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Bulls’ Andre Drummond Opts In For 2023/24

June 29th, 2023 at 3:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Bulls center Andre Drummond has exercised his player option for 2023/24, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). The move will guarantee Drummond a $3.36MM salary for next season.

Drummond, who will turn 30 in August, put up big numbers on a per-minute basis as a reserve center for the Bulls in 2022/23, averaging 6.0 points and 6.6 rebounds in just 12.7 minutes per game (67 games).

However, for the first time in his 11-year NBA career, Drummond didn’t make a single start, playing a limited role behind primary center Nikola Vucevic. His scoring and rebounding averages were career lows, as were his 12.7 minutes per night.

While Drummond might be the NBA’s best rebounder and can certainly score around the basket, the rest of his offensive game is limited, and he’s not a mobile defensive player or an elite rim protector. Once a maximum-salary player, the two-time All-Star presumably determined that he wasn’t assured of topping a $3.36MM guarantee on the open market and chose the safety of the opt-in.

It’s unclear whether Drummond remains in Chicago’s plans for 2023/24 or whether the team will look to trade his expiring contract. A report on Thursday morning indicated that the Mavericks were eyeing the veteran center, but Marc Stein later clarified (via Twitter) that Dallas’ interest was contingent on a separate trade that hadn’t happened yet.

Drummond is one of two Bulls veterans who had player option decisions to make this month. While the big man is picking up his $3.36MM option, Derrick Jones elected to turn down an identical $3.36MM option of his own.

Lakers Waiving Mohamed Bamba

June 29th, 2023 at 3:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers have decided to waive Mohamed Bamba before his $10.3MM salary for the 2023/24 season becomes guaranteed, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).

The sixth overall pick in the 2018 draft, Bamba spent his first four-and-a-half NBA seasons in Orlando before being dealt to the Lakers ahead of the 2023 trade deadline.

Although he has flashed the ability to stretch the floor and protect the rim, Bamba saw his role with the Magic decline after the team added Wendell Carter and Paolo Banchero, and played a limited role in Los Angeles before spraining his ankle in March.

In total, Bamba appeared in 49 games in 2022/23, averaging 6.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per contest. He posted a shooting line of .485/.387/.661.

Bamba is still just 25 years old and may have untapped upside, but it didn’t make sense for the Lakers to retain him at a price of $10MM+. Cutting him will give Los Angeles some extra cap flexibility entering a crucial offseason and may open the door for the club to use the full, non-taxpayer version of the mid-level exception.

Pelicans To Exercise Team Option On Naji Marshall

June 29th, 2023 at 1:34pm CST by Rory Maher

The Pelicans plan to exercise their $1.93MM team option on Naji Marshall, keeping him on the roster for 2023/24, reports Will Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Marshall went undrafted in 2020 out of Xavier, originally signing a two-way contract with the Pelicans that was later converted into a standard deal. A hard-nosed defensive player, the 25-year-old small forward was rotation regular in his third season in ’22/23, averaging 9.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG and 2.5 APG on .433/.303/.789 shooting in 77 games (21 starts, 23.3 MPG).

Once his option is officially picked up, Marshall will be on track for unrestricted free agency in 2024. We’re still awaiting team option decisions on center Willy Hernangomez and guard/forward Herbert Jones, as our tracker shows.

Rockets Waiving Daishen Nix

June 29th, 2023 at 12:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets are waiving guard Daishen Nix, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The move is a money-saving one for the Rockets, who would’ve been on the hook for Nix’s full $1,836,096 salary if he had remained on the roster beyond today, as our list of early salary guarantee dates shows.

Nix, 21, signed with the Rockets after going undrafted in 2021 and appeared in 81 games for the club over the last two seasons. He didn’t make a significant impact at the NBA level during that time, averaging a modest 3.7 PPG and 2.1 APG on .355/.283/.606 shooting in 14.5 MPG.

Nix did flash some potential in the G League in 2021/22, putting up 20.6 PPG, 7.7 APG, and 5.9 RPG on .486/.400/.592 shooting in 18 regular season appearances (34.2 MPG) for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Houston’s NBAGL affiliate.

Nix’s contract included a team option for the 2024/25 season, but it was also non-guaranteed, so the Rockets won’t owe him any additional money once they officially waive him. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent if he clears waivers on Saturday.

Jazz’s Jordan Clarkson To Pick Up Player Option

June 29th, 2023 at 11:56am CST by Rory Maher

Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson intends to exercise his $14.26MM player option for 2023/24, avoiding free agency and keeping him off the open market, league sources tell Sarah Todd of The Deseret News (Twitter link).

As Todd notes, by picking up his option, Clarkson would become extension-eligible immediately. He was eligible for an in-season extension in ’22/23 as well, and multiple reports said that scenario was discussed.

However, Clarkson can earn more money on a potential extension in a couple days due to a change in the new CBA, which allows veterans to receive 140% of their current salary in the first year of an extension instead of 120%. If the Jazz don’t make further roster additions in free agency, it’s possible they could use some of their cap space to renegotiate and extend Clarkson, which would give him a higher base salary in year one with a declining structure in subsequent seasons. That’s what the Pacers and Myles Turner did during the season.

Clarkson, who turned 31 earlier this month, averaged career highs in multiple categories in 2022/23, including points (20.8), assists (4.4), rebounds (4.0; tied with two other seasons) and minutes per game (32.6) in 61 contests, all starts. His overall shooting slash line of .444/.338/.816 was very close to his career averages (.440/.338/.826), but his efficiency was up a tick because he attempted more three-pointers and free throws.

While Clarkson can score on anyone, he’s also a poor defensive player and over 30, which limits his upside. Hoping to reach an extension makes sense if he’s comfortable in Utah, though it’s worth noting that he’ll be trade-eligible after opting in. If he signs an extension that places him under contract for more than three total seasons, includes a raise greater than 5%, or includes a renegotiation, he’ll become ineligible to be dealt for six months.

The Jazz also decided to keep big man Kelly Olynyk, whose $12.2MM contract for ’23/24 was only partially guaranteed at $3MM. Since he wasn’t waived last night, his contract is now fully guaranteed. The news was expected, as GM Justin Zanik said after the season ended that he anticipated having Olynyk back.

The full list of player option decisions for 2023/24 can be found right here.

Celtics Tender Qualifying Offer To Grant Williams

June 29th, 2023 at 11:12am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics have submitted a qualifying offer to Grant Williams, officially making him a restricted free agent, reports Jared Weiss of The Athletic (via Twitter).

Williams’ QO, which is essentially a one-year contract offer, is worth $8,486,620. Williams will have the option of accepting that offer, which would put him on track for unrestricted free agency in 2024. However, it’s more likely he’ll negotiate a longer-term contract, either with the Celtics or another team.

As long as the QO remains on the table, the Celtics will have the right to match any offer sheet Williams signs with a rival suitor. One recent report indicated that Boston and Williams plan to negotiate with one another in hopes of reaching a deal, but will be prepared to explore sign-and-trade opportunities if they can’t find common ground.

The Celtics’ acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis is expected to reduce the odds of a return to Boston for Williams, since there will be fewer minutes to go around in the frontcourt and a new deal for Williams would likely push the team’s salary well beyond the restrictive second tax apron.

Williams and the Celtics reportedly explored a four-year extension worth in the neighborhood of $50MM last fall, but the 24-year-old decided to forgo a new deal at that time and take his chances in restricted free agency.

Rockets Exercising Team Option On Kenyon Martin Jr.

June 29th, 2023 at 9:12am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets are exercising their $1,930,681 team option on Kenyon Martin Jr. for the 2023/24 season, reports Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Martin, 22, has been with Houston for the last three years and had arguably his best NBA season in 2022/23, appearing in all 82 games and making 49 starts. The 6’6″ forward established new career highs in points (12.7), rebounds (5.5), and assists (1.5) per game, as well as field-goal percentage (56.9%).

While the Rockets’ decision to pick up Martin’s option may look like a no-brainer on paper, it wasn’t a lock. Exercising the option will put the former second-round pick on track for unrestricted free agency in 2024, whereas turning it down and issuing him a qualifying offer would’ve allowed Houston to negotiate with Martin as a restricted free agent this summer.

Still, there are plenty of reasons why it made sense for the Rockets to pick up the option. Keeping Martin on a minimum-salary cap hit will allow the club to maximize its league-high cap room, which projects to exceed $60MM. Martin will also immediately become eligible to be extended or traded — he has consistently been mentioned in trade rumors for over a year.

In other Rockets news, according to Iko (Twitter link), the team will also issue two-way qualifying offers to Darius Days and Trevor Hudgins, making them restricted free agents.

Because Days and Hudgins were NBA rookies in 2022/23 and finished the season on two-way contracts, their qualifying offers will each be the equivalent of another one-year, two-way deal with a small partial guarantee.

Wolves’ Garza, Ryan Among Players Receiving Two-Way QOs

June 29th, 2023 at 6:48am CST by Luke Adams

Timberwolves forward Luka Garza and wing Matt Ryan are among several players on two-way contracts who received qualifying offers on Wednesday, according to the official transaction log at RealGM.com.

Besides Garza and Ryan, the following two-way players were issued qualifying offers, making them restricted free agents:

Isaiah Mobley (Cavaliers)
Jared Rhoden (Pistons)
Nico Mannion (Warriors)
Lester Quinones (Warriors)
A.J. Green (Bucks)

The default qualifying offer for a player on a two-way contract is another one-year, two-way deal, with a small partial guarantee.

A player who has four years of experience or who has spent the last two seasons on a two-way contract with the same time becomes eligible for a QO equivalent to a standard, minimum-salary deal. However, none of these seven players fit that bill.

These two-way restricted free agents will have the option of accepting their qualifying offers or trying to negotiate new contracts. They’re all technically eligible to sign offer sheets with new teams, which their current clubs would have the ability to match. However, that outcome has been a rarity for players coming off two-way deals.

While Garza, Ryan, Mobley, Rhoden, Quinones, and Green all finished the 2022/23 season under contract with their respective teams, Mannion has been out of the NBA since 2021 and recently signed with Baskonia in Spain. Having issued him a qualifying offer in each of the last three seasons, Golden State continues to retain Mannion’s RFA rights in the event that he eventually returns stateside.

According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, the Warriors aren’t expected to tender qualifying offers to Anthony Lamb and Ty Jerome (two-way). The team still has some level of interest in re-signing one or both players, but that interest may hinge on how the free agent market plays out, Slater explains.

Clippers To Let Eric Gordon Become Free Agent

June 28th, 2023 at 10:35pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers won’t guarantee Eric Gordon‘s $20.9MM salary for next season, allowing the veteran guard to become an unrestricted free agent, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The team confirmed that Gordon has been waived.

The decision on Gordon was made with the luxury tax in mind, according to Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). He adds that management liked how Gordon performed during his brief time with the team, but they want to give more minutes to younger guards rather than committing to a 34-year-old.

Getting rid of Gordon’s contract will reduce the Clippers’ projected tax bill for next season from $169MM to $59MM, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. The team currently projects to be $18MM over the $165MM luxury tax threshold.

L.A. acquired Gordon from the Rockets in a three-team deal at the trade deadline. He averaged 11.0 PPG and shot 42.3% from three-point range in his 22 regular season games with the Clippers and put up similar numbers in the playoffs.

Gordon was in the final season of a four-year, $75.5MM contract he signed with Houston in 2020. He could have guaranteed his fourth-year salary by making an All-Star team or reaching a minutes requirement in a championship season.

Kings To Exercise Option On Kessler Edwards

June 28th, 2023 at 7:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Kings have decided to pick up Kessler Edwards‘ $1.9MM option for next season, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnaroski.

Sacramento acquired the 22-year-old small forward from the Nets at this year’s trade deadline. He appeared in 22 games with the Kings, averaging 3.9 points and 2.1 rebounds per night in a limited role.

Brooklyn drafted Kessler in the second round in 2021 and he made an impact during his rookie year, starting 23 of the 48 games he played. He fell out of the Nets’ rotation this season and appeared in just 14 games before the deal.

Edwards will become a free agent next summer, and the Kings can make him restricted by issuing a $2.4MM qualifying offer.