Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Hoops Rumors Originals

Community Shootaround: Donovan Mitchell

July 4th, 2022 at 8:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Jazz have made all kinds of noise over the past week.

They got a huge haul for All-Star center Rudy Gobert from the Timberwolves, as they will receive Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, 2022 first-round pick Walker Kessler, four future first-rounders, and a pick swap once the deal becomes official. Three of those first-round picks are unprotected.

They also acquired a first-round pick from the Nets in exchange for wing starter Royce O’Neale,

Utah’s front office now has to answer one lingering question — should it trade All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell and go into full rebuild mode, or quickly retool around Mitchell?

Several NBA experts, including ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, say the Jazz are taking the latter approach and have resisted inquiries regarding Mitchell. Other NBA insiders and executives believe Mitchell is available for the right price.

Things can change in a hurry regarding front office approaches or player trade requests, as we’ve seen in the Kevin Durant saga. The Jazz’s long-range future is certainly brighter with those extra picks at their disposal, along with Gobert’s contract coming off their books.

If they choose to deal Mitchell, they can expect a similar – and perhaps even bigger – package from the highest bidder. Mitchell is locked up contractually through the 2025/26 season and there aren’t many players out there who consistently produce 25 points and five assists a game.

On the flip side, those additional assets now provide the ammo for other bold moves designed to get more quality players around Mitchell, who never seemed to truly mesh with Gobert on or off the court.

That brings us to our question of the day: Should the Jazz trade Donovan Mitchell and enter a total rebuild? Or should they focus on retooling quickly around Mitchell?

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

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Hoops Rumors Glossary: July Moratorium

July 4th, 2022 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA free agents begin coming off the board in rapid succession as soon as the negotiating period opens on June 30 at 6:00 pm Eastern time. However, most of those deals can’t become official right away, due to what’s known in the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement as the “moratorium period.” We know it colloquially as the July moratorium.

The July moratorium – which lasts from 12:01 am Eastern time on July 1 until 12:00 pm on July 6 – essentially puts a freeze on most transactions for several days at the start of the new league year. NBA free agents are allowed to negotiate with clubs during the moratorium, and they can agree to terms on new contracts, but they are unable to officially sign new deals until the moratorium ends. The same goes for trades — two teams can agree to terms on a deal, but can’t formally put it through until at least July 6.

While nearly every agreement reached during the July moratorium eventually gets finalized, the unofficial nature of those initial deals can occasionally wreak havoc on the league’s free agent market.

DeAndre Jordan‘s 2015 free agency isn’t the only example of this, but it’s certainly the most memorable one from the last decade. Jordan initially agreed to terms with the Mavericks during the July moratorium, but before the moratorium ended and the two sides could make it official, the Clippers changed Jordan’s mind and convinced him to re-sign with L.A.

Because Jordan and the Mavs had only reached an informal verbal agreement, there was nothing Dallas could do to stop him from reversing course during the moratorium. Still, this sort of about-face is rare, as it can result in fractured relationships between players, agents, and teams.

While most NBA transactions can’t be completed during the moratorium, there are a handful of exceptions to that rule. The following moves are permitted between July 1 and July 6:

  • A team can sign a first-round pick to his rookie scale contract.
  • A team can sign a player to a one- or two-year minimum salary contract.
  • A restricted free agent can sign a qualifying offer from his current team.
  • A restricted free agent can sign a five-year, fully guaranteed maximum-salary contract with his current team.
  • A restricted free agent can sign an offer sheet with a new team; the 48-hour matching period would begin once the moratorium ends.
  • A team can sign a player to a two-way contract, convert a two-way contract into a standard NBA deal, or convert an Exhibit 10 deal into a two-way contract.
  • A team can waive a player or claim a player off waivers.
  • A second-round pick can accept a required tender (a one-year contract offer) from his current team.

Under the old Collective Bargaining Agreement, the NBA finalized the salary cap at some point during the July moratorium, and the new cap would take effect once the moratorium ended. However, the current CBA calls for the salary cap for the new league year to be set before the start of July, with the new figure going into effect immediately on July 1. This gives teams more clarity on exactly how much room they have available as they negotiate with free agents during the moratorium.

In recent years, the NBA moved the start of its free agency negotiating period forward by six hours, opening that window at 6:00 pm ET on June 30 instead of at 12:01 am ET on July 1. Although the July moratorium still doesn’t technically begin until July 1, free agents who reach agreements quickly can’t officially sign on June 30, since their old contracts haven’t technically expired yet.

However, if an extension-eligible veteran agrees to a new deal with his former team, he can officially complete that extension on the evening of June 30, before the moratorium goes into effect — Thaddeus Young (Raptors) and Gary Harris (Magic) took this route this year, formally finalizing their new contracts last Thursday before the moratorium period began.

Finally, it’s worth noting that while we refer to this period at the start of free agency as the “July” moratorium, it doesn’t always take place in July. In recent years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the moratorium period has instead occurred in November (2020) and August (2021).

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

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

13 Trade Exceptions Set To Expire In July

July 4th, 2022 at 12:49pm CST by Luke Adams

A total of 13 traded player exceptions created during the 2021 NBA offseason are set to expire this month if they go unused.

A trade exception is an NBA salary cap exception that can be generated when a team trades a player away. It allows that team to acquire a certain amount of salary without sending out any in return for one year after the exception was created. The club is permitted to trade for a player earning the amount of the exception, plus $100K.

[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Traded Player Exception]

For instance, the Trail Blazers are set to use their $20,864,198 trade exception, created in February’s CJ McCollum trade, to acquire Jerami Grant, who is earning $20,955,000 in 2022/23. Grant narrowly fits into that TPE after accounting for the $100K in wiggle room.

Most trade exceptions expire without being used, but teams can sometimes find a use for them — especially the bigger ones like Portland’s. So it’s worth keeping tabs on which ones are still available.

Here are the 13 exceptions set to expire this month:

  1. Boston Celtics: $17,142,857 (expires 7/18)
  2. Los Angeles Clippers: $8,250,000 (expires 7/18)
  3. Indiana Pacers: $7,333,333 (expires 7/7)
  4. New Orleans Pelicans: $6,382,262 (expires 7/7)
  5. Chicago Bulls: $5,000,000 (expires 7/7)
  6. Memphis Grizzlies: $4,054,695 (expires 7/7)
  7. Brooklyn Nets: $3,246,530 (expires 7/6)
  8. Toronto Raptors: $3,070,052 (expires 7/6)
  9. Atlanta Hawks: $1,782,621 (expires 7/7)
  10. Golden State Warriors: $1,782,621 (expires 7/7)
  11. Milwaukee Bucks: $1,517,981 (expires 7/7)
  12. Boston Celtics: $1,440,549 (expires 7/7)
  13. Brooklyn Nets: $118,342 (expires 7/6)

The Celtics’ $17MM exception, created in last year’s Evan Fournier sign-and-trade, is the most noteworthy one here, but it appears unlikely to be used. Boston reached a deal last week to acquire Malcolm Brogdon without having to use the exception, and now appears to be a long shot to strike another major trade agreement.

The third exception on this list, the Pacers’ $7.3MM TPE, will disappear if Indiana decides to operate under the cap. The team would have to renounce the exception in order to actually make use of its cap room.

While it’s possible some of the other exceptions on this list will be used before they expire, they won’t accommodate any of the deals that have been agreed upon to date.

The full list of outstanding trade exceptions can be found right here.

Retweet 7 Share 0 Send via email0

Spurs, Pacers, Pistons Still Have Cap Room Available

July 4th, 2022 at 9:01am CST by Luke Adams

While many free agent agreements have been reported since last Thursday evening, few will become official until the NBA’s moratorium period ends this Wednesday. That means the terms that have been reported – and the cap space or cap exceptions teams will use to complete those signings – haven’t yet been locked in.

Still, we have a pretty good sense of what the cap room situation looks like for teams around the league. Here’s a snapshot, as of the morning of July 4, of which clubs still have the most spending power:

Teams with cap room:

By our count, the Spurs project to have about $38MM in remaining cap room, and could push that number even higher by stretching Danilo Gallinari‘s partial guarantee across three years when they officially waive him. However, it’s very unlikely they’d do so unless they have a specific need for that extra room. San Antonio could also create some extra space by waiving Keita Bates-Diop or Tre Jones, who have non-guaranteed salaries for 2022/23, though there has been no indication that will happen.

The Pacers, meanwhile, should have a little over $26MM in cap room once the Malcolm Brogdon trade is finalized, based on our projections. Like San Antonio, Indiana has a couple players without full guarantees (Duane Washington and Terry Taylor) and could create more cap space by waiving one or both.

The Pistons have already committed a chunk of their cap room to taking on Nerlens Noel, Alec Burks, and Kemba Walker from New York, but haven’t used it all yet. If Walker gives back his minimum salary in a reported buyout agreement and Detroit uses its room exception to sign Kevin Knox to his two-year, $6MM deal, the team could have $14MM+ in space — or even more, if Walker’s dead money is stretched across three seasons.

It remains unclear what the Spurs, Pacers, and Pistons will do with their remaining cap room. All three teams have been linked to restricted free agent center Deandre Ayton at some point during the offseason and could theoretically still make a run at him, with Indiana and Detroit perhaps sending back players in a sign-and-trade deal to fit a max deal for the big man under the cap. Still, there’s a sense the Pistons have backed off Ayton after landing Jalen Duren on draft night, and it’s unclear whether the Spurs or Pacers have serious interest.

Accommodating salary-dump trades to acquire more assets could be an option for all three teams, either in the offseason or close to the trade deadline.

The Knicks are the other team expected to use cap room this summer, but after signing Jalen Brunson and Isaiah Hartenstein, they won’t have much left over. Even if they waive Taj Gibson and sign Brunson and Hartenstein to the lowest starting salaries possible based on their reported contract terms, New York projects to have less than $5MM in remaining room.

Mid-level exception teams:

The Hornets, Grizzlies, Thunder, Magic, and Jazz all still have their full non-taxpayer mid-level exceptions available, giving them the ability to offer up to about $10.5MM to a free agent. It’s worth noting though that Utah’s cap situation remains in flux as we wait to see what other moves the team has up its sleeve after trading Royce O’Neale and then agreeing to a blockbuster deal involving Rudy Gobert.

The Hawks, Nets, Heat, Pelicans, and Suns haven’t committed any mid-level money to free agents yet, but unless they shed salary, they’ll probably be limited to the taxpayer MLE (worth about $6.5MM) due to their proximity to the tax line.

The Bulls have used a small portion of their mid-level exception and should still have $7MMish available to spend, but doing so would push them into luxury tax territory, which ownership may be against.

There are some teams that could theoretically open up part or all of their mid-level exception if they’re able to turn reported free agent agreements into sign-and-trades. For example, Ricky Rubio agreed to a three-year, $18.4MM deal with the Cavaliers that will presumably use the MLE, but if Cleveland and Indiana were able to work out a sign-and trade deal involving Rubio, it would free up the Cavs’ mid-level to use on another move.

Retweet 6 Share 0 Send via email0

2022/23 NBA Two-Way Contract Tracker

July 3rd, 2022 at 7:26am CST by Luke Adams

Two-way contracts allow NBA teams to carry two 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.

The NBA has carried over some rule changes for two-way deals that were first introduced during the 2020/21 season. Rather than being limited to 45 days with their NBA teams, two-way players are eligible to be active for up to 50 of their team’s 82 regular season games. And instead of having their salaries determined by how many days they spend in the NBA, they’ll receive flat salaries of $508,891, half of the rookie minimum.

NBA teams have begun to fill in their two-way slots for the 2022/23 league year, so we’ll track all those deals in the space below. Some two-way players from 2021/22 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 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 2022/23 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 2022/23’s two-way players:

Updated 6-27-23

Atlanta Hawks

  1. Trent Forrest, G
  2. Empty

Boston Celtics

  1. JD Davison, G
  2. Mfiondu Kabengele, C

Brooklyn Nets

  1. Dru Smith, G
  2. RaiQuan Gray, F *

Charlotte Hornets

  1. Theo Maledon, G
  2. Xavier Sneed, F *

Chicago Bulls

  1. Terry Taylor, F
  2. Justin Lewis, F *

Cleveland Cavaliers

  1. Isaiah Mobley, F
  2. Mamadi Diakite, F/C

Dallas Mavericks

  1. McKinley Wright IV, G
  2. A.J. Lawson, G *

Denver Nuggets

  1. Collin Gillespie, G
  2. Jack White, F

Detroit Pistons

  1. Buddy Boeheim, G
  2. Jared Rhoden, G

Golden State Warriors

  1. Ty Jerome, G
  2. Lester Quinones, G

Houston Rockets

  1. Trevor Hudgins, G
  2. Darius Days, F

Indiana Pacers

  1. Kendall Brown, F
  2. Gabe York, G

Los Angeles Clippers

  1. Moussa Diabate, F
  2. Xavier Moon, G

Los Angeles Lakers

  1. Scotty Pippen Jr., G
  2. Cole Swider, F *

Memphis Grizzlies

  1. Vince Williams Jr., F *
  2. Jacob Gilyard, G *

Miami Heat

  1. Jamal Cain, F
  2. Orlando Robinson, C

Milwaukee Bucks

  1. A.J. Green, G
  2. Lindell Wigginton, G *

Minnesota Timberwolves

  1. Luka Garza, F
  2. Matt Ryan, G/F

New Orleans Pelicans

  1. E.J. Liddell, F *
  2. Dereon Seabron, G *

New York Knicks

  1. Duane Washington Jr., G
  2. Trevor Keels, G

Oklahoma City Thunder

  1. Olivier Sarr, C
  2. Jared Butler, G

Orlando Magic

  1. Kevon Harris, G *
  2. Empty

Philadelphia 76ers

  1. Louis King, F
  2. Mac McClung, G

Phoenix Suns

  1. Saben Lee, G
  2. Empty

Portland Trail Blazers

  1. John Butler, C
  2. Ibou Badji, C

Sacramento Kings

  1. Keon Ellis, G
  2. Neemias Queta, C

San Antonio Spurs

  1. Dominick Barlow, F
  2. Julian Champagnie, G/F

Toronto Raptors

  1. Ron Harper Jr., G/F
  2. Jeff Dowtin, G

Utah Jazz

  1. Johnny Juzang, G/F
  2. Micah Potter, C *

Washington Wizards

  1. Quenton Jackson, G *
  2. Jay Huff, C
Retweet 15 Share 0 Send via email0

Players On Designated Rookie Extensions

July 2nd, 2022 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

Since Nets star Kevin Durant made his trade request earlier this week, NBA fans have become a whole lot familiar with a specific term in the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement: the designated rookie extension.

As we explain in a glossary entry on the subject, a designated rookie extension is a five-year extension given to a player who is entering the final year of his rookie scale contract. It must be worth the maximum salary, but it’s that fifth year in particular that makes a player a “designated rookie.” A player who signs a four-year, maximum-salary rookie scale extension is not considered a designated rookie.

Here’s the full list of players currently on designated rookie extensions:

An NBA team is permitted to carry up to two players on designated rookie extensions, as the Nuggets are with Murray and Porter. However, a team cannot carry two designated rookies if both of those players were acquired via trade.

Because the Nets acquired Simmons from the Sixers in this year’s James Harden blockbuster, that means they’re not allowed to trade for a second player on a designated rookie extension unless they move Simmons beforehand (or in the same deal). The same rule would apply to the Warriors with Wiggins, but it’s obviously far more relevant these days for the Nets, who are said to be seeking at least one young star in a package for Durant.

Many of the players on the above list aren’t going anywhere — it’s not as if the Mavericks are going to consider trading Doncic. But with a player like Durant on the trade block, few NBA stars are untouchable, and teams will have to take the designated rookie rule into account when they consider offers for the former MVP.

For instance, the Suns and Heat, who have been mentioned as Durant’s preferred landing spots, wouldn’t be able to trade Booker or Adebayo for him (not that Phoenix would be willing to include Booker anyway).

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, and Pelicans forward Zion Williamson are expected to be added to the above list soon. Morant agreed to a five-year, maximum-salary extension with Memphis, Garland did the same with Cleveland, and Williamson will sign one with New Orleans.

The designated rookie rule says that a team can’t carry two players acquired via trade if those players have signed designated rookie extensions that apply to a “current or future” cap year, so even though the extensions for Morant, Garland, and Williamson won’t take effect until 2023/24, the rule would apply to them as soon as they officially sign.

Only a player who signs a rookie scale extension can become a designated rookie. The rule doesn’t apply to players who reach free agency, even if they sign a five-year, maximum-salary contract at that time.

Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, for example, isn’t considered a designated rookie since he signed his five-year max contract after becoming a free agent. Deandre Ayton also can’t be a designated rookie now that he has reached free agency. Either player could hypothetically be sent to Brooklyn in a Durant trade.

Players who signed four-year, maximum-salary rookie scale extensions also aren’t considered designated rookies, as noted above. That means Raptors forward Pascal Siakam could also theoretically be traded to Brooklyn without Simmons having to move.

Again, teams can carry two designated rookies if just one was acquired via trade. For instance, the Heat wouldn’t be prohibited from making a deal for Mitchell, since their current designated rookie (Adebayo) has spent his entire career in Miami.

Finally, it’s worth clarifying that this rule only applies if a trade occurs after the player signed his designated rookie extension. In other words, the Thunder would be allowed to trade for a second designated rookie without moving Gilgeous-Alexander, since they acquired him from the Clippers before he signed his rookie scale extension.

Retweet 15 Share 0 Send via email0

2022 NBA Draft Pick Signings

July 2nd, 2022 at 8:28am 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 23, 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 Paolo Banchero signed a four-year deal worth in excess of $50MM, which represents the maximum allowable 120% of his scale amount. No. 30 pick Peyton Watson, on the other hand, would be in line for a four-year contract worth a little over $11MM.

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. Teams can sign second-rounders to whatever amount they choose, using cap room or various exceptions. Those players who immediately join their NBA teams figure to earn a minimum salary or something slightly above the minimum. We’ll make a note of contract details for second-rounders below, as they become available.

Finally, some second-rounders – and perhaps even some first-rounders – won’t sign 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 2022’s draft pick signings. This list will continue to be updated as more draftees sign their first NBA contracts:

First Round:

  1. Orlando Magic: Paolo Banchero, F, Duke: Signed
  2. Oklahoma City Thunder: Chet Holmgren, F, Gonzaga: Signed
  3. Houston Rockets: Jabari Smith, F, Auburn: Signed
  4. Sacramento Kings: Keegan Murray, F, Iowa: Signed
  5. Detroit Pistons: Jaden Ivey, G, Purdue: Signed
  6. Indiana Pacers: Bennedict Mathurin, G/F, Arizona: Signed
  7. Portland Trail Blazers: Shaedon Sharpe, G, Kentucky: Signed
  8. New Orleans Pelicans: Dyson Daniels, G, G League Ignite: Signed
  9. San Antonio Spurs: Jeremy Sochan, F, Baylor: Signed
  10. Washington Wizards: Johnny Davis, G, Wisconsin: Signed
  11. Oklahoma City Thunder: Ousmane Dieng, F, New Zealand Breakers: Signed
  12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Jalen Williams, G, Santa Clara: Signed
  13. Detroit Pistons: Jalen Duren, C, Memphis: Signed
  14. Cleveland Cavaliers: Ochai Agbaji, F, Kansas: Signed
  15. Charlotte Hornets: Mark Williams, C, Duke: Signed
  16. Atlanta Hawks: AJ Griffin, F, Duke: Signed
  17. Houston Rockets: Tari Eason, F, LSU: Signed
  18. Chicago Bulls: Dalen Terry, G, Arizona: Signed
  19. Memphis Grizzlies: Jake LaRavia, F, Wake Forest: Signed
  20. San Antonio Spurs: Malaki Branham, G/F, Ohio State: Signed
  21. Denver Nuggets: Christian Braun, G, Kansas: Signed
  22. Utah Jazz: Walker Kessler, C, Auburn: Signed
  23. Memphis Grizzlies: David Roddy, F, Colorado State: Signed
  24. Milwaukee Bucks: MarJon Beauchamp, G, G League Ignite: Signed
  25. San Antonio Spurs: Blake Wesley, G, Notre Dame: Signed
  26. Minnesota Timberwolves: Wendell Moore, F, Duke: Signed
  27. Miami Heat: Nikola Jovic, F, Mega Mozzart: Signed
  28. Golden State Warriors: Patrick Baldwin, F, Milwaukee: Signed
  29. Houston Rockets: TyTy Washington, G, Kentucky: Signed
  30. Denver Nuggets: Peyton Watson, F, UCLA: Signed

Second Round:

  1. Indiana Pacers: Andrew Nembhard, G, Gonzaga: Signed
    • Four-year, $8,583,166 contract. First three years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  2. Orlando Magic: Caleb Houstan, F, Michigan: Signed
    • Four-year, $8,207,150 contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  3. Toronto Raptors: Christian Koloko, F/C, Arizona: Signed
    • Three-year, $5,239,563 contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed.
  4. Oklahoma City Thunder: Jaylin Williams, C, Arkansas: Signed
    • Four-year, $8,207,150 contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  5. Los Angeles Lakers: Max Christie, G, Michigan State: Signed
    • Two-year, minimum-salary contract. Fully guaranteed.
  6. Detroit Pistons: Gabriele Procida, G, Fortitudo Bologna: Will play overseas
  7. Dallas Mavericks: Jaden Hardy, G, G League Ignite: Signed
    • Three-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year partially guaranteed.
  8. Memphis Grizzlies: Kennedy Chandler, G, Tennessee: Signed

    • Four-year, $7,127,014 contract. First three years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  9. Cleveland Cavaliers: Khalifa Diop, C, Gran Canaria: Will play overseas
  10. Charlotte Hornets: Bryce McGowens, G, Nebraska: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  11. New Orleans Pelicans: E.J. Liddell, F, Ohio State: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  12. New York Knicks: Trevor Keels, F, Duke: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  13. Los Angeles Clippers: Moussa Diabate, F, Michigan: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  14. Golden State Warriors: Ryan Rollins, G, Toledo: Signed
    • Three-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year partially guaranteed.
  15. Minnesota Timberwolves: Josh Minott, F, Memphis: Signed

    • Four-year, minimum-salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed. Fourth-year team option.
  16. Denver Nuggets: Ismael Kamagate, C, Paris: Will play overseas
  17. Memphis Grizzlies: Vince Williams, F, VCU: Signed
    • Two-way contract (two years).
  18. Indiana Pacers: Kendall Brown, F, Baylor: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  19. Cleveland Cavaliers: Isaiah Mobley, F, USC: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  20. Minnesota Timberwolves: Matteo Spagnolo, G, Cremona: Will play overseas
  21. Atlanta Hawks: Tyrese Martin, F, UConn: Signed

    • Two-year, minimum-salary contract. First year partially guaranteed. Second year non-guaranteed.
  22. New Orleans Pelicans: Karlo Matkovic, F, Mega Mozzart: Will play overseas
  23. Boston Celtics: JD Davison, G, Alabama: Signed
    • Two-way contract.
  24. Washington Wizards: Yannick Nzosa, C, Unicaja Malaga: Will play overseas
  25. Golden State Warriors: Gui Santos, F, Minas: Will play in G League
  26. Cleveland Cavaliers: Luke Travers, G/F, Perth Wildcats: Will play overseas
  27. Portland Trail Blazers: Jabari Walker, F, Colorado: Signed
    • Three-year, minimum-salary contract. First year guaranteed. Second year partially guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed.
  28. Milwaukee Bucks: Hugo Besson, G, New Zealand Breakers: Will play overseas

Note: The Bucks and Heat forfeited their own second-round picks due to free agency gun-jumping. They would have been No. 54 and No. 55, respectively.

Retweet 9 Share 0 Send via email0

Hoops Rumors’ Free Agent Prediction Contest Leaderboard

July 2nd, 2022 at 7:43am CST by Luke Adams

Forty of the 50 players who made our initial list of the top NBA free agents of 2022 have already tentatively come off the board. Some of those players picked up options or signed extensions with their old teams; many have reached free agent agreements since Thursday, either with their former team or a new club.

[RELATED: 2022 NBA Free Agent Tracker]

With just 10 of our top 50 free agents left on the board, our free agent prediction contest is already entering its home stretch. You can check out the leaderboard right here to follow along with the action and see how you’re doing relative to the competition.

Using the leaderboard, you can search for your own name in the contest results. You can also click on anyone’s name to see their individual picks.

A few other things to keep in mind:

  • During the July moratorium, the leaderboard is being updated based on tentative contract agreements. However, until those agreements become official after the moratorium, they won’t be locked in. In other words, if we’d been running this contest back in 2015, when DeAndre Jordan committed to the Mavericks before changing his mind and signing with the Clippers, you wouldn’t have gotten credit for predicting Jordan would sign with Dallas, even if he may have been listed in our leaderboard as a Mav for a few days.
  • If a player exercised his option, his free agency is over. For example, Kyrie Irving will be considered to have “signed” with the Nets even if he’s traded later in the offseason.
  • Ties will be broken based on which entrant picked the higher-ranked free agents more accurately on a cumulative basis. Each free agent will be assigned a point value based on his ranking and the entrant with the lower overall point total would win a tiebreaker. For instance, an entrant who correctly picks the No. 4 and No. 8 free agents’ destinations (12 points) would earn the tiebreaker over an entrant who correctly picks No. 1 and No. 14 (15 points).
  • We will announce the winners on Hoops Rumors once all 50 free agents have signed or on September 27, 2022, whichever comes first. If there are any unsigned players as of September 27, they’ll be excluded from the competition.

You can keep tabs on the leaderboard via the “Hoops Rumors Features” sidebar of our desktop site or the “Features” page in our mobile menu.

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Checking In On NBA’s Top Remaining Free Agents

July 2nd, 2022 at 6:20am CST by Luke Adams

Technically, most of this year’s top free agents remain unsigned. Until the moratorium in place at the start of the 2022/23 league year lifts at 11:01 am Central time on July 6, most of them are ineligible to sign their new contracts.

However, within the last 40-ish hours, 40 of the players from our list of 2022’s top 50 free agents have taken themselves off the market by reaching contract agreements with teams around the league.

[RELATED: 2022 NBA Free Agent Tracker]

While those are just tentative agreements and could still fall apart, that usually doesn’t happen more than once or twice in a given offseason, so it’s safe to pencil those deals in for the time being and assume those free agents are off the board.

So who does that leave? As of Saturday morning, here are the top free agents from our top-50 list (which was last updated on Tuesday) who have yet to agree to new deals:

  1. James Harden, G, Sixers
  2. Deandre Ayton, C, Suns (RFA)
  3. Miles Bridges, F, Hornets (RFA)
  4. Collin Sexton, G, Cavaliers (RFA)
  5. Cody Martin, F, Hornets (RFA)
  6. Caleb Martin, F, Heat (RFA)
  7. Dennis Schröder, G, Rockets
  8. Montrezl Harrell, C, Hornets
  9. Jordan Nwora, F, Bucks (RFA)
  10. T.J. Warren, F, Pacers

Four of our top nine free agents remain on the board, but there are a couple caveats worth considering here. Harden, for instance, is widely expected to remain with the Sixers — it’s just a matter of the two sides figuring out how many years and dollars he’ll get. The two sides are reportedly meeting this weekend to negotiate his new contract.

Bridges’ on-court contributions made him one of our top free agents of this offseason when we published our initial list, but if we were re-ranking the available players today, he would plummet. After being arrested following allegations of felony domestic violence, Bridges was formally charged on Friday, per the Los Angeles Police Department (story via ESPN), and his NBA future is very much up in the air.

Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer wrote on Friday that a long-term deal for Bridges, which appeared to be a formality a few days ago, now appears very unlikely. Emiliano Carchia of Sportando (Twitter link) has sources who believe the Hornets will pull their $7.9MM qualifying offer to Bridges, making him an unrestricted free agent. The 24-year-old is toxic right now, and for good reason.

Of the eight other players listed above, four are restricted free agents, which will reduce their leverage to negotiate favorable multiyear terms, at least to some extent. However, Ayton, in particular, still seems like a good bet to land a lucrative long-term contract.

His situation may be tied to the Kevin Durant trade market — if the Suns can acquire Durant, Ayton could be a key part of the outgoing package in a sign-and-trade, either to Brooklyn or a third team. The Jazz and Pacers are among the teams that have been linked to the former No. 1 overall pick.

It remains unclear which teams might try to force the Cavaliers‘ hand on Sexton. According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter link), Cleveland still has about $15MM in breathing room below the luxury tax line. It’s possible the club will be able to bring back Sexton and stay out of the tax if no rival suitors with cap room are prepared to pursue the 23-year-old guard.

Harrell has his own legal issues to deal with, though the marijuana charges he’s facing will presumably be viewed by teams as far less troublesome as Bridges’ charges.

Warren, meanwhile, is a bit of a wild card. On merit alone, he would’ve ranked much higher on our initial list, but the fact that he has essentially missed two full seasons due to injuries made me wary of placing him too high — it seems as though his lengthy layoff may be giving potential suitors pause as well.

The following free agents were noted in the honorable mention section of our top-50 list and aren’t yet spoken for:

Here are our full lists of free agents by position/type and by team.

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

NBA 2022 Free Agency: Day 2 Recap

July 2nd, 2022 at 12:02am CST by Luke Adams

The rate of the contract agreements reported on the second day of the NBA’s free agent period slowed down a little after a fast-paced first day on Thursday. Still, we saw another 20-plus free agents come off the board, including one who became the second free agent to receive a maximum-salary commitment this summer.

[RELATED: 2022 NBA Free Agent Tracker]

It was also an eventful day in non-free agent NBA news, with a three-time Defensive Player of the Year headlining a blockbuster trade agreement and a former No. 1 overall pick nearing a maximum-salary contract extension.

Listed below are the highlights from around the NBA on Friday.

Free agent agreements:

These deals aren’t yet official, so the reported terms could change — or agreements could fall through altogether. Generally speaking though, teams and players are on track to finalize these agreements sometime after the moratorium ends on July 6.

Note: Some of these salary figures may include options, incentives, or non-guaranteed money.

  1. Zach LaVine, Bulls agree to five-year, $215.16MM (maximum-salary) contract.
  2. Jusuf Nurkic, Trail Blazers agree to four-year, $70MM contract.
  3. Mitchell Robinson, Knicks agree to four-year, $60MM contract.
  4. Kevon Looney, Warriors agree to three-year, $25.5MM contract.
  5. Ricky Rubio, Cavaliers agree to three-year, $18.4MM contract.
  6. John Wall, Clippers agree to two-year, $13.2MM contract.
  7. Bruce Brown, Nuggets agree to two-year, $13MM contract.
  8. Danilo Gallinari, Celtics agree to two-year, $13MM contract.
  9. Jalen Smith, Pacers agree to two-year, $9.6MM contract.
  10. Donte DiVincenzo, Warriors agree to two-year, $9.3MM contract.
  11. Derrick Jones, Bulls agree to two-year, $6.6MM contract.
  12. Bryn Forbes, Timberwolves agree to one-year, minimum-salary contract.
  13. Aaron Holiday, Hawks agree to one-year, minimum-salary contract.
  14. Damion Lee, Suns agree to one-year, minimum-salary contract.
  15. Robin Lopez, Cavaliers agree to one-year, minimum-salary contract.
  16. Raul Neto, Cavaliers agree to one-year, minimum-salary contract.
  17. Bol Bol, Magic agree to two-year contract.
  18. Luke Kornet, Celtics agree to two-year contract.
  19. Otto Porter, Raptors agree to two-year contract.
  20. Drew Eubanks, Trail Blazers agree to one-year contract.
  21. Theo Pinson, Mavericks agree to one-year contract.

Trades:

  1. Jazz agree to trade Rudy Gobert to Timberwolves for five players, four first-round picks (three unprotected), and a pick swap.
  2. Pacers agree to trade Malcolm Brogdon to Celtics for five players – including Daniel Theis and Aaron Nesmith – and a 2023 first-round pick (top-12 protected).
  3. Hawks agree to trade Kevin Huerter to Kings for Justin Holiday, Maurice Harkless, and a 2024 first-round pick (top-14 protected).

Other news:

  1. Zion Williamson, Pelicans nearing five-year, maximum-salary rookie scale extension (expected to include protections related to games played and/or injury).
  2. The Nets are reportedly seeking a “historic haul” for Kevin Durant. Here are the latest rumors.
  3. Nemanja Bjelica agrees to sign two-year, $4MM contract with Turkish team Fenerbahce.

Previously:

Retweet 6 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts