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Rockets/Suns Trade Notes: Grades, Knight, Melton

August 31st, 2018 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets and Suns agreed to an unusual trade late on Thursday night, with Houston poised to send Ryan Anderson and De’Anthony Melton to Phoenix in exchange for Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss. Both teams are essentially acquiring a potentially useful veteran on an expensive multiyear contract, plus a young prospect with some upside. That kind of straight two-for-two swap without any draft picks or other assets included is pretty rare, particularly between a title contender and a lottery team.

In an Insider-only piece at ESPN.com, Kevin Pelton tries to make sense of the deal for both clubs, and has an easier time doing so for the Rockets, assigning them a grade of B+ for shedding Anderson’s contract and acquiring a pair of intriguing players. Pelton isn’t as bullish on the trade for the Suns, who get a C- grade from the ESPN scribe.

While the Suns may view the deal as an opportunity to acquire a starting power forward and a promising young prospect in exchange for two players who weren’t in their plans, they probably could’ve driven a harder bargain with the in-the-tax Rockets, says Pelton.

Here’s more on the Rockets/Suns trade:

If the Rockets were to finalize the trade and waive Knight today, the team could greatly reduce its projected tax bill for 2018/19. However, ESPN’s Zach Lowe (Twitter link) hears that Houston has no plans to waive-and-stretch Knight.
Lowe’s other observations on the deal: The Suns paid a high cost to acquire Melton, but people around the NBA are “super-high” on him (Twitter link). The Rockets, who haven’t used their first-round pick for a few years, did well to avoid including their 2019 first-rounder in an Anderson deal, says Lowe (Twitter link). That pick could now be available for another trade at the deadline if necessary.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (via Twitter), it will be interesting to see what kind of contract Melton signs with the Suns, who are now over the cap. Without cap room, they’re limited to a two-year offer. While Phoenix could potentially open up cap space by buying out Darrell Arthur, he’s unlikely to give up much salary without lining up another landing spot, per Marks. Waiving and stretching Arthur today would also work, but adding an annual $2.5MM charge to their cap for two additional years may not be worth gaining the ability to give Melton an extra year or two.
In the view of Greg Moore of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link), the Suns made the trade with Igor Kokoskov‘s up-tempo, three-pointer-heavy offense in mind. Kokoskov’s system calls for a stretch four like Anderson, and Melton’s play-making ability figures to be a good fit too.

Rhodes: Suns A Potential Surprise Team

August 29th, 2018 at 11:38am CST by Luke Adams

Shane Rhodes of Basketball Insiders examines some potential surprise teams for the 2018/19 season, suggesting that the Bulls, Mavericks, Pistons, Clippers, and Suns are candidates to exceed expectations.

Kyle Singler Among This Week’s Stretch Candidates

August 27th, 2018 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

As we detailed on Friday, NBA teams have until August 31 to waive players and stretch their 2018/19 cap hits over multiple years. If a player is released after August 31, his current cap hit will remain unchanged, and only the subsequent years of his contract can be stretched.

With just a few more days for teams to stretch 2018/19 salaries, Thunder swingman Kyle Singler looks like the top candidate to be waived this week, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (via Twitter).

Three factors are working against Singler and making him a prime release candidate. For one, he fell out of Oklahoma City’s rotation entirely in 2017/18, appearing in just 12 games and playing only 59 total minutes for the season. Secondly, he’s essentially on an expiring contract, since his $5.3MM+ salary for 2019/20 is non-guaranteed. And finally, the Thunder currently have the largest projected tax bill in the NBA, meaning waiving Singler could create substantial immediate savings for the franchise.

Currently, the Thunder have a total team salary of $149.58MM, with a projected tax bill of $93.19MM. If they were to waive Singler, who has a $4,996,000 salary, they could stretch his cap hit across five seasons due to his non-guaranteed second year, reducing this season’s cap charge to just $999,200. That would bring the Thunder’s team salary down to $145.58MM and their projected tax bill to about $73.79MM, creating $23MM+ in total savings.

Outside of Singler, there aren’t many obvious stretch candidates around the NBA. Other projected taxpayers could consider similar moves to save some money, but many of those clubs don’t have players on expiring contracts that they’d want to release. The Wizards, with Jason Smith and his expiring $5.45MM salary, may be one team to watch.

Another motive for a team to stretch a player’s 2018/19 salary would be to open up more cap room. However, there aren’t many clubs that can create meaningful cap space at this point in the offseason, and there’s little incentive to do so anyway, given the lack of players worth spending it on. The Kings (Iman Shumpert or others) and Suns (Darrell Arthur or Tyson Chandler) could open up a chunk of cap room by stretching well-paid veterans, but I’d be surprised if they cut into their projected space for 2019 and/or 2020 by doing so.

Teams Have One More Week To Stretch 2018/19 Salaries

August 24th, 2018 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

While NBA teams can use the stretch provision all season long, August 31 represents a key deadline related to the rule. Players who are waived by August 31 can have their current-year salaries stretched, immediately reducing their 2018/19 cap charge. If a player is released after August 31, his current cap hit will remain unchanged, and only the subsequent years of his contract will be stretched.

As we detail in our glossary entry on the subject, the stretch provision is a rule ensuring that any player waived with at least $250K in guaranteed salary remaining on his contract will have the payment schedule of that money spread across multiple years. Teams also have the option of spreading his cap charges across the same number of years.

That schedule is determined as follows:

If a player is waived between July 1 and August 31, his remaining salary is paid over twice the number of years remaining on his contract, plus one.
If a player is waived between September 1 and June 30, his current-year salary is paid on its normal schedule, with any subsequent years spread over twice the number of remaining years, plus one.
- Note: If a player in the final year of his contract is waived between September 1 and June 30, the stretch provision does not apply.

For instance, as the Knicks mull whether or not to waive Joakim Noah, here are the options they’ll consider:

Year	Leave contract as is	Stretch by 8/31/18	Stretch after 8/31/18
2018/19	$18,530,000	$7,565,000	$18,530,000
2019/20	$19,295,000	$7,565,000	$6,431,666
2020/21	–	$7,565,000	$6,431,667
2021/22	–	$7,565,000	$6,431,667
2022/23	–	$7,565,000	–

In Noah’s case, there’s essentially no incentive for the Knicks to waive and stretch him by August 31. The team – well over the cap for 2018/19 – wouldn’t be able to take advantage of the extra cap flexibility this season. As such, it makes more sense to keep him on the roster for now and to start considering the possibility of his release sometime after September 1.

The same logic that applies to Noah and the Knicks applies to most teams around the NBA. Outside of perhaps Rodney Hood, there just aren’t many free agents left who are worth using cap room on, so teams aren’t clamoring to create additional space for the 2018/19 season. In other words, we shouldn’t expect to see many players on expensive contracts hit waivers in the next week.

There are a couple of potential exceptions worth watching. The Kings, for instance, have about $11MM in cap room and are currently carrying 16 players on guaranteed contracts. If they decide they want to waive a veteran like Iman Shumpert to get down to 15 players for the regular season, it might make some sense to stretch him by August 31. That would reduce his $11MM+ cap charge to just $3.67MM for 2018/19, opening up another $7MM+ in cap space for Sacramento.

Again though, unless the Kings have a use in mind for that cap room, they’ll likely be reluctant to add extra salary to their cap for two subsequent seasons by stretching Shumpert’s 2018/19 salary. The same can be said of the Suns, who are currently hovering just below the $101.869MM salary cap in terms of total guaranteed salary.

Phoenix is reportedly expected to buy out Darrell Arthur, and if the team does so within the next week, it could trim his $7.46MM cap hit to about $2.49MM, opening up additional cap room. Like the Kings, the Suns would have to have a clear purpose in mind for that space in order to justify adding extra money to their books for two future seasons.

Southwest Notes: Davis, Ariza, G League, Spurs

August 22nd, 2018 at 6:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

After making it back to the playoffs last year, the Pelicans are about to enter a crucial season for the future of the franchise, writes Scott Kushner of The New Orleans Advocate. The organization may need a strong follow-up to its second-round ouster to ensure a long-term future with star big man Anthony Davis.

Davis will be eligible for a super-max contract next offseason worth up to $230MM. If he doesn’t agree to the deal, speculation will immediately begin about his impending free agency and he could be the top name on the market in 2020. Davis’ current contract includes a $28.75MM player option for 2020/21.

Although Davis has said repeatedly that he enjoys playing in New Orleans, he may not be convinced that the Pelicans will be an annual contender. There was a bit of a roster upheaval over the summer as the team lost DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo in free agency and found younger replacements in Julius Randle and Elfrid Payton.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Trevor Ariza may not be gone from the Rockets for good, suggests Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. Ariza agreed to a one-year, $15MM contract with the Suns in the early hours of free agency last month, but Bontemps doesn’t see that developing into a long-term relationship. If the Suns remain near the bottom of the West, Ariza could become a buyout candidate in February. The Rockets, who are still short on defensive-minded wings after losing Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute in free agency, could see a reunion with Ariza as an easy solution.
Brad Jones has been named as the new head coach of the Grizzlies‘ G League affiliate, the team announced today. He won a G League title in 2012 as head coach in Austin and led Utah to the finals in 2009. In his last job, Jones served as general manager for the G League Iowa Wolves and as a scout for the Timberwolves.
The Spurs are the latest organization to have an official corporate partner, according to a release posted on the team website. The Spurs will team up with Frost Bank, a prominent banking, investment and insurance company in Texas, and will wear the company’s logo on their jerseys.

Remaining Offseason Questions: Pacific Division

August 21st, 2018 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA teams have now completed the brunt of their offseason work, with the draft and free agency practically distant memories. Still, with training camps more than a month away, most clubs around the league have at least one or two outstanding issues they’ve yet to address.

We’re in the midst of looking at all 30 NBA teams, separating them by division and checking in on the key outstanding question that each club still needs to answer before the 2018/19 regular season begins.

After focusing on the Atlantic, Central, and Southeast last week, we’ve moved to the Western Conference this week, starting with the Southwest. Today, we’re focusing on the Pacific…

Golden State Warriors
When – and how – will Patrick McCaw‘s contract situation be resolved?

One of two restricted free agents on the market, McCaw doesn’t appear to have drawn a whole lot of outside interest this offseason. The Warriors kept his qualifying offer on the table through July’s withdrawal deadline and seem prepared for the possibility of McCaw accepting that offer, which is worth a modest $1.71MM.

If McCaw signs his one-year qualifying offer, he’d fill the 14th spot on Golden State’s roster and would likely get another chance to prove his worth before returning to the free agent market in 2019.

The Warriors entered the offseason focused on adding wings, but DeMarcus Cousins‘ unexpected availability changed the team’s plans, resulting in first-rounder Jacob Evans being the only true swingman added to the roster. As such, there should be a spot for McCaw in the rotation if he returns and is healthy to start the season.

Los Angeles Clippers
Who will be traded or released in order to finalize the 15-man roster?

The Clippers sent Sam Dekker to the Cavaliers in an early-August trade that saved the team a little money and began the process of cutting down the roster to 15 players for the regular season. Still, even with Dekker gone, the Clips have 15 players on guaranteed salaries, with Patrick Beverley and his non-guaranteed salary still very much in the mix as well.

Beverley is unlikely to be cut, so unless the Clippers can reduce their roster count via another trade, someone on a guaranteed deal figures to be waived. While Jawun Evans and Sindarius Thornwell have the smallest salaries on the team’s books, both players – particularly Thornwell – showed some promise in their rookie years.

Veteran wing Wesley Johnson, who is entering a contract year, could also be a release candidate, though he’s a Doc Rivers favorite. For now, Evans looks like the odd man out in Los Angeles, but the club has a number of paths to choose from as it sets its roster for opening night.

Los Angeles Lakers
How will the new-look Lakers mesh?

The Lakers‘ roster doesn’t seem likely to undergo any real changes before the regular season starts. The team has 15 players on guaranteed contracts and two on two-way deals, plus three camp invitees who appear to be eventually ticketed for the South Bay Lakers. It’s not entirely impossible that we get a surprise cut or a Luol Deng trade in the next couple months, but that looks like a long shot.

So for the Lakers, the most pressing question is simply this: How will the new-look roster mesh during training camp and the preseason? LeBron James is the NBA’s best player, but it can be a challenge to play alongside him. And many of the Lakers’ other newly-acquired players – including Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, and Michael Beasley – have had some bumpy periods during their respective NBA careers.

Throw in a young core led by Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and Kyle Kuzma, and the Lakers will be one of the NBA’s most fascinating clubs to watch this fall, even with no further tweaks to the roster.

Phoenix Suns
Are any buyouts coming before the season begins?

It has been a fairly quiet offseason for the Suns since July 1, when they struck a deal with Trevor Ariza. However, the team made one notable trade since then, sending Jared Dudley to Brooklyn in exchange for Darrell Arthur, who is on an expiring contract.

At the time, reports suggested that Arthur would likely be bought out by Phoenix, but that hasn’t happened yet. For now, he’s one of 14 players on the Suns’ roster with a guaranteed contract. Tyson Chandler – also entering a contract year – is another one of those 14 players, and a few buyout rumors have swirled around him too.

Of the two veteran big men, Arthur is the more likely buyout candidate, but it’s not a lock that either player will start the season with Phoenix. With Deandre Ayton, Richaun Holmes, Marquese Chriss, Dragan Bender, Ariza, and Josh Jackson all potentially vying for minutes at the four or five, Arthur and Chandler could be expendable.

Ultimately, I expect the Suns to waive Arthur and retain Chandler for now, perhaps dangling the veteran center as a trade chip during the season.

Sacramento Kings
Who will be traded or released in order to finalize the 15-man roster?

Like the Clippers, the Kings have more than 15 candidates to make their regular season roster, and will have to trade or release a player with a guaranteed contract by mid-October.

It will be interesting to see which direction the Kings go here. The team has several veterans on expiring contracts who probably don’t have long-term futures in Sacramento, including Zach Randolph, Kosta Koufos, Iman Shumpert, and Ben McLemore. There may not be much trade interest for those players though, and it’s not clear if the Kings are willing to waive any of them and eat their remaining salaries, which range from $5.46MM (McLemore) to $11.69MM (Randolph).

Players like Skal Labissiere, Deyonta Davis, Frank Mason, and Justin Jackson are on cheaper salaries and have no guarantees beyond this season, but the Kings will be wary of giving up too early on any of their young prospects.

With upwards of $11MM in cap room still available, the Kings aren’t exactly strapped for cash, so I think one of their veterans will be the odd man out, though I don’t yet have a feel for which one it might be.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NBA Teams With Open Two-Way Contract Slots

August 21st, 2018 at 11:18am CST by Luke Adams

Only a small handful of two-way players from 2017/18 had their contracts carried over to the 2018/19 season, while a few more signed new two-way deals. For the most part though, NBA teams have filled their two-way contract slots for the coming season with new faces, including several rookies who went undrafted in 2018.

At the moment, 44 of 60 league-wide two-way contract slots are occupied, with a 45th set to be filled once the Wizards finalize their reported agreement with Jordan McRae. That leaves just 15 two-way deals available across the NBA as training camps approach.

Some clubs may not fill these slots before camps get underway, preferring to sign players to non-guaranteed NBA contracts and then convert those deals to two-way pacts later, depending on how players perform in camp and in the preseason. By the time the 2018/19 regular season begins though, I don’t expect many two-way slots to still be open.

With the help of our two-way contract tracker, which lists all the players currently on two-way deals, here are the teams who can still offer two-way contracts without waiving anyone:

Two open slots:

Brooklyn Nets
Houston Rockets
Portland Trail Blazers
San Antonio Spurs

One open slot:

Charlotte Hornets
Chicago Bulls
Golden State Warriors
New Orleans Pelicans
Phoenix Suns
Sacramento Kings
Toronto Raptors

Fellow Rookies Pick Ayton, Sexton As RoY Favorites

August 21st, 2018 at 9:55am CST by Luke Adams

For the 10th time in 12 years, John Schuhmann of NBA.com got the opportunity to ask the NBA’s incoming crop of rookies a series of questions related to their fellow draftees.

Historically, the NBA rookies haven’t been particularly clairvoyant when it comes to their predictions — they haven’t accurately identified a Rookie of the Year winner since Kevin Durant in 2007/08. Still, it’s an interesting exercise, and one that occasionally results in a dead-on prediction, like when last year’s rookie class named Donovan Mitchell the steal of the 2017 draft.

Here are a few of the most interesting responses from this year’s rookies about the 2018/19 class:

Deandre Ayton (Suns) and Collin Sexton (Cavaliers) are viewed as the co-favorites for the Rookie of the Year award this season, with each player earning 18% of the vote. No other rookie had more than a 9% share of the vote.
Opinions were a little more divided on which player would have the best long-term NBA career, with Wendell Carter Jr. (Bulls) narrowly earning that title by receiving 13% of the vote. Interestingly, reigning EuroLeague MVP Luka Doncic (Mavericks) wasn’t picked by a single player for this question.
No. 48 overall pick Keita Bates-Diop (Timberwolves) was named the steal of the 2018 NBA draft by his fellow rookies, edging out 14th overall pick Michael Porter Jr. (Nuggets) and 18th overall pick Lonnie Walker (Spurs).
Trae Young (Hawks) is widely considered the best shooter and play-maker in this year’s class. Jevon Carter (Grizzlies) earned the most votes for best rookie defender, while Zhaire Smith (Sixers) is viewed as the most athletic rookie.
Be sure to check out Schuhmann’s full piece for the rest of the rookie survey results.

Alexey Shved Drew NBA Interest This Summer

August 19th, 2018 at 8:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA guard Alexey Shved received interest from multiple NBA teams this offseason, but decided to remain overseas for the time being, agent Obrad Fimic told Russian outlet Izvestia (translation via HoopsHype).

Shved, who played for the Timberwolves, Sixers, Rockets, and Knicks during his previous stint in the NBA from 2012 to 2015, has been a member of Russian club Khimki since returning to Europe three years ago. While the 29-year-old will remain with Khimki for the upcoming season, Fimic suggests that the Pelicans, Timberwolves, Grizzlies, and Suns all expressed interest in signing his client.

According to Fimic, Shved received a couple minimum-salary offers, and one offer that would’ve been in the $4MM range for 2018/19. However, the agent for the Russian guard believes the summer of 2019 may be a better time to revisit the possibility of a return to the NBA.

“Next year, Alexey will still be under contract with Khimki, but we’ll be carefully considering offers from the NBA,” Fimic said. “Everyone says the NBA teams will have more available money next summer. Therefore, the probability of his departure will increase.”

In 2017/18, Shved was the EuroLeague’s leading scorer, averaging 21.8 PPG, 5.2 APG, and 2.6 RPG in 34 EuroLeague contests. He also put up 23.6 PPG, 5.6 APG, and 2.3 RPG in 24 Russian League games.

Homecoming For New Assistant Coach Jamelle McMillan

August 18th, 2018 at 7:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jamelle McMillan is enjoying a homecoming after being added to the Suns‘ coaching staff, writes Cody Cunningham of NBA.com. The son of Pacers head coach Nate McMillan, Jamelle played four seasons at Arizona State before starting his coaching career. At age 29, he is one of the NBA’s youngest assistants.