Alec Burks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Extension Candidate: Alec Burks

October 13th, 2014 at 2:46pm CST by Chuck Myron

Just as with teammate Enes Kanter, it was somewhat surprising to see that the Jazz are talking extension with Alec Burks. The shooting guard has made just a dozen career starts, and with this summer’s addition of No. 5 overall pick Dante Exum and retention of free agent Gordon Hayward, it doesn’t seem like there will be many starts to go around in the years to come, with Trey Burke already firmly entrenched. Still, Burks is a 23-year-old former 12th overall pick who’s coming off a season of noticeable improvement, and the Jazz have no shortage of financial flexibility for seasons to come.

The Andy Miller client was one of many young players on the Jazz who took on an expanded role last season, but his increase in production outstripped his increase in minutes. Burks set career-best per-36-minute marks of 17.9 points and 3.5 assists while recording a 15.8 PER, also a career high. He maintained strong three-point shooting, a part of his game that had been a question mark coming out of the University of Colorado, nailing 35.0% of his attempts from behind the arc, just a tick below the 35.9% he made in 2012/13. His markedly improved 45.7% field goal percentage overall was chiefly the result of better mid-range shooting, as Basketball-Reference shows he significantly increased his accuracy from 3 to 16 feet away from the basket. Burks has also defended well, as the Jazz have given up fewer points per possession when he’s been on the floor compared to when he’s sat in each of the past two seasons, according to NBA.com.

The Jazz only have about $36.5MM in commitments for 2015/16, a number that should swell to about $40MM once they pick up their team options on Burke and Rudy Gobert. That would give them max-level cap flexibility beneath the projected $66.5MM salary cap for that season. Extensions for Burks and Kanter that together add up to no more than $10MM in annual salaries would take Utah down to roughly the sort of cap room necessary to sign a restricted free agent to a max contract. The Jazz are much more likely to attract the sort of free agent who’d warrant the 25% max than a veteran who could make 30% or 35% of the salary cap, since star free agents have never clamored to go to Utah. Still, it will be quite difficult for the team to attract even a player befitting the lowest version of the NBA’s maximum salary, particularly if the Jazz end up in the lottery again this year, as expected.

The Jazz have instead used their cap space in more unconventional ways in recent years. They essentially rented it to the Warriors in 2013/14, as GM Dennis Lindsey agreed to take on the inflated contracts of Richard Jefferson, Andris Biedrins and Brandon Rush for a slew of draft picks. Lindsey and the Jazz did the same on a smaller scale this summer, garnering a pair of second-round draft picks in exchange for absorbing close to $4.3MM combined in guaranteed salary for Steve Novak and Carrick Felix. Eventually, Lindsey will have to decide whether securing the draftees the team has brought aboard over the last several years is more important than acquiring picks to bear fruit in years to come.

Utah isn’t at that point yet, and it probably won’t be until at least the summer of 2017, when the rookie deals of Burke and Gobert are set to expire and Hayward can opt out of his contract. An extension for Burks would almost certainly carry through that summer. No one knows just what the salary cap will look like at that point, but Lindsey and the Jazz have to be thinking ahead.

An extension that runs three seasons instead of the standard four would at least allow the Jazz to move on from Burks in the summer of 2018, when Derrick Favors is due to hit free agency. The same could be accomplished if the Jazz include non-guaranteed salary in the final season of a four-year extension for Burks, though all four of the seasons on the extension that Quincy Pondexter signed last year with the Grizzlies are guaranteed, a point that Miller would surely bring up. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Jazz would counter with the idea of giving Burks more than the $14MM total that Pondexter is receiving in exchange for a non-guaranteed season. Utah would also be wise to try to frontload the salaries so that the majority of the cost comes while the team still has plenty of cap flexibility.

Lindsey and the Jazz seem willing to commit to their young talent if those players are willing to bet that their market value won’t escalate significantly in the years to come, and while that sort of agreement is elusive, it’s worthwhile for the Jazz to pursue it. Last year’s extension with Favors looks reasonably team-friendly compared to the max offer sheet that Hayward scored in restricted free agency, and surely Lindsey has that dichotomy in mind as he sits at the negotiating table with the agents for Burks and Kanter. It still seems unlikely, based on the history of rookie scale extensions, that the Jazz or any team would strike a deal with a player who doesn’t seem to have superstar potential, but Burks is on an upward arc, and Utah appears eager to keep him from free agency if it’s feasible. Other teams will surely be watching how these negotiations play out to gauge whether they, too, should consider granting rookie scale extensions to a wider range of eligible players.

West Notes: Jokic, Kanter, Burks, Gasol, Beasley

September 30th, 2014 at 7:50pm CST by Alex Lee

Here are the latest news and notes coming out of the Western Conference on Tuesday night:

There’s been no word of a deal between the Nuggets and Nikola Jokic, and his name isn’t among the 19 on the preseason roster that the Nuggets released today, so presumably the 41st overall pick from this year’s draft will remain under contract with Serbia’s KK Mega Vizura this season.
On the heels of yesterday’s report that the Jazz have opened extension talks with Enes Kanter and Alec Burks, GM Dennis Lindsey said the team anticipates the duo to be with the Jazz for a “long time,” writes Aaron Falk of the Salt Lake Tribune. “They’re both valued members and we’re really proud of where they’re at as people and as players,” Lindsey said. “We’ll see if we can get something done early … but we anticipate both of them being with the Jazz for a long time.”
When asked about his impending free agency next summer, Marc Gasol reiterated his affinity for his teammates and the city of Memphis, writes Geoff Calkins of The Commercial Appeal in a subscription-only piece. Gasol also suggested that it would be hard to sign an extension prior to next summer knowing how quickly things can change in the NBA. Grizzlies owner Robert Pera said in August he’s determined to keep Gasol in Memphis for the rest of his career.
Also from Calkins’ story, Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger had the following to say when asked what it would take for Michael Beasley to end up on the roster: “Just be as good as he can be on the court and off the court. He’s going to have to come in and take somebody’s spot, and he knows that.”

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Jazz Open Extension Talks With Kanter, Burks

September 29th, 2014 at 5:45pm CST by Cray Allred

The Jazz have opened extension talks with both Enes Kanter and Alec Burks, Aaron Falk of the Salt Lake Tribune tweets. GM Dennis Lindsey revealed the development to reporters at the team’s media day. Previously, Lindsey has been non-committal in addressing the future of the fourth-year players, and negotiations don’t necessarily mean the team is enthusiastically trying to retain either for big money.

Both Kanter and Burks were lottery picks in the 2011 draft, but haven’t progressed rapidly enough to be sure-fire extension candidates. In fact, our own Chuck Myron tabbed both as longshots to come to terms with Utah before the October 31 deadline in the Hoops Rumors Rookie Scale Extension Primer.

While Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward have both been cemented as long-term pieces for the Jazz to build around, Kanter and Burks reflect the team’s identity in many ways. At 22- and 23-years-old, respectively, both have shown flashes of promise and earned bigger roles, as the team has experienced growing pains and tumbled down the standings in recent years. It will be interesting to see how Utah envisions Burks, a shooting guard, fitting in with the young backcourt of Trey Burke and Dante Exum. Utah’s fronctourt is a bit less crowded, with Rudy Gobert, more raw at this stage than Kanter, the only other big apart from Favors with as high a ceiling.

Lowe’s Latest: Salary Cap, TV Deal, Burks, Morris

September 16th, 2014 at 10:45am CST by Chuck Myron

Teams around the league are projecting that the salary cap will leap to as high as $80MM for 2016/17, as Grantland’s Zach Lowe writes, but next season’s salary cap is shrouded in uncertainty. Executives from around the league believed earlier this summer that the NBA would gradually phase in the increase in the salary cap with a larger than usual uptick next summer, but the league has told teams within the last two weeks to hold steady on their projections for 2015/16, according to Lowe. The uncertainty makes it more difficult for teams to make long-term commitments at this point as the October 31st deadline for rookie scale extensions looms. The focus of the Grantland scribe’s piece is on that rookie scale extension market, and his entire piece is worth a read to juxtapose his insight with our in-depth pieces on some of the same up-and-comers featured in our Extension Candidate Series. Lowe also has a few more newsy tidbits, as we’ll pass along here:

There’s chatter around the league suggesting that the NBA will backload its new television deal, which is expected to be more than twice as lucrative as the current arrangement that runs out after the 2015/16 season, Lowe reports. The aim would be for the league to negotiate the ability to keep a larger percentage of that media rights revenue for itself in the next collective bargaining agreement with the players union.
Executive around the league see Alec Burks as a sixth man rather than a starter, according to Lowe, who argues that there’s a case to be made to the contrary. Still, it bodes well for the Jazz‘s leverage in extension talks.
Markieff Morris and Marcus Morris told teams before the 2011 draft that they would take less money to play together, sources tell Lowe. That didn’t end up happening right away, since Houston drafted Marcus and Phoenix took Markieff, but the Suns reunited the twins at the 2013 trade deadline, and if their desire to stick together still holds true, that gives the Suns the ability to exert some pressure, Lowe surmises. Both are extension-eligible.

Toure’ Murry Close To Deal With Jazz

August 13th, 2014 at 5:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

WEDNESDAY, 5:30pm: The Jazz are finalizing the deal with Murry, writes Stein, who adds that the Lakers were also interested in the guard’s services.

5:53pm: Murry’s agent, Bernie Lee, said the report of a pending deal with the Jazz is “news to him,” notes Jody Genessy of the Deseret News (Twitter link).

TUESDAY, 5:31pm: Toure’ Murry is close to signing a two-year, $2MM deal with the Utah Jazz, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Murry had also been pursued by the Heat, and his former team, the Knicks, notes Stein. Murry will be able to provide depth at both guard positions for the Jazz, and will compete for playing time off the bench.

Utah will most likely begin the season with Trey Burke as the starting point guard, and Alec Burks at the two guard position. No. 5 overall pick, Dante Exum, will begin his career at shooting guard, but the franchise hopes he can develop his ball-handling and decision-making skills enough to eventually shift over to the point.

Last year, his first season in the league, Murry appeared in 51 games for the Knicks, and averaged 2.7 PPG, 0.9 RPG, and 1.0 APG, while logging 7.3 minutes a night. His slash line was .434/.417/.590.

Western Notes: Suns, O’Neal, Jazz

July 13th, 2014 at 11:04am CST by Eddie Scarito

The Suns recent contract agreement with Isaiah Thomas has puzzled some since the team already has point guards Eric Bledsoe, Goran Dragic, and recent draftee Tyler Ennis on the roster. But Phoenix believes they have only strengthened their “dual-playmaker” offense with the acquisition, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. GM Ryan McDonough said, “We feel like the strength of our team is the backcourt. We feel like this move has made us even stronger in the backcourt. We were very good when Dragic and Bledsoe were on the court, and we think Isaiah is that caliber of player where if you can have one or two of those guys on the court at all times, you really don’t have any dropoff scoring-wise. You always have multiple weapons. You have guys who can run pick-and-rolls from either side of the floor and can push the floor in transition.”

Here’s more from the western half:

Jermaine O’Neal is expected to make a decision on his retirement soon, reports Diamond Leung of The Bay Area News Group (Twitter link). O’Neal appeared in 44 games for the Warriors last season, averaging 7.9 PPG and 5.5 RPG while playing 20.1 minutes per contest.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr has spoken with Klay Thompson and David Lee about the trade rumors surrounding both players, writes Leung. According to the article Kerr said, “They both get it. I told them, I know you get it. It doesn’t make it any easier. But this is why you really get paid. I mean, you get paid all this money, is it really for coming into a gym for two hours a day and shooting jump shots? We’ve been doing that for free our whole life, you know? You get paid because you can get traded, and you have to uproot your family. You can get hurt, you can get booed, and people on the message board are crushing you. That’s where you actually earn your money in this league, where it actually feels like work.“
Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey was noncommittal when asked what Gordon Hayward‘s new contract would mean for Alec Burks and Enes Kanter and any discussions on signing those players to contract extensions, notes Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link).
With the Lakers seemingly striking out on all the big name free agents this summer, the team will have to turn to “Plan B,” writes Bill Oram of the Orange County Register.

Cavs, Jazz Talking Swap Of No. 1 Pick, Favors

June 23rd, 2014 at 8:00pm CST by Zachary Links

8:00pm: The sense is that, despite the buzz, the Cavs really aren’t close to a deal they like, Amico tweets. Meanwhile, a source close to Waiters tells Amico (link) that Waiters believes he or Kyrie Irving will be traded. The two guards reportedly clashed last season.

7:16pm: The Jazz and Cavs are discussing a trade that would involve Derrick Favors going to the Cavs for the No. 1 pick, according to Spencer Checketts of 1280 AM (via Jody Genessy of the Deseret News on Twitter). Checketts says that Utah is offering Favors, Alec Burks, and the No. 5 pick to the Cavs for the No. 1 selection and Jarrett Jack. Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (on Twitter), meanwhile, hears that the deal being discussed also includes Utah’s No. 23 pick.

Checketts adds that the Utah front office is split about including Burks in their offer to Cleveland (link). Checketts hears (link) that the Jazz initially offered Favors and the No. 5 pick for the No. 1. The Cavs wanted an unprotected first-round pick thrown in and the Jazz then countered with the No. 23 in this year’s draft.

The Cavs have also talked with the Sixers, Magic, and Timberwolves within the past 24 hours, Amico tweets. Meanwhile, the Cavs have also discussed Dion Waiters with an unknown team in the top ten (link).

Favors is set to begin a four-year, $49MM deal this season and one surprised NBA insider tells Genessy (via Twitter) that he can’t see Utah moving the former No. 3 overall pick. This past season was Favors’ best to date. The soon-to-be 23-year-old averaged 13.3 PPG and 8.7 RPG in 30.2 minutes per contest. His 19.0 PER was also a career best and the youngster has seen that number rise in each of his NBA seasons.

Depending on who you ask, the Cavs may have discussed Jack with the Nets last week in a deal that would have brought them guard Marcus Thornton. Jack signed a $25MM contract with the Cavs last summer after a successful 2012/13 campaign in which he came off the bench behind Stephen Curry for the Warriors. His 2013/14 season was a disappointing one however, as the point guard shot just 41% from the floor and posted a career-low 11.5 PER.

It was reported last week that Utah was making Burks available in order to move up in the draft. The shooting guard averaged 14.0 points in 28.1 minutes per game with a 15.8 PER, all career highs.

While there has been a lot of buzz around Andrew Wiggins as the clear-cut No. 1 choice in this year’s draft following Joel Embiid‘s injury, the Jazz could be eyeing the top pick in order to tab Duke’s Jabari Parker. Parker, who is of the Mormon faith, would be tremendously marketable in Utah.

Alec Burks Available As Jazz Seek To Trade Up

June 17th, 2014 at 10:25am CST by Chuck Myron

Alec Burks can be had in the right deal that would allow the Jazz to move up to draft Jabari Parker, as Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders hears. Kyler also indicates that there’s a decent chance the team is willing to give up some of the draft picks it acquired as part of last year’s three-team trade with Golden State and Denver.

The Jazz’s affection for Parker is well-documented, as Parker is of the Mormon faith that’s predominant in Utah, making him a naturally marketable centerpiece. The small forward from Duke is also widely regarded as one of the top three players available in the draft, so it’s unlikely that he winds up slipping to the Jazz at the No. 5 pick.

Burks showed improvement in a greater amount of playing time this past season, his third since the Jazz drafted him 12th overall in 2011. The shooting guard averaged 14.0 points in 28.1 minutes per game with a 15.8 PER, all career highs. Still, he shot just 35.0% from behind the three-point arc, making it tough for the Jazz to pair him with Gordon Hayward, who shot just 30.4% from three-point range in 2013/14. Burks is eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer.

The Jazz have the No. 23 pick in this year’s draft from the Warriors as a result of last year’s trade, and Golden State also owes them a 2017 first-rounder. Utah also netted a trio of second-round picks in that deal. Still, the top three players in this year’s draft appear to be a cut above the rest, and it seems a long shot that any team would want to give up a potential star for Burks and draft picks that are either in the late first round or at least two years away from being conveyed.

Jazz To Explore Extensions With Kanter, Burks

April 18th, 2014 at 9:22am CST by Chuck Myron

Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey acknowledged Thursday that the team needs stability after last summer’s whirlwind of changes, and he told reporters, including Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune, that the team will consider rookie scale extensions for Enes Kanter and Alec Burks. Both will be eligible to receive the extensions between July and the end of October.

“It’s definitely something we’ll explore,” Lindsey said. “Whether we get a deal done, I don’t know. But we’ll sit down and talk to both of their representatives when the time comes.”

The team signed Derrick Favors to a four-year, $48MM extension this past offseason, but it didn’t come to terms on an extension with Gordon Hayward, who’ll be a restricted free agent this summer. Kanter, a Max Ergul client, and Burks, who’s represented by ASM Sports, would hit restricted free agency in 2015 if the Jazz don’t extend their contracts this year. Both saw about twice as many minutes this season than in 2012/13 as they established themselves as integral members of the team’s rotation.

Kanter nonetheless said Wednesday that he wanted to see the Jazz use more lineups that put him together with the team’s younger players. Hayward, 24, is the oldest of a group that includes Kanter, Burks, Favors and rookie Trey Burke, all of whom were lottery picks. The groundwork for long-term stability appears to be there if the Jazz want to keep them together.

The Jazz’s only commitment beyond next season is to Favors, leaving the team with plenty of cap flexibility. Neither Kanter nor Burks is likely to approach the kind of deal that Favors got, and while rookie scale extensions are mostly the purview of potential stars in the making, role players occasionally wind up with rookie scale extensions, too. Quincy Pondexter, who scored a four-year, $14MM extension with the Grizzlies this past fall, but Kanter and Burks can probably command more than that, given their youth and upside as lottery picks.

Jazz Exercise Options On Kanter, Burks

October 29th, 2013 at 3:50pm CST by Luke Adams

TUESDAY, 3:50pm: The Jazz have officially exercised their fourth-year options on Kanter and Burks, the team announced today in a press release.

MONDAY, 10:15am: As they continue to work on a potential extension for fourth-year forward Gordon Hayward, the Jazz are set to pick up their 2014/15 options on third-year players Enes Kanter and Alec Burks, GM Dennis Lindsey confirmed today (Twitter link via Jody Genessy of the Deseret News).

The decision doesn’t come as any surprise, since Kanter and Burks as viewed as part of a Utah core that also include Hayward, Trey Burke, and the recently extended Derrick Favors. Kanter and Burks, who will both be eligible for extensions next summer, are now in line for guaranteed 2014/15 salaries of about $5.69MM and $3.03MM, respectively.

The deadline to exercise ’14/15 options on rookie scale players is Thursday, so we can expect an official announcement from the Jazz by then. To follow all the decisions on rookie contract options, be sure to check out our tracker.