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NBA Announces Finalists For 2019/20 Awards

August 8th, 2020 at 12:01pm CST by marksuleymanov

The NBA has announced the finalists for several awards as the seeding games on the Orlando campus move forward and the postseason nears. It was announced in July that all awards for the 2019/20 season would be based on games up until March 11, when the coronavirus pandemic shuttered play. Media members made their votes before the seeding games began on July 30.

NBA Most Valuable Player Finalists:

NBA Defensive Player of the Year:

NBA Rookie of the Year:

NBA Most Improved Player:

NBA Sixth Man of the Year:

NBA Coach of the Year:

  • Mike Budenholzer (Bucks)
  • Billy Donovan (Thunder)
  • Nick Nurse (Raptors)

The winners for the awards will be announced during the NBA playoffs after the seeding games period concludes on August 14.

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Heat’s Kendrick Nunn Leaves NBA Campus

August 7th, 2020 at 5:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Heat guard Kendrick Nunn has left the NBA’s Walt Disney World campus for personal reasons, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Twitter link). His absence isn’t related to the coronavirus, Winderman adds.

Any player who leaves the NBA’s campus with team approval must test negative for COVID-19 each day he’s away, or in each of the seven days prior to his return, in order to ensure he only has to quarantine for four days upon returning. Failing to follow those protocols would result in a quarantine of up to 10-to-14 days.

An absence of a week or more would compromise Nunn’s availability for the start of the playoffs on August 17, but Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald tweets that the rookie isn’t expected to be gone for long.

Nunn, the Heat’s starting point guard, has had an impressive rookie season, averaging 15.2 PPG and 3.3 APG on .443/.356/.840 shooting in 66 games (29.2 MPG). However, he’s off to a slow start this summer, with those numbers dipping to 7.8 PPG, 1.5 APG, and .324/.250/1.000 in four games so far.

With Nunn unavailable, Goran Dragic would be the most logical candidate to take his spot in the starting five, but Dragic is battling an ankle injury and is considered questionable for Saturday’s game (Twitter link via Jackson). As a result, Tyler Herro could see increased ball-handling duties against Phoenix.

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Southeast Notes: Butler, Isaac, Hawks, Heat

August 7th, 2020 at 1:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Heat swingman Jimmy Butler, who continues to battle a right foot injury, has been ruled out for Saturday’s matchup with Phoenix, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Twitter link). It will be the third consecutive game that Butler has missed.

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said on Thursday that Butler underwent both an MRI and an X-ray on the foot, which revealed no structural damage, per Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. The hope for now is that rest is the best treatment for the All-Star wing.

“Jimmy had his final scan yesterday. And we understand what he’s dealing with,” agent Bernie Lee told The Herald. “And he’s working his butt off to get back on the floor ASAP and to be ready for the playoffs.”

The postseason isn’t scheduled to begin until August 17, so Butler has another 10 days to work his way back from the injury, which is mostly affecting his right ankle, according to Jackson and Chiang.

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

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Jimmy Butler (Ankle) Sat Second Half Of Back-To-Back Set

August 5th, 2020 at 11:03am CST by Luke Adams
  • Heat guard Goran Dragic suffered a slight ankle sprain near the end of Tuesday’s win over Boston, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who tweets that X-rays on the ankle came back negative.
  • Speaking of back-to-backs, the Heat held Jimmy Butler (right ankle soreness) out of the second leg of a back-to-back set on Tuesday, while the Celtics are doing the same with Kemba Walker on Wednesday (Twitter link). Both teams are likely just playing it safe with their All-Stars.
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Team Needs To Show Riley It Doesn't Need Help

August 3rd, 2020 at 6:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder
  • The Heat need to show team president Pat Riley that he doesn’t need to use a chunk of his cap space this offseason on other teams’ free agents, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald opines. Miami has six impending free agents and the best-case scenario would be to re-sign some of those players to one-year deals and then dive into a much more attractive free agent market next summer. The Heat defeated Denver and lost to Toronto in their first two seeding games.
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Mike Budenholzer, Billy Donovan Win Coaches Association Award

August 3rd, 2020 at 11:37am CST by Luke Adams

Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer and Thunder head coach Billy Donovan have been voted the co-coaches of the year by the National Basketball Coaches Association, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

This award, introduced in 2017, isn’t the NBA’s official Coach of the Year award, which is voted on by media members and is represented by the Red Auerbach Trophy. The winner of that award is expected to be announced at some point during the postseason this summer.

The Coaches Association’s version of the award – named after longtime NBCA executive director Michael H. Goldberg – is voted on by the NBA’s 30 head coaches, none of whom can vote for himself.

Budenholzer, who also won the NBCA’s award in 2019, has had even more success with the East-leading Bucks this season. His team has a 54-13 record and – before the season was suspended – had been on pace to surpass the 60 victories that last year’s Milwaukee squad racked up.

As for Donovan, he has exceeded expectations with a Thunder team that was viewed as a borderline playoff contender and a candidate for a full-fledged rebuild. Instead of returning to the lottery following the offseason departures of Russell Westbrook and Paul George, Oklahoma City is 41-24, good for sixth in the Western Conference. A strong finish over the next couple weeks could result in a top-four record in the conference for the Thunder.

Raptors head coach Nick Nurse, widely viewed as the favorite to win the official Coach of the Year award in 2020, was one vote away from finishing in a three-way tie with Budenholzer and Donovan, per Wojnarowski.

Sources tell ESPN that Taylor Jenkins (Grizzlies), Nate McMillan (Pacers), Erik Spoelstra (Heat), and Brad Stevens (Celtics), and Frank Vogel (Lakers) also received votes.

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Offseason Extension Unlikely For Bam Adebayo?

July 28th, 2020 at 12:52pm CST by Luke Adams

After a breakout season in 2019/20, big man Bam Adebayo will be eligible for a rookie scale contract extension this offseason, but the Heat may wait until 2021 – when he reaches restricted free agency – to lock him up, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

[RELATED: Players Eligible For Rookie Scale Extensions In 2020 Offseason]

Within his larger look at NBA team owners’ financial situations, Windhorst said the Heat “might” not extend Adebayo this offseason because it will help them preserve cap room for 2021, when they want to pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo and/or other star free agents. Addressing the situation in a podcast, Windhorst took a stronger stance.

“He’s not going to get a max contract in the offseason,” Windhorst said of Adebayo, per RealGM. “Even though I think he should. Because the Heat are going to save money for the 2021 summer. That’s a storyline that I can almost guarantee for you: Bam Adebayo will not sign a contract extension this offseason. It will be, ‘Bam, we’ll take care of you later.'”

This isn’t the first time this idea has been broached. Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald suggested in the spring that the Heat would consider the possibility of waiting on Adebayo’s new deal, especially with the coronavirus pandemic expected to limit the amount the salary cap will increase within the next year or two.

If he doesn’t sign an extension during the 2020 offseason, Adebayo would enter the 2021 offseason with a cap hold of $15.35MM. He’d be eligible to sign for up to five years with the Heat at that time, and Miami would have the right of first refusal, meaning the club could match any offer sheet he signs with another team. As long as the Heat carry that $15.35MM cap hold, they’d be able to go over the cap to re-sign Adebayo once they use up the rest of their space.

If the Heat were to sign Adebayo to a maximum-salary extension this offseason, they’d enter the 2021 offseason with that max salary already on their books. That exact amount will depend on where the ’21/22 cap lands, but there’s a good chance Adebayo would be making at least $28-29MM.

In other words, the Heat could generate upwards of $13-14MM in extra cap flexibility in 2021 by waiting to sign Adebayo, then going over the cap to lock him up. For his part, Adebayo could end up with an identical deal whether he signs this year or next.

Assuming Adebayo is on board with the plan, it makes sense for the team to go this route. Often, a club will sign a young star to a max-salary extension as soon as possible to show its commitment to him and to give the player financial security so that he doesn’t have to worry about the possibility of getting injured in a contract year. The Heat would surely be willing to take that path as well if Adebayo pushes for it. As Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel observes, the organization can’t – and won’t – let the situation get contentious.

But if Adebayo is comfortable taking on a little risk to assist in the Heat’s pursuit of roster upgrades, it could be a win-win for the two sides — Miami would gain extra flexibility, while Adebayo could eventually get his max-salary contract with an even stronger roster around him.

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Financial Effects Of Pandemic Likely To Impact NBA Offseason

July 27th, 2020 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

A number of team owners around the NBA are feeling the financial effects of the coronavirus pandemic, as Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com writes. Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, for instance, has seen business fall off precipitously at his restaurants, hotels, and casinos, while Heat owner Micky Arison has had to temporarily shut down his Carnival Cruise Lines.

While some team owners have been hit harder than others by the effects of COVID-19, there’s an expectation that the pandemic will have a league-wide impact on spending this offseason, as Windhorst writes. Some teams may have to make difficult financial decisions that could result in unexpected player movement.

“With few exceptions, no one wants to make long-term commitments right now,” one general manager told ESPN. “You can already feel it coming.”

In addition to the teams that may feel pressure to dump pricey contracts or avoid expensive free agent commitments, some clubs may face financial constraints in the draft. Although selling second-round draft picks remains fairly common, no NBA team has sold a first-round pick since the Nuggets did so with the No. 27 selection in the 2013 draft, according to Windhorst. Some people around the league believe that teams will consider the possibility again in 2020.

“I suspect first-round picks will be for sale in this draft,” a team executive said. “We haven’t really seen that in a decade.”

Here are a few more noteworthy details and quotes from Windhorst’s examination of NBA teams’ finances:

  • Warriors owner Joe Lacob has told his fellow owners that he’s exploring a deal with Goldman Sachs to raise up to $250MM to manage expenses, per Windhorst. Sources tell ESPN that other team owners are considering ways to raise capital as well, with some – including the Rockets – pursuing legal action against companies that have denied coronavirus-related insurance claims.
  • Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta recently took out a $300MM loan and is more leveraged than many other owners, since he purchased the franchise fairly recently, but he continues to insist he’s not looking to sell any shares in the team. Brokers who have approached him representing potential bidders have been told the same, reports Windhorst.
  • Nets owner Joseph Tsai recently sold about 25% of his shares in tech company Alibaba, according to Windhorst. Other owners might not have similar opportunities to raise capital. “I don’t know what will happen, but I may lose $50MM next season,” one owner told Windhorst. “If that happens, I have three options: I could borrow the money, I could sell part of the team or I could do a cash call and me and my partners would have to write checks.”
  • NBA rules allow team owners to borrow $325MM against the equity in their franchises. A majority of NBA teams – including the Warriors – have maxed out that credit, sources tell Windhorst.
  • Although the Buss family’s pockets aren’t as deep as some of their fellow owners, the Lakers bring in about $200MM annually from their local TV deal and aren’t expected to have any issues re-signing Anthony Davis, writes Windhorst.
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Adebayo, Nunn Confirm They Dealt With COVID-19

July 27th, 2020 at 9:51am CST by Luke Adams
  • Heat starters Bam Adebayo and Kendrick Nunn confirmed that their arrivals to Orlando were delayed by positive COVID-19 tests, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Adebayo said that he was essentially asymptomatic, while Nunn had “mild symptoms,” per Winderman. “It felt like a common cold, to be honest,” Nunn said. “I’m just thankful I got over it.”
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