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Non-Guaranteed Players On Non-Minimum Deals

September 3rd, 2013 at 8:51am CST by Luke Adams

In many cases, players on non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed contracts are slated to earn minimum salaries if they remain on NBA rosters. That's especially true at this time of year, when most players who had been on non-guaranteed contracts worth more than the minimum have already seen their deals become fully guaranteed — Kyle Lowry, for instance, was only owed $1MM of his $6.21MM salary for 2013/14, but that full $6.21MM became guaranteed when he wasn't waived on or before July 15th.

There are still a handful of players though who are on non-guaranteed deals worth more than the minimum, and still aren't entirely safe. Last night, we passed along our complete list of non-guaranteed contracts for '13/14, but this morning we'll highlight a few specific cases, weighing the likelihood of these guys earning their full salaries.

Listed below are the players believed to still be on non-guaranteed contracts worth more than the minimum salary for the coming season. These deals will become fully guaranteed if the players aren't released on or before January 7th.

  • Andrew Bynum, Cavaliers ($6MM of $12.25MM currently guaranteed). Bynum's health figures to play a role in determining whether or not he earns the additional $6.25MM on his contract this year. Still, I think the Cavs will probably keep Bynum around barring anything short of a season-ending injury. Even if he has only appeared in a handful of games by the time decision day rolls around in January, it's hard to imagine Cleveland releasing Bynum if the team believes he could be healthy in the second half, considering the potential upside.
  • C.J. Miles, Cavaliers (none of $2.225MM currently guaranteed). If the Cavaliers were going to cut Miles, I think they would have done it by now, to maximize their summer cap space. At $2.225MM, the eight-year veteran, who averaged 11.2 PPG and a .384 3PT% in his first year as a Cav, is a relative bargain, and figures to remain in Cleveland beyond January 7th.
  • Hasheem Thabeet, Thunder ($500K of $1.2MM currently guaranteed). Thabeet may never live up to the expectations placed on him when he was drafted second overall in 2009, but if you're looking for a big man capable of playing 10-15 minutes per game off the bench, you could do worse. Oklahoma City is flirting with the luxury tax line, and has a few non-guaranteed deals on the books, so at least one or two of those guys will likely be waived. Still, I'd be a little surprised if Thabeet was one of those cuts, particularly since OKC holds a cheap 2014/15 option on him.
  • Hedo Turkoglu, Magic ($6MM of $12MM currently guaranteed). The Magic continue to work on a buyout for Turkoglu, and it sounds like he'll probably be off the roster well before January. One report suggested that Turkoglu's big expiring contract could become a decent trade chip at the February deadline, but that would mean guaranteeing him another $6MM, which seems like bad business.
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Cavs Notes: Brown, Bynum, Thompson, Oden

August 17th, 2013 at 6:46pm CST by Spencer Lund

During her weekly mailbag, the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mary Schmitt Boyer theorizes that the vitriol about Andrew Bynum in Philadelphia was stronger than Ohio's reaction  to the repeatedly injured Greg Oden because Oden led the Buckeyes to the 2007 NCAA National Championship game, and Philadelphia lost their gamble on Bynum last season. 

Boyer also predicts the Cavs' starting lineup if the whole roster–specifically Anderson Varejao and Bynum–are healthy. The hypothesis: Bynum, Tristan Thompson, Earl Clark, Dion Waiters and Kyrie Irving. Noticeably absent is Varejao, who could attract interest from other teams if Bynum appears healthy and productive before the the February trade deadline. 

Here's what else is happening with the Cavs, on a lazy NBA Saturday in August:

  • The underlying reason the Cavs brought back head coach Mike Brown was for his defensive acumen. The Plain-Dealer's Terry Pluto writes that Brown is assigning players specific positions in an effort to avoid confusion with a player's role in his new defensive schemes. 
  • One example of strictly following positional assignments is Waiters. He can play either guard position, but Brown says he'll primarily assign him the defensive responsibilities of a shooting guard, with Kyrie Irving defending the helmsman at point. 
  • Pluto also adds that Tristan Thompson's switch from shooting with his left to right hand wasn't a big surprise for the Cavs. He'd been shooting free throws with his right hand last season at practice, and even attempted some right-handed jump shots towards the end of the year because the rotation looked better. 
  • Thompson shoots the ball with either hand near the basket, but throws a ball right-handed and eats with his left hand. The Cavs just want him to improve on his career 58.6 percent mark from the charity stripe.
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Odds & Ends: Hill, Team USA, Cousins

July 25th, 2013 at 11:14pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Opting to stick around for youth basketball camps he sponsored in Texas, Pacers guard George Hill understands that his decision to forego his commitment to Team USA training camp on short notice could hurt his chances at future invitations (IndyStar.com). USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo's reacted to Hill's decision: "We expected him here, and he withdrew…Until I really get the answer, I don't know what else to tell you. I just don't think it's fair to comment one way or the other until I have facts, out of courtesy and respect."

Here are a few more miscellaneous rumblings to pass along from tonight:

  • Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter) hears that the Kings will be meeting with DeMarcus Cousins' agent Dan Fegan in the near future to discuss a contract extension. 
  • Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today tweets that early next year, Colangelo will announce another pool of 25-28 players for next summer's World Cup competition.
  • Though he almost chose the Mavericks at the request of his son, Jermaine O'Neal passed on the chance to return home and ultimately chose to join the Warriors for the opportunity to be a part of something special (Marcus Thompson of the San Jose Mercury News). 
  • Eric Koreen of the National Post introduces us to Bill Bayno, Jesse Murmuys, and Jama Mahlalela – some of the new faces on the Raptors' assistant coaching staff. In another piece, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun gathers some of head coach Dwane Casey's thoughts on Jonas Valanciunas and DeMar DeRozan and their improvement this summer. 
  • Zach Harper of CBS Sports is puzzled by Cavaliers center Andrew Bynum's statement to Cleveland media that he's never played for a city that really supported their team, coming from someone who developed and enjoyed plenty of success with the Lakers. 
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Eastern Notes: Bynum, Mitchell, Sixers, Heat

July 22nd, 2013 at 1:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Let's check in on a few items from around the Eastern Conference….

  • Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com has the specifics on Andrew Bynum's deal with the Cavaliers, tweeting that the overall value is $24,790,000 over two years. However, only $6MM of that total is guaranteed, with no guarantee date. That means that the Cavs could waive Bynum on or before January 7th and only pay him $6MM. Assuming they keep him for the entire 2013/14 season, the Cavs could also release him next summer before July 10th and avoid paying any of his '14/15 salary, as ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst tweets.
  • Within his update of the Pistons' salaries, Deeks passes along the details on Tony Mitchell's contract, which is guaranteed for two seasons and non-guaranteed in the third. It'll pay him $500K in his rookie year, and the minimum in each of the next two years.
  • In his latest Morning Tip column at NBA.com, TNT's David Aldridge says the Sixers are expected to interview Raptors assistant Nick Nurse for their head coaching opening.
  • While much has been made of the cap space the Lakers expect to have next summer, the Heat could also be serious players on the free agent market if LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh opt out, writes Windhorst at ESPN.com. I would assume Miami's first choice would be to bring back all those guys on their current deals or new ones, but clearing their salaries would create a variety of possibilities for the team.
  • Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel addresses some free agent possibilities for the Heat for the current offseason in his latest mailbag.
  • The Bucks are attempting to rebuild their roster without bottoming out, writes Jonathan Tjarks of RealGM.com.
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Odds & Ends: Irving, Ellis, Wolters

July 20th, 2013 at 11:52pm CST by Ryan Raroque

In his weekly roundup of topics surrounding Cleveland sports teams, Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer offers his thoughts on Andrew Bynum, the Cavaliers' depth at the big man positions, and Kyrie Irving. Regarding some belief that Tyler Zeller might not get much playing time with the addition of Bynum, the return of Anderson Varejao, and the presence of Tristan Thompson and Anthony Bennett, Pluto believes that the second year big man will be needed since he's skeptical of Bynum and Varejao's injury histories. You can find the rest of tonight's miscellaneous links below:

  • On rumors of Irving possibly leaving Cleveland or wanting out, Pluto explains why it'd be unlikely for the young star to leave the Cavs before he could become an unrestricted free agent in 2016. Pluto also lauds the acquisition of Jarrett Jack as a player who will push Dion Waiters and Irving for playing time, while also serving as an insurance policy in case one of them gets injured. 
  • Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW writes that Monta Ellis significantly upgrades the Mavericks' talent level. 
  • Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel takes a more in-depth look at Nate Wolters' experience in summer league play and several positive signs moving forward for the Bucks' rookie. 
  • Kevin Martin is very much looking forward to teaming up with Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio, writes John Krawczynski of the Associated Press (via the Star Tribune), who also shares that Martin played a big role in the recruitment of Corey Brewer from free agency. 
  • In a conference call with Twin Cities reporters earlier today, Martin was asked if he had seriously considered a return to the Thunder for little money and a chance to win a championship, considering that their offer was significantly restricted by the luxury tax: "Always. I also feel like I found the same thing with Minnesota being younger. They've had some injuries over the years, but they're a good team, too. I made a decision and I think it's a great one. I learned from Oklahoma CIty, they're a great organization. The way KD and Russ approach the game, I  think that's something I'll bring to Minnesota" (Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune). 
  • Bulls rookie Tony Snell loves being compared to Kawhi Leonard, notes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. 
  • ESPN's David Thorpe explains why the quality of summer league play has suffered a bit this year and assesses the performance of key second year players in Las Vegas with Kevin Arnowitz and Amin Elhassan (video links). 
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Odds & Ends: Mavs, Brown, Telfair

July 20th, 2013 at 5:32pm CST by Ryan Raroque
Amin Elhassan of ESPN (hat tip to SportsDayDFW) spoke about the Mavericks' signing of Samuel Dalembert, calling him a player who will be well-suited for a role as an impact player on the defensive end. Elhassan also doesn't think that bringing Dalembert on board will impact the team's pursuit of Greg Oden, who could be "the steal of the century" if healthy. Here are some more news and notes from around the Association this evening: 
  • Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown addresses his relationship with LeBron James and his stint as coach of the Lakers in part one of an interview with Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.
  • The Knicks, Heat, and Thunder have shown interest in Sebastian Telfair, HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy tweets.
  • Kennedy, as part of his NBA PM piece, passes along comments from Chris Douglas-Roberts, who's confident that the Lakers will bring him to training camp for a second straight year. 
  • Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York tweets that contrary to reports, the Bulls, Clippers, and Rockets are all front runners for Marcus Camby, and that the 39-year-old center is still weighing opportunities. It isn't clear as to what reports Zwerling is alluding to, as his list of frontrunners hasn't appeared to change much from this past week (with the exception of the Heat). 
  • The Plain Dealer's Mary Schmitt Boyer touches on LeBron James and Andrew Bynum and a broad spectrum of Cavs-related topics in her mailbag column.
  • Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com tweets that former NBA All-Star Tim Hardaway Sr. networked with several teams in Las Vegas about potentially joining an NBA coaching staff and is optimistic about his chances. 

 Chuck Myron contributed to this post. 

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Andrew Bynum Signs With Cavs

July 18th, 2013 at 5:56pm CST by Chuck Myron

JULY 18TH: Bynum has officially signed his contract, the team announced. For cap-related reasons, the Cavs had delayed finalizing the deal while they considered claiming Mike Miller off waivers, but with Miller now a free agent, that appears to have cleared the way for Bynum to officially join the Cavs.

JULY 10TH, 7:01pm: Bynum's deal is for $12MM this season, only $6MM of which is guaranteed, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. It also includes a $12.5MM team option for 2014/15.

6:52pm: Andrew Bynum has decided to sign with the Cavaliers, as Chris Broussard of ESPN.com hears (Twitter link). Bynum and agent David Lee just got off the phone with Cleveland to inform the club of the center's intentions, tweets Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. The Cavs, who reportedly offered a partially guaranteed two-year, $24MM deal, were growing increasingly unsure of their ability to land the oft-injured center, Amico wrote earlier today, but it looks like their fears were unfounded.

Only $6MM was guaranteed in the team's offer to Bynum, but it still appeared to be the most guaranteed money any team was willing to give him as his field of suitors narrowed to the Cavs, Mavericks and Hawks. The Sixers weren't ruling out a return, but they seemed a longshot.

The Cavs will bank on a return to health for the 2012 All-Star who missed the entire 2012/13 season. The Sixers acquired Bynum last summer as part of the blockbuster Dwight Howard deal, but he never suited up for Philadelphia, felled by a pair of balky knees that also caused him to miss significant time during his seven years with the Lakers.

Cleveland could wind up with a marquee player on the cheap, as Bynum appeared headed toward a maximum-salary contract, or something close to it, before he missed last season. The deal adds to a crowded frontcourt that includes Anderson Varejao, Tristan Thompson and No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett, and it could signal a trade is forthcoming, though that's just my speculation.

Bynum will reunite with Cavs coach Mike Brown, who coached him during his final season with the Lakers. Brown's presence was a factor in Bynum decision, Amico tweets, as the big man feels the team simply wanted him more than any other club. 

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Cavs Mulling Amnesty Claim Of Mike Miller

July 17th, 2013 at 6:28pm CST by Chuck Myron

6:28pm: The Cavs have decided to delay their official signing of Andrew Bynum, and that's tied to their pursuit of Miller, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. The Cavs have postponed Thursday's scheduled signing, as Mary Schmitt Boyer of the The Plain Dealer originally reported, and that's so they can preserve the cap space necessary to make a bid on Miller, according to Windhorst (Twitter link). If Cleveland submits the winning bid for Miller, the team would waive non-guaranteed players to re-open space for Bynum's deal, as Windhorst explains via Twitter. 

5:10pm: The Cavs are strongly considering claiming Mike Miller off amnesty waivers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. The Heat used the amnesty clause yesterday to rid themselves of the two years and $12.8MM remaining on his contract. The Cavs, and any other NBA team with cap space, can place a partial bid on that amount. If there are multiple bids, Miller's rights would go to whichever team bid the highest.

Miller, 33, would become a free agent if no team claims him. With the Clippers and Rockets already linked to the 13-year veteran sharpshooter, an amnesty claim might represent the Cavs' best chance to get him. 

There have been reports indicating the Cavs are out of cap room, so if they're accurate, the team will have to waive some of its non-guaranteed players to make a bid on Miller. The Cavs can eliminate as much as much as $4,120,814 from their books by waiving C.J. Miles, Chris Quinn and Kevin Jones. They're not allowed to make a trade to open up cap space under the rules of the amnesty provision.

Miller is a friend of former Heat teammate LeBron James, as Wojnarowski notes. The Cavs are gearing up for a run at James next summer, when the four-time MVP can opt out his contract with the Heat, so perhaps that's one of the factors the team is considering as it thinks about claiming Miller.

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Eastern Notes: Knicks, Cavs, World Peace

July 13th, 2013 at 11:41pm CST by Spencer Lund

A source tells Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com  that the Knicks have expressed interest in Samuel Dalembert. Knicks GM Glen Grunwald was chatting with Dalembert’s agent from Pinnacle Management Corporation, at Summer League yesterday (Twitter link). 

Frank Isola of the New York Daily News believes Isiah Thomas is the best chance the Knicks have to snag Metta World Peace, if he clears waivers, with the remaining $1.7MM from their mini mid-level exception.

Metta recently spoke with Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com. They discussed Metta’s working with LeBron James and Kevin Durant as a player development coach, what competition means to him, and why he’s such a big fan of LeBron (all Sulia links)

Here's some more from around the Eastern Conference…

 

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Central Links: Bulls, Cavs, McMillan

July 13th, 2013 at 7:56pm CST by Spencer Lund

The Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson spent some time with Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau today, and the coach provided him some insights into the the team's offseason plans–including the signing of the Bucks' Mike Dunleavy. 

Of Dunleavy, Thibs said that he complements Derrick Rose and Carlos Boozer "extremely well," and "he moves well with the ball. We think he's a great fit" (Twitter link). Speaking of Rose, whom Thibodeau gushed about last month, the Bulls coach continued to praise his star's progress to Johnson via Twitter. According to Thibs, the summer has given Rose even more time to build his confidence and his leg strength, finally adding "He looks great."

Johnson's conversation with Thibodeau failed to touch on the relationship between Bulls general manager Gar Forman (Twitter link) and former assistant Ron Adams, who the Celtics may be looking to add to their bench.

Here's what else is happening around the Central division tonight…

  • Racine Journal Times columnist Gery Woelfel relays the same Thibodeau thoughts on Dunleavy and adds, via Twitter, that the Bulls got a strong endorsement for Dunleavy from his former college coach, Mike Krzyzewski. 
  • The Cavs appeared to have an excess of front court players after drafting Anthony Bennett with the number one pick and signing Andrew Bynum. That's the roster question the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mary Schmitt Boyer answers in her Saturday night mailbag.  
  • Cavs GM Chris Grant says he's been high on free agent signee Jarrett Jack ever since the guard came out of college. That's when Grant, then a member of the Hawks’ front office, was part of an unsuccessful effort to trade up to select Jack. Bob Finnan of the News-Herald provides details via Sulia. 
  • Jodie Valade of the Cleveland Plain Dealer opines that the Cavs’ recent draft picks and free agent signings allow them more flexibility and options. 
  • Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star suggests the Pacers’ biggest off-season move may have been hiring Nate McMillan as an assistant coach.
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