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Offseason Observations: Apron Impact, Rockets, Spurs, Okogie

July 18th, 2024 at 11:52am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA's offseason is far from over. As we saw last summer, when Damian Lillard was traded to Milwaukee in late September and Jrue Holiday was flipped from Portland to Boston on October 1, the trade market stays open into the fall.

We also could still see impactful moves on the free agent market occurring much later in the offseason, as was the case a year ago when Derrick Jones and P.J. Washington - two key members of the Mavericks' team that made the NBA Finals - signed their respective contracts during the second half of August (Washington signed with the Hornets before being traded to Dallas later in the season).

Still, the pace of the offseason action has certainly slowed down since the start of July, giving us an opportunity to look back and reflect on all that's gone down in the last few weeks.

From one of the biggest storylines of the summer (the impact of the new tax apron rules) to some under-the-radar developments (like the structure of Josh Okogie's new deal with the Suns), we're taking a closer look today at some of the more curious offseason subplots.

Let's dive in...

Has the impact of the new apron restrictions been overstated?

The concept of the tax apron has existed in the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement for years, and a second apron was implemented in 2023, but the 2024 offseason is the first time all the new apron-related restrictions introduced in the current CBA have been in place. Those new restrictions affect the trade market most significantly, with teams operating over the first tax apron not permitted to take back more salary than they send out and teams over the second apron prohibited from aggregating player salaries.

While it's true that these rules have made it challenging for teams with high payrolls to make moves as easily as they used to, I think they've also become a convenient scapegoat for teams to justify certain roster decisions.

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Southeast Notes: Smith, Ware, Sarr, Black

July 18th, 2024 at 10:58am CST by Dana Gauruder

Dru Smith has been waived four times by the Heat during his NBA career. However, they keep coming back to him, the latest example being this summer, when they signed the guard to a two-way contract.

“The way this organization has treated me, it’s unbelievable,” Smith said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “I’m very appreciative of it. At the same time, I’m going to go out there and do everything I can for them, as well. I think the love is reciprocated both ways, which I really appreciate. I just want to continue to get back healthy and then be able to get back out there for this team.”

Smith underwent ACL reconstruction surgery in his right knee, an injury he suffered in November. He’s hopeful that he can return by training camp.

“I think it’s very feasible,” he said. “But you never know, these things are day by day. So as long as everything goes smoothly, I think that’s kind of the plan. But like I said, it’s always up in the air. We just got to make sure everything is going right.”

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Heat first-rounder Kel’el Ware continues to excel in Summer League action. The former Indiana University center had 24 points and 10 rebounds on Wednesday, his third double-double this summer. He also contributed two fourth-quarter blocks. “We continue to challenge him defensively,” Summer League coach Dan Bisaccio told Chiang. “He took that challenge. Everything at the rim was contested. We want to continue to see that. Obviously, this is never enough. But we’re really, really happy with him anchoring our defense.”
Wizards big man Alex Sarr, the second pick in the draft, missed all 15 of his shot attempts in Wednesday’s Summer League game against Portland, ESPN notes. That included seven 3-point tries and he also missed two free throws. He did have nine rebounds, three assists and three blocks in just under 30 minutes. Sarr has shot below 35% in all three of his games in Las Vegas and is shooting 19.5% from the field overall. Sarr spoke to Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina about his goals for his rookie season, including his desire to make an impact at both ends of the floor.
Magic guard Anthony Black didn’t play in Wednesday’s Summer League contest due to a mild ankle sprain, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel tweets. He’s averaged 12.5 points, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals in two games this month.

Pacific Notes: Plowden, Bronny, Stotts, Stackhouse, Ishbia

July 18th, 2024 at 9:22am CST by Arthur Hill

When the Warriors were reviewing videos of players to decide who to invite to their free agent mini-camp, Daeqwon Plowden stood out right away, writes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. The 25-year-old shooting guard, who signed a two-way contract with the team on Tuesday, was going full speed and giving maximum effort in all of his film clips.

He won a spot on Golden State’s Summer League team, where he’s continuing to impress the organization, averaging 16.6 points per game while shooting 48.1% from three-point range and playing physical defense. Plowden wants to prove he’s “a winner,” and he sounds ready to use his opportunity with the Warriors as a learning experience.

“Throughout the year, I really just want to learn how to be a better pro,” he said. “This is one of the premier organizations. They’ve got some high-level guys. Some high-level characters. I want to learn how to be a better pro, whether that be for here … or wherever I end up winding up.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Bronny James had his best outing in the Summer League on Wednesday as the Lakers pulled out a one-point win over Atlanta. He had 12 points and made two 3-pointers after going 0-for-15 from the beyond the arc in his first four games. “I feel like I know the right way to play. So if I go out there and play my game every game, results like that will come,” he told Baxter Holmes of ESPN.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr wanted to tweak his offense, which is a major reason why he decided to hire Terry Stotts as his lead assistant. “He fits what we want to do and get a little bit more patterned,” Kerr told Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “He loves movement. Portland, you know, they always had a lot of motion and movement, but it was probably more patterned than what we’ve done. Terry can really help us put in some new things that may be easier to run but maintain the motion.” Jerry Stackhouse, who has also been added to the staff, will bring a former player’s perspective. “Just feel like we needed Jerry,” Kerr said. “We have a lot of young players. … There’s something about a former player where those guys can tell our players, ‘I’ve been there, I’ve done this. I know exactly what you’re going through.’ Jerry did it on a really high level, but he’s also coached at a high level. That meant a lot to me.” Golden State has yet to officially announce those coaching hires.
Suns owner Mat Ishbia said during an NBA TV interview that he believes his team is primed for a deep playoff run, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic relays. “First year, we didn’t get to where we wanted to be,” Ishbia said. “Second year, we’re going to see and we’re going to go out there and compete. I love those guys. I love the pieces, (Jusuf) Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale. We’ve got a lot of pieces. Bol Bol is back. We’ve got a lot of great pieces, but you’ve got to win. If you don’t win in the playoffs, people are going to talk about you. That’s an honor that they talk about us ’cause it’s high expectations. We’ve got to get there. We’re going to try this year again.”

Dana Gauruder contributed to this report.

Magic Co-Founder Pat Williams Passes Away

July 17th, 2024 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Pat Williams, a Hall of Fame executive and co-founder of the Magic, has died at 84, the team announced (via Twitter).

“Pat Williams simply brought magic to Orlando,” team Chairman Dan DeVos and CEO Alex Martins said in a joint statement. “His accomplishments will always be remembered. Armed with his ever-present optimism and unparalleled energy, he was an incredible visionary who helped transform the world of sports in multiple ways. From bringing the Magic to Orlando, to transforming sports marketing and promotions, he was always ahead of the curve.

“Pat forever changed the sports landscape in Orlando. He shined a light on what those who called Orlando home already knew – that Central Florida was a fabulous place to live, work and play. We all owe him a debt of gratitude and he will certainly be missed, but never forgotten.”

In 1986, Williams teamed with local businessman Jimmy Hewitt in an effort to bring an NBA team to Orlando. They were approved for an expansion franchise in April of 1987, and the team played its first game in 1989.

Williams started his long NBA career as the Sixers’ business manager in 1968. He staged spectacular halftime shows that helped Philadelphia become one of the league’s most successful teams in terms of attendance.

He was offered the general manager’s role in Chicago at age 29, and his legacy with the organization includes the creation of mascot Benny the Bull. He moved on to the Hawks as general manager in 1973 and a year later became GM in Philadelphia, holding the job for 12 years and helping to build the 1983 championship roster. Williams also served as GM in Orlando until 1996, when he was promoted to senior vice president.

He announced his retirement in 2019 after a career that included more than 30 years with the Magic and more than five decades in the NBA.

“He was the best husband, father and grandfather and brother anyone could ask for — a warrior, a hero, a visionary, but most importantly, a larger-than-life follower of Jesus,” the Williams family said in a statement. “He loved a challenge, and when he moved our family to Orlando to start the Magic, he was full of excitement and energy that he displayed every day. We all grew up believing that anything is possible because of his unwavering enthusiasm for what he was passionate about.”

Our condolences go out to Pat’s family and friends.

Atlantic Notes: Martin, Edwards, Koloko, Madar

July 17th, 2024 at 9:54pm CST by Arthur Hill

A shortage of playing time last season led KJ Martin to explore free agency, but he decided his best opportunity is still with the Sixers, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Martin appeared in 58 games after being acquired from the Clippers in November, but he only logged 12.3 minutes per night. He recently accepted a two-year deal worth up to $16MM because Philadelphia’s revamped roster is short on power forwards.

“The roster was open,” Martin said. “So it was obviously a possibility. My agent spoke to the front office, and they obviously spoke highly of me. So that was a big part of it, and looking where the dominoes fell, it just felt like the right situation [after Paul George] came and they really don’t have a lot of fours.”

Martin is hoping to win a starting job in training camp, but he’s ready to help the team even if he’s coming off the bench again. With Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and George handling most of the offense, Martin believes he’s the type of complementary player who fits well alongside them.

“You see those guys and what we will need in a four man,” he said. “Obviously, we don’t need a guy out there like Tyrese, Joel, and PG. They’re going to have the ball most of the time. So now you need guys that can kind of play off the ball, do little things. Obviously, I can play the four, I can play the dunker, I can be a screener in certain situations, so it just feels right. It just feels like the right situation.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

A year ago, Justin Edwards was expected to be a high lottery pick, so it’s surprising to see him on a two-way contract with the Sixers after going undrafted, Pompey adds in a separate story. A disappointing season at Kentucky may have changed the way that scouts view Edwards, but it hasn’t shaken his confidence. “I feel like I was the best player in the draft,” he said. “But I’ve always been coming from behind my entire life, so it ain’t nothing, really. It’s just another wall I got to run through. I’m going to get through another obstacle so I’ll be cared for.”
Former Raptors center Christian Koloko received clearance from his doctors to resume playing and has been participating in free agent showcases with other NBA players, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca. Koloko sat out all of last season with a blood clot issue, and he’ll have to be approved by the league’s Fitness to Play Panel before he can sign a contract. Murphy states that Toronto waived Koloko because it needed a roster space and he was unable to play, but the organization still believes in his talent.
Celtics draft-and-stash player Yam Madar has signed with FC Bayern, the German team announced in a press release. The 23-year-old guard, who was selected with the 47th pick in 2020, has also played for Partizan Belgrade and Fenerbahce in Istanbul.

New York Notes: Jokubaitis, Randle, Wilson, DSJ, Walker, Howard

July 17th, 2024 at 8:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Rokas Jokubaitis has been a Summer League standout, but the Knicks don’t seem to have a roster spot for another guard, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Jokubaitis turned in an impressive performance on Wednesday, making all seven of his shots from the field while finishing with 16 points, five assists, two steals and a block in a narrow win over Sacramento.

A second-round pick in the 2021 draft, Jokubaitis is under contract with Barcelona, but Popper notes that it might be tough for him to get playing time there in a backcourt that features Ricky Rubio and Juan Nunez. He may have the option to join Zalgiris in his native Lithuania, according to Popper, or the Knicks could send his draft rights to another NBA team as part of a trade.

There’s more on the New York City teams:

Julius Randle‘s recovery from shoulder surgery is going “incredibly well” and he’s looking forward to being part of the Knicks‘ revamped roster following the trade for Mikal Bridges, Ian Begley of SNY states in a mailbag column. On August 3, Randle will become eligible for an extension of up to four years and $181.5MM, but Begley hears that negotiations on a new deal “aren’t at the forefront” for either Randle or the team.
Jalen Wilson looks like a veteran in his second Summer League experience, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The 2023 second-round pick has been a team leader for the Nets, scoring 27 points and finishing plus-19 in Tuesday’s comeback victory over the Knicks. “It’s fresh as a rookie; you don’t know really what to expect. But now this is my second year coming back,” Wilson said. “It’s just fun. You get to see things, get to experience having a chance to win it. That’s the thing that drives a guy, especially when it’s our second time doing it.”
Dennis Smith Jr. has been cheering for the Nets in Las Vegas, but sources tell Collin Helwig of NetsDaily that the free agent guard is considered “very unlikely” to be back in Brooklyn. Lonnie Walker is also expected to move onto another team, Hellwig adds.
Juwan Howard talks to Adam Zagoria of NJ.com about why he decided to join the Nets‘ coaching staff.

Heat Notes: Richardson, K. Johnson, Haslem, Ware

July 17th, 2024 at 7:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

Heat swingman Josh Richardson is just starting to get back to basketball after undergoing a season-ending labrum procedure on his right shoulder in early March, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Richardson, who wasn’t able to resume shooting until July 2, is hoping to be ready for the start of training camp, but he admits that’s “the optimistic goal” and says no official timetable has been set.

“I’ve had three days on the court now,” he said. “I’m shooting like mid-ranges. That’s the farthest I can shoot. I’m shooting little floaters here and there, but I can’t shoot threes yet. But it’s good for me because I can kind of break my shot down and work it back up from the bones.”

Richardson averaged 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 43 games last season, and Chiang notes that he was playing his best basketball right before the injury occurred. He had the chance to test the free agent market this summer, but he decided to pick up his option and remain in Miami on a veteran’s minimum deal that will pay him roughly $3MM.

“Nobody wants to play on a minimum, to be honest,” Richardson said. “But yeah, I had offers when I came back for more. But it’s kind of the crib. So it’s one of those things that you’re kind of like, what’s important? … Hopefully this season I can find that form for longer and play like I know I can play and make them pay me.”

There’s more on the Heat:

Keshad Johnson was inspired by a speech delivered to the Summer League team this week by longtime franchise cornerstone Udonis Haslem, Chiang states in a separate story. Johnson signed a two-way contract after going undrafted out of Arizona, which means he’ll have to fight for his spot in the league, just like Haslem did two decades ago. “He touched on every topic possible, honestly,” Johnson said. “As much as he was saying, I feel like him just being up there was speaking to me, speaking to my soul, speaking to who I need to be as an overall player and what I need to mold my career after.”
Johnson’s status for the rest of Summer League may be in jeopardy after he left today’s game in the third quarter with a sprained left ankle, per Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel, although Johnson expressed hope he might be ready for Friday’s game. “Ankle is good,” he said. “Still got adrenaline going right now. Just a little sprain. It happens with the game of basketball and everything. Take it day by day, get as much treatment as possible.”
First-round pick Kel’el Ware continues to impress in Summer League action, Chiang adds. The rookie center posted 24 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and six dunks in Wednesday’s win over Dallas as the Heat improved to 3-0 in Las Vegas. “I do have to give a shout out, Kel’el did a heck of a job,” coach Dan Bisaccio said. “We continue to challenge him defensively. He took that challenge. Everything at the rim was contested. We want to continue to see that. Obviously, this is never enough. But we’re really, really happy with him anchoring our defense today.”

Isaiah Thomas Works Out For Bucks

July 17th, 2024 at 6:36pm CST by Arthur Hill

Free agent guard Isaiah Thomas was one of several players who attended a workout with the Bucks today in Las Vegas, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter video link).

At 35, Thomas is looking for another NBA opportunity after finishing last season with Phoenix, where he saw limited playing time in six games. He signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Suns in March and was given a standard deal through the end of the season.

Thomas was a two-time All-Star in Boston, but he has bounced around the league over the past seven years and hasn’t played regularly since appearing in 40 games with Washington in the 2019/20 season.

At his peak, Thomas was an explosive scorer who averaged 28.9 PPG during the 2016/17 season and finished fifth in the MVP voting. At 5’9″, he relied on his quickness and ball-handling skills to get off shots over much taller players. However, he hasn’t been the same since suffering a hip injury during the 2017 playoffs.

Other players at today’s workout, according to Charania, were Justise Winslow, Hamidou Diallo, Will Barton and Jaylen Nowell.

The Bucks reached an agreement on Tuesday with free agent Gary Trent Jr., which will give them 15 standard contracts once it’s finalized. That includes Andre Jackson on a partially guaranteed deal, so Milwaukee has some flexibility if wants to add another player. The team is limited to offering minimum-salary contracts to outside free agents because it’s operating over the second tax apron.

WBD Reportedly Plans To Match Amazon’s Media Rights Package

July 17th, 2024 at 5:11pm CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA’s Board of Governors ratified the league’s new media rights deal Tuesday night, according to Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal, but the process is still far from over.

Sources tell Friend that Warner Bros. Discovery — the owner of TNT Sports, a longtime NBA media partner — is expected to match the “C” package given to Amazon, which could set off a contentious legal battle. Commissioner Adam Silver hinted at that possibility in a press conference Tuesday night when he said work remains to be done “with existing partners.”

The next step will be for the league to give WBD written copies of the three contracts. Their annual value was originally reported as $2.6 billion for ESPN, $2.5 billion for NBC Universal and $1.8 billion for Amazon, although Friend hears the current numbers are slightly higher. That begins a five-day timeframe in which WBD CEO David Zaslav has the option to match the deal with either NBC or Amazon.

Friend’s sources say that Zaslav views Amazon’s streaming deal — which includes alternating conference finals, a Thursday package, Friday or Saturday games, the NBA Cup (in-season tournament), early-round playoffs and international rights — as the most fiscally responsible. Friend adds that WBD plans to match Amazon with its own streaming service, Max, while running simulcasts on TNT.

According to Friend’s sources, the NBA will likely argue that Max doesn’t possess nearly the same reach as Amazon, which has 200 million worldwide customers compared to about 100 million for Max. Friend notes that the league’s stance could lead to a lawsuit, a financial settlement for WBD, or possibly a fourth broadcast package.

Friend reports that the Board of Governors approved the media rights package in a 29-1 vote, with the only opposition coming from the Knicks, which isn’t surprising given owner James Dolan’s public criticism of the deal and the NBA’s revenue sharing policies.

Sources told Friend that the three-hour meeting in which the rights deal was approved was “a breeze,” and owners received a memo Tuesday informing them that its total value has increased to $77 billion over 11 years. The price tag had many owners questioning whether WBD can really afford to match to match the Amazon bid, Friend adds, noting that the company laid off 1,000 employees this week after similar cutbacks in 2022 and 2023.

Friend points out that streaming has become an increasingly popular option in sports television, and the NBA appears to want to get involved. His sources say that cable TV wasn’t mentioned at all during the BOG meeting or by Silver at his session with reporters.

Friend also cites speculation that NBA TV, which is produced in Atlanta by Turner Sports, could eventually be moved to a studio in New York or New Jersey. His sources indicate that Silver wants the league to continue owning the network regardless of where it’s based.

2024/25 NBA Roster Counts

July 17th, 2024 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Although NBA rosters are limited to 15 players during the regular season, teams are allowed to carry up to 21 players during the offseason. Expanded offseason rosters allow clubs to bring in players on contracts that aren’t fully guaranteed, giving those players a chance to earn a regular season roster spot or getting a closer look at them before sending them to their G League affiliate.

In addition to the usual 15-man rosters, NBA teams are permitted to carry up to three players on two-way contracts. Two-way deals essentially give clubs the NBA rights to three extra players, though they often spend much of the season in the G League rather than with the NBA team. While two-way players don’t count toward the 15-man regular season roster limit, they do count toward the 21-man offseason limit.

Over the course of the 2024 offseason and 2024/25 season, we’ll keep tabs on how many players are on each NBA team’s roster, breaking them down into a few groups. Here are the various categories you’ll find in our list:

Official: These players are officially under contract with a given team. The total number of players under contract is listed, with the number of players on fully guaranteed contracts noted in parentheses. So a team with 12 guaranteed contracts, one partially guaranteed contract, and two non-guaranteed deals will be listed as “15 (12).”
Two-way: These are players signed to two-way contracts. Unless otherwise noted, these deals are official. You can find a specific team’s two-way players right here.
Reported: These are players whose contract agreements have been reported but haven’t been made official. We’re expecting them to be finalized, though it’s possible that some will fall through or were reported erroneously.
- Note: We won’t be listing Exhibit 10/training camp agreements or including them in our roster counts until they’re official.
RFA: This player received a qualifying offer and remains a restricted free agent, having yet to agree to a new deal.
Total: A team’s total roster count, taking into account all of the above. In some cases, this number may exceed 21, since not all of the players in the categories above are officially under contract.

Here are the NBA’s roster counts for 2024/25, which we’ll continue to update through the rest of the offseason and regular season:

Updated 11-5-24 (2:10pm CT)

Atlanta Hawks

Official: 15 (15)
Two-way: 3
Total: 18

Boston Celtics

Official: 14 (14)
Two-way: 3
Total: 17

Brooklyn Nets

Official: 15 (13)
Two-way: 3
Total: 18

Charlotte Hornets

Official: 15 (14)
Two-way: 3
Total: 18

Chicago Bulls

Official: 15 (14)
Two-way: 3
Total: 18

Cleveland Cavaliers

Official: 14 (11)
Two-way: 3
Total: 17

Dallas Mavericks

Official: 15 (14)
Two-way: 3
Total: 18

Denver Nuggets

Official: 15 (15)
Two-way: 3
Total: 18

Detroit Pistons

Official: 14 (13)
Two-way: 3
Total: 17

Golden State Warriors

Official: 14 (12)
Two-way: 3
Total: 17

Houston Rockets

Official: 14 (14)
Two-way: 3
Total: 17

Indiana Pacers

Official: 14 (12)
Two-way: 3
Total: 17

Los Angeles Clippers

Official: 15 (15)
Two-way: 3
Total: 18

Los Angeles Lakers

Official: 15 (15)
Two-way: 3
Total: 18

Memphis Grizzlies

Official: 15 (15)
Two-way: 3
Total: 18

Miami Heat

Official: 14 (14)
Two-way: 3
Total: 17

Milwaukee Bucks

Official: 15 (14)
Two-way: 3
Total: 18

Minnesota Timberwolves

Official: 15 (14)
Two-way: 3
Total: 18

New Orleans Pelicans

Official: 15 (14)
Two-way: 3
Total: 18

New York Knicks

Official: 14 (12)
Two-way: 3
Total: 17

Oklahoma City Thunder

Official: 15 (13)
Two-way: 3
Total: 18

Orlando Magic

Official: 15 (15)
Two-way: 2
Total: 17

Philadelphia 76ers

Official: 14 (13)
Two-way: 3
Total: 17

Phoenix Suns

Official: 14 (14)
Two-way: 3
Total: 17

Portland Trail Blazers

Official: 15 (14)
Two-way: 3
Total: 18

Sacramento Kings

Official: 14 (11)
Two-way: 3
Total: 17

San Antonio Spurs

Official: 15 (15)
Two-way: 3
Total: 18

Toronto Raptors

Official: 15 (14)
Two-way: 3
Total: 18

Utah Jazz

Official: 15 (15)
Two-way: 3
Total: 18

Washington Wizards

Official: 15 (15)
Two-way: 3
Total: 18

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