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NBA Won’t Hold Media Availability For Rest Of China Trip

October 11th, 2019 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers and Nets remain on track to play the second exhibition game of their China trip on Saturday in Shenzhen, but the NBA announced today that players on both teams will no longer be required to speak to reporters before or after that game.

“We have decided not to hold media availability for our teams for the remainder of our trip in China,” the league said in a statement, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. “They have been placed into a complicated and unprecedented situation while abroad and we believe it would be unfair to ask them to address these matters in real time.”

The NBA reportedly cancelled pregame and postgame press conferences on Thursday in China involving Lakers and Nets players and commissioner Adam Silver at the behest of the Chinese government. But sources tell McMenamin that the league made today’s decision independently.

Although the NBA has nixed its scheduled media sessions, the Lakers and Nets are free to conduct their own media availability, a league spokesman said. However, the NBA ran its plan by players and representatives from the players’ union before making its announcement, a source tells McMenamin. So it’s unlikely that players from either team will actively seek out reporters to comment on the situation while they remain in China.

Here are more of the latest notes on the NBA/China controversy, which began when Rockets GM Daryl Morey tweeted support for protestors in Hong Kong:

  • In today’s statement, the NBA referred to its players in China being placed in a “complicated and unprecedented situation” — that’s a feeling held by many of those players, writes Ian Begley of SNY.tv. “They feel they are in tough spot because they’re going to have to talk about things that they aren’t well-versed on,” someone in touch with two players currently in China told Begley. “They thought they were here to play basketball and entertain, and it’s turned into a circus.”
  • Adam Silver spoke earlier this week about wanting to sit down with former Rockets star and current Chinese Basketball Association chairman Yao Ming, but as of Thursday, that meeting had not yet happened, writes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. A source told Zillgitt that Yao wasn’t even in his hometown of Shanghai on Thursday when the Lakers and Nets played there.
  • John Hollinger of The Athletic, who spent nearly seven years in the Grizzlies’ front office, explored the possible impact the NBA/China controversy might have on the league’s salary cap going forward, a subject we touched on yesterday. Hollinger notes that it’s tricky for teams’ cap gurus to make an accurate estimate because of the complicated math involved in incorporating international money into the league’s BRI — on top of that, those specific revenue figures aren’t widely available.
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NBA/China Notes: Shanghai Game, Irving, More

October 10th, 2019 at 5:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Although the Lakers/Nets exhibition game in Shanghai took place as planned this morning, it was hardly a typical preseason affair. Scheduled pregame and postgame press conferences for commissioner Adam Silver and players on both rosters were cancelled at the behest of the Chinese government, sources tell Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

As McMenamin writes, China also had a hand in cancelling two NBA Cares events involving Lakers and Nets players earlier this week as tension between the league and its top international market continues to simmer.

Still, while the Chinese government has been on the attack over the last several days as it seeks an apology from the NBA over Daryl Morey‘s tweet supporting Hong Kong protestors, Keith Bradsher and Javier C. Hernandez of The New York Times report that the government attempted on Thursday to tamp down on public anger toward the league.

According to the Times duo, the Chinese government seems to be reevaluating its all-out campaign against the NBA due to concerns in Beijing that the situation is hurting China’s image and interests globally. Editors at state-run news outlets have now been told to avoid fanning the flames on the NBA controversy “for fear that it might become overheated,” per Bradsher and Hernandez, who cited three journalists.

As we wait to see how the situation plays out going forward with a second Lakers/Nets exhibition schedule for Saturday in Shenzhen, here are a few more items of interest:

  • During a press conference following the Rockets/Raptors exhibition game in Tokyo today, a Rockets official stopped Russell Westbrook and James Harden from answering a question related to the China controversy, insisting that reporters only ask questions about basketball. Per an ESPN report, the NBA issued a statement indicating it doesn’t condone that approach. “A team representative inappropriately interjected to prevent CNN’s Christina Macfarlane from receiving an answer to her question,” the league said. “We’ve apologized to Ms. Macfarlane as this was inconsistent with how the NBA conducts media events.”
  • NBA player agents are advising their clients to avoid addressing the China situation if they can, writes Jabari Young of CNBC. “What I told my guys is, ‘Don’t even talk about it,'” one agent told Young. “I think it’s a fine line, and when you’re walking that fine line, it’s best to not even play around with it.”
  • The NBA’s chilly relationship with China is apparently impacting another basketball league — according to an announcement on their website, the BIG3 is postponing a visit to China that was scheduled for the month of November. Rashard Lewis, Mike Bibby, Glen Davis, and Cuttino Mobley were among the former NBA players expected to participate.
  • While the game itself between the Lakers and Nets today was practically an afterthought, it’s worth noting that Kyrie Irving was knocked out of the game just one minute into the first quarter after he took a shot to the face. According to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link), Irving – who was already recovering from a facial fracture – was diagnosed with a facial contusion. The team doesn’t seem worried that it’s serious, Lewis adds.
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Danny Green Discusses Role, Chemistry, Decision To Join Lakers

October 10th, 2019 at 3:35pm CST by Luke Adams
  • In a Q&A with Wosny Lambre of The Athletic, Danny Green discussed the Lakers‘ chemistry, his potential role this season, and why he decided to sign with the club as a free agent. “It’s the best city to thrive in career-wise. Continue to still win, have fun, and live your best type of lifestyle,” Green said. “And also was able to maximize on the contract. Signing with the Los Angeles Lakers covered all the bases for me.”
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Nets, Lakers Still Expected To Play In China

October 9th, 2019 at 7:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets–Lakers game, scheduled for 7:30 Eastern Time tomorrow morning in Shanghai, appears likely to be played, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). There have been concerns that the game and another one scheduled for Saturday in Shenzhen might be canceled due to the ongoing dispute between the league and the Chinese government.

Media sessions scheduled for today to promote the game were called off, along with at least two other NBA-related events, and outdoor advertisements for the contest were taken down, relays Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. However, Commissioner Adam Silver told representatives of both teams that he believes the games won’t be affected.

Tensions have been high since Rockets general manager Daryl Morey posted a tweet last Friday supporting protesters in Hong Kong. Morey quickly removed the tweet and team owner Tilman Fertitta emphasized that the team doesn’t take political positions, but it has done little to quell the controversy.

The dispute reached Congress today with a bi-partisan group sending a letter to Silver urging him to have the “courage and integrity” to stand up to Chinese leaders. The lawmakers are calling on the NBA to suspend all activities in the nation until the government agrees to reverse the actions it has taken against the Rockets. Throughout the country, Rockets merchandise has been taken off the shelves and murals of the team, even those featuring Yao Ming, have been covered with paint.

“You have more power to take a stand than most of the Chinese government’s targets and should have the courage and integrity to use it,” the letter read. The league offered no comment and did not say if Silver has seen the letter.

There’s more on the NBA’s standoff with China:

  • The dispute has spread to the United States, Reynolds notes, as two fans were removed from the Sixers‘ game against Guangzhou Tuesday night for displaying signs and chanting support for Hong Kong. Wells Fargo Center officials issued a statement today explaining the ejections. “During the second quarter of last night’s 76ers game, Wells Fargo Center security responded to a situation that was disrupting the live event experience for our guests,” the statement read. “After three separate warnings, the two individuals were escorted out of the arena without incident. The security team employed respectful and standard operating procedures.” Hong Kong supporters were also visible at tonight’s Wizards game in Washington, D.C., tweets Candace Buckner of The Washington Post.
  • The international tension has been a distraction that the Nets don’t need as they prepare for the season, states Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Players are staying in their hotel and are being very guarded in their public statements. “It was unfortunate that the events were cancelled (Tuesday) but we’re not experts in that field,” DeAndre Jordan said on ESPN’s The Jump. “The field that we are experts in is basketball. We wanted to come here to play basketball and see all our fans in China.”
  • Salary cap experts from five teams are preparing for a sharply reduced cap in 2020/21 because of the expected loss of revenue from China, tweets Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports. Some are running scenarios that are 10-15% lower than the current $116MM projection. While he stresses that it’s just preparation, Smith adds that a source told him, “It’s like the spike, but opposite. After all the money everyone spent last summer, this would have a major impact on all of us.” (Twitter link)
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2019 Offseason In Review: Los Angeles Lakers

October 9th, 2019 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2019 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s moves from the last several months and look ahead to what the 2019/20 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Los Angeles Lakers.

Signings:

Trades:

  • Acquired the draft rights to Talen Horton-Tucker (No. 46 pick) from the Magic in exchange for the Lakers’ 2020 second-round pick and cash ($2,226,778).
  • Acquired Anthony Davis in a three-team trade with the Pelicans and Wizards in exchange for Lonzo Ball (to Pelicans), Brandon Ingram (to Pelicans), Josh Hart (to Pelicans), the draft rights to De’Andre Hunter (No. 4 pick; to Pelicans), the Lakers’ 2021 first-round pick (9-30 protected; unprotected in 2022; to Pelicans), the Lakers’ 2024 first-round pick (unprotected; to Pelicans), the right to swap 2023 first-round picks with the Lakers (to Pelicans), cash ($1MM; to Pelicans), Moritz Wagner (to Wizards), Isaac Bonga (to Wizards), Jemerrio Jones (to Wizards), and the Lakers’ 2022 second-round pick (to Wizards).

Draft picks:

  • 2-46: Talen Horton-Tucker — Signed to two-year, minimum salary contract. Fully guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception.

Waiver claims:

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Salary cap situation:

  • Used cap space; now over the cap.
  • Carrying approximately $118.95MM in guaranteed salary.
  • $1.75MM disabled player exception available (expires 3/10/20).

Story of the summer:

Leave it to the Lakers to pack about four offseasons’ worth of drama into a single summer. The franchise was at the center of many of the offseason’s biggest stories, experiencing some of the highest highs and lowest lows of any NBA team in June and July.

The club made one of the biggest trades in recent NBA history when it acquired Anthony Davis from the Pelicans in a blockbuster deal that saw the Lakers surrender six players, four draft picks (including three first-rounders), a pick swap, and cash. It was a huge price to pay, but Davis’ ceiling is “best basketball player in the world” and all indications point to him re-upping in Los Angeles when his current contract expires, so for now it’s hard not to call the deal a major win for the organization.

While there were still a handful of details to sort out on the Davis trade, a tentative agreement with the Pelicans was in place on June 15, less than 48 hours after the NBA Finals ended, making it one of the first moves completed this offseason. By the time June 30 finally rolled around, it was practically old news, and the Lakers had their sights set on another All-NBA target: Kawhi Leonard.

As the rest of the league’s top free agents came off the board during a 24-hour window at the start of free agency, Leonard took his time, meeting with the Lakers, Clippers, and Raptors over the course of the week and finally making his decision on the night of July 5. Despite rumblings all week that the Lakers might be the leading contender for the Finals MVP, Kawhi ultimately chose to join L.A.’s other team, giving the Clippers a rare chance to gloat at the expense of their Staples Center cohabitants — and leaving the Lakers scrambling to use their cap room on the few quality role players who remained unsigned.

After failing to secure perhaps the most talented Big Three in NBA history, the Lakers filled out their roster primarily with veteran free agents, earning mixed reviews on some of those signings. One of those newly-signed players is already on the shelf for the entire 2019/20 season, as DeMarcus Cousins suffered a torn ACL.

Still, from the moment the Lakers agreed to acquire Davis in June, any other successes the team enjoyed in the offseason were just a cherry on top of that sundae. After a disappointing 2018/19 campaign and a tumultuous spring which saw Magic Johnson abruptly resign from his president of basketball operations job, GM Rob Pelinka managed to get LeBron James a superstar running mate, adding championship upside to the roster.

Read more

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Lakers Notes: AD Trade, LeBron, Pelinka, More

October 9th, 2019 at 12:05pm CST by Luke Adams

When David Griffin arrived in New Orleans as the Pelicans‘ new head of basketball operations, he was faced with a predicament related to Anthony Davis, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. Sources confirm to McMenamin that there was some lingering resentment toward the Lakers within the Pelicans’ organization – all the way up to ownership – due to the way AD’s public trade request played out earlier in the year. However, Griffin also recognized that L.A. was the most logical trade partner for New Orleans.

“When I took over, there was some latent discontent, maybe with the way things had been handled,” Griffin said. “We just talked about the fact that, look, in all likelihood the best package is going to come from this team, because it’s the only team that AD’s willing to stay at.”

As McMenamin details, agent Rich Paul had signaled to the Celtics and other suitors that Davis wouldn’t re-sign with them in 2020, since the big man wanted to play in New York or Los Angeles.

“The last thing you want to do is put a GM in a situation where he trades away an asset and then the guy walks out the door,” Paul said. “Like, you can’t do business that way. So it’s not really a hard conversation to have. And I don’t think it stopped [Celtics president of basketball operations] Danny Ainge from trying. It’s just that maybe he didn’t have the deal [he wanted]. He wasn’t willing to give up the young players, which I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t give them up either if the guy is not going to re-sign.”

The Pelicans’ big win on draft lottery night helped clear a path for the team to work something out with the Lakers for Davis, as Paul observed to McMenamin: “The fact that [the Pelicans] were going to get the first pick caused me to understand that it softened the blow of losing Anthony Davis because the organization could still have some momentum.”

McMenamin’s story at ESPN provides an in-depth look at several other aspects of the Lakers’ pursuit and acquisition of Davis, as well as the franchise’s adjustment to having him on the roster. Here are some of the highlights:

  • Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said that even on the day the Lakers and Pelicans reached a trade agreement, there were a couple times he was convinced a deal wouldn’t come together. But the front office persevered in part because they believed they owed it to LeBron James. “When a player of LeBron’s stature puts his trust in the organization,” Pelinka said, “I think there’s an implicit bilateral trust going back, saying: ‘We’re going to do everything we can to put you in a position to win more championships, because that’s what you’re about.'”
  • Pelinka, who added that he believes in treating his superstar players “like partners,” admitted that he has probably had hundreds of three-way calls with James and Davis since the trade as he has solicited their opinions on certain roster moves. “Every single decision. I [have] never been involved so much,” Davis said. “No matter who the player was, he wanted to make sure. It was on everything. And it was like, ‘Wow.’ To the point where I was like, ‘All right, Rob, stop calling me.'”
  • Kendrick Perkins, who was teammates with LeBron in Cleveland and AD in New Orleans, had a hand in bringing the two stars together. The veteran big man introduced Davis to Klutch Sports in 2018 when word got out that he was considering an agent change, writes McMenamin.
  • Rich Paul believes that Davis’ ability to make threes and pass the ball separates him from other stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo. AD’s agent offered the following spicy take: “If you put Anthony Davis on that Bucks team last year, they’d be playing in the Finals. He knows how to make guys better. That’s not a knock to Giannis, but that’s just what [I think].”
  • The NBA was willing to allow LeBron to give up his jersey number (23) to Davis despite the paperwork not being filed in time, but Nike nixed the idea, citing tens of millions of dollars in wasted inventory on James jerseys, sources tell McMenamin.
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Latest On NBA/China Controversy

October 9th, 2019 at 8:29am CST by Luke Adams

As first reported by Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today, there’s a growing concern that the exhibition games between the Lakers and Nets scheduled to take place in China on Thursday and Saturday this week will be cancelled as a result of tension between the NBA and the Chinese government.

As we’ve outlined in a series of stories, that tension stems from a tweet supporting Hong Kong protestors which was published – and quickly deleted – by Rockets general manager Daryl Morey. Since then, the NBA and commissioner Adam Silver have backed Morey’s freedom of expression, which has upset the league Chinese partners. The NBA has lost sponsors in China, while streaming company Tencent has suspended its broadcasts of all Rockets games and Chinese state-run TV network CCTV has said it won’t show this week’s Lakers/Nets exhibitions.

Of course, as noted above, there are an increasing number of signs that those games won’t actually take place. After an NBA Cares event with the Nets in Shanghai on Tuesday was cancelled by the Chinese government, a similar event with the Lakers was nixed on Wednesday, per an ESPN report. Additionally, ESPN’s Rachel Nichols (video link) observes that banners advertising the Lakers/Nets games are being taken down in Shanghai.

Lakers and Nets players were scheduled to speak to reporters early this morning , but an NBA spokesperson announced that the media availability would be postponed, given the fluid nature of the situation, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link).

Here are a few more items on the NBA/China controversy:

  • After issuing an open letter earlier this week that was met with some criticism stateside for echoing language used by the Chinese government, Nets owner Joe Tsai briefly spoke to The New York Post and Wall Street Journal on Tuesday. Tsai, who said he’s in the “eye of the storm” as he tries to help the NBA and China resolve the issue, noted that his role is to help both sides understand the other’s perspective. “What I’m simply pointing out is how mainland China feels about this issue,” Tsai said of his open letter. “It’s definitely a third-rail issue for Chinese people on the mainland.”
  • Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich lauded Adam Silver for his comments on Tuesday in which he supported Daryl Morey‘s right to freedom of expression, per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “It wasn’t easy for him to say,” Popovich said. “He said that in an environment fraught with possible economic peril. But he sided with the principles that we all hold dearly, or most of us did until the last three years. So I’m thrilled with what he said.”
  • When NBA players arrive in China, they’re generally treated like rock stars, but that hasn’t been the case for the Lakers this week, according to Tania Ganguli and Alice Su of The Los Angeles Times. As the Times duo writes, the Lakers were greeted with little fanfare when they landed in Shanghai, and have seen their plans for the week become “completely disheveled” as a result of the controversy.
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Tension Between NBA, China Continues To Grow

October 8th, 2019 at 8:23am CST by Luke Adams

Several days after Rockets general manager Daryl Morey deleted his now-infamous tweet expressing support for protestors in Hong Kong, the NBA and its partners in China don’t appear to be moving any closer to resolving the controversy it created.

Early on Tuesday morning, NBA commissioner Adam Silver followed up on the brief statement issued by the league on Sunday by publishing a new, lengthier statement which sought to clarify the NBA’s stance on the situation. In the statement, which can be read in full right here, Silver offered the following thoughts:

“Over the last three decades, the NBA has developed a great affinity for the people of China. We have seen how basketball can be an important form of people-to-people exchange that deepens ties between the United States and China.

“At the same time, we recognize that our two countries have different political systems and beliefs. And like many global brands, we bring our business to places with different political systems around the world.

“But for those who question our motivation, this is about far more than growing our business.

“Values of equality, respect and freedom of expression have long defined the NBA — and will continue to do so. As an American-based basketball league operating globally, among our greatest contributions are these values of the game.

“… It is inevitable that people around the world — including from America and China — will have different viewpoints over different issues. It is not the role of the NBA to adjudicate those differences.

“However, the NBA will not put itself in a position of regulating what players, employees and team owners say or will not say on these issues. We simply could not operate that way.”

In response to Silver’s latest missive, the Chinese state-run television network CCTV announced it would be suspending its broadcasting agreement for NBA preseason games, writes Arjun Kharpal of CNBC.

As Stephen Wade and Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press explain, the Lakers and Nets are scheduled to play in Shanghai in Thursday and Shenzen on Saturday, and while those games are expected to proceed as planned, they won’t be aired by CCTV. Silver admitted the league wasn’t expecting the network to take those measures, per The Associated Press.

“But if those are the consequences of us adhering to our values, I still feel it’s very, very important to adhere to those values,” the NBA commissioner said.

It’s not clear if the “temporary” broadcast suspension will last into the regular season, but CCTV issued a statement in Chinese (translated by MSNBC) making it clear that it wasn’t happy with the stance taken by Silver and the NBA:

“We are strongly dissatisfied and we oppose Silver’s claim to support Morey’s right of free expression. We believe that any speech that challenges national sovereignty and social stability is not within the scope of freedom of speech.”

According to comments relayed by Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer (Twitter link), Silver still intends to attend Thursday’s exhibition contest in Shanghai and hopes to meet with the appropriate officials there to find common ground with the league’s partners in China. However, he added that he’s a “realist” and recognizes that the issue may not be resolved quickly.

Silver also said that he plans to meet this week with Yao Ming, the former Rockets center who is now the chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association (Twitter link via Rachel Nichols of ESPN).

“I’m hoping together Yao and I can find an accommodation, but he is extremely hot at the moment and I understand it,” Silver said.

While Silver’s latest press release asserted that the NBA’s stance is about more than “growing [its] business,” the commissioner acknowledged to Joel Fitzpatrick of Kyodo News on Monday that the controversy has already affected the league’s bottom line. According to The Associated Press’ report, the NBA’s agreement with Chinese streaming partner Tencent, which has said it will no longer show Rockets games, is worth $1.5 billion over the next five years.

However, Silver insisted that that those business issues wouldn’t affect the league’s support of Morey and others exercising their freedom of expression.

“There is no doubt, the economic impact is already clear,” he told Fitzpatrick. “There have already been fairly dramatic consequences from that tweet, and I have read some of the media suggesting that we are not supporting Daryl Morey, but in fact we have. I think as a values-based organization that I want to make it clear…that Daryl Morey is supported in terms of his ability to exercise his freedom of expression.”

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LeBron & AD “Like A Fantasy Team”

October 6th, 2019 at 9:02am CST by Arthur Hill

It didn’t take long for the Lakers‘ new duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis to make an impression on the NBA, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Playing their first game together in front of a prime time TV audience, they looked dominant in a 22-point destruction of the Warriors. Although neither played in the second half, Davis finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while James registered 15 points and eight assists.

“AD’s AD,” James said afterward. “I thought he was great from the beginning of the game, just his offset on the offensive end just to be able to get us extra possessions with rebounding. Knocking down shots. I think he had like five dunks in the first half. And communication on the defensive end. He’s a very cerebral player. It was a good start for him.”

The Lakers acquired Davis from the Pelicans in one of the first major moves of the offseason. Although the price was high, with three players and three first-round picks going to New Orleans, L.A. sees th ebig man as part of its foundation for the future and possibly its ticket back to the NBA Finals.

That looks very possible after last night’s debut, which included three straight dunks by Davis in a 43-second stretch of the first quarter. The first came on an offensive rebound, followed by a pick-and-roll with James, then an alley-oop from Rajon Rondo.

“I was just trying to attack the offensive glass and be aggressive and get myself going,” Davis said. “I haven’t played in a while, so I was just trying to do all the little things, and the ball ended up in my hands, so I just went up and dunked it and got myself going.”

New coach Frank Vogel is still figuring out what his starting lineup will look like alongside the two former overall No. 1 picks. Avery Bradley, Danny Green and JaVale McGee started last night, but Vogel said he will continue to experiment throughout the preseason.

Regardless, the focus all season will remain on Davis and James, the Lakers’ premier additions from the past two summers, and whether they can make the franchise one of the NBA’s best again. The early returns are impressive, even to opponents.

“It’s different seeing all those big guys on the floor at the same time,” Warriors guard D’Angelo Russell said. “LeBron playing point alongside those dudes. It’s cool. It looks like a fantasy team or something.”

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Lakers Sign David Stockton, Cut Jordan Caroline

October 4th, 2019 at 1:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers have made a change to their 20-man preseason roster, announcing today in a press release that they’ve signed guard David Stockton, waiving forward Jordan Caroline in a corresponding move.

Stockton, the son of Hall-of-Famer John Stockton, appeared in three games with the Kings during the 2014/15 season and three more with the Jazz in 2017/18. However, most of his professional career has been spent in the G League or in international leagues.

The South Bay Lakers – L.A.’s G League affiliate – acquired the 28-year-old’s NBAGL returning rights last month, so it looks like he’ll end up playing for South Bay this season. Assuming his new deal with the Lakers contains an Exhibit 10 clause, Stockton will be in line for a bonus worth up to $50K if he spends at least two months with the G League club.

Caroline is also a strong candidate to head to South Bay. The Lakers will have the ability to make the undrafted Nevada wing an affiliate player for their G League squad, assuming he doesn’t sign with another NBA team before the season begins.

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