- With the NBA increasing its salary cap projection for 2016/17 to $94MM, Erik Horne of The Oklahoman explores what that would mean for the Thunder and Kevin Durant.
- As Erik Horne of The Oklahoman details, Andre Roberson enjoyed a breakout season in 2015/16, and is becoming a reliable two-way wing just in time for the opening of his contract extension window. If the Thunder don’t sign Roberson to an extension this year, he’ll be eligible for restricted free agency next summer.
Tyrell Corbin, son of former Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin, was among the participants in Utah’s free agent mini-camp this week, writes Jody Genessy of The Deseret News. It’s the fourth year for the camp, which GM Dennis Lindsey brought to the Jazz after experiencing similar sessions when he worked for the Spurs and Rockets. Thirteen players from the last three free agent mini-camps have either landed spots on an NBA roster or earned invitations to training camp. “It’s a chance for them to play in front of an NBA coaching staff and for us to get a look at them,” said Jazz director of pro player personnel David Friedman. “Last year, we had a kid by the name of Jonathon Simmons [in camp] just to give you an idea. He didn’t end up with us, but he ended up with the Spurs.”
The camp has an extra dimension this year because Utah has its own D-League team and will be looking for players to fill the roster. Along with Corbin, other prominent names at this week’s event included Preston Medlin, Spencer Butterfield, Dionte Christmas and Julian Mavunga. Greg Stiemsma, who has played for four NBA teams, was also in attendance, along with Argentinian prospect Nicolas Brussino.
There’s more news from the Northwest Division:
- The Jazz hosted a workout this morning, Genessy notes in the same piece. Attending were LSU’s Tim Quarterman, California-Santa Barbara’s Michael Bryson, Memphis’ Shaq Goodwin, Texas’ Isaiah Taylor, Oral Roberts’ Obi Emegano and French prospect Mathias Lessort.
- Utah is planning a $125MM renovation project at Vivant Arena, Genessy writes in a separate story. Larry H. Miller Sports & Entertainment will cover $102.3MM, and the franchise is hoping for $22.7MM from Salt Lake City’s Redevelopment Agency. The Jazz will submit their proposal to the agency this week.
- Washington’s Dejounte Murray will have a private workout with the Nuggets Monday afternoon, the team announced in a press release. The 6’5″ point guard has been rising on draft boards and is listed ninth on the latest list of 100 best prospects compiled by ESPN’s Chad Ford. Denver will hold a Monday morning workout for Bryson, Joe De Ciman of Colorado State, Patrick McCaw of Nevada-Las Vegas, Egidijus Mockevicius of Evansville, Abdel Nader of Iowa State and Chinanu Onuaku of Louisville.
- Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin is joining the effort to keep Kevin Durant with the Thunder, according to The Tulsa World. She is willing to offer the free agent forward a government job to get him to stay with Oklahoma City. “Oklahoma loves Kevin Durant and Kevin Durant loves Oklahoma,” Fallin said. “But if he’ll stay, I’ll make him a Cabinet person for health and fitness.”
Enes Kanter raised some eyebrows and the Thunder drew critisim when the center landed a maximum-salary offer sheet last summer, but the first year of the contract was a success, Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman writes. Kanter delivered despite defensive flaws because of his durability and consistency on offense, Slater notes. Kanter signed a four-year, $70MM deal, but came off the bench in a role he unexpectedly thrived in, Slater adds. The Thunder believes Kanter really started to turn a defensive corner around mid-March and the team appreciated his unselfish attitude, Slater relays.
Here’s more on the Thunder:
- It does not make much sense for Kevin Durant, who will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st to sign a long-term deal without knowing what Russell Westbrook will do next year, when he becomes a free agent, Amin Elhassan of ESPN.com opines in an Insider piece. Considering the Thunder’s run this year, Durant likely thinks the team can capture a championship next season, Elhassan surmises. The Spurs would be a logical option next summer for Durant if he chooses to ink a short-term deal with the Thunder in order to maximize on the league’s expected salary cap rise, Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com suggests in the same story.
- Serge Ibaka, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent after the 2016/17 season, adapted well this year into the role of a stretch four, Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman details. In Tramel’s report card on Ibaka, the scribe notes, however, that Ibaka voiced frustration during the middle of the season over not handling the ball as much as he was used to.
- Former Louisville small forward Damion Lee has participated in workouts for the Clippers, Celtics, Suns, Spurs, Wizards, Jazz and Raptors, plus, he has upcoming visits scheduled with the Mavericks and Thunder, Kennedy tweets.
Kevin Durant and James Harden have been spotted hanging out together this week, but their social plans aren’t related at all to Durant’s free agency, reports ESPN’s Marc Stein. According to Stein, despite Harden’s presence in Houston and the team’s reported interest in Durant, the Rockets aren’t a club KD plans to seriously consider in free agency this summer.
Houston is one of many teams expected to make a run at Durant this offseason, joining the Warriors, Spurs, Heat, Celtics, Knicks, Lakers, and Wizards, among others. As has long been the case though, people around the NBA still believe the most likely scenario involves the Thunder star returning to Oklahoma City on a two-year deal with an opt-out after the first season.
Still, Durant is expected to be open to taking recruiting meetings, and we heard on Thursday that the Spurs and Warriors are among the clubs “planning big pitches.” Stein corroborates that report, suggesting that Golden State and San Antonio are considered by many executives around the league to be the two biggest threats to OKC.
While the NBA’s tampering rules don’t prevent Durant’s friends on rival teams, such as Harden, from spending time with him and perhaps making their own pitches this month, clubs won’t be able to formally pursue the seven-time All-Star until the new league year gets underway, three weeks from today.
Within his latest piece for Basketball Insiders, Steve Kyler examines a few of this year’s top free-agents-to-be, taking stock of their situations and passing along the latest notes and rumors he’s heard on each player. Here’s a round-up of some of the key info from Kyler’s piece:
- Even though Kevin Durant is considered most likely to return to the Thunder, he’s expected to take meetings, and Kyler hears that the Warriors and Spurs are “planning big pitches.” The belief around the NBA is that Durant will return to OKC on a deal that allows him to opt out in a year so that his free agency will line up with Russell Westbrook‘s and Serge Ibaka‘s in 2017.
- Sources close to Mike Conley‘s camp have suggested recently that Conley is “more open to new situations” than the Grizzlies would like. According to Kyler, those sources believe that the point guard wants to see signs that Memphis is serious about fortifying its roster with other pieces before committing to the team for the long term. Kyler identifies the “dark horse” in the Conley sweepstakes as the Spurs, who are believed to be willing to make some changes to their core if it means landing another high-level player.
- Hassan Whiteside is expected to land a maximum-salary contract, with the Lakers and Celtics among the teams believed to be interested. The Heat remain the favorites for the big man, but if they “try to play games,” Whiteside will shop around for other offers, according to Kyler.
- The Raptors and Knicks are among the clubs with interest in Nicolas Batum, but Batum will likely be in line for a max contract or something close to it, and the Hornets are viewed as the team most likely to accommodate such a deal.
- DeMar DeRozan is viewed as a near-lock to return to the Raptors on a max deal.
- Assuming they don’t land Durant, the Warriors sound prepared to keep their current roster intact, even if that means matching a “crazy offer sheet” for Harrison Barnes, writes Kyler.
- The odds of RFA-to-be Jordan Clarkson ending up with any team besides the Lakers are slim, but it’s possible his camp will seek out an offer sheet from another club if necessary, in order to get more favorable terms.
- The Thunder intend to hire Adrian Griffin as lead assistant to replace the departed Monty Williams on coach Billy Donovan‘s staff, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports. Griffin served as an assistant coach on Scott Skiles‘ staff in Orlando this past season and was under consideration by the Magic to replace Skiles before Frank Vogel nabbed the post.
NBA draft day is fast approaching, with just 15 days remaining until the Sixers will be on the clock with the first overall pick. The salary cap and free agent contracts will be significantly on the rise this summer, but rookie contracts will remain relatively affordable, meaning we could see a handful of trades consummated during the draft, as teams look to acquire affordable young talent.
In those trade discussions, draft picks and veteran contracts figure to be the key pieces, but it’s also worth considering which teams have traded player exceptions to utilize. Could a team use a trade exception before it expires to acquire a player without sending out any salary? Perhaps, but of the five trade exceptions set to expire this month (before the July moratorium begins), none are particularly sizable, and there’s a good chance that all five will go unused.
The most noteworthy of the five expiring exceptions is the Thunder’s $2.75MM trade exception, set to expire on June 30th. There are plenty of players around the league earning less than that amount, and with Kevin Durant due for a new deal, Oklahoma City will be on the lookout for inexpensive talent to fill out the roster, so it’s possible the team makes use of it.
Here are all five trade exceptions set to expire later this month, sorted by amount:
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Amount: $2,750,000
- Obtained: Luke Ridnour (Raptors)
- Expires: 6/30/16
- Brooklyn Nets
- Amount: $1,357,080
- Obtained: Mason Plumlee (Trail Blazers)
- Expires: 6/26/16
- Charlotte Hornets
- Amount: $646,250
- Obtained: Matt Barnes (Grizzlies)
- Expires: 6/25/16
- Charlotte Hornets
- Amount: $548,000
- Obtained: Luke Ridnour (Thunder)
- Expires: 6/25/16
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Amount: $122,441
- Obtained: Jon Leuer (Suns)
- Initial amount: $967,500
- Used: James Ennis ($845,059)
- Expires: 6/26/16
For the complete list of outstanding trade exceptions around the NBA, including one held by the Cavaliers worth nearly $10MM, check out our full breakdown. And be sure to take a look at the Hoops Rumors Glossary entry on trade exceptions for a refresher on exactly how they work.