Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Wizards Rumors

2018/19 NBA Disabled Player Exceptions

January 25th, 2019 at 2:38pm CST by Luke Adams

A disabled player exception can be granted when an NBA team has a player go down with an injury deemed to be season-ending. The exception gives the club some additional spending flexibility, functioning almost as a cross between a traded player exception and a mid-level exception.

We go into more detail on how exactly disabled player exceptions work in our glossary entry on the subject. But essentially, a DPE gives a team the opportunity to add an injury replacement by either signing a player to a one-year contract, trading for a player in the final year of his contract, or placing a waiver claim on a player in the final year of his contract.

Because the rules related to disable player exceptions are somewhat restrictive and the exceptions themselves often aren’t worth a lot, they often simply expire without being used (this year’s deadline is March 11). As ESPN’s Bobby Marks recently observed (via Twitter), only about 29% of the teams that have received DPEs over the years have ended up using them.

Still, it’s worth keeping an eye on which disabled player exceptions have been granted, just in case. Here’s a breakdown of the teams with DPEs available for the 2018/19 league year:

Teams that have been granted disabled player exceptions:

The Mavericks and Grizzlies are probably unlikely to use their disabled player exceptions, as they’re both long shots to make the playoffs — especially Memphis. If they sign a free agent in the coming weeks, it probably won’t be for more than the minimum.

Teams ineligible for disabled player exceptions:

The Suns applied for a disabled player exception for Arthur in the fall, despite the fact that it was unclear what sort of season-ending injury he might have sustained since being acquired three months earlier. Phoenix likely wouldn’t have been granted a DPE anyway, but became ineligible a few days later when they waived Arthur outright.

Indiana had the misfortune of having its star player ruled out for the season after January 15, the deadline to request a disabled player exception. The Pacers have no mid-level, bi-annual, or trade exceptions available, so they’ll have to make do with the minimum salary exception the rest of the way.

We’ll likely add more teams to this list in the coming months as more players go down with season-ending injuries. For now, it’s worth mentioning three other clubs with long-term ailments: The Bulls (Denzel Valentine), Spurs (Dejounte Murray), and Warriors (Damian Jones). None of those teams applied for disabled player exceptions this season, Bobby Marks confirmed to Hoops Rumors.

While the players from that group may all miss the rest of the season, there’s an outside chance that Murray and Jones could return in the spring, which is one reason why those teams might not have sought a disabled player exception. Additionally, no one from that group is earning more than $2.28MM this season, so any DPE would have been extremely limited.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Wizards Granted $8.6MM Disabled Player Exception

January 24th, 2019 at 7:50pm CST by JD Shaw

The Wizards have been granted a $8.6.41MM disabled player exception for the loss of John Wall, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Washington will have until March 11 to use the exception before it expires.

[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Disabled Player Exception]

Wall opted to undergo season-ending surgery last month to address bone spurs in his left heel, ending his 2018/19 campaign early after playing just 32 games. He averaged 20.7 points, 8.7 assists and 1.5 steals in those games, experiencing pain and discomfort on the court every so often.

For the Wizards, several options exist with their new exception: The team could use it to sign a free agent, claim a player off waivers, or help finalize a trade before the February 7 deadline. The exception counts as a rest-of-season deal if the team uses it to sign a player, though this remains unlikely with the team already being above the luxury tax line.

The Wizards started the season with a disappointing effort, currently holding the 10th-best record in the East at 20-26. Several teams have expressed interest in Bradley Beal and Otto Porter ahead of the deadline, though it remains extremely unlikely that Beal gets traded, Charania reports in a separate story.

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Jazz Eyeing Mike Conley, Otto Porter

January 24th, 2019 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jazz have continued to search for a “dynamic” third piece to add to their star duo of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic, who hears from sources that Utah has expressed interest in both Mike Conley of the Grizzlies and Otto Porter of the Wizards. Shams Charania of The Athletic wrote on Wednesday about the Jazz’s interest in Porter.

As Jones explains, Utah’s interest doesn’t mean the club will necessarily make an offer for either player. Conley’s and Porter’s contracts will also complicate matters, as both players are owed massive salaries through the 2020/21 season. Still, both players intrigue the Jazz, who may throw their hat into the ring if “circumstances align” and if they feel comfortable with forfeiting future cap room to lock in a productive veteran like Conley or Porter.

Here’s more from Jones on the Jazz:

  • While Conley or Porter would be expensive, their contracts are set to end around the same time Gobert’s deal expires and Mitchell’s second contract will begin, Jones observes. That timeline matches up well with what the Jazz would be looking for — there’s a sense that if they’re going to be aggressive trying to land a pricey impact player, it should happen while Mitchell is still on his rookie contract, says Jones.
  • Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey will continue to monitor the trade market over the next couple weeks in search of opportunities, according to Jones, who points to last year’s acquisition of Jae Crowder and this season’s trade for Kyle Korver as the sort of smaller-scale deals that have really helped the club.
  • Utah’s front office has “dreams” of being active and aggressive on the 2019 free agent market, sources tell Jones. So if they don’t make any major moves that cut into their future cap room before the trade deadline, the Jazz figure to be a team to watch this summer.
  • The Jazz weren’t caught off guard by Mitchell’s shooting struggles during the first couple months of the season, sources tell Jones. The team knew that a toe injury prevented the second-year guard from working out in the offseason and figured he might be a little slow to get going in his sophomore season. Mitchell has been an efficient scorer so far in 2019, shooting 48.1% from the floor in his last 11 games, including 44.3% on three-pointers, after shooting 40.7% (29.1% on threes) in his first 34.
Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

NBA Players Who Can’t Be Aggregated In Trades

January 24th, 2019 at 10:44am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement includes a rule that states players who are acquired using an exception (ie. not using cap space) can’t be aggregated in a second trade for two months after the original deal.

Aggregating a player in a trade refers to the act of combining his contract with another player’s contract for salary-matching purposes. For instance, an over-the-cap team can’t trade a player with a $5MM salary straight up for a player with a $13MM salary. But if the team aggregates that player with a second player who also earns $5MM, the deal would work.

[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Traded Player Exception]

The rule against including a player in an aggregated trade for two months after he’s acquired doesn’t preclude the player’s team from adding him to a multi-player deal. His salary simply can’t be relied upon for matching purposes in such a trade.

For instance, even if a player earning a minimum salary can’t be aggregated in a trade, his team could still attach him to a swap involving a pair of $10MM players, since his minimum-salary cap hit wouldn’t be needed for salary matching.

With those rules in mind, here’s the list of players who have been traded within the last two months and can’t be aggregated in a trade, at least for now:

Restrictions lifting January 29:

Restrictions lifting February 7:

Restrictions not lifting before trade deadline:

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Heat Notes: Ellington, McGruder, Grizzlies, Olynyk

January 23rd, 2019 at 8:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

Trading Wayne Ellington would give the Heat just enough cap relief to escape the luxury tax, writes salary cap expert Albert Nahmad for HeatHoops. Miami currently projects to be $6.2698MM over the tax line and Ellington’s salary is $6.27MM, so if the Heat can find a deal in which they don’t take any money back, they would be in the clear by $159.

However, Nahmad notes that won’t be easy to accomplish. Only six teams have the ability to make such a trade with Miami, but the Hornets and Pistons would put themselves into tax territory, the Thunder and Wizards are already over the threshold and may not want to take on more salary and the Kings aren’t likely to be interested in using their cap room because they already have Buddy Hield.

Nahmad identifies the Nuggets, who are $6.9MM below the tax line and have a pair of trade exceptions worth $12.8MM and $13.8MM, as the most likely team to take on Ellington. His salary would be pro-rated at $2.2MM if he’s acquired at the February 7 deadline, and the Heat can trade up to $5.3MM in cash to help offset that.

However, it’s not certain that another shooter is Denver’s top priority. Any other club that trades for Ellington would have to send out at least $3.5MM in salary, which means a third team would have to get involved to make it work for Miami. Nahmad cites the Lakers, Rockets and possibly the Thunder as other potential contenders for Ellington.

There’s more news from Miami:

  • The Heat have been working on deals to ease their overcrowded roster and Rodney McGruder may be a candidate to get traded, a source tells Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. The source adds that McGruder would be a good fit for the Celtics, who could use an all-around role player and wouldn’t mind adding his expiring $1.5MM contract. The Heat may not get more than a second-round pick for McGruder, but won’t be in a great position to re-sign him this summer because of their cap situation.
  • In the same story, Jackson states that the Heat don’t seem like a good fit for the Grizzlies’ Marc Gasol or Mike Conley, who are reportedly now available on the trade market. Jackson cites Conley’s $32.5MM salary for next season and $34.5MM in 2020/21 as too much for Miami to take on, while Memphis may not be interested in the collection of players — James Johnson, Kelly Olynyk and Dion Waiters — that would need to be included to match the salaries of Gasol and Chandler Parsons, whom the Grizzlies would like to move in a trade involving the center.
  • Olynyk is the latest player to fall out of the Heat’s frequently changing rotation, notes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The backup center didn’t play in the second half Saturday, then was held out of Monday’s game. “You look at the game saying, ‘I definitely think I can help out there. I can make an impact, make a difference,'” Olynyk said. “But Coach has to do his job and I don’t envy him, because it’s not an easy job.
Retweet 1 Share 0 Send via email0

Charania’s Latest: Wizards, Hornets, Grizzlies, DSJ

January 23rd, 2019 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

As Shams Charania of The Athletic details in his latest round-up of trade rumors from around the NBA, there still aren’t many clear-cut sellers out there, which may limit activity leading up to the February 7 deadline. However, clubs like the Wizards and Magic still haven’t made any decisions one way or the other and could end up being sellers if they’re trending downward a couple weeks from now, says Charania.

The Wizards have made it “adamantly clear” the Bradley Beal isn’t going anywhere, league sources tell Charania. Otto Porter could be more available though, according to Charania, who hears that the Jazz are among the clubs to show interest in Porter.

The Hornets are another team competing for one of the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spots and – like the Wizards – have made it clear that they don’t intend to move their star guard. Nonetheless, teams have tested the Hornets on Kemba Walker, says Charania, citing sources who say that the Mavericks recently inquired on Walker and were told Charlotte wants to keep him.

Charania’s article includes many more rumors on the trade market, so let’s round up some of the highlights…

  • Despite indicating they’re willing to listen to inquiries on Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, Grizzlies officials told players on Tuesday that the team remains committed to winning and to tune out any trade noise, writes Charania. Elsewhere on the Memphis front, JaMychal Green is expected to attract significant trade interest and the Grizzlies have attempted to engage the Hawks about a Chandler Parsons deal, Charania reports.
  • Charania adds the Knicks and Lakers to the list of teams that discussed a possible Dennis Smith Jr. trade with the Mavericks. The Magic are also on that list.
  • In addition to discussing deals involving veterans like Kent Bazemore and Dewayne Dedmon, the Hawks may also consider moving younger players such as Taurean Prince and Tyler Dorsey, says Charania.
  • According to Charania, the Thunder plan to explore ways to use their traded player exception, which is worth nearly $11MM. Oklahoma City is reportedly seeking a forward who can shoot, though acquiring a player without sending out any salary would increase the club’s tax bill exponentially.
  • The Sixers are seeking a wing shooter and a center, sources tell Charania.
  • Cavaliers swingman Rodney Hood has emerged as a “targeted” trade asset, according to Charania, who identifies the Pelicans, Thunder, and Bucks as some of the teams that have scoured the market for wing help.
Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Community Shootaround: Wizards’ Next Moves

January 22nd, 2019 at 1:51pm CST by Luke Adams

After winning seven of their last 10 games, the Wizards have improved their record from 13-23 to 20-26 and find themselves very much in the midst of the Eastern Conference playoff race — the eighth-seeded Hornets are just 22-24, while the No. 7 Heat are 22-23.

Wizards owner Ted Leonsis has said that the team absolutely won’t tank, and a spot in the postseason remains the goal. Still, without standout point guard John Wall available for the rest of the season, Washington’s upside is limited. Even if the club beats out the likes of Charlotte, Detroit, and Orlando for a playoff spot in the East, the odds of a first-round series win are slim.

As such, the Wizards find themselves in an interesting spot. They have a number of veterans on expiring contracts, including Trevor Ariza, Markieff Morris, and Jeff Green. All those players figure to draw trade interest from other contenders, but will probably need to remain in D.C. for the Wizards to maximize their postseason odds.

While sources have told Chase Hughes and Ben Standig of NBC Sports Washington that the Wizards plan to keep Ariza for the rest of the season, a former NBA front office executive believes the team should take its time before making any final decisions on Ariza — or any other trade candidates on expiring contracts who could potentially bring back a first-round pick.

“That’s really what the calculus is now. Is your guy on a one-year rental good enough to give you a first?” the former exec said. “Probably not – but the Wizards have one of them in Trevor Ariza that might have that much cache at the trade deadline. I would hold him until the very last minute and see which of the contenders got the most desperate.”

At this point, with a playoff spot within reach, the Wizards are unlikely to do anything drastic involving Bradley Beal or Otto Porter. But perhaps the team could make a move with one or two of its other veterans that would net a long-term asset without sacrificing the club’s short-term upside too significantly.

What do you think? What would you do at the deadline if you were running the Wizards? Does standing pat make sense? Could some smaller-scale selling be prudent? Or would you be ready to blow up this roster?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Gary Payton II Signs 10-Day Deal With Wizards

January 21st, 2019 at 11:03am CST by Arthur Hill

JANUARY 21: The Wizards have officially signed Payton, the team announced today in a press release. His contract will run through next Wednesday, January 30.

JANUARY 20: The Wizards will fill their roster opening by signing guard Gary Payton II to a 10-day contract, tweets ESPN’s Marc J. Spears. The signing is expected to take place tomorrow, which will be the deadline for Washington to get back to the 14-man roster limit, two weeks after waiving Ron Baker.

This is the latest NBA opportunity for the 26-year-old guard, who was in training camp with the Trail Blazers before being waived prior to the start of the season. Payton appeared in a combined 23 games last season — 12 with the Bucks and 11 with the Lakers — averaging 3.0 points per night. He also played six games for Milwaukee during the 2016/17 season.

Payton returned to the G League last month, signing with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. He posted a 19.2/8.2/6.6 line in 13 games.

Retweet 6 Share 0 Send via email0

Wizards Notes: McRae, Beal, Leonsis, Grunfeld

January 19th, 2019 at 6:26pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jordan McRae‘s 54-point outburst in the G League probably won’t get him a standard NBA contract even though the Wizards have a roster spot to fill, writes Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. McRae signed a two-way deal with Washington in September, but has only appeared in eight NBA games with minimal playing time.

With his Capital City team short-handed Friday, McRae took over the offense and poured in the most points in a G League game this season. McRae is averaging 29.5 PPG in the G League and set the league’s single-game record with 61 points in 2016.

Still, the Wizards are more likely to add a player on a 10-day contract than convert McRae’s deal, a source tells Buckner. Washington has been at 13 players since waiving Ron Baker on January 7 and has until Monday to get back to the league minimum.

Financial considerations are also working against McRae. Giving him a standard contract for the rest of the season would increase the Wizards’ projected luxury tax bill by about $1.2MM, Buckner estimates, much more than a series of players on 10-day deals.

There’s more Wizards news to pass along:

  • Bradley Beal will be one of the hottest names on the trade market if the Wizards decide to move him, and Ken Berger of Bleacher Report examines the best potential fits. A rival executive told Berger that the Raptors might be willing to offer Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright and a first-round pick, while the Celtics could part with Jaylen Brown, a first-rounder and either Marcus Morris or Aron Baynes and the Pacers might get involved with an offer of Darren Collison, Myles Turner and a first-rounder. Washington has denied that Beal is available, but the team’s future tax situation could affect the decision if the Wizards slip further out of the playoff race.
  • Wizards owner Ted Leonsis, who pledged earlier this week that the team will never tank, elaborates on those comments in a story by Buckner and Scott Allen. Leonsis points to the Sixers, who spent several years trying to rebuild by obtaining high lottery picks, and notes that only Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid panned out. “So, you know, that process is pretty risky in and of itself,” he said. “I don’t think you can tell players, coaches, staff: ‘Don’t make the playoffs and tank!’”
  • In the same piece, Leonsis addresses fan anger with team president Ernie Grunfeld, who has been running the organization since 2003. “You live with it every day when you own a sports team,” said Leonsis, who also owns Washington’s Stanley Cup-winning NHL franchise. “All I have to do is look at last year with the Capitals. ‘Fire the coach. Fire the GM. Trade Alex Ovechkin. Trade Nick Backstrom.’ And that turned out okay. So, yes, I see all the things on Twitter. I read everything. I’m not all that happy with our performance, but you have to make non-emotional [decisions], what’s right for the franchise, what’s right for the team.”
Retweet 1 Share 0 Send via email0

18 Trade Exceptions To Expire Within Next Month

January 18th, 2019 at 3:04pm CST by Luke Adams

As NBA teams consider their trade options before the February 7 deadline, it’s worth keeping in mind that two-thirds of the league’s clubs hold traded player exceptions. These traded player exceptions allow over-the-cap clubs to acquire a player – or multiple players – whose salary fits within the TPE without having to send out any salary in return.

[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Traded Player Exception]

Traded player exceptions can’t be combined with another salary or exception and often aren’t worth much, so most of them ultimately go unused. Still, they can come in handy every now and then, particularly for under-the-tax clubs that don’t mind adding a little more money to their books.

Last season, a total of 16 trades were completed between January 29 and February 8, resulting in 18 outstanding trade exceptions that will expire between January 29 and February 8 of this year.

Here are those traded player exceptions, listed in order of value, with the expiration date noted in parentheses for each TPE:

  • Detroit Pistons: $7,000,000 (1/29)
  • Utah Jazz: $3,708,883 (2/8)
  • Portland Trail Blazers: $3,505,233 (2/8)
  • Toronto Raptors: $2,451,225 (2/8)
  • Utah Jazz: $2,386,864 (2/8)
  • New Orleans Pelicans: $2,300,000 (2/8)
  • Milwaukee Bucks: $1,889,040 (2/5)
  • Memphis Grizzlies: $1,697,250 (2/8)
  • Los Angeles Clippers: $1,471,382 (1/29)
  • New Orleans Pelicans: $1,471,382 (2/1)
  • Cleveland Cavaliers: $1,471,382 (2/8)
  • Detroit Pistons: $1,471,382 (2/8)
  • New York Knicks: $1,435,750 (2/7)
  • New Orleans Pelicans: $1,429,818 (2/1)
  • Detroit Pistons: $1,331,160 (2/8)
  • Los Angeles Clippers: $1,331,160 (1/29)
  • Miami Heat: $1,312,611 (2/8)
  • Washington Wizards: $1,312,611 (2/8)

For the full list of traded player exceptions currently available, including three Nuggets TPEs ranging in value from $5.9MM to $13.7MM, click here.

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0