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Cavaliers Notes: White, Doncic, Parker, Love

July 12th, 2018 at 5:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

Okaro White has a chance to win a roster spot with the Cavaliers, but first he has to overcome the effects of a broken left foot he suffered in November, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. White’s foot has fully healed, but he is still struggling with the psychological aspects of the injury and admits he’s “babying” it.

“I just gotta get through,” said White, who is part of the Cavaliers’ entry in the Las Vegas Summer League. “I’m old enough, I’m not young anymore, so I gotta get over it [mentally] and try to find a way to showcase my ability.”

White started four games for the Heat before the injury, but it wound up ending his season. He was shipped to the Hawks at the trade deadline, then signed with the Cavs in March, but never took the court for either team. The 25-year-old forward has a non-guaranteed $1,544,951 contract for 2018/19.

There’s more news out of Cleveland:

The Cavaliers passed on an opportunity to trade up on draft night and snag Luka Doncic, Vardon reports in a separate story. A source tells Vardon that Cleveland had an offer from Atlanta that included the No. 3 pick and Kent Bazemore, who will make more than $18MM next season with a $19.27MM option for 2019/20. However, the Cavs wanted Collin Sexton and were confident they could get him at No. 8.
With LeBron James gone, the Cavaliers should take a gamble on Jabari Parker, according to Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report. The second player taken in the 2014 draft, Parker could become a dynamic scorer and rebounder if he can fully bounce back from his second ACL surgery. Swartz suggests Cleveland should use its $8.6MM mid-level exception to offer Parker a two-year contract. That would give him $13.3MM more in guaranteed money than if he accepts his $4.3MM qualifying offer with the Bucks, and it would put him back on the open market in 2020 when he’ll only be 25. Swartz recommends a few other moves for the Cavs, including re-signing Rodney Hood, working out an extension with Larry Nance Jr., trying to trade veterans such as J.R. Smith and Tristan Thompson and taking on unwanted contracts to stockpile draft picks.
Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com suggests several trades involving Kevin Love, listing the Trail Blazers, Heat, Lakers, Suns and Jazz as possible destinations.

NBA Teams With 2018/19 Cap Room Remaining

July 12th, 2018 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Last Wednesday, we noted that only three NBA teams still had significant cap room available. Depending on your definition of “significant,” that’s still the case. One of those three teams – the Kings – made a player for another’s restricted free agent, but the Bulls matched Sacramento’s offer sheet for Zach LaVine and still have plenty of flexibility themselves.

While the Kings, Bulls, and Hawks are still the only teams that can create more than $15MM in cap space without trading any players or waiving and stretching any guaranteed salaries, a number of other clubs technically still have cap room available too.

Using our own data and salary information from Basketball Insiders, our current cap room estimates – as of July 12 – are below. If you have any questions or notice any errors, please let us know in the comment section.

Here’s a breakdown:

Atlanta Hawks

Current space: $17.9MM
Space if they waive non-guaranteed salaries and renounce UFAs: $23.91MM
The Hawks have had a quiet offseason so far, but could clear the most cap room if any team if they renounce Malcolm Delaney and waive the non-guaranteed contracts of Jaylen Morris and Antonius Cleveland.

Sacramento Kings

Current space: $19.53MM
The Kings already renounced their free agents and waived Nigel Hayes‘ non-guaranteed salary in order to help accommodate LaVine’s offer sheet. With LaVine’s offer matched by the Bulls, Sacramento will have to find another use for its space.

Chicago Bulls

Current space: None
Space if they waive non-guaranteed salaries and renounce UFAs: $18.94MM
The Bulls continue to technically operate as an over-the-cap team since they haven’t renounced their trade, mid-level, and bi-annual exceptions, or Noah Vonleh‘s $10MM+ cap hold. Once they decide they want to use their cap room, they could clear up to almost $19MM without withdrawing David Nwaba‘s qualifying offer.

Brooklyn Nets

Current space: $9.97MM
Space if they waive non-guaranteed salaries and renounce UFAs: $12.17MM
The Nets aren’t about to waive Spencer Dinwiddie‘s non-guaranteed salary, but cutting Isaiah Whitehead and renouncing Quincy Acy would create a little extra space if they need it. Once the Nets use their cap room or decide they don’t need it, they’ll finalize deals for Joe Harris (Early Bird rights) and Ed Davis (room exception).

Dallas Mavericks

Current space: $5MM
Space if they waive non-guaranteed salaries: $5.54MM
It’s not clear if Dorian Finney-Smith‘s salary is still non-guaranteed — he had a reported July 5 salary guarantee deadline, but there has been no confirmation that that date wasn’t pushed back. If Finney-Smith doesn’t have his full guarantee yet, the Mavericks could get to $6MM+ in space. The team figures to use either its cap room or its room exception to re-sign Dirk Nowitzki.

Philadelphia 76ers

Current space: $1.69MM
Space if they waive non-guaranteed salaries: $4.89MM
Getting up to $4.89MM in room would mean waiving T.J. McConnell and Richaun Holmes, which is probably unlikely. Still, the Sixers could use that $1.69MM in room to sign a player like Jonah Bolden to a long-term deal if they so choose. They’ll eventually finalize Nemanja Bjelica‘s deal using their room exception.

Phoenix Suns

Current space: $1.18MM
Space if they waive non-guaranteed salaries: $3.25MM
The Suns could create a little extra flexibility by waiving Shaquille Harrison and Davon Reed, but the team may not need that remaining room either way.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post.

Ariza Counted On To Be A Leader

July 9th, 2018 at 10:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kings lottery pick Marvin Bagley III has a pelvic bone bruise and will miss the remainder of summer-league action, Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports tweets. Bagley, who suffered the injury during the Kings’ game against the Suns on Saturday, will be able to resume basketball activities after 1-2 weeks of rest. The 6’11” Bagley was the No. 2 pick in the draft after one season at Duke.

The Suns signed Rockets free agent forward Trevor Ariza to provide guidance to a young team, according to an Associated Press report. Ariza left the Western Conference powerhouse for a one-year, $15MM contract with Phoenix. “We need his defensive ability and versatility, his shooting ability but I think as much as anything, maybe more than anything, we need his leadership and his winning pedigree,” GM Ryan McDonough said.

Contract Details For Elie Okobo

July 8th, 2018 at 6:54pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns signed No. 31 pick Elie Okobo to a deal that starts at $1.2MM, then is worth the minimum for the next three years (Twitter link). Two seasons are guaranteed, with a non-guaranteed third year and a fourth-year team option.

Suns Sign Devin Booker To Five-Year Extension

July 7th, 2018 at 10:48pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns have officially signed guard Devin Booker to a contract extension that will cover five years and pay him the maximum salary, the team announced today in a press release. The club also tweeted out of a photo of Booker with the finalized contract.

“I am humbled and honored to commit to the Suns organization long term,” Booker said in a statement. “I have loved calling Phoenix home the last three seasons as this team and community are special to me. Thank you to the Suns for drafting me and believing in me. I look forward to the future and pursing a title as a Phoenix Sun.”

The Suns and Booker met earlier this week and were said to be making progress toward finalizing a new five-year max extension. The deal couldn’t be completed until after the July moratorium ended on Friday.

Booker’s new contract will go into effect starting in the 2019/20 season. Currently, based on a $109MM cap projection for that league year, a five-year deal would be worth $158MM. However, that figure could go up or down depending on where the salary cap ultimately lands. The starting salary will be worth 25% of the cap.

Booker, 21, has improved his numbers across the board during his first three seasons in the NBA, establishing new career highs in PPG (24.9), APG (4.7), RPG (4.5), 3PT% (.383), and several other categories in 2017/18.

The Suns haven’t won more than 24 games in a season since Booker debuted with the team, but the franchise appears to be trending in a positive direction. So far this offseason, the club has added No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton, young three-and-D wing Mikal Bridges, and veteran wing Trevor Ariza, among others, so Booker should have more help going forward.

Booker was one of 23 former first-round picks eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason. While the Suns guard was the first one to officially sign a new deal, there are several other candidates to get one before the mid-October deadline, including Karl-Anthony Towns, Kristaps Porzingis, Myles Turner, and Larry Nance.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trevor Ariza Signs One-Year Deal With Suns

July 6th, 2018 at 12:15pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 6: Ariza’s deal with the Suns is now official, the team confirmed in a press release. “Phoenix was the most aggressive team and the team that showed the most interest in me,” Ariza said today at his introductory press conference. “We all want to feel appreciated and wanted. When a team shows that much appreciation for what you do, naturally you are attracted to something like that.” (Twitter link from Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle).

JUNE 30: The Suns and Trevor Ariza have reached an agreement on a one-year, $15MM contract, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Phoenix will use most – if not all – of its available cap room to complete the signing.

Ariza, who turns 33 on Saturday, averaged 11.7 PPG and 4.4 RPG with a .368 3PT% in 67 regular-season games for the Rockets. While his season ended on a low note following an 0-for-12 shooting performance in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, the veteran played a key role in Houston, knocking down corner threes and playing excellent perimeter defense. His departure will be a blow to the West’s No. 1 seed.

The Suns, meanwhile, continue to add depth to their frontcourt. In the last two drafts, Phoenix has used lottery picks to add Josh Jackson and Mikal Bridges. The team also locked up T.J. Warren to a long-term extension that will take effect this year.

Given Phoenix’s need in the backcourt, the decision to devote the majority of its available cap room to Ariza is a little surprising. However, three-and-D wings are one of the most coveted assets in the modern NBA, and Ariza will provide veteran locker-room leadership as part of a young Suns roster.

While it’s not clear how the Suns will address their hole at the point, their deal with Ariza could be good news for a team like the Raptors, who had been concerned that Phoenix might sign Fred VanVleet to an aggressive offer sheet, tweets Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun. The Suns seem likely to be in the market for a less expensive point guard now.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Suns Sign Elie Okobo To Multiyear Deal

July 6th, 2018 at 11:39am CST by clarkcrum

JULY 6, 11:39am: Okobo’s deal is now official, the Suns announced on their website. The French point guard was an All-Star this season while playing for Pau-Lacq-Orthez in his homeland. Terms of the deal were not released, but it’s expected to be worth about $6MM in total, as noted below.

JUNE 24, 2:57pm: The Suns and the No. 31 overall selection of the 2018 NBA Draft Elie Okobo have agreed to a four-year contract worth approximately $6MM, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports.

Okobo, 20, has a buyout with Pau-Orthez of the LNB Pro A that will allow him to come to the NBA right away, and it appears to be well worth it, with Charania adding that the first two seasons of Okobo’s contract are fully guaranteed.

It’s not yet clear what the annual salaries will be in Okobo’s agreement, but the first two seasons are guaranteed for over $2.6MM and the third and fourth years will be non-guaranteed.

Because Okobo was not a first-round pick, he is not subject to the NBA’s rookie scale. Moreover, because he’ll sign a four-year contract, the Suns will be required to sign him using cap room or part of their MLE.

Okobo is the second player drafted in the second round of this year’s draft to sign a contract with his new team after Rodions Kurucs agreed to a contract with the Nets on Friday.

Brandon Knight On Pace To Start At Point Guard

July 5th, 2018 at 10:08pm CST by Austin Kent

The Suns may have their go-to point guard already on the roster. Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic writes about how head coach Igor Kokoskov has referred to Brandon Knight as their starter and that the guard seems to already have a better relationship with Kokoskov than he did with Earl Watson.
The Suns are making progress in their rookie scale extension negotiations with Devin Booker, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 tweets, noting that they could have something finalized by the end of the weekend.

Devin Booker Progressing Toward Max Extension With Suns

July 3rd, 2018 at 6:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Suns are making progress on a five-year, $158MM extension with Devin Booker, according to Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic.

Phoenix presented the offer to Booker at a meeting today. A source tells Bordow that parameters of the deal were outlined and describes the session as “productive,” citing “mutual interest from both sides in working to finalize a deal.”

Booker quickly emerged as an offensive force for the Suns after being taken with the 13th pick in the 2015 draft. He posted career highs across the board in his third season with 24.9 PPG, 4.7 APG, and 4.5 RPG.

The $158MM figure is an estimate based on current cap projections, but the final value won’t be set until next season’s official figures are in place.

Booker and the Suns have until the day before the season starts to complete an extension, but it sounds like the two sides may be able to finalize a deal not long after the July moratorium ends on Friday.

Suns Sign Ayton, Bridges; King Gets Two-Way Deal

July 3rd, 2018 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns have officially signed three of their four 2018 draft picks, according to RealGM’s transactions log. First-round selections Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges have inked their rookie deals with Phoenix, while second-rounder George King has finalized a two-way contract.

Ayton, the first overall pick in the draft, projects to be the Suns’ center of the future, with the team never wavering on using the No. 1 pick to select him over Marvin Bagley III, Luka Doncic, and other top prospects in the 2018 class. As our list of rookie scale salaries shows, Ayton will be in line for a first-year salary of $8MM+ and will earn more than $40MM over the course of his four-year rookie contract.

Bridges, meanwhile, was acquired in a draft-night trade with the Sixers. Phoenix gave up Miami’s unprotected 2021 first-round pick to move up from No. 16 to No. 10 to secure Bridges, an indication of how much they like him. The former Villanova forward will receive a $3.55MM first-year salary and a four-year contract worth $17.63MM in total.

While Bridges’ and Ayton’s first NBA contracts were locked in from the moment they were drafted, that wasn’t the case for King, the 59th overall pick, since there’s no set rookie scale for second-round selections. The former Colorado forward will slot into one of the Suns’ two-way contract openings during his rookie year.

The only unsigned Phoenix draftee now is Elie Okobo, the 31st overall pick. However, the two sides reportedly reached an agreement on a four-year deal shortly after the draft, so it should become official soon after the moratorium ends.