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Cavaliers Notes: Hill, Hood, Clarkson, Nance

February 10th, 2018 at 7:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

The four players the Cavaliers acquired at the trade deadline understand that they’re now teammates with the NBA’s version of a superhero in LeBron James, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com.“He’s the Batman and we gotta be all Robins,” George Hill said at practice today.

They’ve all played against James plenty of times before, but none more intensely than Hill, whose Pacers battled the Heat in the Eastern Conference finals in both 2013 and 2014. Rodney Hood attended LeBron’s summer Skills Academy in Las Vegas in 2012 and another of his training camps before then. “He’s the best player of our generation and I’ve been a big fan of his since I went to his camp when I was in high school,” Hood said. “To get a chance to play with him and learn from him I think will be great for me.”

Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. already had the experience of playing with a larger-than-life figure as teammates of Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles. They’re both looking forward to being in a similar situation. “That first year with Kob was unbelievable, getting to travel around that locker room, his fan base was insane,” Nance said. “This is going to be a whole ‘nother beast in itself. I’m anxious, I’m excited and I think I’m ready.”

There’s more today from Cleveland:

  • The four new players will make their Cavaliers debut tomorrow in Boston, but Hill will be the only one to start, Vardon relays in a separate story. Coach Tyronn Lue plans to use Hood, Clarkson and Nance in reserve roles and promises they will all see playing time. “I mean, they don’t know the plays yet,” Lue said. “So it’s going to be tough tomorrow with George starting because you can’t really run a lot of stuff. Just run some pick-and-rolls. But just having him on the floor will be good. He’s a veteran so he can understand the flow of the game and then once we get our plays down and defensively what we want to do, then you could see a lineup change.”
  • The Cavaliers took an obvious gamble in the deal that bought Clarkson and Nance from the Lakers, notes Andrew Sharp of Sports Illustrated. Cleveland helped L.A. clear cap room that may be used to pursue James this summer and sent the Lakers a first-round pick as well. However, Sharp adds that Isaiah Thomas was such a poor fit and a disruptive influence with the Cavs that he had to be sent somewhere.
  • The front office would have been inviting James to leave in free agency this summer if it hadn’t shaken up the team, adds Bud Shaw of Cleveland.com. It’s hard to say how much the Cavaliers improved their chances of keeping him, Shaw adds, but the franchise is now in better shape for the present and future.
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Los Angeles Notes: Thomas, Cap Space, Williams

February 10th, 2018 at 9:31am CST by marksuleymanov

Isaiah Thomas was traded from the Cavaliers to the Lakers on Thursday, ending a tumultuous 15-game run in Cleveland. Coming off a serious hip injury, Thomas’ MVP-caliber performance from Boston disappeared and his public and private comments during the Cavs’ slump contributed to turmoil in the locker room.

Sean Deveney of Sporting News examines Thomas’ value as he heads for unrestricted free agency in the summer. Thomas was legitimately a top-five player in the league with the Celtics who did not mince words about wanting a maximum deal once he hits the market. Now that he’s gone from Cleveland, Thomas lost the chance of the Cavaliers using Bird rights to sign him to a max contract. Instead, he is unlikely to stay in Los Angeles and one general manager told Deveney before the trade that Thomas’ chances at a max deal are unlikely.

“It’s a tough position because he has certain expectations but it’s hard to see where he could have those expectations met,” the GM said. “He is going to be disappointed, a lot, if he is not with Cleveland but still thinks he is getting a max deal out there. The money is just not there.”

Check out other Lakers news below:

  • Thomas’ agent Aaron Goodwin spoke to USA Today’s Sam Amick after his client was dealt on Thursday. Goodwin made it clear that Thomas worked hard to get back to health with the Cavs and wanted it to work out. However, Goodwin insisted that Thomas does not want to come off the bench in Los Angeles and wants to prove he is still an impactful player. Per ESPN’s Chris Haynes and Ohm Youngmisuk, Thomas will come off the bench for the Lakers in his debut on Saturday. However, sources tell Haynes and Youngmisuk that the plan is for Thomas to eventually start.
  • ESPN Insider’s Bobby Marks (subscription required and recommended) examined the Lakers’ healthy salary cap entering this summer and beyond. Shedding the contracts of Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. gives the Lakers enough cap space this summer for two elite free agents. However, Marks also looks at the possibility of the team being patient and waiting for summer 2019 to avoid another situation of Timofey Mozgov and Luol Deng.
  • Lou Williams signed a three-year extension with the Clippers before the deadline, ending any rumors he would be dealt. After suiting up for four teams in four years, Williams was happy with the Clippers and wanted a sense of stability, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN.
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2017/18 Buyout Market Summary

February 9th, 2018 at 10:51pm CST by Austin Kent

With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, much attention is being paid to what is expected to be several weeks of busy buyout market activity. The last day that a player can be waived from their current team and still be eligible to play in the postseason with a new team is March 1.

Below are a series of lists breaking down the veterans who have already been bought out – or simply waived – by their respective teams since the trade deadline, along with those who are expected to be, and several more who really ought to be considered possible buyout candidates even if no reports have come out explicitly stating as much.

As the weeks unfold, we may see new names surface as buyout candidates, in such cases (and whenever a player is formally bought out) we’ll update the list.

Potential buyout candidates:

Expected to be bought out or released:

  • None

Veterans who have been bought out or released:

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Traded Player Exceptions Created In Deadline Deals

February 9th, 2018 at 12:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Before NBA teams started reaching trade agreements on Thursday, we published the latest entry in our Hoops Rumors Glossary, focusing on the traded player exception. As we explain in our breakdown, the traded player exception can allow over-the-cap teams to receive more salary than they send out in “simultaneous” trades.

The more common form of traded player exception is the one generated in a “non-simultaneous” trade, when a team send out a single player and takes back less salary – or none at all – in return. The team then has one calendar year to use that newly-created exception to acquire one or more players whose salaries fit into that exception.

For instance, the Raptors created a $11,800,000 trade exception in last July’s DeMarre Carroll trade with the Nets, meaning that on Thursday they could have acquired a player earning, say, $11MM without sending out any salary in return.

Not many teams took advantage of their outstanding trade exceptions on Thursday, but at least a couple teams appear to have completed trades with previously existing trade exceptions, or with disabled player exceptions. Nearly every trade completed on Thursday also generated at least one new trade exception, so we’ll round up those newly-created TPEs below.

With the help of tweets from cap experts Albert Nahmad and Bobby Marks, along with information from RealGM’s official transactions log, here’s a breakdown of the new TPEs, sorted by value. Not all of these exceptions have been confirmed with 100% certainty, but this is what we believe they’ll look like. These TPEs will expire if they’re not used by February 8, 2019:

Our list of outstanding traded player exceptions has been updated, and will be adjusted if necessary once we’re able to confirm all the TPEs listed above.

If you have any corrections or questions, please let us know in the comment section.

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Lakers Notes: Magic, Deng, Ball, Hart, Lopez

February 8th, 2018 at 6:21pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Lakers had a busy trade deadline, swinging a blockbuster deal that sent Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson to the Cavaliers for Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye and Cleveland’s first-round pick. With the trade, the Lakers created significant cap space that enables them to pursue two top-tier free agents this summer.

Speaking to reporters, including ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, on Thursday, team president Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka spoke about the team’s moves. Both Johnson and Pelinka stated that the team’s goal is to acquire elite talent and make a run at the playoffs next season.

“There’s so many different ways you can use that [cap space],” Pelinka said, “And then, of course, the obvious way is we now have in July of 2018 and July of 2019, we now have real 100 percent space to do two max players if that’s what we decide to do, or one in 2018 and then following it up with another one in 2019. So the flexibility is really amazing.”

The Lakers 22-31, are currently 6.5 games out of the eighth seed in the Western Conference, so a playoff appearance seems out of the cards. However, Johnson reiterated that Thursday’s moves were made with the intention of getting better.

“I don’t want to stay where we are. I don’t want to be on the outside of the playoffs looking in,” Johnson said. “We have to take another step, right? So this move allows us to position ourselves to hopefully take that next step.”

Check out other news and notes surrounding the Lakers:

  • Johnson was asked by reporters if the Lakers had any substantiative talks at the deadline about moving Luol Deng and his albatross contract. Johnson was brutally honest as he lets out a few laughs and said “we wish, right?” tweets Tania Ganguli of the Los Angeles Times. Deng has appeared in just one game with the Lakers this season.
  • Lonzo Ball has not played since January 13 as a knee injury has sidelined the Lakers’ rookie point guard. Bill Oram of the Orange County Register writes that Ball is progressing well but that he still cannot sprint or jump at full strength. Until that happens, Ball will remain a spectator — and may miss the 2018 Rising Stars Challenge.
  • The Lakers won their last three games with Josh Hart — the 30th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft — starting. Hart has played well for the Lakers and is showing himself to be a draft steal, Mike Trudell of NBA.com writes. “I don’t think you ever plan on counting on a late first round pick in their rookie season,” head coach Luke Walton said. “You try to get them minutes where you can, and develop them. But he’s done a nice job every time he’s been called on, being ready, and helping us win.”
  • Despite the Lakers being out of contention, center Brook Lopez does not plan on pursuing a buyout to latch on with a contender, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. Lopez is personally having the worst season of his career, and while his plans may change, he is set on playing out the final year of his contract in purple and gold.
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Cavs Acquire Clarkson, Nance In Isaiah Thomas Trade

February 8th, 2018 at 1:14pm CST by Luke Adams

1:14pm: The trade is now official, the Lakers announced in a press release. The 2018 first-rounder acquired by the Lakers is top-three protected, which will protect the Cavs in the unlikely event that they miss the postseason and then get lucky in the lottery.Isaiah Thomas vertical

11:08am: The Lakers and Cavaliers are set to complete a trade that will send Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. to Cleveland, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). In exchange, the Lakers will receive Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye, and the Cavaliers’ 2018 first-round pick, per Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer (Twitter link). That pick will be protected, tweets Woj.

The deal is a fascinating one for two teams that have been heavily involved in trade rumors throughout the 2017/18 season. The move reflects the Cavaliers’ desire to get better right away, while the Lakers look ahead to the summer.

From the Cavs’ perspective, the trade looks like an admission that the acquisition of Thomas wasn’t going to work. After missing most of the first half of the season with a hip injury, the former Celtics star hasn’t been able to recapture his old form, and has publicly expressed his frustration during Cleveland’s recent slump. Thomas’ .361 FG% and .253 3PT% are easily career lows, and his average of 14.7 PPG is way down from the 28.9 PPG he put up last season in Boston.

“He’s worked too hard to get back, and he’s a ball-dominant player,” Thomas’ agent Aaron Goodwin told Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. “It’s LeBron’s ball, and this clearly wasn’t working. [Cavs GM] Koby [Altman] and I have had enough conversations where it was clear, with the way the system was going, it wasn’t beneficial for either party. This is a good opportunity for Isaiah.”

By sending a struggling Thomas to Los Angeles along with Frye, the Cavs will secure a pair of solid rotation players who are both just 25 years old and are under contract beyond this season. Clarkson has averaged 14.5 PPG with a .448/.324/.795 shooting line so far in 2017/18. Nance, meanwhile, has posted a career-best 8.6 PPG and 6.8 RPG, with a .601 FG%.

While Thomas and Frye are on expiring contracts, Clarkson and Nance will earn a combined $14.77MM in 2018/19, pushing Cleveland’s total guaranteed team salary for next year above the $100MM mark, not counting LeBron James. With or without James, it seems very unlikely that the Cavs will have cap room this summer, barring some major moves.

The Lakers, on the other hand, clear nearly $15MM in 2018/19 money from their books in this deal, taking on two expiring contracts and landing a first-round pick in the process. Despite recent rumblings that the team could be shifting its free agency focus to 2019, this deal puts L.A. in a great position to create enough cap room to make a run at two maximum-salary free agents this summer. Their top targets figure to include Paul George, DeMarcus Cousins, and – of course – LeBron.

One of the most interesting aspects of this deal is that both teams could make the case that it improved their odds of signing James this summer — the Cavs acquired some players who can help them contend this season and can stick around next year, while the Lakers created more cap space and will be able to use their new first-round pick to add another player to their young core this offseason.

Some housekeeping notes on this trade: Cleveland will now be unable to trade the Nets’ 2018 first-round pick unless they acquire another 2018 or 2019 first-rounder. The Cavs have already traded their ’19 first-rounder, and can’t leave themselves without first-round picks in consecutive future seasons. They’ll reduce their projected luxury tax bill in this deal too, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks outlines. Additionally, the Lakers should create a modest trade exception in the deal worth $1,471,382, the amount of Nance’s 2017/18 salary.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Trade Deadline Rumors: Carroll, Kings, Lakers, C’s

February 8th, 2018 at 1:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets and Pacers have considered a deal that would send DeMarre Carroll to Indiana in exchange for Al Jefferson, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. The deal would be a way for Brooklyn to clear money for next season, as Carroll is owed $15.4MM, while Jefferson has a $10MM salary that’s only partially guaranteed.

Carroll, who was traded to the Nets over the summer, is averaging career highs in scoring (13.2), rebounds (6.4) and assists (1.9). Jefferson has settled into a reserve role since coming to Indiana two years ago and is averaging 6.7 points and 3.9 assists in 26 games.

There’s more to report as the trade deadline draws closer:

  • The Kings are willing to move second-year center Georgios Papagiannis if they need to open a roster spot to complete a larger trade, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer (Twitter link). However, Sacramento has since agreed to trade Malachi Richardson in a deal that seems designed to open up a roster spot.
  • With Devin Booker and Tyler Ulis both battling injuries, the Suns may be interested in a minor deal for point guard help, tweets Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic. Josh Gray is the only healthy option currently on the roster.
  • The Lakers appear to be done with major deals after acquiring Isaiah Thomas and Channing Frye from the Cavaliers, relays Bill Oram of the SoCalNewsGroup (Twitter link). Oram adds that a minor trade could still be in the works.
  • The Celtics remain engaged on several trade fronts, but continue to be reluctant to include a first-round pick in a deal, sources tell Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).
  • The Cavaliers weren’t able to gain any traction with the Hornets on a Kemba Walker trade before pulling the trigger on a series of separate deals, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Hornets Michael Jordan places a high value on Walker and won’t move him cheaply, Woj adds. Jordan said in a recent interview that he wouldn’t part with Walker “for anything but an All-Star player.”

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

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And-Ones: Free Agent Market, Payne, Perkins, Booker

February 8th, 2018 at 10:54am CST by Arthur Hill

The bull market for free agents has ended and there will be few free-spending teams this summer, according to Brian Windhorst and Bobby Marks of ESPN. Many organizations are paying the price for the huge contracts that were handed out in 2016 as cap issues are forcing much of the league to take a more frugal approach.

This season, five teams are on pace to pay the luxury tax, which kicks in with a payroll topping $119MM. Twelve teams are projected to be in tax territory for 2018/19 and several more are in danger of getting there just by re-signing their own free agents. The authors list the Bucks as one team that will cross the line if they hold onto Jabari Parker.

“The luxury tax was not designed for this many teams to pay it,” a league executive told Windhorst and Marks. “Many of those owners probably didn’t think they’d be paying it. Quite a few of those teams are probably going to take steps to get out of the tax or limit new spending.”

When teams were handing out big contracts in the summer of 2016, they were expecting a salary cap in the range of $108MM for next season. That projection has been revised down to $101MM, leaving many in an unexpected dilemma. Only seven teams — the Lakers, Sixers, Bulls, Hawks, Mavericks, Suns and Nets — will have more than $10MM available to chase free agents, and virtually all of those teams are in rebuilding mode.

NBA agent Mark Bartelstein expects the situation to improve in 2019 and 2020 when those 2016 contracts start to expire.

There’s more NBA-related news this morning:

  • Max and “supermax” deals are the reason more stars seem to be on the trade market, writes Kevin O’Connor of the Ringer. Clippers consultant Jerry West had been urging owner Steve Ballmer to trade Blake Griffin ever since Chris Paul let the team know he wouldn’t be re-signing. Ballmer was convinced after Griffin’s latest injury, recognizing the risks of paying him $171MM over five years, including nearly $39MM in the 2021/22 season when he will be 32. Teams are taking stock of their future and weighing whether maxing out a star is worth giving up financial flexibility. O’Connor predicts fewer mid-sized deals, like the approximately $17MM the Magic are giving to Bismack Biyombo and Evan Fournier, in favor of more non-taxpayer midlevel exceptions, which are valued at $8.4MM an will rise to about $10MM before the current CBA expires.
  • Adreian Payne, who was waived by the Magic last month in the wake of the Michigan State scandal, had signed to play in Greece, relays the Associated Press. Payne had a two-way contract and played just four games for Orlando.
  • Veteran center Kendrick Perkins has decided to leave the G League Canton Charge, tweets Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated. Several teams have contacted him about signing after the deadline, and he may consider playing in China or Japan next year, depending how the rest of this season turns out, adds Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link). Perkins officially “retired” from the G League so the Charge can receive compensation, according to 2 Ways & 10 Days.
  • Sixers forward Trevor Booker has changed agents in advance of his upcoming free agency, tweets Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. Booker has signed with Jim Tanner’s Tandem Sports + Entertainment.
  • Lavoy Allen, who played 61 games for the Pacers last season, has joined the Northern Arizona Suns of the G League, the team tweeted.
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Lakers Using Nance As Sweetener In Clarkson Talks?

February 8th, 2018 at 9:42am CST by Luke Adams
  • The Lakers are using Larry Nance Jr. as a potential sweetener when they discuss Jordan Clarkson trade scenarios, tweets Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders initially suggested last month that Nance could be attached to another player to help L.A. clear salary. Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN examines how Nance and his Lakers teammates are handling the ongoing trade rumors.
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