Earlier this afternoon, the 76ers saw one of the mainstays of their 2011/12 rotation agree to sign with an Eastern Conference rival, when Lou Williams reached an agreement with the Hawks. The Sixers continue to do free agent shopping of their own, however. As the team prepares to ink Nick Young to his one-year deal and amnesty Elton Brand, here's the latest out of Philadelphia:
5:37pm: The Warriors are the frontrunners to sign Hickson, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld writes.
1:05pm: The Bobcats have also expressed interest in Hickson, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
MONDAY, 12:14pm: A source tells Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (Sulia link) that it's "hard to envision" Hickson signing with anyone but the Warriors. Golden State tried to sign Hickson after he was waived by the Kings, and is making a serious push for him now, says Amico.
We're rounding up today's news on teams tendering qualifying offers here, but there's also news of a notable player who won't get one. Jason Quick of The Oregonian reports the Blazers will not tender a qualifying offer to J.J. Hickson (Twitter link). The offer would likely have been for $4,385,416. Hickson is now an unrestricted free agent, and GM Neil Olshey says the Blazers are open to negotiating with him come July 1, Quick says.
The league and the National Basketball Players Association have reached a settlement that will extend Bird rights to four players claimed off waivers this season, but will limit the retention of Bird rights for players claimed off waivers in the future, according to Howard Beck of The New York Times (Twitter links). From now on, full Bird rights will only be retained if the player is claimed off amnesty waivers. Otherwise, such players will retain only early Bird rights (Twitter links).
In spite of weeks of trade speculation, the Trail Blazers kept both of their lottery picks last night, drafting Damian Lillard sixth overall and Meyers Leonard 11th. If the two newest Blazers sign typical rookie contracts (120% of the scale amount), they'll be on Portland's books for a total of about $5.2MM in 2012/13. Even with those salary commitments, the Blazers figure to have plenty of cap space this offseason to re-sign their own free agents and potentially pursue others. Here's the latest out of Portland on the team's summer plans….
THURSDAY, 4:06pm: The union and the league are moving toward a settlement in the case, which could be finalized as soon as Friday, Howard Beck of The New York Times writes. The most likely outcome will allow players claimed off waivers to retain some form of Bird rights, Beck says.
June 22, 7:28pm: The NBA players' union doesn't think that an appeal from the league can be resolved by July 1st, which would effectively mean that the union's win will stand, tweets Jared Zwerling of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
June 22, 2:25pm: The NBA will appeal Dam's ruling, tweets Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. Zillgitt adds that the appeal will be heard by a panel, but that no date has been set yet (Twitter link).
June, 22, 1:37pm: Kenneth Dam, the arbitrator tasked with making a decision on last week's Bird Rights hearing, has sided with the NBPA, according to Howard Beck of the New York Times. Dam's decision means that players claimed off waivers won't have their Bird clocks reset. As such, Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak will have Early Bird rights this offseason, while Chauncey Billups and J.J. Hickson will regain full Bird rights.
Billy Hunter, the executive director of the NBA players' association, released a statement this evening addressing free agency issues involving J.J. Hickson, Chauncey Billups, Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak, reports USA Today's J. Michael Falgoust (via Twitter). All four players are hoping that an arbitrator will allow them to keep valuable rights as they hit free agency this summer.
“Bird and Early Bird rights are among the most valuable rights that players have by a player to select a team through free agency. We will ask the arbitrator to resolve this dispute on an expedited basis and prior to the commencement of free agency."
By allowing these players Bird and Early Bird rights, teams will be able to go above the salary cap to retain their own players. This directly impacts the Trail Blazers (Hickson), Clippers (Billups) and Knicks (Lin and Novak). Hoops Rumors writer Chuck Myron broke down the situation in great detail earlier this week.
The player's union is challenging the NBA's declaration earlier this year that players who are claimed off waivers lose their Bird rights, Howard Beck of The New York Times reports. The union is seeking an arbitrator's ruling by July 1, which would have significant impact for several free agents and their teams.
If the union is successful with their challenge, it will be easier for many of the teams who claimed players off waivers this year to re-sign their players. The most prominent examples are the Knicks with Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak, the Clippers and Chauncey Billups, and the Blazers and J.J. Hickson. All of those players were claimed off waivers this season and are at the end of their contracts. If the union's challenge is successful, the teams will be allowed to retain those players using either Early Bird, in the case of Lin and Novak, or full Bird rights, as with Billups and Hickson. There were an unusually high number of players claimed off waivers this year, but the other four players on that list were either waived for a second time this season without being claimed, or have contracts in place for next year.
The league clarified its interpretation of the rule earlier this year, shortly after Lin became a sensation for the Knicks. It cited a clause in the collective bargaining agreement that said players lose their Bird rights when they're waived, regardless of whether a team claims them. The union contends that because everything else about a player's contract remains intact if he's claimed off waivers, the Bird rights should remain as well. Bird rights are tied to the number of years a player spends with a team. He must have finished at least two seasons with a team to have Early Bird rights and three for full Bird rights. Beck says that the union's case also compares a waiver transfer to a trade, arguing that because Bird rights are retained in trades, when players are sent to another team against their will, the same should be true when they're waived and claimed, also against their will.
The union and the league must select an arbitrator before the matter can proceed. Since, as Beck writes, much of the union's case centers around the spirit of the law, and the league is going off specific language in the CBA, it seems unlikely the arbitrator will rule in the union's favor. Still, it will be interesting to see how the pending case will affect teams as they prepare for the draft, which takes place three days before the date by which the arbitrator has been asked to rule.
In a radio interview earlier today, Trail Blazers acting GM Chad Buchanan says his team has a "financial ceiling" in mind for restricted free agent Nicolas Batum, according to BlazersEdge.com's Ben Golliver. Portland will also be targeting "mid-tier" free agent big men this offseason.
- In a tweet, the Daily News' Stefan Bondy says Nets GM Billy King announced that Adam Morrison and Al Thornton will be working out at a free agent camp at the team's facility this month.
- The Toronto Sun's Frank Zicarelli believes it's unlikely the Mavericks will exercise the $3.1MM team option on Vince Carter's contract next season, making the guard a free agent.
- Michigan State senior forward Draymond Green says he's been told he'll be selected in the first round of this year's draft, according to Larry Lage from the Associated Press. Green has a workout scheduled with the Celtics
- With James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Russell Westbrook all invited to participate in Team USA's training camp this July, The Oklahoman's John Rohde suggests the team take on Thunder head coach Scott Brooks as either a member of the coaching staff or a helpful observer. With three of his players all expected to compete for spots this year and in 2016, it makes sense to have Brooks on board.
- Tommy Dee from Sheridan Hoops gives us five underclassmen who've officially entered the NBA draft that could surprise some people as early as next season if they're selected late.
- In a story from today's Sacramento Bee by Tony Bizjak, it was revealed that the city of Sacramento spent $680K since September in its failed effort to build a downtown sports and entertainment arena.
- On OregonLive.com, several Trail Blazer scribes weigh in on what the team should do with J.J. Hickson.
- In an attempt to alleviate some pain caused by the patellar tendinitis he suffered through all of last season, Bucks forward Luc Mbah a Moute underwent knee surgery on Friday, according to JSOnline.com's Charles F. Gardner. He is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for training camp in October.
Earlier today we learned that Trail Blazers guard Jamal Crawford will decline his 2012/13 option worth $5.23MM. Here's more on Portland from Jason Quick of The Oregonian..
- We learned yesterday that the club is likely to match offers for Nicolas Batum. The Blazers could just sign Batum to a long-term deal but acting GM Chad Buchanan plans to keep the forward in restricted status in order to have more flexibility. Batum's qualifying offer will place a $5.4MM hold onto the Blazers' salary cap, which should be $3-5MM less than what it would take to sign him under a long-term deal.
- The club is not yet sure if they'll make a qualifying offer to J.J. Hickson. The forward, picked up off of waivers from the Kings this season, has said that he would like to remain in Portland. The 23-year-old averaged 15.1 PPG and 8.3 RPG in 19 games for the Blazers this season.
- Buchanan said that the club's top two priorities this summer are finding a starting point guard and finding a starting center.