’s job may be safe for now, it’s hard to imagine he feels fully secure heading into a season in which the Nets are under pressure to finally deliver on their tantalizing potential and make a deep playoff run. Tsai wasn’t going to give in to Durant’s public request to fire Nash this summer, but it’s not as if Nash’s résumé in his two years coaching the club is spotless — if Brooklyn gets off to a slow start this season, his seat could start to get very hot.

Of the NBA’s 30 head coaches, Nash might be the one whose hold on his job is most tenuous, but there are others who will be worth keeping an eye on over the course of the 2022/23 season.

There was some chatter about Tom Thibodeau‘s job security during a disappointing Knicks season in ’21/22, and while it didn’t amount to anything at the time, that chatter will likely pick up again if New York underachieves for a second straight year after signing Jalen Brunson in free agency.

The Sixers are also under some pressure to take a major step forward this season, and while I’d be a little surprised if Doc Rivers is fired, it’s worth noting that he joined the team before president of basketball operations Daryl Morey did, so he wasn’t a Morey hire. If the 76ers fall short of their expectations and exit the postseason early, I could envision Rivers and the team agreeing to “mutually” part ways.

Chauncey Billups only has one year under his belt as the Trail Blazers‘ head coach, so he shouldn’t be in any immediate danger, but expectations will be significantly higher for Portland this year than they were at the end of last season. The same goes for the Hawks and head coach Nate McMillan, as well as Wizards and head coach Wes Unseld Jr.

Dwane Casey of the Pistons and Stephen Silas of the Rockets have been tasked with overseeing rebuilding projects, so it’s difficult to assess their job performances based on win-loss records. As those teams’ rebuilds begin to move into a new stage, it will be interesting to see if Detroit and Houston remain happy with the jobs that Casey and Silas are doing.

We want to know what you think. Are there any head coaches you believe are already on the hot seat, or ones whose jobs might be in danger if they get off to poor starts this season? Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts and predictions!

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Teams Have One More Week To Stretch 2022/23 Salaries

August 24th, 2022 at 11:43am CST by Luke Adams

Wednesday, August 31 is the last day that an NBA team will be able to waive a player who has a guaranteed salary for 2022/23 and stretch that player’s ’22/23 salary across three seasons.

[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Stretch Provision]

A player who is waived between September 1 and the end of the 2022/23 season can still have his cap hit(s) for 2023/24 and future years stretched across multiple years, assuming he’s owed guaranteed money beyond this season. But his ’22/23 cap charge would remain unchanged in that scenario, unless he reaches a buyout agreement with his team.

The stretch provision allows teams to gain some short-term relief at the cost of reduced long-term flexibility. It’s used most frequently by teams in the luxury tax that want to either lower their tax bill (or duck out of tax territory entirely) or by teams that want to create a little extra cap room to accommodate a specific roster move.

Teams haven’t employed the stretch provision very frequently over the last couple years, but we saw it utilized in a couple instances last month. The Pacers waived three players with modest 2022/23 salary guarantees and stretched their cap hits across three seasons in order to help make room for their offer sheet to Deandre Ayton.

In that case, Nik Stauskas had his $2,106,932 partial guarantee turned into annual cap hits of $702,311 through 2024/25; Juwan Morgan‘s $1,728,689 partial guarantee was stretched to become three annual cap hits of $576,230; and Malik Fitts‘ $1,665,650 partial guarantee turned into three annual cap hits of $555,217.

The Trail Blazers, meanwhile, stretched Eric Bledsoe‘s $3.9MM partial guarantee across three seasons for equal cap hits of $1.3MM through 2024/25, which allowed Portland to narrowly sneak below this season’s luxury tax line.

Conversely, when the Spurs waived Danilo Gallinari, they simply applied his $13MM partial guarantee to their 2022/23 cap rather than stretching it across three seasons. Stretching that $13MM would’ve created an extra $8.67MM in cap room for San Antonio, but the team had no immediate use for that extra room this season, and opted to keep Gallinari’s dead money off its books for 2023/24 and ’24/25.

There aren’t many remaining candidates to have their 2022/23 salaries stretched, but the deadline is still worth keeping in mind for the possibilities it will take off the table.

For example, while multiple reports have indicated that the Lakers have no plans to waive-and-stretch Russell Westbrook and his $47MM+ cap hit, it’s still technically an option for the club up until next Wednesday. Once the calendar flips to September 1, stretching Westbrook’s salary is no longer a possibility for L.A., and the only way for the club to reduce his ’22/23 cap hit would be to agree to a buyout.

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Community Shootaround: Minnesota Timberwolves

August 23rd, 2022 at 8:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

A big reason why Kevin Durant wasn’t traded and Donovan Mitchell remains on Utah’s roster is that the Timberwolves gave up multiple rotation pieces and first-round picks for a player who’s averaged 12.4 points in his career.

The haul that the Jazz received for Rudy Gobert included Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, 2022 first-round pick Walker Kessler, and four future first-rounders. All but one of those picks are unprotected.

Of course, Minnesota didn’t acquire Gobert for his offensive skills. Minnesota led the NBA last season with a 115.9 point average but ranked 24th in points allowed (113.3) and 16th in defensive field goal percentage (46.0%).

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year will provide an imposing presence it has lacked at that end of the floor. Gobert is also a prolific rebounder — he led the league in that category last season — and one of the NBA’s top shot-blockers.

By surrendering so many assets, Minnesota essentially took an “all-in” approach, viewing Gobert as the missing piece to a title contender. The Timberwolves now have their own Big Three in Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards and Gobert.

Towns is one of the league’s most prolific scorers, as he displayed in his 60-point game in March. He has finished as a top-20 scorer in five of his seven NBA seasons.

There were doubts about Edwards when he was chosen with the first overall pick in 2020 but he has been an offensive force since the second half of his rookie campaign. Edwards averaged 21.3 PPG in his second season and was even more dangerous in six playoff games (25.2 PPG).

The starting lineup is rounded out by point guard D’Angelo Russell and Jaden McDaniels. Russell has been a trade candidate after some poor playoff performances (33.3% shooting, 12 PPG) but he’s averaged nearly 18 points in his career. Last season, he also averaged a career high in assists (7.1 APG) with low turnover numbers (2.5 per game).

Minnesota insisted on keeping McDaniels in trade talks with Utah. A late 2020 pick, McDaniels is viewed by the franchise as one of the top young defensive wings in the league.

The trade sapped the Timberwolves’ depth and they tried to fortify it by using a chunk of their mid-level exception on forward Kyle Anderson. They also added sharpshooter Bryn Forbes and veteran guard Austin Rivers on one-year deals. They still have Jordan McLaughlin to back up Russell and Naz Reid as the primary reserve big man.

The Timberwolves led the league in 3-pointers made (14.8 per game) last season, though percentage-wise they’re just average in that category. Towns is the only member of the lineup who’s an above-average shooter from deep.

Another concern, especially in the postseason, is whether they can keep Towns and Gobert on the floor at the same time when opponents go with small-ball units.

That brings us to our question of the day: Did the acquisition of Gobert make the Timberwolves a serious contender for the NBA championship? If not, what else do they need to reach that level?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Pre-Camp Roster Snapshot: Southeast Division

August 23rd, 2022 at 2:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Over the next week or two, Hoops Rumors will be taking a closer look at each NBA team’s current roster situation, evaluating which clubs still have some moves to make and which ones seem most prepared for training camp to begin.

This series is meant to provide a snapshot of each team’s roster at this time, so these articles won’t be updated in the coming weeks as more signings, trades, and cuts are made. You can follow our roster counts page to keep tabs on teams’ open spots as opening night nears.

We’re beginning our pre-camp Roster Snapshot series today with the Southeast Division. Let’s dive in…

Atlanta Hawks

Martin, whose minimum salary is partially guaranteed for $450K, is a strong bet to be the Hawks’ 14th man. Because Atlanta’s team salary is a little over the luxury tax line, the team may keep its 15th regular season roster spot open to start the season, and could even try making a cost-cutting trade at some point before the 2023 deadline to sneak below the tax line. Otherwise though, their standard roster appears pretty set.

One of the Hawks’ two-way players (Forrest) is newly signed, while the other (Brown) is a holdover from last season. It’s possible Brown’s two-way spot could be in jeopardy if another camp invitee makes a strong impression this preseason — I’d expect more camp invitees to join Etienne on Exhibit 10 contracts in the coming weeks.

Charlotte Hornets

Bridges’ NBA future is uncertain following his arrest on domestic violence charges, but the Hornets are keeping a roster spot open for him as his case plays out in the legal system. The team also has one more opening on its 15-man roster and seems likely to use it on a point guard. Charlotte has been linked to veterans like Isaiah Thomas and Kemba Walker.

The Hornets also still have one two-way contract slot open. They could hold a preseason competition for that opening, with Whaley among the camp invitees vying to have his Exhibit 10 contract turned into a two-way deal.

Miami Heat

Haslem’s decision to re-sign with the Heat means the team’s roster is pretty much set. With Haslem and Highsmith joining the other 12 players on guaranteed contracts, Miami will just barely be under the luxury tax line and almost certainly won’t add a 15th man until very late in the season.

The Heat’s two-way contract slots may not be set in stone, however. Days and Garrett hold those spots for now, but if a camp invitee like Bouyea, Cain, or Robinson makes a major impact during the preseason, the team could make a change.

Orlando Magic

Barring a preseason trade involving a veteran like Ross, the Magic’s 15-man roster looks ready for opening night. And Harris and Schofield were both signed to new two-way deals this offseason, so Orlando seems unlikely to replace either player before the start of the season — Harris’ spot looks especially safe, since his two-way contract is for two years.

Although the Magic have reportedly agreed to sign more players than it has room for on its 20-man offseason, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Cannady and another player will have to be waived before camp to complete those signings. I’d expect Orlando to churn its back-end roster spots, signing-and-waiving one or more of those Exhibit 10 players quickly in order to secure their G League rights and/or to ensure they receive bonuses for becoming affiliate players with the Lakeland Magic.

Washington Wizards

Like the Magic, the Wizards have 15 players on guaranteed contracts who seem likely to make the regular season roster, barring a last-minute surprise. With one two-way contract still up for grabs though, Jackson, Mintz, and other camp invitees will be looking to stand out this fall.

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Longest-Tenured NBA Players By Team

August 22nd, 2022 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

A surprising number of the NBA’s longest-tenured players by team have stayed put since we compiled our most recent list in August 2021.

Since then, stars like Bradley Beal and Damian Lillard have had the opportunity to seek out teams closer to contention by requesting trades (or, in Beal’s case, by signing elsewhere as a free agent), but chose to remain in Washington and Portland, respectively. Zach LaVine also re-upped in Chicago as a free agent, while Mitchell Robinson did the same in New York, despite rumors he may head elsewhere.

Meanwhile, many other long-tenured players frequently mentioned as trade candidates, including John Collins, Joe Harris, Terrence Ross, Eric Gordon, Kevin Love, and Marcus Smart, have remained with their respective teams.

Given how many trade candidates and players on expiring contracts are on the list, it’s possible our 2023 update will include a ton of new names. But for the time being, 25 of the NBA’s 30 teams still have the same longest-tenured player they did a year ago — and a 26th might end up joining that group (Miles Bridges is the longest-tenured Hornet, but his NBA future is up in the air following his arrest for domestic violence).

Here are the NBA’s current longest-tenured players by team:

(Note: This is a snapshot as of August 2022 and won’t be updated throughout the season. This list includes each team’s longest-tenured player, so only one player per team is listed.)

  1. Miami Heat: Udonis Haslem (free agent), August 2003
  2. Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry (draft), June 2009
  3. Washington Wizards: Bradley Beal (draft), June 2012
  4. Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard (draft), June 2012
  5. Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo (draft), June 2013
  6. Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid (draft), June 2014
  7. Boston Celtics: Marcus Smart (draft), June 2014
  8. Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic (draft), June 2014
  9. Cleveland Cavaliers: Kevin Love (trade), August 2014
  10. Dallas Mavericks: Dwight Powell (trade), December 2014
  11. Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns (draft), June 2015
  12. Indiana Pacers: Myles Turner (draft), June 2015
  13. Phoenix Suns: Devin Booker (draft), June 2015
  14. Toronto Raptors: Pascal Siakam (draft), June 2016
  15. Houston Rockets: Eric Gordon (free agent), July 2016
  16. Brooklyn Nets: Joe Harris (free agent), July 2016
  17. Orlando Magic: Terrence Ross (trade), February 2017
  18. Sacramento Kings: De’Aaron Fox (draft), June 2017
  19. Utah Jazz: Donovan Mitchell (draft trade), June 2017
  20. Atlanta Hawks: John Collins (draft), June 2017
  21. Chicago Bulls: Zach LaVine (draft trade), June 2017
  22. Memphis Grizzlies: Dillon Brooks (draft trade), June 2017
  23. New York Knicks: Mitchell Robinson (draft), June 2018
  24. Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James (free agent), July 2018
  25. San Antonio Spurs: Jakob Poeltl (trade), July 2018
  26. New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson (draft), June 2019
  27. Charlotte Hornets: P.J. Washington (draft), June 2019
    • Washington is the Hornets’ longest-tenured player by a matter of hours. He was selected 12th overall in the 2019 draft, while Cody Martin (No. 36) and Jalen McDaniels (No. 52) were drafted by Charlotte later in the night.
    • Miles Bridges, acquired in a 2018 draft trade, would be the Hornets’ longest-tenured player if he re-signs with the team as a restricted free agent.
  28. Los Angeles Clippers: Ivica Zubac (trade), February 2019
  29. Oklahoma City Thunder: Darius Bazley (trade) / Luguentz Dort (free agent), July 2019
    • Bazley and Dort officially joined the Thunder on the same day (July 6, 2019). The team reached agreements on draft night (June 20) to acquire Bazley and sign Dort.
  30. Detroit Pistons: Killian Hayes (draft), November 2020

The teams with new longest-tenured players this year are the Kings (Fox replaced Buddy Hield), Jazz (Mitchell replaced Rudy Gobert), Spurs (Poeltl replaced Dejounte Murray), Hornets (Washington replaced Bridges, for now), and Pistons (Hayes replaced Sekou Doumbouya).

Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

LeBron James, Udonis Haslem Set To Join NBA’s 20-Season Club

August 22nd, 2022 at 7:52am CST by Luke Adams

The list of NBA veterans who have played 20 or more seasons in the league will grow by at least two this year, as Lakers star LeBron James and Heat big man Udonis Haslem are set to become the ninth and 10th players to spend at least two decades on NBA rosters.

The players already in the NBA’s 20-season club are as follows:

While James and the majority of the other players on the above list spent time with multiple teams over the course of their lengthy NBA careers, Haslem is on track to join an even more exclusive club, having only played for the Heat during his 20 years in the league.

Nowitzki (21 seasons with the Mavericks) and Bryant (20 with the Lakers) are the only two other players to spend at least two decades with a single team. Prior to deciding on Sunday to return for one final season in Miami, Haslem had been tied on that list with Tim Duncan, who spent 19 years with the Spurs, and John Stockton, who spent 19 with the Jazz.

Haslem will also become the first member of the 20-season club who began his NBA career as an undrafted player. In fact, James and the other eight players with 20 seasons under their belts were all lottery picks. Bryant, the No. 13 selection in 1996, was the lowest draft pick of any of those nine players, making Haslem’s accomplishment all the more remarkable.

Although Haslem defied the odds to spend 20 years with a single team after going undrafted, he confirmed on Sunday that he intends to retire after the 2022/23 season, so he won’t move any higher on the list of the NBA’s seasons played leaders. James, on the other hand, has a good chance to match or surpass Carter’s record of 22 years in the league — LeBron is already under contract through 2024/25, which would be his 22nd NBA season.

Finally, it’s worth noting that a third player is in position to join James and Haslem and become the 11th player in the 20-season club in 2022/23. Carmelo Anthony, who also entered the NBA in 2003 and has played for 19 years, remains unsigned as an unrestricted free agent, but seems likely to catch on with an NBA team either before opening night or at some point during the season.

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Community Shootaround: Kings’ Outlook

August 19th, 2022 at 10:20pm CST by Rory Maher

The Kings broke an ignominious NBA record last season, missing out on the postseason for the 16th consecutive year. However, things appear to be a bit brighter heading into 2022/23.

Here’s a quick rundown of the team’s current roster:

Returning:

Additions:

Out (or likely out):

With a projected starting lineup of Fox, Huerter/Monk, Murray, Barnes and Sabonis, the Kings have an interesting blend of youth, speed, shooting and athleticism. A reserve squad featuring Mitchell, Huerter/Monk, Metu/Lyles and Holmes looks pretty solid on paper as well, though the roster is a little thin on wing depth and interior size/rim protection.

A full offseason should help Fox and Sabonis, the two offensive hubs, create an even more potent rhythm together. Sabonis was acquired ahead of the trade deadline in February, and Fox thrived after the deal, averaging 28.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 6.8 APG and 1.0 SPG on .503/.380/.766 shooting in 16 games (38.5 MPG), but the team still struggled.

The main question I have about Sacramento entering next season is the defense, because while Huerter and Monk are both strong (albeit streaky) shooters, neither is a great defender, nor are Fox and Sabonis. Losing DiVincenzo, a stout defender, without even extending a qualifying offer was a bit of a head-scratcher.

Of course, one of the team’s biggest offseason moves was hiring Mike Brown as head coach, a defensive-minded tactician, but it’s fair to question how much he’ll revamp the team’s defense given the lack of quality defenders up and down the roster. Buy-in is great and all, but defense isn’t purely about effort, it requires skill, aptitude and awareness as well.

Much of the Kings’ success might hinge upon the play of Murray, who got off to an encouraging NBA start after being named Las Vegas Summer League MVP, but unfortunately suffered a right wrist injury that required surgery shortly thereafter. However, a league source tells James Ham of ESPN 1320 and The Kings Beat (Twitter link) that Murray is progressing well in his recovery and is shooting again with both hands.

The West is stacked with talented teams, so even reaching the play-in tournament will be difficult. The Warriors, Suns, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Clippers, Nuggets, Timberwolves and Pelicans all look strong, and the Lakers and Blazers are looking to bounce back from disappointing seasons.

We want to know what you think. Will the Kings finally snap their postseason drought? Is the play-in tournament a more realistic goal? Could Murray be the difference-maker the team has long been looking for? Head to the comments section to weigh in on Sacramento’s prospects for the upcoming season.

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

NBA Minimum Salary Projections For 2023/24

August 19th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s minimum salary is one of several figures that changes from year to year at the same rate as the league’s salary cap. If the cap increases by 5% from one season to the next, the minimum salary will rise by the same amount.

That means that even though we don’t know yet exactly where the minimum salaries will end up for the 2023/24 season, we can make an educated estimate. When the NBA released its latest salary cap projection, the league forecasted a $136MM cap for the ’23/24 season. That’s just shy of a 10% increase on this season’s cap, so the minimum salaries will increase at the same rate — we’ll bump it up to a round 10%.

[RELATED: NBA Minimum Salaries For 2022/23]

A player’s minimum salary is determined in part by how much NBA experience he has — a veteran who has 10+ seasons under his belt is eligible for a significantly higher minimum salary than a rookie would be. Based on the current 2023/24 cap estimate, next year’s rookie minimum salary will exceed $1.1MM, while the minimum for a veteran with 10+ years of service will surpass $3MM for the first time.

Here are the current minimum salary projections for the 2023/24 season, based on a $136,021,000 cap:

Years of Experience Salary
0 $1,119,563
1 $1,801,769
2 $2,019,706
3 $2,092,354
4 $2,165,000
5 $2,346,614
6 $2,528,233
7 $2,709,849
8 $2,891,467
9 $2,905,861
10+ $3,196,448

We’ll update these figures later in the season if the NBA adjusts its cap projection for the 2023/24 season, and then again next year when the league officially sets the ’23/24 cap.

We previously published projections for the ’23/24 maximum salaries and mid-level and bi-annual exceptions, based on a $136,021,000 cap.

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Longest-Tenured NBA GMs/Presidents

August 19th, 2022 at 2:40pm CST by Luke Adams

As is the case in the NBA’s head coaching ranks, a handful of long-tenured heads of basketball operations have been replaced in 2022, a result of some offseason front office shakeups.

Oddly, since we put together last offseason’s list of the league’s longest-tenured heads of basketball operations, all of the major front office changes have occurred in the Northwest Division. Thunder GM Sam Presti is the only lead basketball executive who retained decision-making autonomy in the Northwest, while the other four teams – in Portland, Denver, Minnesota, and Utah – all made changes.

Among those changes were Neil Olshey being let go by the Trail Blazers after nearly a decade at the helm and Tim Connelly departing the Nuggets (for the Wolves) after a nine-year stint with the team. Olshey and Connelly had been the NBA’s fifth- and seventh-longest tenured heads of basketball operations, respectively.

Although only one person holds a team’s head coaching job, that same team might carry a variety of front office executives with titles like general manager, president of basketball operations, or executive VP of basketball operations. In some cases, it’s not always which clear which executive should be considered the club’s head of basketball operations, or which one has the ultimate final say on roster decisions. That distinction becomes even more nebulous when taking into account team ownership.

For our list of the longest-tenured GMs/presidents in the NBA, we’ve done our best to identify the top exec in each front office, but if a situation isn’t entirely clear-cut, we’ve made a note below.

Here’s the list of the NBA’s longest-tenured heads of basketball operations, along with their respective titles and the dates they were hired or promoted:

  1. Gregg Popovich, Spurs (president): May 31, 1994
    • Brian Wright holds the general manager title, but Popovich ultimately has final say.
  2. Pat Riley, Heat (president): September 2, 1995
  3. Sam Presti, Thunder (GM/executive VP): June 7, 2007
  4. Bob Myers, Warriors (GM/president): April 24, 2012
  5. Masai Ujiri, Raptors (president): May 31, 2013
  6. Sean Marks, Nets (GM): February 18, 2016
  7. Kevin Pritchard, Pacers (president): May 1, 2017
  8. Jeff Weltman, Magic (president): May 22, 2017
  9. Travis Schlenk, Hawks (president): May 25, 2017
  10. Jon Horst, Bucks (GM): June 16, 2017
  11. Koby Altman, Cavaliers (GM): June 19, 2017
  12. Lawrence Frank, Clippers (president): August 4, 2017
  13. Mitch Kupchak, Hornets (GM/president): April 8, 2018
  14. Tommy Sheppard, Wizards (GM): April 2, 2019
    • Sheppard assumed the job on an interim basis on April 2, 2019. He was named the permanent GM on July 22, 2019.
  15. Rob Pelinka, Lakers (GM/VP): April 9, 2019
    • Pelinka has been the Lakers’ GM since February 2017, but was below Magic Johnson in the front office hierarchy until Johnson resigned on April 9, 2019.
  16. James Jones, Suns (GM): April 11, 2019
    • Jones began serving as the Suns’ co-interim GM alongside Trevor Bukstein in October 2018, but was named the lone, permanent head of basketball operations on April 11, 2019.
  17. Zach Kleiman, Grizzlies (executive VP): April 11, 2019
  18. David Griffin, Pelicans (executive VP): April 17, 2019
  19. Leon Rose, Knicks (president): March 2, 2020
  20. Arturas Karnisovas, Bulls (executive VP): April 13, 2020
  21. Troy Weaver, Pistons (GM): June 18, 2020
  22. Monte McNair, Kings (GM): September 17, 2020
  23. Rafael Stone, Rockets (GM): October 15, 2020
  24. Daryl Morey, Sixers (president): November 2, 2020
  25. Brad Stevens, Celtics (president): June 2, 2021
  26. Nico Harrison, Mavericks (GM/president): June 28, 2021
    • Owner Mark Cuban is also heavily involved in basketball decisions and ultimately has final say.
  27. Joe Cronin, Trail Blazers (GM): December 3, 2021
    • Cronin assumed the job on an interim basis on December 3, 2021. He was named the permanent GM on May 10, 2022.
  28. Danny Ainge, Jazz (CEO/alternate governor): December 15, 2021
  29. Tim Connelly, Timberwolves (president): May 23, 2022
  30. Calvin Booth, Nuggets (GM): May 23, 2022

Information from Basketball-Reference was used in the creation of this post.

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Poll: Donovan Mitchell’s Future

August 19th, 2022 at 1:17pm CST by Luke Adams

When word first broke on July 1 that the Jazz had agreed to a blockbuster trade sending Rudy Gobert to Minnesota, reports from ESPN and The Athletic quickly clarified that Utah had no plans to trade Donovan Mitchell and intended to build its roster around the All-Star guard.

The reports made some sense. After all, there had been rumored tension between Gobert and Mitchell for years. Mitchell, who will turn 26 in September, is four years younger than Gobert and is on a slightly less pricey contract. If the organization was going to choose to move forward with one or the other, Mitchell seemed likely to be the pick.

On top of that, the return in the Gobert trade set up the Jazz for a quick pivot — they could incorporate reliable rotational role players like Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley, and Jarred Vanderbilt and could conceivably flip some of the first-round picks they got from Minnesota for more pieces to complement Mitchell. Combining those assets with returning veterans like Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic, Jordan Clarkson, and Rudy Gay would provide the Jazz with a solid base.

However, that plan was called into question almost immediately as trade rumors began to swirl around Mitchell. Eleven days after the Gobert trade was first reported, Adrian Wojnarowski stated that the Jazz were open to inquiries on Mitchell. It didn’t take long for the team to engage in discussions with the Knicks, and subsequent reports identified the Heat, Wizards, Raptors, Hornets, Hawks, and Kings as teams with varying levels of interest in the All-Star guard.

Just as a plan to retool around Mitchell could be justified, so too could a plan to pivot to a full-fledged rebuild. Having already traded away Gobert and Royce O’Neale for draft-heavy returns, the Jazz could go all-in on the fire sale by moving Mitchell, Bogdanovic, Beverley, and other veterans for more assets, loading up on draft picks, and charting a new course under CEO Danny Ainge and head coach Will Hardy, both of whom joined the franchise within the last year.

Taking that path would make sense for the Jazz if they have reservations about Mitchell’s ability to be a franchise player. And if that’s the case, it might be the right to move him, while he still has multiple years left on his contract and hasn’t hurt Utah’s leverage by asking for a trade and forcing the club’s hand.

Since that initial flurry of Mitchell trade rumors in July, the rumor mill has slowed down a little. By all accounts, the Jazz are asking for a massive return for Mitchell, seeking the same sort of haul of unprotected picks and solid players and contracts they were able to extract for Gobert.

If no team meets Utah’s asking price, this situation could play out in one of two ways — the Jazz, having already ventured part of the way down this road, could commit to that direction and lower their asking price for Mitchell, accepting the best offer on the table. Or they could shut down trade talks and enter the season with Mitchell on the roster, putting off the possibility of a deal until at least 2023.

Both approaches are risky. The Jazz won’t want to sell off an All-Star in his mid-20s for less than what he’s worth. But by hanging onto Mitchell, they’d run the risk of eventually being forced into trade talks on his terms down the road, should he ask out of Utah. And the closer we get to 2025 (when he can opt out of his contract), the more reluctant some teams may be to give up significant assets for Mitchell without assurances he’d re-sign.

We want to know what you think. How much longer do you expect Mitchell do remain in Utah? Will these trade talks culminate in a deal later this year, or will the Jazz end up retooling their roster around the guard like those initial reports suggested?

Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to weigh in!

Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts