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Bulls Frontrunners To Sign Lou Amundson

February 28th, 2013 at 10:51pm CST by Luke Adams

10:51pm: The Bulls are in talks to sign Amundson, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com, who adds that a decision is expected on Friday. 

8:16pm: Amundson's agent, Mark Bartelstein, acknowledges that while the Knicks are currently in the mix, his client is currently "close" to signing with another team (Ian Begley of ESPN New York tweets). 

1:51pm: Since being cut by the Timberwolves nearly three weeks ago, Louis Amundson has yet to find another NBA job. However, the big man tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida that a few teams are interested in him, including the Heat, Knicks, Celtics, and Bulls.

The Heat, Celtics and Bulls all have open roster spots, while the Knicks would have to clear room on the roster to make a move. According to Amundson, New York is waiting to see how things work out with Kenyon Martin before making a decision. The Knicks could also waive Rasheed Wallace to clear a roster spot. As for the Heat, Amundson told Tomasson that there may be too much overlap between his skillset and Chris Andersen's. The Birdman recently signed with Miami for the remainder of the season.

While four Eastern Conference teams remain in the mix for Amundson, he was nearly sent to another Eastern club earlier this season. According to Amundson, a trade that would have sent him and Luke Ridnour to the Sixers for Spencer Hawes was nixed by Minnesota, out of concern that dealing Ridnour would leave the team thin at point guard while Ricky Rubio worked his way back to 100%.

Since he was released earlier in February, Amundson will be postseason-eligible for his next team even if he signs after tomorrow's buyout deadline.

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Teams Projected To Be In The Tax

February 26th, 2013 at 8:43am CST by Luke Adams

On deadline day, the Warriors traded a pair of minimum-salary players, Jeremy Tyler and Charles Jenkins, for essentially nothing. Sixers GM Tony DiLeo confirmed that his team not only acquired Jenkins and put heavy protection on the second-round pick sent to the Warriors, but received an amount of cash from Golden State that more than covered the youngster's salary for the rest of the season. The specific details of the Hawks trade for Tyler aren't clear, but we can probably assume Golden State included a similar amount of cash there, and that Atlanta's second-rounder included similar protection.

For the Warriors, paying a little extra money now made more sense than paying the price later, as trading Jenkins and Tyler allowed the team to get below the tax threshold ($70,307,000) and avoid becoming a taxpayer. The moves will not only save the team from making a tax payment itself at year's end, but will allow the Warriors to receive a portion of the tax payments from the clubs above the threshold.

While the Warriors chose to avoid the tax, the Bulls resigned themselves to becoming a taxpayer for the first time rather than give up a future first-round pick to get below the line. A club like the Celtics also chose to remain marginally over the threshold, while others like the Heat, Nets, and Lakers remained significantly in the tax. Here are the clubs projected to be taxpayers this year, along with their current team salaries, which could rise if they make additional signings before season's end:

  • Los Angeles Lakers: $100,166,250
  • Miami Heat: $83,204,612
  • Brooklyn Nets: $83,147,981
  • New York Knicks: $80,165,743
  • Chicago Bulls: $74,061,031
  • Boston Celtics: $71,371,552

Of the six teams on this list, three of them – the Lakers, Heat, and Celtics – were also taxpayers last season, putting themselves in line for the repeater tax down the road. Teams that are in the tax for four of five seasons are subject to the repeater tax, so after being taxpayers for two consecutive years, the Lakers, Heat, and Celtics will have to stay out of the tax for two of the next three seasons to avoid paying the more punitive repeater penalty in 2016.

Storytellers Contracts was used in the creation of this post.

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Odds & Ends: Allen, Sixers, Bynum, LeBron, Cavs

February 25th, 2013 at 10:20pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s tonight’s look around the Association..

  • Heat guard Ray Allen says that he won’t make any decision until after the season on whether he will pick up his 2013/14 contract option, according to Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports (on Sulia).
  • The Sixers can’t afford to let center Andrew Bynum walk this summer, even though the trade has backfired on them, writes John Smallwood of the Philadelphia Daily News.  General Manager Tony DiLeo recently explained that re-signing Bynum is the club’s Plan A but they will look to use their increased financial flexibility to make a splash if that doesn’t happen.
  • NBA.com’s Sekou Smith rounded up a handful of articles speculating about LeBron James returning to the Cavaliers in free agency in 2014, and shares his own thoughts on the subject.  In the eyes of Smith, the only thing that will silence the chatter is LeBron returning to Cleveland in the summer of 2014.
  • After returning from a NCAA suspension, Myck Kabongo of Texas needs to reestablish his value if he hopes to declare for June’s draft, writes Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com.
  • Chris Bernucca of Sheridan Hoops offered up a glimpse of what the upcoming free agent market could have to offer.  For a complete list of 2013/14 free agents, you can check out Hoops Rumors’ list right here.
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Teams With Open Roster Spots

February 25th, 2013 at 10:00am CST by Luke Adams

Since the trade deadline, a pair of contenders have taken advantage of having an open roster spot, with the Knicks adding Kenyon Martin on a 10-day contract and the Thunder agreeing to sign Derek Fisher for the remainder of the season.

For New York and Oklahoma City, adding a veteran as a 15th man makes sense for depth purposes, and we may see a few more playoff contenders take the same approach as Friday's buyout deadline nears. For non-contenders, a D-League pickup or two may be more likely, as teams take a look at players who may be able to contribute beyond this season.

Clubs carrying fewer than 15 players are more likely to add free agents at this point, since they won't have to release a player on a guaranteed contract to clear space for a pickup. So with the help of our constantly-updated roster counts page, let's take a quick look at the list of teams with at least one open roster spot. The number of available spots is indicated in parentheses.

Eastern Conference:

  • Boston Celtics (2)
  • Brooklyn Nets (1)
  • Charlotte Bobcats (1)
  • Chicago Bulls (1)
  • Detroit Pistons (1)
  • Miami Heat (1)
  • Orlando Magic (1)

Western Conference:

  • Golden State Warriors (2)
  • Houston Rockets (1)
  • Los Angeles Clippers (1)
  • Los Angeles Lakers (1)
  • Memphis Grizzlies (2)
  • New Orleans Hornets (2)
  • Sacramento Kings (1)
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James Jones Mulling Retirement

February 24th, 2013 at 9:25am CST by Chuck Myron

James Jones has made a minimal impact this season for the Heat, totaling just 88 minutes of playing time spread out over 21 games. He occupies $1.5MM worth of space on Miami's payroll and has a player option to earn that same salary next year, but if the Heat win the championship again, Jones is prepared to walk away, as he tells HoopsWorld's Lang Greene.

The 32-year-old small forward nearly retired over the summer, but felt physically capable of returning. He said it's "bittersweet" to come back and play such limited minutes, though he acknowledged the well-stocked Heat have plenty of other options at the wing. 

The Heat probably stand to benefit if the Miami native retires, since that would likely mean he'd decline his option and reduce the team's tax bill for next season. The Heat have $75.547MM in commitments for 2013/14, so they'll almost certainly exceed the tax threshold. That figure doesn't include a $4MM team option for Mario Chalmers or the player options for Jones, Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis. 

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Brigham On Future Contenders

February 23rd, 2013 at 10:13am CST by Sean Highkin

Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld has a new column examining which teams have a chance to be title contenders five seasons from now, taking into account possible moves in free agency and the ages of the teams' core players.

  • Brigham believes the Thunder still have the brightest future, given that Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Serge Ibaka will all be under 30 in five seasons.
  • LeBron James' free agency will play a major role in determining the next title contender, Brigham writes. The health and effectiveness of Dwyane Wade will determine whether James stays with the Heat, but the Cavaliers and Lakers are also possible destinations.
  • On that note, Brigham writes that, although Kyrie Irving is blossoming into a superstar, the Cavs will not be a contender unless James signs in Cleveland.
  • The Bulls will still be contenders if Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah stay healthy, Brigham writes. He also notes that Nikola Mirotic will have come over to the NBA by then.
  • The trade for Thomas Robinson added another young piece to the James Harden/Jeremy Lin core the Rockets have built, Brigham writes. Additionally, the team is still well under the cap and can add another high-level player via free agency.
  • Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge give the Blazers a solid core to build around, writes Brigham.
  • Brigham writes that there will be uncertainty every year for the next five as to whether Chris Paul will still be with the Clippers.
  • Even if Stephen Curry's ankles don't hold up, Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes give the Warriors a good young core, Brigham says.
  • Brigham writes that the Pacers have excellent cornerstone players in Roy Hibbert and Paul George.
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Recap Of Deadline Trades

February 21st, 2013 at 7:44pm CST by Sean Highkin

A complete recap of trades that were completed before Thursday's trade deadline:

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Free Agent Rumors: Celtics, Oden, Amundson, Bell

February 21st, 2013 at 4:12pm CST by Luke Adams

With the trade deadline officially behind us, the next important date on the NBA's calendar arrives on March 1st. If a player who has been on an NBA roster this season is released after that date, he'll be ineligible to be on the postseason roster for any new team he joins. So we could see a number of players agreeing to buyouts and hitting free agency in the next week. Here are a few of the latest rumblings related to free agency:

  • Danny Ainge expects the Celtics to add a free agent big man soon, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (Twitter link).
  • After the Heat opened up a roster spot by trading Dexter Pittman today, Miami re-emerged as a potential destination for Greg Oden, as agent Mike Conley tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida. "We're going to get him down there for a visit," Conley said of Miami.
  • Tomasson adds within the same piece that free agent big man Louis Amundson would "love" an opportunity to sign with the Heat.
  • The Cavaliers are still kicking the tires on Oden as well, and have had him in for a couple visits, GM Chris Grant told reporters today (Twitter link via Bob Finnan of the News-Herald).
  • Now that the Jazz can no longer trade Raja Bell, the club may revisit a buyout. If the two sides reach an agreement, the Lakers would have interest in signing Bell, reports Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter).
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Grizzlies Acquire Dexter Pittman From Heat

February 21st, 2013 at 2:54pm CST by Luke Adams

2:54pm: The Heat have confirmed in a press release that they've sent Pittman to Memphis. The Grizzlies also received cash considerations from the Heat, according to the release.

12:48pm: The Grizzlies and Heat have agreed to a deal that will send Dexter Pittman and a second-round pick to Memphis, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com reports that the Heat will acquire the rights to Ricky Sanchez, who is currently playing in Argentina, in the trade (Twitter link). Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal first reported that the two sides were in serious talks about a swap.

For the Grizzlies, Pittman represents another piece of frontcourt depth off the bench. Memphis had been carrying just 12 players, and would have been required to add a 13th man in the very near future had the team not acquired a player via trade today. The team had intended to make use of one of its seven trade exceptions, but likely won't need to do so, since the third-year big man is making the minimum salary of $854,389.

From Miami's perspective, the trade allows the club to open a roster spot for a potential free agent addition later in the season. According to Windhorst (via Twitter), the Heat have kept in touch with Kenyon Martin, but will likely wait until March to explore all their options.

Moving Pittman also reduces the Heat's tax bill slightly, and the cost to do so wasn't exactly exorbitant — Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports reports (via Twitter) that the second-rounder is Miami's 2013 pick, which is currently projected to be 59th overall, as our projected draft order indicates.

I would assume that Sanchez, who was drafted by the Trail Blazers in 2005, will never see the floor for the Heat. The Grizzlies simply had to include a piece in the deal so that they weren't acquiring Pittman and a pick for nothing. Miami will also obtain a trade exception worth $854,389 (Pittman's salary) in the move.

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Grizzlies In Serious Talks To Acquire Pittman

February 21st, 2013 at 12:43pm CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies are in serious talks with the Heat to acquire big man Dexter Pittman, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link). The proposed deal would see the Grizzlies land Pittman and a second-round pick using one of their seven trade exceptions.

Because Pittman is only making a minimum salary ($854,389) this season, the Grizzlies could use one of their smaller exceptions to absorb his contract, rather than using a chunk of their $7.49MM TPE from the Rudy Gay trade. From Miami's perspective, the team could clear a roster spot and save some money on its luxury-tax bill.

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