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NBA Updates Salary Cap Projection For 2024/25

January 30th, 2024 at 12:49pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has informed its teams of a new salary cap estimate for the 2024/25 season, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that the league’s latest projection is for a $141MM cap.

That figure is still tentative, as the actual salary cap for ’24/25 won’t be finalized until the very end of the current league year this summer. Still, the NBA hadn’t issued a projection since last June, so teams now have a more up-to-date estimate to work with.

The salary cap can increase by a maximum of 10% each season and has risen by that amount in each of the past two years. Player agents have been optimistic about another sizable increase for 2024/25 — many of the reported figures for maximum-salary extensions that will go into effect next season have been based on a projected 10% jump.

However, the NBA hasn’t been nearly as bullish in its own formal projections. The league initially forecast a $142MM cap, which would have been about a 4.4% increase over this season’s $136,021,000 cap. A $141MM cap would represent an even more modest increase of 3.66%.

Here’s one example of how the projection will impact the extensions that begin in 2024/25: Jaylen Brown‘s five-year, super-max contract with the Celtics was reported at the time of its signing by many outlets to be worth $304MM, but that estimate was based on a projected 10% increase. If the cap comes in at $141MM, Brown’s deal would actually be worth just over $286MM — still a gigantic payday, obviously, but not the NBA’s first ever $300MM deal, as was suggested by some reporters last July.

If the cap comes in at $141MM, the minimum salary floor would be $126.9MM and the luxury tax line would be approximately $171.3MM. The first apron would come in around $178.7MM and the second apron would be just shy of $189.5MM.

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Knicks Re-Sign Taj Gibson To 10-Day Contract

January 30th, 2024 at 12:17pm CST by Luke Adams

12:17pm: The Knicks have officially confirmed Gibson’s new 10-day contract with the team (Twitter link).

10:17am: Just over three weeks after he was waived by the Knicks, veteran big man Taj Gibson has agreed to return to Tom Thibodeau‘s club. Gibson will sign a 10-day contract with New York, agent Mark Bartelstein tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

A Thibodeau favorite who played for the Knicks from 2019-22, Gibson signed a non-guaranteed, minimum-salary contract with the team on December 15 and appeared in 10 games, averaging 1.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 9.7 minutes per night.

Initially expected to merely provide some frontcourt depth and locker room leadership, the 38-year-old saw more playing time than anticipated due to injuries to centers Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims. However, when Sims got healthy and the Knicks traded for Precious Achiuwa, Gibson once again found himself pushed down the depth chart and was waived on January 7, just before his full-season salary could become guaranteed.

The Knicks have held that 15th roster spot open in recent weeks and once again have a need for frontcourt depth following Julius Randle‘s shoulder injury. Gibson likely won’t immediately step into New York’s rotation, but he’s a veteran whom the coaching staff trusts and can turn to if needed.

Assuming his deal is finalized today, Gibson will be under contract through next Thursday, February 8. He’ll earn a $183,704 salary over the course of his 10-day deal, while New York will carry a $116,075 cap hit.

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Bulls’ Patrick Williams Likely Out Through All-Star Break

January 30th, 2024 at 11:43am CST by Luke Adams

Bulls forward Patrick Williams has been diagnosed with acute bone edema in his left foot, the team announced today in a press release. According to the Bulls, Williams will begin a period of “active rest” and will be reevaluated in approximately two weeks.

Noting that the Bulls’ last game before the All-Star break is on February 14, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago says a best-case scenario for Williams would see him return to action on Feb. 22 in the team’s first game after the break. However, there’s no guarantee he’ll be ready to play at that time.

Williams was held out of Sunday’s game in Portland due to what the team referred to in the injury report as mid-foot soreness. He was wearing a walking boot that day, according to Johnson, who adds that acute bone edema means there has been fluid build-up in Williams’ bone marrow. The former lottery pick said on Sunday that the foot had been bothering him for some time.

“It was just gradual. It’s been a while,” Williams said. “I’ve been trying to do maintenance on it, do pregame work on it, postgame work on it. That Laker game (last Thursday) kind of hit the peak for me.”

A potential restricted free agent at the end of the 2023/24 season, Williams has averaged 10.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 27.3 minutes per game across 43 appearances (30 starts) for Chicago this season, posting a shooting line of .443/.399/.788.

With Williams and Torrey Craig both sidelined, Johnson expects rookie forward Julian Phillips to take on a larger rotation role. Ayo Dosunmu, who replaced Williams in the starting five on Sunday, is another player who could see more minutes with the fourth-year forward on the shelf.

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Grizzlies Sign Tosan Evbuomwan, Trey Jemison Via Hardship Exceptions

January 30th, 2024 at 10:15am CST by Luke Adams

10:15am: The signings are official, the Grizzlies confirmed in a press release (Twitter link).

9:52am: The Grizzlies are signing forward Tosan Evbuomwan and center Trey Jemison to 10-day contracts, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter links).

Memphis has a full 15-man standard roster and is actually carrying a 16th man – Matthew Hurt – after having been granted a hardship exception. According to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), the Grizzlies have been granted two additional hardship exceptions, so no cuts will be necessary to accommodate the new additions to the roster.

As we explain in our glossary, an NBA team qualifies for a hardship exception when it has four players unavailable due to injury or illness, assuming those players have missed at least three consecutive games and are expected to remain sidelined for two or more weeks. The Grizzlies have been granted three hardship spots because they have a total of six injured players who meet the criteria: Ja Morant, Steven Adams, Brandon Clarke, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, and Jake LaRavia.

Evbuomwan, a rookie, went undrafted out of Princeton in 2023 and spent training camp with the Pistons before being designated as an affiliate player for Detroit’s G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise. In 29 games for the Cruise this season, he has averaged 15.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in 34.5 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .559/.347/.731. He’ll get a chance to make his regular season NBA debut in Memphis.

Jemison, meanwhile, had been on a 10-day contract with the Wizards after spending most of the season with the Birmingham Squadron. The rookie big man, who went undrafted out of UAB last June, very briefly saw the floor in two games with Washington before his 10-day deal expired last night.

Well out of the play-in race in the Western Conference and with two of their most important players – Morant and Adams – sidelined for the rest of the season, the Grizzlies are using their hardship exceptions to take a look at some younger players rather than focusing on adding win-now veterans to a depleted roster.

If their deals are finalized today, Evbuomwan and Jemison will remain under contract through next Thursday (February 8). They’ll earn $64,343 apiece during their 10 days with the Grizzlies.

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Cavs’ Darius Garland Plans To Return On Wednesday

January 30th, 2024 at 10:09am CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers guard Darius Garland plans to return to action on Wednesday from the jaw injury that has sidelined him since December 14, league sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Cleveland will host the Pistons on Wednesday night.

Garland fractured his jaw in a collision with Kristaps Porzingis and was on an all-liquid diet with his jaw wired shut for several weeks as he recovered. Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com said earlier this month that the star guard was aiming to return before the end of January and was the first to report (subscriber link) that Wednesday was a target date.

Fedor wrote on Monday that “no decisions have been made and there are a few conversations that must take place first” before Garland is cleared to play on Wednesday, but Charania’s reporting suggests the 24-year-old is on track to play vs. Detroit as long as there are no setbacks.

It’s great news for the Cavaliers, who haven’t just been treading water since losing Garland and Evan Mobley to major injuries in mid-December — they’ve been thriving, putting up a 14-4 record without those two starters and then winning Mobley’s first game back on Monday vs. the Clippers.

After an up-and-down start to the season, the Cavs are now 28-16, putting them just a half-game back of the 29-16 Sixers for No. 3 in the East. With Mobley back in action and Garland set to return this week, the club is well positioned to make a push for a top playoff seed in the second half.

Prior to his injury, Garland was averaging 20.7 points, 5.9 assists, and 1.6 steals in 34.0 minutes per night across 20 appearances (all starts). He was also shooting a career-best 47.0% from the floor.

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Anthony Edwards Rips Officiating After Win Over Thunder

January 30th, 2024 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves picked up a big victory on Monday in a battle between two of the top teams in the Western Conference, defeating the Thunder in Oklahoma City by a score of 107-101. According to Wolves star Anthony Edwards, Minnesota got the win despite a “terrible” performance from the game’s referees.

“I’m going to take the fine, because the refs did not give us no calls tonight,” Edwards said on the Timberwolves’ television broadcast after the game, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Edwards continued to criticize the officiating after heading to the locker room, bringing it up without prompting during a conversation with MacMahon.

“The refs was bad tonight. Yeah, they was terrible. We was playing 8-on-5,” said Edwards, who felt he deserved far more than the four free throws he received. “The cat got their tongue tonight, so it’s all good. It’s not fair, but it’s all good.”

Following a January 20 home loss to Oklahoma City, Edwards griped about the whistle that All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was getting, telling reporters at the time that “you can’t touch him any time of the game” and adding that it was difficult to beat the Thunder “when they’re getting calls like that.”

As MacMahon notes, Gilgeous-Alexander went to the foul line 16 times on Monday, shooting one more free throw than the 15 Minnesota attempted as a team. Edwards referred to the Thunder star as “super good,” but suggested that he was benefiting from fouls that weren’t being called both ways.

“I haven’t earned (referees’ respect) yet, so it’s OK,” Edwards said. “But I think tonight was bad from the refs. It was terrible. We didn’t get no calls as a team. I got fouled multiple times, and I’m walking up to the ref telling him, ‘Hey, can you watch this?’ They just shaking their head. Yeah. And then soon somebody come down from their team and get bumped, it’s a foul. So I just feel like it wasn’t a fair game tonight from the jump. And so that’s why I’m super happy we won the game.”

While Edwards was willing to risk a fine from the NBA league office by expressing his frustration after the game, he didn’t let that frustration affect his performance on the court. The Wolves guard scored a team-high 27 points on 10-of-20 shooting in his 40 minutes of action.

“He was poised,” teammate Rudy Gobert said, per MacMahon. “He didn’t get the calls but kept his poise, trusted his teammates and made the right play I think 95% of the time, which is amazing.”

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Trade Rumors: Warriors, D. Murray, Hayward, Lowry, Knicks

January 30th, 2024 at 8:03am CST by Luke Adams

No one will be entirely off the table for the Warriors at the trade deadline except for Stephen Curry, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who said on FanDuel’s Run it Back show (Twitter video link) that Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul, and maybe even Klay Thompson are among the players who figure to come up in discussions in the next 10 days.

However, the Warriors are high on youngsters like Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski, notes Charania, so those players are very unlikely trade candidates.

Additionally, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne said on Monday (Twitter video link) that she doesn’t expect the Warriors to make any trades affecting their core unless Curry is “on board with that idea.” Thompson and Draymond Green are certainly part of that core, and it seems reasonable to assume Wiggins is in that group as well, given that he’s under contract for three more years and played a key role in Golden State’s 2022 championship.

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:

  • Hawks guard Dejounte Murray is considered a strong candidate to be moved at next Thursday’s trade deadline, but at least one notable member of the organization doesn’t want to see him go anywhere. Sources tell Marc Stein (Substack link) that head coach Quin Snyder has lobbied the Hawks to hang onto Murray, who is under contract for four seasons beyond this one.
  • While the Hornets will certainly explore trading Gordon Hayward and Kyle Lowry, two veterans on pricey expiring contracts, both players are considered potential buyout candidates if Charlotte can’t find a deadline deal it likes. However, according to Stein, Hayward is “far less likely” than Lowry to seek a buyout if they’re still in Charlotte after February 8. If the Hornets were to retain Hayward through the end of the season, he would retain his full Bird rights and they’d have the option of re-signing him or signing-and-trading him in the summer. Stein also confirms that the Sixers would have interest in Lowry if he’s bought out, as previously reported.
  • While the initial reports on Julius Randle‘s shoulder injury are relatively positive, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst notes that shoulder issues can bother players for “months” and have a tendency to reoccur. As Adam Zagoria of NJ.com relays, Windhorst argued during a TV segment that the Knicks should consider making a move on the trade market to help offset the loss of Randle.
  • Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link) passes along an interesting stat about movable first-round draft picks, noting that just 11 teams control 75% of the first-rounders that can be traded.
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Southeast Notes: Ball, Miller, Rozier, Bey

January 29th, 2024 at 10:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

LaMelo Ball missed his second consecutive game due to right ankle soreness on Monday. The Hornets star guard admits his frequent absences have taken a toll mentally and that his primary focus is staying off the injury report, Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer writes.

“Facts,” Ball said. “That’s pretty much my main thing.”

Ball appeared in just 36 games last season and has missed more than half of Charlotte’s games this season. He’s working with the team’s medical staff, hoping to find ways to keep him on the court more often.

“We are pretty much just trying to put a whole game plan together right now, get everything right, see what it’s going to be, see how my body is feeling, just see what’s the best solution moving forward,” he said.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

  • Brandon Miller‘s ability to soak up knowledge has impressed Hornets coach Steve Clifford. The second pick of the draft is averaging 14.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. “People always look at these guys and think they’re the fastest, strongest, quickest — that’s not at all what it is,” Clifford told Shane Connuck of the Charlotte Observer. “In the NBA, guys that last learn better, they’re smarter, and they pick things up faster. That’s one of (Miller’s) big strengths.”
  • Terry Rozier is still trying to get acclimated to his Heat teammates, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald notes. The former Hornets guard scored just 26 points in his first three games with Miami before his 21-point outing against Phoenix on Monday. “He’ll figure it out,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He’s trying to fit in and I get that. We’re all saying the same thing. We want Terry to be Terry. He’s going to unlock other things for us. You can see the burst that he gives us, the rim pressure, which we need. That’s not just the head coach saying that, that’s his teammates saying that.”
  • Hawks forward Saddiq Bey becomes a restricted free agent after the season and he’s been enhancing his value as of late. He scored the game-winning basket on a putback against the Raptors on Sunday. Over the past four games, Bey is shooting 44.8% from the field while averaging 18.3 points and 8.5 rebounds, Lawrence Price III of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes. “I don’t really have a specific mentality coming in besides just to play hard and just be grateful for the opportunity,” Bey said. “I try to just be the most multifaceted guy I can be…just try to affect the game in each and every way.”
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Southwest Notes: VanVleet, Whitmore, Jackson, Pelicans

January 29th, 2024 at 9:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets paid a huge price to add Fred VanVleet in free agency. He’s given them an unexpected bonus — a shot-blocking specialist from the backcourt, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle notes.

VanVleet holds the team lead with 41 blocks. He’s fourth among NBA guards in total blocks, though he believes some of those blocks could have been called steals.

“They’re strips, but I’ll take the blocks,” VanVleet said. “I think any deflection is good. I mean, this is probably my lowest activity I’ve had as a defender in a while. Just getting used to Coach’s (Ime Udoka) system. It’s a little bit different than how we played in Toronto. But there’s all different types of defense and rim protection. Whether it’s strips or deflections or making guys uncomfortable, I pride myself in having good hands.”

We have more from the Southwest Division:

  • Rockets rookie forward Cam Whitmore was given an invitation to participate in the dunk contest during All-Star weekend but he declined, Feigen reports. Whitmore is willing to participate in future All-Star dunk contests but needs to come up with some creative dunks in the meantime. “I got asked twice for the dunk contest and I said no. I’m waiting until the time comes,” he said. “I don’t see myself as a dunker. I don’t have anything up my sleeve right now. But in year two, year three, when I establish myself as somebody in this league, yeah I’ll do it.”
  • Did GG Jackson come out too soon to the NBA? One talent evaluator interviewed by Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal feels that way. Jackson was selected with the No. 45 pick by the Grizzlies last June. Rafael Barlowe said Jackson might have cashed in as the top pick in this year’s draft if he had stayed in college. Jackson has scored in double digits in five of his last eight NBA appearances. “If he stayed in this class, he would have had another year of maturity, and the things that he’s doing right now, he’d be doing them on the college level,” Barlowe said. “I don’t think there would be anybody better.”
  • The Pelicans haven’t proven themselves against top-level competition, Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune notes. This month, they have faced the Clippers, Nuggets, Suns, Thunder and Bucks and lost those matchups by an average of 18 points. “My biggest feeling about it is that we are capable, but we haven’t given ourselves a chance to win those types of games yet,” coach Willie Green said. “This is good experience for us coming down the stretch. We definitely know we have room for improvement.” New Orleans gave away a 17-point lead to Boston on Monday and lost, 118-112.
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