NBA Rumors - HoopsRumors.com

Central Notes: Giannis, Turner, Sword, Bulls

September 13th, 2023 at 11:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t directly threatening to leave the Bucks, but he hinted at that option this week during an appearance on the 48 Minutes podcast (YouTube video link). The two-time MVP said he enjoys playing in Milwaukee, but his priority is winning another championship and he’s willing to go elsewhere if he decides it’s necessary.

“I’m a Milwaukee Buck, but most importantly I’m a winner,” Antetokounmpo said. “… If there is a better situation for me to win the Larry O’Brien (trophy), I have to take that better situation.”

Antetokounmpo made similar comments last month, saying he would like to play 20 years with the same team, but “being a winner” is more important to him.

Antetokounmpo will become eligible for a five-year extension next summer that could be worth up to $334MM, which would be the largest contract in NBA history. He also holds a $51.9MM player option for 2025/26, so he’ll have the equivalent of an expiring contract for the following season if he doesn’t accept the extension.

There’s more from the Central Division:

Appearing on Tidal League’s “Run Your Race” podcast with Theo Pinson, Myles Turner expressed regret that he wasn’t ready to assume the role of team leader after the Pacers traded Paul George in 2017 (hat tip to FanSided). “The beginning of that year, I got hurt. I got a concussion,” Turner recalled. “I was out for like two and a half weeks. So I missed the first two and a half weeks of the season, (and) Vic (Victor Oladipo) was going crazy. Hitting game-winners. Averaging like 20 a game. Domas (Domantas Sabonis) was like 20 and 10.” Turner added that he’s grateful to get another chance to be a leader with the current version of the team.
The Pacers‘ G League affiliate has acquired returning player rights for guard Craig Sword. The Fort Wayne Mad Ants announced a deal with Capital City to land the rights to Sword, who played for the Warriors during Summer League.
Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic are considered stars under the NBA’s new Player Participation Policy, but the guidelines shouldn’t affect the Bulls very much, observes Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune. She notes that the team doesn’t rely much on load management, with Vucevic and Patrick Williams both appearing in all 82 games last season, while LaVine played in 70 of the last 71 after working his way back from offseason knee surgery.

Scotto’s Latest: Bufkin, Wizards, Payton, Las Vegas

September 13th, 2023 at 9:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Hawks tried to trade for Raptors forward Pascal Siakam this summer, but they weren’t willing to part with first-round pick Kobe Bufkin, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Atlanta’s offers focused on De’Andre Hunter, AJ Griffin and draft picks, but Bufkin wasn’t included, sources tell Scotto.

Toronto considered selecting Bufkin with the 13th pick before opting for Gradey Dick, Scotto adds. He also hears that Hawks coach Quin Snyder is a huge proponent of Bufkin, who is coming off an impressive sophomore season at Michigan.

Scotto notes that Atlanta’s options will expand when Bogdan Bogdanovic becomes trade-eligible on Saturday. The veteran swingman, who was named to the All-Star 5 at the World Cup, is under contract for $68MM over the next four years, including a $16MM team option for 2026/27.

Scotto offers more inside information from around the league:

The Wizards aren’t looking to make a move right away, but they expect to get trade offers for Danilo Gallinari, Landry Shamet and Delon Wright. Scotto points out that Gallinari at $6.8MM and Wright at $8.2MM both have expiring contracts. Shamet is signed for three more years, but his only guaranteed money is $10.25MM for 2023/24. Sources tell Scotto that Gallinari hasn’t engaged in buyout talks with the Wizards and is focused on making a comeback after missing all of last season with a torn ACL. The Hornets considered making a trade offer for Wright before targeting Frank Ntilikina instead, Scotto adds, and league executives told him that Washington could probably get a second-round pick or two in exchange for the veteran guard.
Elfrid Payton recently had workouts with the Timberwolves and Hornets, sources told Scotto. Payton spent part of last season in the G League, then signed to play in Puerto Rico in late March. He hasn’t been in the NBA since playing 50 games with the Suns during the 2021/22 season.
When Las Vegas hosts the semifinals and finals of the in-season tournament in December, the response could go a long way toward securing an expansion team for the city, multiple executives told Scotto. The NBA has been expanding its presence in Las Vegas in recent years with the annual Summer League and the G League Showcase. Seattle and Las Vegas are widely considered the leading contenders for the next round of expansion.

Silver Discusses Player Participation Policy, In-Season Tournament, More

September 13th, 2023 at 8:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA’s new Player Participation Policy is designed to create the best possible product for the fans, commissioner Adam Silver told reporters, including Steve Aschburner of NBA.com, at a press conference Wednesday.

The guidelines, which were approved on Wednesday by the Board of Governors, were pursued by “everyone in the league,” Silver said. That includes owners, management, coaches, the NBPA and some individual players. They’re focused on producing a better experience for paying customers at the arenas and more reliability for media rights holders.

“This is ultimately about the fans,” Silver said. “And that we’ve taken this (load management) too far. This is an acknowledgment that it has gotten away from us a bit.”

Silver has been working for years to overcome the problem of the league’s best players appearing in fewer and fewer games. Under the PPP, teams will be subject to hefty fines if they violate the policy by giving excess rest to their stars, who are defined as anyone who has made an All-Star or All-NBA team during the previous three seasons.

“That doesn’t mean we were turning the clock back, that players are expected to play through injuries or that players never need rest,” Silver said. “But there’s a statement of a principle in this league that, if you’re a healthy player, you’re going to play.”

There’s more from Silver’s press conference:

The commissioner acknowledged that the new in-season tournament, which will debut this fall, may take a while to resonate, Aschburner adds. Silver added the league is committed to a long-term approach with the event. “It’s a multi-season issue, to the extent we’re looking to create a new tradition,” he said. “… If we’re seeing early indications of success, we’re going to see a little ratcheted-up intensity.”
Silver repeated his distaste for trade demands like the ones issued this summer by Damian Lillard and James Harden, per Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Although the Trail Blazers and Sixers haven’t made much progress on moving their unhappy stars, Silver doesn’t believe the public declarations are good for the league. “In terms of trade demands, of course, don’t like them,” Silver said. “As a league, want players and teams to honor their contracts. And I’m watching both the situation in Portland and Philadelphia, and hope they get worked out to the satisfaction of everyone before the season starts. And I’m glad that things seem to have settled down somewhat, at least in terms of public discourse.”
Silver said the league won’t do anything to force the sale of the Trail Blazers, relays TV station KGW8. When Paul Allen died in 2018, his will stipulated that the parts of his estate, including the NBA team, must be sold. However, Silver complimented Paul’s sister, Jody Allen, for running the team in “a first-class manner.”

Magic Sign Mac McClung To Exhibit 10 Contract

September 13th, 2023 at 8:39pm CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 13: The signing is official, the Magic announced in a press release.

AUGUST 22: Free agent guard Mac McClung has agreed to a deal with the Magic, league sources Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link), it’ll be an Exhibit 10 contract.

McClung only appeared in four NBA games in 2022/23 after signing a two-way contract with the Sixers. However, it was an eventful season for the 24-year-old, who earned a spot in the Rising Stars event and the G League’s Next Up game at All-Star weekend. Of course, he also competed in the Slam Dunk Contest and won it with a series of memorable dunks.

McClung appeared in 31 G League regular season games for the Delaware Blue Coats – Philadelphia’s affiliate – and averaged 19.8 points, 4.9 assists, and 2.7 rebounds in just 26.8 minutes per game. He posted an impressive .550/.474/.823 shooting line during the NBAGL regular season and helped lead the Blue Coats to a G League title.

An Exhibit 10 contract can be converted to a two-way deal, so it’s possible McClung will earn a spot on the Magic’s extended (18-man) roster with a strong training camp. If he’s waived before the regular season and then spends at least 60 days with the Osceola Magic, Orlando’s affiliate, he’d earn a bonus worth up to $75K.

Orlando previously agreed to Exhibit 10 deals with Trevelin Queen and Miye Oni.

Warriors Auditioning Veteran Players

September 13th, 2023 at 7:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors are continuing to hold workouts with veteran NBA players as they look to fill out their roster, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

In addition to Kent Bazemore and Juan Toscano-Anderson, who were previously identified as working out for the team, Scotto names Dewayne Dedmon, Will Barton, Jaylen Nowell, Stanley Johnson and Derrick Favors as others who have been given tryouts.

Scotto notes that three of those players have previous experience with the organization. Bazemore signed with Golden State for the 2020/21 season, Toscano-Anderson was part of the 2021/22 title team, and Dedmon played four games for the Warriors during his rookie season.

Barton also has an upcoming workout with the Pelicans, sources tell Scotto. He was a starter with the Nuggets for several seasons, but saw his role diminish last year after being traded to the Wizards and then joining the Raptors as a free agent.

Favors recently worked out for the Trail Blazers, Scotto adds. The 32-year-old big man didn’t appear in any games last season, although he signed a 10-day contract with the Hawks in January.

Nowell averaged a career-high 10.8 PPG for the Timberwolves last season, but he hasn’t found a new team, even though Minnesota was believed to be open to a sign-and-trade deal. A report this summer indicated that the Mavericks had interest in Nowell, but nothing came of it.

Johnson, who has been with five teams over the past four years, averaged 5.8 PPG while shooting 45% from three-point range in 30 games with the Spurs last season.

Golden State has 13 players with guaranteed contracts and is expected to fill one of its two roster openings before the start of the season. The Warriors also have one two-way slot filled and commitments for three Exhibit 10 deals, so they can sign four more players before training camp opens.

Rockets Trying To Trade Kevin Porter Jr.

September 13th, 2023 at 6:18pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Rockets are attempting to unload guard Kevin Porter Jr., who was arrested this week on charges of assault and strangulation, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Sources tell Charania that Houston has contacted multiple teams about taking on Porter and is offering draft assets as an incentive. The Rockets “are keeping all options open” regarding Porter’s future, according to Charania’s sources, but they would like to use his $15.9MM salary to trade for a player who can help right away.

Charania points out that any team considering a Porter deal would have to weigh the “optics” of acquiring a player who is being charged with two felonies for an assault on his girlfriend, former WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick. It would also have to determine how much draft capital is necessary to take on a player who would presumably be waived right away.

Porter pleaded not guilty to the charges at his arraignment Tuesday and was ordered to appear in a New York court on October 16. Prosecutors said the attack left Gondrezick with a fractured vertebra in her neck, along with other physical damage.

Commissioner Adam Silver called the accusations “horrific” during a press conference on Wednesday, adding that the league’s investigation is being conducted in accordance with its domestic violence policy, which was bargained with the NBPA, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.

“Every case, though, also depends on its unique facts,” Silver said. “I think here when we’re not in-season there is a little bit more opportunity to absorb what’s happened before we react. I think if it were a case where we were more in the middle of the season, we might be compelled to do something faster.”

Training camps don’t open for nearly three weeks, so there’s not much time pressure for the league to act immediately. Feigen notes that the NBA has typically waited for the legal process run its course in past cases involving criminal allegations, and the most likely outcome appears to be that Porter will be placed on administrative leave until that happens.

The decision on Porter will be up to the league, as the CBA prevents teams from imposing their own fines or suspensions in cases of this type. However, Silver said the league office is communicating with Rockets officials during the investigation.

“Again, I’ve learned over many years of working on these cases not to assume anything here and not just rely on headlines,” Silver said, “but try to truly understand what’s happening here as a combination of what law enforcement has learned and direct interviews. We’re still now in the process of gathering information.”

The timing of any action against Porter could affect his contract, which has a minimum guarantee for 2024/25 that increases from $1MM to $3MM on opening night of the upcoming season. It would rise to $6MM if he’s still on the roster five days after the 2024 trade deadline and become fully guaranteed for $15.86MM on June 30, 2024.

Lamar Stevens Drawing Interest From Several Teams

September 13th, 2023 at 5:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

Numerous teams have expressed interest in free agent Lamar Stevens, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Scotto lists the Celtics, Rockets, Timberwolves and Heat among Stevens’ potential destinations.

The 26-year-old swingman had a workout last month with Boston, which decided to sign Svi Mykhailiuk to a one-year contract after auditioning several wing players. Scotto notes that the Celtics have an open roster spot remaining and may still be considering Stevens.

Scotto calls Houston “a team to keep an eye on” considering that Kevin Porter Jr.’s NBA future is in jeopardy after his domestic violence arrest. The Rockets will have an unexpected need for help at the wing if Porter is suspended for all or part of the upcoming season.

Miami will be searching for rotation players if it’s able to acquire Damian Lillard from the Trail Blazers before the start of the season, Scotto adds, while Minnesota also has a roster opening.

Stevens spent his first three NBA seasons with the Cavaliers after joining the team as a two-way player in 2020, but he was never able to earn rotation minutes. He appeared in 62 games last season and made 25 starts, but only averaged 5.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 18.1 minutes per night.

Cleveland traded Stevens to the Spurs as part of a three-team deal in July, and he was waived a few days later. The partial guarantee on his minimum salary for 2023/24 was increased to $400K as a condition of the deal.

Teams Limited To Minimum Salary Contract Offers

September 13th, 2023 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

There won’t be many free agents who sign for more than the veteran’s minimum between now and the end of the NBA’s regular season. The majority of the players whose markets exceeded the minimum came off the board pretty quickly in July, and teams aren’t looking to spend big on the players who are still available.

Still, that doesn’t mean every signing for the next seven months will be of the minimum-salary variety. In certain cases – especially on the buyout market in February – being able to offer a couple million dollars more than the minimum could be the difference between a team landing a free agent and missing out on him.

With that in mind, it’s worth checking in on which teams don’t currently have the ability to offer more than the minimum. By our count, about a third of the NBA is in this boat, though some of those clubs could generate some spending flexibility by making cost-cutting trades.

Here’s a breakdown of the teams currently limited to minimum-salary contract offers for free agents:

Teams above the second tax apron:

Golden State Warriors
Los Angeles Clippers
Miami Heat
Phoenix Suns

Beginning this offseason, the NBA added a second tax “apron” and introduced new restrictions for the teams whose salaries exceed that apron. In 2023/24, the second apron is set at $182,794,000 ($17.5MM above the tax line) — it will increase along with the cap in future years.

In addition to being prohibited from using the standard mid-level exception and the bi-annual exception, teams whose salaries are above the second apron aren’t permitted to make use of the taxpayer mid-level exception, which is worth $5MM. The Warriors, Clippers, Heat, and Suns all fall into that group and therefore don’t have any cap exceptions available to use on free agents besides the minimum exception.

Teams very close to the second tax apron:

Boston Celtics
Milwaukee Bucks

The Celtics and Bucks may be able to start the season with team salaries below the second apron, but from a practical standpoint, it will be extremely difficult for them to make use of the taxpayer mid-level exception, which would hard-cap them at that second apron.

Milwaukee, in particular, has several contract bonuses to account for and would find its team salary well above the second tax apron if certain players earn those unlikely incentives. Boston has slightly more cap flexibility, but will still almost certainly be limited to minimum-salary offers for the rest of 2023/24, barring a cost-cutting move.

Over-the-cap teams that have used all their cap exceptions:

Denver Nuggets
Oklahoma City Thunder
Toronto Raptors

The Nuggets are the only team this season to use the taxpayer mid-level exception. It’s the lone cap exception available to them in free agency, since their team salary is above the first apron, so they can’t offer more than the minimum to free agents.

The Thunder, meanwhile, used their entire room exception, while the Raptors used their non-taxpayer mid-level exception and bi-annual exception. Both teams are now over the cap and only have the minimum salary exception left to sign a free agent outright (a sign-and-trade remains possible, but is unlikely at this stage of the offseason).

Over-the-cap teams whose remaining exception money is less than the two-year veteran’s minimum:

Los Angeles Lakers
Sacramento Kings

The Lakers have $1,905,000 remaining on their non-taxpayer mid-level exception, while the Kings have $1,381,536 left on their room exception. Both figures fall short of the full-season minimum salary for a two-year veteran ($2,019,706), so neither club could offer more than the minimum to a veteran free agent at this time.

However, that leftover exception money isn’t useless. Los Angeles and Sacramento could each offer more than the minimum to a rookie free agent, for instance. And their remaining exception money won’t begin prorating downward until after the trade deadline. So if L.A. wants to sign a veteran free agent in December, it could use its MLE to offer more than the player’s prorated minimum salary at that point.

International Notes: Patton, Sarr, Zagars, Canada

September 13th, 2023 at 3:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA center Justin Patton has signed with the Shanxi Loongs of the Chinese Basketball Association, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.

The 16th overall pick in the 2017 draft, Patton only ended up playing in 22 NBA games for the Timberwolves, Sixers, Thunder, and Rockets between 2017-21 before heading overseas. A series of foot injuries derailed the early part of his professional career, but the 26-year-old has been able to stay on the court more frequently in Israel and France over the past two seasons. This will be Patton’s first stint in China.

Here are a few more notes from around the international basketball world:

While he’s not as tantalizing a prospect as Victor Wembanyama, another French center – Alexandre Sarr – is certainly earning fans ahead of the 2024 NBA draft, writes Marc J. Spears of Andscape. The 18-year-old, playing for the Perth Wildcats, averaged 21.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 6.0 blocks in the team’s two games vs. the G League Ignite last week. “Very intriguing prospect,” one NBA general manager said to Spears. “Top-five pick. In the conversation for the No. 1 pick.”
Turkish club Fenerbahce is believed to be nearing a deal with World Cup standout Arturs Zagars, according to Aris Barkas and Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net. Zagars, whose strong play for Latvia during the World Cup reportedly attracted NBA interest, is expected to be loaned to BC Wolves to start the 2023/24 season if he finalizes an agreement with Fenerbahce, per Eurohoops.
Zagars’ showcase of his NBA potential is one of six takeaways Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports wrote about in his World Cup round-up.
Veteran forward Melvin Ejim has never played in the NBA since going pro in 2014, but he has represented Canada in several international competitions, earning bronze medals at the 2015 AmeriCup and 2023 World Cup. As Cesare Milanti of Eurohoops.net relays, Ejim spoke this week about what it means for the Canadian program to knock off the U.S. and to claim a spot in the 2024 Olympics. “Bronze is amazing, but we have the talent, the people, and the organization to go for gold,” he said. “In the Olympics, we can show that.”

Brandon Ingram Not Expected To Pursue Extension This Offseason

September 13th, 2023 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Having signed his current five-year contract with the Pelicans during the 2020 offseason, Brandon Ingram became eligible for a veteran extension earlier this summer. However, multiple sources tell Christian Clark of NOLA.com that Ingram will wait until the 2024 offseason to explore a new deal with the team.

Ingram’s decision isn’t related to his desire to remain in New Orleans long-term — he’ll simply be eligible for a more lucrative extension next offseason than he is now, particularly if he makes an All-NBA team in 2023/24. Within the organization, there’s no “anxiety” about Ingram’s desire to hold off on contract talks until next summer, Clark notes.

Ingram will earn $33.8MM this coming season and a little over $36MM in 2024/25 before his current contract expires. He could sign a three-year extension this offseason that could be worth up to 30% of the ’25/26 cap. If we assume 10% salary cap increases for each of the next two seasons, that would work out to about $160MM.

If Ingram were to wait until next offseason to sign a new contract, his maximum extension would increase to a projected $221MM for four years (based on 10% annual cap increases). If he makes an All-NBA team and becomes eligible for a super-max contract, his maximum extension would jump to $334MM for five years (again, based on 10% cap increases).

There’s no guarantee that the Pelicans would be willing to make that substantial an offer when the time comes, but the fact that Ingram could lock in significantly more guaranteed money by waiting explains why he’s not rushing to sign an extension before the ’23/24 season begins. Once opening night arrives next month, Ingram will become ineligible to sign an extension until the start of the 2024 offseason.

An All-NBA season in 2023/24 is probably a long shot for a player who has made just one All-Star team through seven years in the league, but the fact that players must appear in at least 65 games this season to qualify for an All-NBA team could open up the door for someone like Ingram. Conversely, of course, Ingram himself hasn’t played more than 65 games in a season since 2017, so the 26-year-old will need to stay healthier this year in order to have a chance to be an All-NBA candidate.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 draft, Ingram averaged a career-high 24.7 points, 5.8 assists, and 5.5 rebounds in 34.2 minutes per game (45 appearances) in 2022/23, posting a shooting line of .484/.390/.882.