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Offseason In Review: Indiana Pacers

October 14th, 2016 at 5:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Over the next several weeks, Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the 2016 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 2016/17 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Indiana Pacers.

Free agent signings:

Camp invitees:

Trades:

Draft picks:

  • 2-50: Georges Niang. Signed for three years, $2.606MM. Second year partially guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Check out our salary cap snapshot for the Indiana Pacers right here.

NBA: Indiana Pacers-Media DayFew teams in the Eastern Conference did more to to alter their makeup than the Pacers this past offseason. Not only did the franchise change head coaches, it also shuffled nearly half of its roster from the 2015/16 campaign. Indiana should be more competitive this season, but the team still has a number of roster needs and it remains to be seen just how well and how quickly all the new faces can gel on the court.

Team president Larry Bird dismissed former head coach Frank Vogel after the team lost its first round playoff series against the Raptors. The Pacers went 250-181 in parts of six seasons under Vogel, who inherited the head coaching job when the Pacers parted ways with Jim O’Brien in January of 2011. That record doesn’t include his postseason mark of 31-30, with Indiana making back-to-back conference finals under Vogel in 2013 and 2014. Bird’s reasoning for the move was that he wanted more scoring and that his expectations for the Pacers this past season were higher than most. It appeared that a philosophical difference had emerged in 2015/16 when Bird spoke of his desire for more of an up-tempo attack versus Vogel’s fondness for a traditional lineup with two big men.

If Bird thought it was time to make a change and that Vogel wasn’t the coach to take the team to the next level, then not signing him to a new contract makes sense. What doesn’t necessarily make sense to me is replacing him with assistant coach Nate McMillan. I’m not knocking McMillan as a coach, his career regular season record of 478-452 is solid, though he hasn’t enjoyed much postseason success, owning a career playoff record of 14-20. But McMillan doesn’t fit the bill as the up-tempo offensive coach that Bird stated he desired.

McMillan’s squads when he was leading Seattle and Portland were solid offensively, but never averaged over 99 points per game. Plus, his teams didn’t necessarily kill it on the defense side either. In four out of the ten seasons he was head coach, his teams were ranked 25th or lower in the league defensively. Under Vogel, Indiana never finished worse than ninth in defensive efficiency, while topping the NBA twice. While promoting McMillan fosters some sense of continuity, it appears to be change merely for the sake of change, instead of taking the team in a new, and potentially more exciting, direction.

The team’s biggest roster move, and perhaps the riskiest, was the three-way trade that sent George Hill to Utah in exchange for Jeff Teague. Hill is a solid defender and rebounder as well as an excellent three-point shooter, which is an area the team was already weak in. Teague is two-years younger than Hill and a better passer and shot-creator, but he’s not a tremendous upgrade at the point guard spot. He’d be a more effective addition if the Pacers had better three-point shooters who could benefit from Teague’s skillset. The pair’s stat lines from last season were similar, with Hill averaging 12.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 3.5APG to go along with a shooting line of .441/.408/.760 versus Teague’s numbers of 15.7 PPG, 2.7 RPG and 5.9APG with a slash line of .439/.400/.837. Teague said back in June that he played the 2015/16 season with a torn patellar tendon in his knee, so an increase in his numbers this year may be in order. He’s also in the final year of his deal, so he may also boost his performance playing for his next payday.

Bird swung another trade on draft night, landing Thaddeus Young from the Nets in exchange for the No. 20 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, which Brooklyn used to select Caris LeVert. While I have mixed feelings about the Teague/Hill swap, I think this deal was a wise one for Indiana. With the team hoping to contend immediately, there wasn’t a player who was going to be available at its draft slot who who be able to contribute anything significant this season. Young enjoyed a solid campaign for Brooklyn last year, averaging 15.1 PPG, 9.0 RPG and 1.9 APG while connecting on 51.4% of his shots overall. However, Young’s 23.3% shooting from beyond the arc was well below his career average of 31.9%. With the Pacers desperately in need of floor-spacers who can connect from deep, the 28-year-old isn’t the answer in that area. He’s under contract for two more seasons after this one, including a player option for 2018/19, so Bird and company better hope Young can provide a spark in other ways. Regardless, I still believe it was a solid move overall.

Indiana also did some significant offseason shuffling at the center position. Gone is Ian Mahinmi and Jordan Hill, with Bird replacing them with Al Jefferson and Kevin Seraphin. It’s hard to knock adding a veteran of Jefferson’s caliber to the bench, but both he and Seraphin are injury risks. Jefferson only managed 47 games for the Hornets a season ago and 65 the previous campaign, while Seraphin notched just 48 appearances for the Knicks in 2015/16, plus, has managed to stay healthy for just two out of his six seasons in the league. Coupled with intended starter Myles Turner, who missed 22 games during his rookie campaign, things could get ugly in the middle real quick for the Pacers this season, barring each player bucking the odds and their injury track records. Plus, I firmly believe that Mahinmi’s defense and spark will be sorely missed in Indiana this season.

If Turner can remain healthy, the franchise has a budding star and solid building block for the future. I’m a big fan of the 20-year-old’s game, which fits in perfectly with the direction the league is headed. The rookie really came on strong las the 2015/16 season progressed, averaging 10.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in just 22.8 minutes per outing. I expect Turner to improve upon his 21.4% shooting from three-point range this season, which is something the team desperately needs from him. The addition of Jefferson will also be huge for Turner’s development, and hopefully the veteran’s work ethic and professionalism will rub off on the younger player.

Of course, the Pacers’ chances this season rest firmly on the shoulders of swingman Paul George, who is eligible to sign a contract extension prior to this month’s deadline. Bird has gone on record stating that he is ready to give George a a max extension if the player is interested. “I know he don’t want to talk about it all year and I don’t either,” Bird said in September. “We want Paul here and we know what it’s going to cost and what it’s going to take. If Paul wants to get a deal done, we will. It’s a max deal. There’s no others, so there’s no use talking about it. If he wants it, he’s got it.”

While an extension on its own might not appeal to George given the free agent money available thanks to the rise in the salary cap, the Pacers should have the cap room necessary to renegotiate his deal in addition to extending it. That means Indiana could increase George’s salaries to the maximum for the next three years, and then tack another max-salary year on for the 2019/20 league year. On the other hand, signing an extension this year would prevent George from potentially exploring the free agent market in 2018, when he can opt out of his current contract. It would also lock him into a max salary for players with six years of NBA experience or less — if he waits one more year, he would get the max for players with seven to nine years of experience, which is worth 30% of the salary cap instead of 25%. Teague is also eligible to sign an extension, but my guess is that the team will wait to see how he gels in Indiana before it commits major dollars to him.

The Pacers will certainly have a different look when they take the court this season, though, I’m not sold that they will be a significantly better squad than a season ago. My gut tells me that the team will struggle out of the gate as the new players attempt to get comfortable with one another on the court. Injuries could also play a huge factor, especially among the big men, which could sink the franchise’s campaign if it is hit hard in that area. Bird needs to be active on the trade market prior to February’s deadline, as the team still needs shooters and depth at point guard and center. I still believe the Pacers have enough talent to make the playoffs as currently constituted, but not enough to make much noise when they get there.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Offseason In Review: Detroit Pistons

October 13th, 2016 at 9:12pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Over the next several weeks, Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the 2016 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 2016/17 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Detroit Pistons.

Free agent signings:

Camp invitees:

Trades:

Draft picks:

  • 1-18: Henry Ellenson. Signed to rookie contract.
  • 2-49: Michael Gbinije. Signed for three years, $2.606MM. Second year partially guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Check out our salary cap snapshot for the Detroit Pistons right here.

NBA: Detroit Pistons-Media Day

When Stan Van Gundy evaluated the Pistons organization after becoming their head coach and president of basketball operations, one of his first orders of business was to beef up the scouting staff. That wasn’t limited to college and international scouting. He wanted scouts closely monitoring every NBA game and identifying players who could fill a need on his club.

That decision has led to a nearly complete overhaul of the roster, with only two players — center Andre Drummond and starting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — surviving the purge. They added two starters during the last two trade deadlines, acquiring point guard Reggie Jackson from the Thunder and combo forward Tobias Harris from the Magic.

Armed with the evaluations from their scouts, Van Gundy and GM Jeff Bower drew up a shopping list this offseason that included three major items. They wanted a bigger power forward, a backup point guard and a third center who could eventually play a larger role.

Ideally, they would have checked off boxes 1 and 3 with the same player. They were one of a handful of clubs who landed a meeting with coveted free agent Al Horford. The Pistons felt Horford’s defensive versatility and shooting range would complement Drummond’s interior prowess. Alas, Horford opted to go to a club he felt was closer to championship contender and signed with the Celtics.

In the meantime, the Pistons quickly landed one of the point men they coveted in Ish Smith. He was one of three point guards, along with former Piston D.J. Augustin and Ramon Sessions, on the wish list. Detroit’s offense stalled the second half of last season when aging Steve Blake entered the game for Jackson. The Pistons included Brandon Jennings in the Harris deal, leaving them thin at point guard.

According to the Pistons’ analytics, Smith is one of the top pick-and-roll point guards in the league. Detroit relies heavily on pick-and-rolls, making him an ideal backup to Jackson. Smith will have an even bigger role at the start of the season, replacing Jackson in the lineup while Jackson recovers from knee tendinitis and a thumb injury.

“What you want with all of your backups, one of the things you ask is can those guys start,” Van Gundy said. “You can’t look at somebody and say he’s OK as a 16-, 18-minute a game guy because it can quickly become more than that. The fact he has that experience and did well (with the Sixers last season), yeah, that’s a big thing.”

The Pistons surprised some people by handing journeymen Jon Leuer a rich four-year, $41MM deal but they view him as a rotation player who can back up Harris and also play center in smaller lineups. Leuer not only provides more size that last year’s backup, Anthony Tolliver, he’s also more brings more offensive versatility than Tolliver, who was mainly a 3-point shooter.

When Horford struck the Pistons off his list, the deal with Leuer was finalized.

“Once Al made his decision, it was, ‘OK, let’s figure out how we can get this done,’ ” Leuer said. “We actually came to an agreement before he even landed, so it was more of a celebratory lunch than a meeting.”

Detroit went big, really big, to secure the final item on their shopping list. They structured a three-year offer sheet to restricted free agent Boban Marjanovic that they knew the Spurs would almost certainly not match. The 7’3” Marjanovic doesn’t have the agility defensively to play heavy minutes but can be a matchup nightmare for opponents because of his low-post skills. He also provides insurance in case second-string center Aron Baynes opts out of his contract after this season.

Another under-the-radar signing that could pay some dividends was handing Ray McCallum a non-guaranteed contract. McCallum could back up Smith the first month of the season if he wins a preseason battle with fellow point man Lorenzo Brown for a roster spot.

Prior to all those moves, the Pistons were pleased how the draft unfolded. Outside the lottery for a change, the Pistons weren’t expecting to get an immediate contributor at pick No. 18. They did get a pleasant surprise when power forward Henry Ellenson fell into their lap.

Van Gundy was so sure that Ellenson wouldn’t be available at their pick that he barely watched any film on the Marquette University product. The Big East Rookie of the Year will spend this season developing but could push for a rotation spot as early as next season.

The only other order of business this preseason is whether to sign Caldwell-Pope to a rookie-scale extension. There has been no signs in camp thus far that they’re close to an agreement.

If the Pistons had somehow convinced Horford to come their way, they could have been lumped among the next tier of Eastern Conference teams behind the Cavaliers. With the help of those scouts, the Pistons did add much-needed depth by signing some unheralded free agents. Whether that’s enough to get them past the first round of the playoffs this season remains a big question mark.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of Raj Mehta (USA Today Sports Images).

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Offseason In Review: Chicago Bulls

October 12th, 2016 at 8:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

Over the next several weeks, Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the 2016 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 2016/17 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Chicago Bulls.

Free agent signings:

  • Dwyane Wade: Two years, $47MM. Second year player option.
  • Rajon Rondo: Two years, $27.397MM. Second year partially guaranteed.
  • Isaiah Canaan: Two years, minimum salary. Second year partially guaranteed.

Camp invitees:

Trades:

Draft picks:

  • 1-14: Denzel Valentine. Signed to rookie contract.
  • 2-48: Paul Zipser. Signed for four years, $3.832MM. Third year non-guaranteed. Fourth year team option.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Check out our salary cap snapshot for the Chicago Bulls right here.

"OctThe Bulls shook up the league several times this summer. Now we’ll see if they can do it once the season begins.

The most shocking move, of course, was the one that brought Dwyane Wade home to Chicago. A legend in Miami and an indispensable part of that city’s sports foundation, Wade found his relationship with the Heat front office souring for financial reasons. For years, Wade played for less than his market value to give the team enough cap room to add LeBron James and Chris Bosh. But he grew increasingly frustrated with a franchise that was willing to give a maximum contract to Hassan Whiteside, but not to him.

So Wade began shopping his services around the league. The move was widely dismissed as a negotiating ploy — until July 6th, when the 13-year veteran announced that he was taking his talents to Chicago. Wade, whose cousin was killed in August by stray gunfire in the city, said basketball was only part of his motivation for wanting to return to his childhood home.

“Now I’m back in the city of Chicago — I’m back for a reason,” he said. “I played 13 years in Miami. Now I’m back in the city, let me see what I can do as one person to help lend my voice and help shed light on the tragedy that’s going on and find a solution to start the process of making change.”

Before Wade was in their plans, the Bulls made headlines with a blockbuster deal in June, sending former MVP Derrick Rose and Justin Holiday to the Knicks in a trade that brought back Robin Lopez, Jerian Grant and Jose Calderon. Many factors led to the decision to part with Rose, but among them were an injury-plagued past, his impending free agency next summer and an uncomfortable fit with backcourt partner Jimmy Butler.

The Bulls filled the void at point guard by signing free agent Rajon Rondo, last season’s league leader in assists, to a two-year contract worth $28MM. After agreeing to the deal, Rondo called the Bulls a “great organization with pieces around me that I’m excited about.”

Nearly as significant were the moves that the Bulls didn’t make. They held onto Butler despite aggressive attempts by the Timberwolves and Celtics to swing a deal on draft night. The franchise also kept coach Fred Hoiberg, who many thought was on the hot seat after missing the playoffs and being the target of a much-discussed locker room rant by Butler.

But Hoiberg can’t feel too safe as he tries to reconstruct a team that was hit hard by free agent losses. Starting center Joakim Noah, whose season was cut short by a separated shoulder in January, accepted a four-year, $72MM offer to join Rose in New York. Fellow big man Pau Gasol headed to San Antonio for $30MM over two seasons.

Lopez will take over at center, with Nikola Mirotic as the likely starter at power forward because of his 3-point range. Taj Gibson, Bobby Portis and Cristiano Felicio will all be in the mix for playing time. Gibson represents the Bulls’ next major roster decision, as he is eligible to receive a veteran’s extension. He averaged 8.6 points and 6.9 rebounds in 73 games last season, but enters the final year of his contract making just $8.95MM. He could be looking at a substantial raise in free agency if the Bulls don’t re-sign him. Fourth-year swingman Tony Snell, who averaged 5.3 points in 64 games a year ago, is eligible for a rookie-scale extension through the end of October.

Chicago passed up a chance to move up in the draft in a potential Butler deal and settled for its own 14th pick, which it used on Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine. The 6’6″ shooting guard will help make up for the loss of Mike Dunleavy Jr., who was traded to Cleveland to help clear cap space for the Wade signing. With their second-round selection, the Bulls took 6’8″ German swingman Paul Zipser, who seems like a good bet to make the team after getting two guaranteed seasons on his rookie contract.

With just seven players in camp who were on the roster when last season ended, continuity will be a major issue for Chicago. Another will be outside shooting, which neither Butler, Wade or Rondo particularly excels at. Hoiberg promised that floor spacing would be an important part of his coaching philosophy when he accepted the job in June of 2015, but he didn’t have the shooters to make that work last season and this year’s group might be even worse.

It’s up to Chicago’s new version of a Big Three to prove that their unique skills can be effective against defenses that don’t have to worry much about guarding the 3-point line. If they can, it will be a happy homecoming for Wade and a return to the playoffs for the Bulls. If not, it could mean another shakeup in midseason and an early exit for Hoiberg.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Offseason In Review: Milwaukee Bucks

October 11th, 2016 at 6:17pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Over the next several weeks, Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the 2016 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 2016/17 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Milwaukee Bucks.

Free agent signings:

Camp invitees:

Extensions:

Trades:

Draft picks:

  • 1-10: Thon Maker. Signed to rookie contract.
  • 2-36: Malcolm Brogdon. Signed for three years, $2.99MM. Third year non-guaranteed.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Check out our salary cap snapshot for the Milwaukee Bucks right here.

Olympics: Basketball-Men's Team-Bronze medal match -AUS vs ESPAfter taking two huge steps forward in 2014/15, going from 15 wins to 41 and a surprising playoff berth, the Bucks took a step back last season, dropping to 33 wins and the draft lottery. After an offseason that saw the team add a number of veterans to its youthful core, Milwaukee hopes to return to the playoffs and continue to progress as a franchise.

It’s certainly debatable whether or not the team did enough to ensure that result, with the Bucks’ largest external signing being former Cavs backup point guard Matthew Dellavedova, who received a four-year, $38.43MM pact via a sign-and-trade deal with Cleveland. I’m not knocking Dellavedova, whose grit and hustle are a valuable commodity. But I’m not sold that he’s a significant upgrade over Jerryd Bayless, who signed with the Sixers as an unrestricted free agent this summer.

The duo’s stat lines were similar in 2015/16, with Bayless posting averages of 10.4 PPG, 2.7 RPG and 3.1 APG to accompany a shooting line of .423/.437/.778 and Dellavedova putting up 7.5 PPG, 2.1 RPG and 4.4 APG to go along with a slash line of .405/.410/.864. The Australian is more of a spark provider than Bayless, but his addition doesn’t quite move the needle enough for Milwaukee for him to be considered a true game-changer this season.

The offseason signing that may help the Bucks the most was the addition of forward Mirza Teletovic, whose outside shooting will be a major benefit to the team, given its weakness from beyond the arc last season. While I think that a three-year deal worth $10.5MM per season is a huge risk given Teletovic’s injury history and age, he provides coach Jason Kidd with a true stretch-four to deploy on a nightly basis. The 31-year-old has averaged just 61 contests per campaign since arriving in the NBA, though he did manage 79 appearances a season ago, averaging 12.2 PPG and draining 39.3% of this three-pointers.

Milwaukee also added veterans Jason Terry ans Steve Novak on one-year, minimum salary deals to provide leadership and bench production. At this point in his career, the 39-year-old Terry is more valuable as a leader and locker room presence than on the court. Though, the Jet still likely has a few big shots left in him before calling it a career. As for Novak, he’s still one of the deadliest three-point shooters in the game (43.1% for his career), but his extremely limited skillset makes him difficult to keep on the court for significant stretches.

The Bucks made a significant financial commitment to restricted free agent Miles Plumlee, re-signing him to a four-year, $50MM pact. This move was a bit puzzling to me given Plumlee’s extremely modest career numbers of 5.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 0.9 BPG. With the addition of Teletovic and Thon Maker (No. 10 overall pick), plus the continued presence of Greg Monroe (more on him in a bit) and John Henson, I don’t quite get GM John Hammond‘s reasoning at re-signing Plumlee. He’s more of a traditional big man in a league that is moving further away from that model with each passing season. All told, the Bucks committed a total of $119.53MM in guaranteed salary to Teletovic, Dellavedova and Plumlee — none of whom are considered franchise players. This is an offseason that may come back to haunt the franchise in the coming seasons.

In addition to gambling in free agency, the Bucks did so on draft night as well by selecting Maker in the top-10. The team hopes that Maker will turn out to be a steal at that spot given his potential and upside, but the rail-thin big man is a major project and there were questions leading up to the draft as to whether or not he misrepresented his age. If Maker is truly 19, and not 21-23 years old as some scouts and executives speculated, he may end up being worth the risk. But with the team’s needs in the backcourt and on the wing, there were a number of prospects available at that slot who I believe could have helped the Bucks far more than Maker will in the near future.

As for Monroe, who has a player option for 2017/18 worth $17,884,176, the Bucks are still reportedly trying to find a taker for the big man’s services. Contrary to popular opinion, Monroe didn’t have a bad 2015/16 season, his first in Milwaukee, averaging 15.3 PPG and 8.8 RPG and shooting 52.2% from the field overall. But he was a bad fit for the Bucks’ roster, with his defense not being up to par and his lack of athleticism not meshing well with the style of play Kidd desires. The best thing for all parties involved would be for the team to find a taker for Monroe sooner, rather than later. The 26-year-old has been mentioned in trade rumors connected with the Hornets and Kings recently, as well as with the Pelicans earlier in the offseason.

Another player who appears to be a poor fit and is also reportedly on the trading block is point guard Michael Carter-Williams. Despite a recent endorsement from Kidd, the former Rookie of the Year was reportedly offered to the Kings in exchange for Ben McLemore, as Milwaukee struggles to fill the major void left by the devastating injury to Khris Middleton, who is expected to miss at least six months of action. Hammond’s September trade with the Rockets to land Michael Beasley isn’t likely the answer to mitigate the loss of Middleton, so Monroe and MCW remain the team’s two likeliest assets to be moved in any future swaps to address its hole at the wing.

While I’ve been critical of a number of the Bucks’ offseason moves, there is no way I can find any fault with the team inking superstar-in-waiting, Giannis Antetokounmpo to a four year, $100MM rookie scale extension. The Greek Freak is indeed the future of the franchise and locking him up through 2020/2021 at less than the projected maximum is a coup on Hammond’s part. The only worry I have regarding Antetokounpo is that his tremendous positional versatility will stunt his development. If Milwaukee continually shifts him around, it will make it difficult to focus and perfect his skills as he continually has to adjust to new challenges and position requirements. But it is a good problem to have, as the team will be able to structure its roster around him without worrying if he’ll still be a member of the team for the next four plus seasons.

Despite making some questionable expenditures this offseason, the Bucks have a number of solid building blocks along with a bona fide star in Antetokounmpo as they head into the future. The franchise would be best served to swing deals for MCW and Monroe in order to remove the distraction that near-constant trade rumors regarding the duo will bring. Plus, it would hopefully provide better balance to the roster. The injury to Middleton likely squashed any chance the Bucks had to make some noise in the Eastern Conference this season, which is unfortunate for all involved. If a number of the team’s younger players can step-up, playing .500 ball is a possibility in 2016/17.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Offseason In Review: Portland Trail Blazers

October 10th, 2016 at 6:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Over the next several weeks, Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the 2016 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 2016/17 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Portland Trail Blazers.

Free agent signings:

Camp invitees:

Extensions:

  • C.J. McCollum: Four years, $106.633MM. Rookie scale extension. Goes into effect in 2017/18.

Trades:

  • Acquired the draft rights to Jake Layman (No. 47 pick) from the Magic in exchange for the Blazers’ own 2019 second-round pick and cash ($1.2MM).
  • Acquired Shabazz Napier from the Magic in exchange for cash ($75K).

Draft picks:

  • 2-47: Jake Layman. Signed for three years, $2.556MM. Third year non-guaranteed.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Check out our salary cap snapshot for the Portland Trail Blazers right here.

"<strongThe Trail Blazers entered the summer with plans to throw big money at free agents. And that’s what they did, even though it didn’t get them any of their top choices.

Portland offered a max contract to Chandler Parsons and pursued both Hassan Whiteside and Pau Gasol before they all signed elsewhere. Spurned by their first targets, the Blazers used their ample cap space to give Evan Turner $70MM over four years and Festus Ezeli more than $15MM for two years. They also matched Brooklyn’s shocking four-year, $74.833MM offer to Allen Crabbe and handed out nice raises to Meyers Leonard and Maurice Harkless.

All those players should be part of this season’s rotation for Portland, which was one of the surprise teams of 2015/16. After losing 80% of their starting roster from the previous year, the Blazers scratched out 44 regular season wins, finished fifth in the West and surprised the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs.

Portland’s most significant move of the summer may have been the four-year rookie scale extension the team gave to C.J. McCollum, who was the NBA’s Most Improved Player last season. After Wesley Matthews left for Dallas, McCollum took full advantage of the chance to become a starter in his third NBA season, raising his scoring average from 6.8 to 20.8 points per game.

McCollum teams with Damian Lillard to form a young, dynamic backcourt that is the foundation of Portland’s continued success. The addition of Turner, who averaged 10.0 points and 5.0 assists during his two years in Boston, gives the Blazers another guard who can handle the ball, which allows Lillard more leeway to be used as a spot-up shooter.

On the wing, Crabbe will face pressure to justify his gigantic new contract. He emerged as a key reserve for the Blazers in his third NBA season, averaging 10.3 points and 2.7 rebounds in 81 games, but he must guard against letting the high salary influence the way he plays. Crabbe and Turner will compete for minutes with Maurice Harkless, who became a starter late last season and into the playoffs. The Blazers thought enough of Harkless’ contributions to re-sign him for $40MM over four years.

The battle for playing time is even more muddled up front as Ezeli was brought in to join a crowded group that includes Ed Davis, Al-Farouq Aminu and Mason Plumlee, along with Leonard, who re-signed for four years at $41MM. However, Ezeli may not be available for a while because of soreness in his left knee. He received an injection of bone marrow aspirate concentrate on August 23rd and was projected to be out of action for six weeks. But that time frame has passed and he still hasn’t been able to take the court. The Blazers won’t take a major financial hit if he’s out for a long time because of his low signing price and because they own a team option on the second season of his deal, but the team could use his skills as a rim protector.

For now, that job falls solely to Plumlee, who averaged a block per game last season. The Blazers are facing a major decision on the fourth-year center, who is eligible for a rookie contract extension through the end of the month. Plumlee started all 82 games last year and averaged 9.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per night in his first season in Portland after being acquired in a trade with Brooklyn.

The Blazers would like to see more offensive production out of Plumlee, who says he spent all summer working on his shot. It may give him the confidence to shoot more than the 6.3 times per game he averaged last season. “He was important to us last year,” said head coach Terry Stotts. “His ability to be a playmaker will not be diminished. You can’t have too many playmakers on the court. The more guys that can dribble, pass and shoot, it just makes you a better team offensively.”

It seems a good bet that the Portland front office will work out an extension with Plumlee, whether it happens this month or next summer.

The Blazers were relatively quiet on draft night, with their first-rounder going to Denver as part of the 2015 Arron Afflalo trade. Portland swung a deal with the Magic, acquiring No. 47 pick Jake Layman in exchange for a 2019 second-round pick and cash. The former Maryland small forward may see a lot of time in the D-League this season. In addition, point guard Shabazz Napier was acquired from Orlando in July in exchange for cash considerations.

Portland enters 2016/17 with a lot more roster certainty than it had a year ago. All the elements that made the Blazers successful last season are still in place, and the addition of Turner will give Stotts much more flexibility in devising lineup combinations. Portland may have missed out on its primary targets this offseason, but it still has enough talent in place to be a major player in the West for years to come.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Offseason In Review: Minnesota Timberwolves

October 9th, 2016 at 7:59pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Over the next several weeks, Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the 2016 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 2016/17 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Free agent signings:

Camp invitees:

Trades:

  • None

Draft picks:

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Check out our salary cap snapshot for the Minnesota Timberwolves right here.

The Timberwolves haven’t made the playoffs since 2004, but newly appointed president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau isn’t looking to cut corners to get back to the postseason. This team is full of young, promising players and the coach/executive decided not to speed up the process by sacrificing valuable assets in order to acquire veterans whom can help him win now. Instead, he’s going to take some time to evaluate the team’s talent and let the core grow together. NBA: Minnesota Timberwolves at Miami Heat

The Wolves flirted with acquiring Jimmy Butler this summer. The Bulls were reportedly asking for the No. 5 pick and young prospects, such as Andrew Wiggins or Zach LaVine, for their All-Star forward. Butler would dramatically help the Wolves in the win column this season, but Wiggins has the potential to be a perennial All-Star and trading him at such a young age could lead to regrets down the road.

The predicament of whether or not to trade Wiggins is reminiscent of Golden State’s decision to hang onto Klay Thompson back in 2014. While many NBA fans, observers and experts believed the Warriors should move the shooting guard for Kevin Love, the organization was split on the decision and ended up keeping Thompson. Having won 140 regular-season games and a world championship in the two years since, the Warriors are thrilled they decided against going with the sure thing at the time. Thibodeau, who spent part of his year off shadowing Steve Kerr and the Warriors, surely took notice.

Upon arrival in Minnesota, Thibodeau’s mission was to familiarize himself with the roster, so that he wouldn’t make a major mistake as a first-time executive. “I liked the core of the team. I want to get to know them better,” Thibs said recently. “I’m going to focus on the players we have. That gives me a better idea of what our needs are. It’s like building a house. We’re still working on the foundation.” Instead of dealing for Butler, Thibodeau used the No. 5 overall pick to draft Kris Dunn, a player with four years of college experience under his belt.

Dunn impressed during summer league and was voted the player most likely to win the Rookie Of The Year award by his peers. That poll was conducted prior to Ben Simmons‘ foot injury, which threatens to keep the No. 1 pick sidelined for the year, so Dunn has an even clearer path to winning the award than originally believed. If he takes home the hardware, it would be Minnesota’s third consecutive Rookie of the Year recipient, which is a feat no other NBA franchise has achieved.

Dunn’s development will surely factor into Ricky Rubio‘s future with the team. Rubio is the starter here, but Thibs will likely play both point guards in the backcourt together for stretches. That may work initially, but as LaVine and Dunn progress, they’re going to demand a larger share of the minutes, leaving Rubio with less playing time than he’s accustomed to seeing.

Rubio is only 25 years old — he’s just entering his prime and he’ll undoubtedly want to remain a starter throughout it. Although Rubio’s defensive skills fit nicely in Thibodeau’s scheme, Dunn projects to be a better all-around player and will likely take that starting spot should he reach his potential. With three years remaining on Rubio’s deal, the Wolves had no real urgency to move the Spanish point guard this offseason. Still, it would be very surprising if he finishes out his contract in Minnesota.

The team said goodbye to Kevin Garnett this offseason after reaching a buyout agreement with the future Hall of Famer. Minnesota will certainly miss his presence in the locker room, but the club did add a few veterans during the 2016 free agent period. The additions of Jordan Hill and Cole Aldrich will give the T-Wolves depth in the paint. With Nikola Pekovic out for the season, both players should see playing time.

Brandon Rush could be the team’s most important free agent acquisition. Minnesota was 29th in the league in three-pointers made and attempted last season. Rush has made 40.3% of his long-distance shots during his career and will help the team improve on those figures. Having viable three-point shooters is key to floor spacing, and Rush’s presence on the court will help open up lanes for Wiggins and the rest of the team’s slashers.

The Wolves didn’t hit any home runs this offseason. When you have a transcendent talent like Karl-Anthony Towns, it’s natural to try to take massive steps toward winning games. Just look at what the Pelicans did upon landed Anthony Davis — New Orleans traded three of its first-round selections for veterans in the ensuing years, hoping those moves would translate to perennial playoff appearances as Davis developed. The franchise has earned a postseason spot just once — and hasn’t made it to the second round — since drafting The Brow.

Conversely, the Wolves remain patient. They’re not necessarily aiming for playoff appearances in the short term; they recognize that they’re destined for Finals appearances. Short-term thinking brings short-term results and with a core of Towns, Wiggins and Dunn, it’s clear Minnesota had the future in mind this offseason.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Offseason In Review: Oklahoma City Thunder

October 8th, 2016 at 2:41pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Over the next several weeks, Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the 2016 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 2016/17 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Free agent signings:

Draft-and-stash signings:

  • Alex Abrines: Three years, $17.175MM.
  • Semaj Christon: Three years, minimum salary. First year partially guaranteed. Second and third years non-guaranteed.

Camp invitees:

Contract extensions:

  • Russell Westbrook: Three years, $85.741MM. Third year player option. Extension gave him a raise to the maximum salary for 2016/17, added an extra guaranteed season to his contract, and pushed his player option back by one year.

Trades:

Draft picks:

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Check out our salary cap snapshot for the Oklahoma City Thunder right here.

NBA: Playoffs-Golden State Warriors at Oklahoma City ThunderIt is difficult to argue that any team in the NBA had a worse start to its offseason that the Thunder, who lost future Hall-of-Famer Kevin Durant to a conference rival via free agency. While KD’s defection to the Warriors is likely to sting for a number of years, things are not as bleak as they may seem for fans of the team. A number of moves by GM Sam Presti over the summer have made the team younger and set up the franchise for a solid future and interesting campaign ahead.

The biggest external move by the Thunder this offseason was made with the intent to make OKC’s roster more desirable for Durant to re-sign with the team. I’m referring to the draft day trade that shipped out power forward Serge Ibaka to Orlando in exchange for combo guard Victor Oladipo, big man Ersan Ilyasova and the draft rights to No. 11 overall pick Domantas Sabonis. Despite not having the desired effect of keeping Durant in the fold, the swap should pay strong dividends for the franchise.

In Oladipo, the Thunder may have finally found a long-term answer for who they will pair in the backcourt alongside superstar Russell Westbrook. Since the ill-advised trade of James Harden back in 2012, one which I believe cost the franchise an NBA title, the team has struggled to find a suitable partner for Westbrook. The 24-year-old Oladipo, whose three-and-D game appears to be a perfect fit with the Thunder’s roster, has the opportunity to blossom into a star with Oklahoma City. His solid perimeter defense will be a boon with the plethora of mad-bombers out West, and his outside shooting should take pressure off of Westbrook and the team’s up-and-coming big men.

I won’t pretend that Ibaka won’t be missed, but the team should be able to weather his loss in aggregate with the solid depth it has in the frontcourt. The addition of Ilyasova will help, though he’s not close to being the defender that Ibaka is/was. Ilyasova can provide an offensive spark from deep, with the 29-year-old owning a 37% mark from beyond the three-point arc for his career. He’s in the last year of his current deal, so his addition is a low-risk, high-reward prospect for the Thunder. The Turkish big man will likely open the season as the starter at the four spot for OKC. The other benefit of shipping out Ibaka, who is an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, is that it will make the task of retaining Oladipo and center Steven Adams, both of whom are headed for restricted free agency next summer, a much easier task.

Landing Sabonis in the trade is icing on the cake for Presti. The rookie out of Gonzaga is one of the more polished players in this year’s draft class and while he may not make a noticeable impact on the court this season, Sabonis is a solid building block for the franchise moving forward. The 20-year-old averaged 17.6 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 61.1% from the field, including a mark of 35.7% from three-point range during the 2015/16 campaign. He is also an excellent passer, a strong rebounder and looks to be a prototypical stretch-four in the NBA. His defense will need work before he is to log significant minutes, but he’s a smart player who should figure it out sooner rather than later.

The Thunder obviously have an enormous hole to fill at small forward, and while Kyle Singler or Andre Roberson, are certainly not the long-term answers, draft-and-stash signee Alex Abrines, who inked a three-year, $17.175MM pact this summer, just might be. The 2013 second-rounder is off to a solid start to the preseason, connecting on four of his five three-point attempts. If he can continue to provide a scoring punch from deep, the Spaniard could become a vital player for the team, who badly need to step up their outside shooting from a season ago. Like any young player, he’ll be a liability on defense, which is another reason why the addition of Oladipo, not to mention the continued development of Adams, is vital to any potential success OKC hopes to have in 2016/17.

The most important move that the Thunder made over the summer was in signing Westbrook to a contract extension. The point guard would have been able to opt out of his deal after the 2016/17 campaign, but he’ll now be in the fold for at least through 2017/18. After the departure of Durant, losing Westbrook would have been beyond devastating for the franchise and its fanbase. Not only does it signal Westbrook’s commitment to the team, it also removes the potential season-long distraction that always accompanies a superstar headed for free agency from the locker room. The 27-year-old should be at the top of the MVP candidate list now that Durant is elsewhere and he’ll likely play this season with an enormous chip on his shoulder as he attempts to demonstrate that he, and the franchise, don’t need Durant around in order to be successful. Western Conference guards had better watch out for Russell this season! Another benefit to extending Westbrook is that the team will have a clearer picture of what it has to work with next offseason, which will help shape the front office’s plans more definitively.

While it would be rash not to classify 2016/17 as a rebuilding/transition season for the franchise, Oklahoma City should be a dangerous team to play on most nights. Health will play a major factor in determining whether or not the Thunder make the playoffs. The loss of Cameron Payne for an extended period of time doesn’t help matters, but as long as Westbrook and Oladipo can remain out of street clothes during games and produce, the team should give its fans plenty to root for. It will take some time to get over the loss of Durant, not just for the fans, but for the franchise as a whole. While I don’t necessarily expect OKC to contend for an NBA title this season, the franchise’s offseason re-tooling has it headed in the right direction.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Offseason In Review: Utah Jazz

October 6th, 2016 at 6:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Over the next several weeks, Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the 2016 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 2016/17 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Utah Jazz.

Free agent signings:

Camp invitees:

  • Eric Dawson: One year, minimum salary (summer contract)
  • Quincy Ford: Three years, minimum salary ($75K guaranteed)
  • Henry Sims: One year, minimum salary ($75K guaranteed)

Trades:

Draft picks:

  • 2-52: Joel Bolomboy. Signed for three years, $2.556MM. Second year partially guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed.
  • 2-55: Marcus Paige. Signed for two years, minimum salary. First year partially guaranteed. Second year non-guaranteed.
  • 2-60: Tyrone Wallace. Has not signed.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Check out our salary cap snapshot for the Utah Jazz right here.

The mantra around the Utah Jazz franchise this summer came down to these two words: Get older. While teams with aging rosters often spend their offseasons trying to acquire younger talent, the Jazz felt they needed to find playoff-tested veterans to fortify their youthful roster and rescue them from their cycle of mediocrity. The Jazz have won anywhere from 36 to 43 games in five of the last six seasons with only one playoff appearance during that span.Sep 26, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz center Boris Diaw (33) during Media Day at Zion Bank Basketball Center. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Enter the 30-something brigade. By the time the Jazz finished reshaping their roster, they had a trio of well-established, grizzled veterans to help guide the franchise to greater success — 35-year-old Joe Johnson, 34-year-old Boris Diaw and 30-year-old George Hill.

The first order of business, however, was to make a commitment to their coach. The Jazz have finished with a losing records during Quin Snyder’s first two seasons but the front office believes it has the right man patrolling the bench. Snyder agreed in May to a long-term extension, reportedly through the 2020/21 season. That not only gives him job security but also greater authority with the players, who know he’s going to be charge for awhile.

With that out of the way, the Jazz made a bold move on draft night, agreeing to ship their lottery pick to the Hawks and acquire Hill from the Pacers in a three-team deal. This filled a huge void for the Jazz, who were caught flat-footed when projected starting point guard Dante Exum tore his ACL and missed all of last season. Utah was stuck with the unimposing duo of disappointing lottery pick Trey Burke and Raul Neto running the show, until Shelvin Mack stabilized things to a degree after he was acquired from the Hawks in February.

Even so, Utah finished 28th in both points scored and assists. Hill should help move those numbers forward.

Hill was often used off the ball in Indiana last season as his PER fell from a career-high 21.52 to 13.22. While not a prototypical point man, Hill is a solid distributor, an above-average 3-point threat and an excellent defender with a large wingspan for a player his size. The Jazz couldn’t count on Exum coming all the way back from his knee injury and stepping right into the lineup. Ideally, Exum will eventually reclaim the starting role with Hill guiding the improved second unit.

As it turned out, Hill was the least experienced of the major acquisitions the Jazz made this offseason. They were quite busy in July, starting with the trade for Diaw. They dealt the rights to Olivier Hanlan to the Spurs for Diaw and a future second-rounder. Diaw has been a durable and consistent backup big man for a perennial contender over the past four seasons, appearing in at least 75 games each of those campaigns. He averaged 6.4 points and 3.1 rebounds in 18.2 minutes last season and gives the Jazz a quality backup to center Rudy Gobert, who missed 21 games last season due to injury.

The Jazz took a low-key approach to the free agent market, opting to preserve their cash with looming decisions on some of their top players. The only notable move they made was to sign Johnson to a two-year, $21.5MM deal. Johnson will have to transition to an unfamiliar role as a second-unit player. He has started every game in which he has appeared since the 2004/05 season, but he’ll primarily served as Gordon Hayward‘s backup at small forward. Johnson figures to be the No. 1 scoring option among the reserves and a mismatch for most second-unit forwards around the league.

With Hill in place, the Jazz had no need for Burke and they found a taker in the Wizards, who only needed to give up a future second-rounder for him. Mack made enough of an impression to have his modest $2.4MM salary guaranteed for this season.

There were some other housekeeping items, such as signing a couple of second-round picks to partial guarantees, but the Jazz still have up to $14.7MM in salary-cap space. That could give them flexibility to make some in-season moves, depending upon how it unfolds. They have also positioned themselves to restructure the contract of power forward Derrick Favors. An extension candidate as we detailed this summer, Favors is signed through next season. An extension agreement must be reached by the 19th of this month, if both sides opt to go in that direction.

The extension deadline for Gobert, who is still on his rookie contract, arrives at the end of the month. While Gobert has expressed an interest in signing an extension, there haven’t been any major rumbles that the sides are close to a deal. If the deadline passes, Gobert will become a restricted free agent next summer.

Perhaps the most intriguing issue is what the Jazz have in mind for Hayward. It’s a slam dunk that Hayward will opt out of the final year of his contract and enter the market next summer as an unrestricted free agent. If the Jazz have concerned about retaining Hayward, or if they are reluctant to commit a massive amount of money to him as their franchise player, he could be dealt. That’s an unlikely scenario, but if Utah underperforms during the first half of the season, it’s something the franchise would have to seriously consider.

On paper, the Jazz look like an improved team that should make the playoffs if their main cogs can stay healthy. They have better depth and leadership with the additions they have made, combined with a quality youthful core. With this roster, another finish around the .500 mark would be a disappointment.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of Russ Isabella / USA Today Sports Images.

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Offseason In Review: Denver Nuggets

October 5th, 2016 at 11:37am CST by Eddie Scarito

Over the next several weeks, Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the 2016 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 2016/17 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Denver Nuggets.

Free agent signings:

Camp invitees:

Trades:

  • Acquired cash ($730K) from the Thunder in exchange for the draft rights to Daniel Hamilton (No. 56 pick).
  • Acquired Thunder’s 2017 second-round pick (protected 31-35) and Grizzlies’ 2017 second-round pick (protected 31-35) from the Thunder in exchange for Joffrey Lauvergne.

Draft picks:

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Check out our salary cap snapshot for the Denver Nuggets right here.

NBA: Denver Nuggets-Media DayFor the third straight season the Nuggets missed out on making it to the playoffs, notching just 33 wins. But despite returning virtually the same squad from 2015/16, Denver is a franchise on the rise. The team has loads of young, talented players on its roster, as well as a coach in Michael Malone who appears to be a perfect fit for the organization. The Nuggets still lack a true star to build around, but their solid depth at key positions should allow them to swing a major trade if the opportunity presents itself.

Denver’s offseason was almost entirely centered around the NBA draft, with the team owning three top-20 picks in the first round. While possessing multiple draft picks doesn’t ensure success, it certainly appears that GM Tim Connelly knocked it out of the park with his choices, snagging Jamal Murray (No. 7), Juan Hernangomez (No. 15) and Malik Beasley (No. 19).

Murray is the true gem of the Nuggets’ newcomers, though it remains to be seen just how and when he’ll get an opportunity to play with Denver’s overcrowded backcourt. With Emmanuel Mudiay entrenched at the point and Gary Harris and Will Barton both likely to see significant minutes at shooting guard, Murray will have to fight his way onto the court, at least in the early part of the season. Murray does have the ability to play both point guard and shooting guard, which will help his cause, but he’ll likely split time with Jameer Nelson as Mudiay’s backup at the point to start the campaign. The Kentucky product does bring with him an extremely valuable skill — the ability to attack and finish at the rim, which was an area of weakness in the Mile High City a year ago. Murray is also a solid outside shooter, nailing approximately 40% of his three-point attempts during his lone season in Kentucky. If he develops as expected, he’s the type of talent who will force the team to make a trade in order to free up more minutes for him.

Hernangomez was considered a steal at No. 15 overall by a number of draft experts. The Spaniard fits the mold of a prototypical stretch-four, but he’ll likely take longer to develop than Murray will. That may be a good thing for the Nuggets, given the logjam they have in the frontcourt. It’s with players like Hernangomez that the Nuggets’ lack of a D-League affiliate becomes glaring, as that avenue would be extremely valuable to a franchise with this many young players and lack of sufficient developmental minutes to go around. Beasley, the team’s No. 19 overall selection will also suffer from the lack of a D-League squad, since his path to playing time is likely the most difficult of the trio of 2016 draftees.

The Nuggets had an opportunity to free up some minutes for its younger players this offseason, with the team reportedly having been offered a first-round pick from multiple teams in exchange for Barton. The former second-round pick enjoyed a breakout season off the bench for Denver last season, averaging 14.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 2.5 APG, and his contract represents one of the better bargains around — he’s set to earn just $3.533MM annually in each of the next two seasons. Barton has flourished since Denver acquired him from the Blazers during the 2014/15 campaign, but with a projected future backcourt of Mudiay and Murray, flipping him while his value is high may have been a wise move. While he remains an excellent asset in Denver’s coffers, he is potentially blocking the development of some of the team’s younger players. While another first-rounder in the 2016 draft wouldn’t have been appealing given the team’s already young roster, swapping him for a future pick or two may have been the better move for the long-term.

The team made just two moves on the free agent market, re-signing both Darrell Arthur and Mike Miller. Neither move is a game-changer for the franchise, with both players being more valuable for their experience and leadership than what they’ll provide on the court for the franchise. I like the return of Miller. He probably won’t see much action, but he should continue to serve as a solid mentor for the team’s young wings and can provide some solid outside shooting in small doses. The second year of Miller’s deal is non-guaranteed, so it’s a low risk signing that could provide numerous intangible benefits to the young club.

I’m not as bullish on retaining Arthur, given the team’s depth in the frontcourt. It may turn out to be a prudent move given the health issues both Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler have dealt with over the past few seasons. Kenneth Faried also only appeared in 67 contests last season. Still, locking the 28-year-old for three more seasons doesn’t thrill me given the team’s wealth of players and likelihood of having multiple first-rounders in the 2017 draft. The Nuggets will more than likely receive Memphis’ first round pick in 2017, which is top-five protected. Given its solid backcourt and pivot positional depth, it makes sense that Denver will look to add younger forwards in the near future.

Denver’s greatest need moving forward is to add a star player to the mix as well as to find the right spots for their current crop of players. While the team is extremely versatile, there are far too many players that don’t have an obvious and set position in the rotation. The team should focus this season on trying to swing a big trade by consolidating its depth and landing an All-Star caliber player. The trio of Faried, Chandler and Gallinari all have value around the league, and given their injury histories, Denver would be wise to gauge their trade worth and see what Connelly can do with them. A package of one or two of the trio, plus Barton and future draft picks should make for a solid starting point in negotiating with other teams at the February trade deadline.

The Nuggets are likely a season away from being a playoff team as it currently stands. Allowing for internal development alone, the franchise should be able to make some noise in the Western Conference in the near future. But superior depth will only take you so far, which is why it is vital for the team to do everything it can to add a star player to the mix. Come the postseason, it is the stars who help teams advance past the first round. But whatever direction the team eventually chooses to go with its roster, things are starting to come together in Denver and fans will have something to cheer about sooner rather than later.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Offseason In Review: Boston Celtics

October 4th, 2016 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Over the next several weeks, Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the 2016 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 2016/17 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Boston Celtics.

Free agent signings:

  • Al Horford: Five years, $113.326MM. Maximum salary contract. Fourth year player option.
  • Tyler Zeller: Two years, $16MM. Second year non-guaranteed.

Camp invitees:

Trades:

  • Acquired Clippers’ 2019 first-round pick (lottery-protected) from the Grizzlies in exchange for the draft rights to Deyonta Davis (No. 31 pick) and the draft rights to Rade Zagorac (No. 35 pick).

Draft picks:

  • 1-3: Jaylen Brown. Signed to rookie contract.
  • 1-16: Guerschon Yabusele. Will play overseas.
  • 1-23: Ante Zizic. Will play overseas.
  • 2-45: Demetrius Jackson. Signed for four years, $5.47MM. Second year partially guaranteed, third year non-guaranteed, fourth year team option.
  • 2-51: Ben Bentil. Signed for three years, minimum salary. First year partially guaranteed. Second and third years non-guaranteed.
  • 2-58: Abdel Nader. Agreed to play for Celtics’ D-League affiliate.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Check out our salary cap snapshot for the Boston Celtics right here.

Considering the Celtics didn’t have one particular player who was the subject of constant trade speculation this offseason, it’s hard to believe how many rumors swirled around the team as a whole. Boston didn’t have a disgruntled player, like Rudy Gay in Sacramento, or an incompatible duo at a certain position, like Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel in Philadelphia. Instead, the team had hoarded so many “assets” that it only made sense for general manager Danny Ainge to trade in a handful of those assets for one star player, the way Rockets GM Daryl Morey did several years ago when he used his stockpile of young players and picks to land James Harden.Al Horford vertical

While that sort of quantity-for-quality deal would have made a lot of sense for the Celtics, Ainge didn’t end up finding an offer he liked. Okafor and Noel were frequently linked to Boston, and the Celtics reportedly had conversations with the Bulls about Jimmy Butler. But Chicago had serious interest in Kris Dunn, and once the C’s passed on Dunn with the third overall pick to select Jaylen Brown, trade speculation in Boston slowed down significantly.

Ainge will certainly revisit the trade market throughout the year and at the 2017 deadline, but for now, the Celtics will head into the year with Brown representing one of their major offseason additions. The former University of California standout was perhaps the most athletic player in this year’s draft class, though there are questions about his outside shot, which makes him an interesting pick for Boston.

The Celtics made just 33.5% of their three-pointers as a team last season, the third-worst mark in the NBA. With sharpshooters like Buddy Hield and Jamal Murray available to the Celtics at No. 3, the decision to nab Brown instead suggests that the team thinks highly of his athleticism, tenacity, and explosiveness. Those traits are certainly valuable, but it remains to be seen whether the C’s will be able to produce enough offense if they have Brown play alongside someone like Marcus Smart.

After nabbing Brown in the draft, the Celtics prioritized offensive prowess in free agency, targeting Kevin Durant and Al Horford during the first few days of July. The team fell short in its pursuit of Durant, a fact lamented by multiple Celtics players in the months since then, but Horford opted to leave Atlanta for Boston, signing a four-year, maximum-salary contract with the team.

In addition to providing solid defense, Horford has averaged 16.2 PPG over his past four seasons, even flashing an improved three-point shot in 2015/16 — the big man’s field goal percentage remained north of 50% last year, despite the fact that he attempted more than three long-distance shots per game.

The Celtics had some solid big men on their roster last season, many of whom will be back this year, but the team’s top four scorers were guards or wing players, so the addition of Horford will give the franchise a much-needed frontcourt scoring threat. In an Eastern Conference where there’s not necessarily a clear-cut second-best team behind LeBron James and the Cavaliers, signing Horford could give the Celtics the bump they need to claim that No. 2 spot.

Replacing Evan Turner and Jared Sullinger with Brown and Horford will likely represent a net improvement for the Celtics, and continued development from the team’s young players should help ensure that the club increases its win total in 2016/17. But, having avoided cashing in his trade chips so far, Ainge will have to decide how much longer he wants to remain patient.

On one hand, there’s no rush for the Celtics to make a move. The team has the right to swap first-round picks with the Nets in 2017 in what will be a deep, talented draft, and Brooklyn looks like one of the NBA’s worst teams. Boston also owns the Nets’ 2018 first-round pick, a potential lottery selection, and could add first-rounders from the Clippers and Grizzlies by 2019. Even without making any trades, the Celtics could continue to be one of the East’s top teams for years to come.

Still, with so few legit championship contenders in the East, the conference is one LeBron injury from becoming a free-for-all. And even if the Cavs stay healthy, the Celtics could potentially take a step forward and provide serious competition to Cleveland by adding one more impact player to their deep, talented roster.

The Celtics know they’ll be fine if they keep building from within and make the most of their cap room, like they did this summer, so Ainge could continue to wait for the perfect trade offer. However, there’s some risk in waiting too long. There are currently six players on first-round rookie contracts on Boston’s roster, a figure which doesn’t take into account other young second-rounders like Demetrius Jackson or Jordan Mickey, or draft-and-stash prospects like 2016 draftees Guerschon Yabusele and Ante Zizic. With so many young players already in the mix, and more potentially on the way, there simply won’t be enough room for all of them in Boston, and if a few of those players toil away on the bench or overseas, there’s a risk that their stocks will dip.

When they sent Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn several years ago, the Celtics made a move that would pay dividends for years to come, as the Nets bottomed out. But the C’s don’t necessarily need to “win” every trade they make, like they did with that Brooklyn deal. Rather than waiting for a perfect offer, it might benefit the Celtics to go out and make a move sooner rather than later, to avoid having the value of their assets diminish.

It will be interesting to see whether Ainge pulls the trigger on a major deal in advance of 2017’s deadline, but the fact that such a deal didn’t occur this summer shouldn’t put a damper on the Celtics’ offseason. Among our top 10 free agents of 2016, Horford was one of just three to change teams, so it was a major coup by the C’s to land him. His arrival will take some of the pressure off of Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley on offense, while the addition of Brown will make Boston’s roster more dynamic and athletic. The Celtics may not have taken that one extra step needed to become a bona fide championship contender, but they improved their roster, and they still have the pieces in place to attempt that final extra step when the opportunity arises.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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