League Eliminates Center From All-Star Ballot
WEDNESDAY, 11:38am: The NBA has officially announced that the center has been removed from All-Star balloting, according to a press release from the league. Fans will now be allowed to vote for two guards and three frontcourt players.
TUESDAY, 10:32pm: The NBA will formally announce Wednesday that it will no longer have fans vote for starting centers and forwards for the All-Star Game, and instead have them choose three frontcourt players from each conference, TNT's David Aldridge reports on NBA.com.The change will appear on this year's ballot, which will be released on November 13th.
The league is making the change at the recommendation of its revamped competition committee.
"It makes sense," said Stu Jackson, the NBA's vice president of basketball operations. "It made sense to our Competition Committee. Having a center is the only specific position that was singled out on the ballot. It just seemed a little outdated and didn't represent the way our game has evolved. By the same token, it also affords the same opportunity, if you have two good centers in a given year, pick 'em both. They both can be selected. Which is impossible right now."
With more teams taking a small-ball approach, traditional centers have become less of a factor in the game. The shifting dynamics have caused some ballot issues in recent years. Aldridge cites the case of Tim Duncan, who has been listed as a power forward despite playing center for the Spurs.
The selection of All-Star starters is a trivial matter in most cases, but it's one of the criteria used to determine the maximum salary for rookie-scale extensions in the new CBA. First-round picks who are voted to start the All-Star Game twice, named to two All-NBA teams, or win an MVP award in their first four seasons are eligible to receive 30% of the salary cap in their extensions, instead of 25%.
Bucks Rumors: Jennings, Ellis, Dunleavy, Daniels
The Bucks took care of some bookkeeping earlier today, formally exercising 2013/14 options on Tobias Harris, Larry Sanders, and Ekpe Udoh. Although that ensures those players will be under contract through at least 2014, Milwaukee can't say the same yet for its two backcourt starters, Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis. Jennings is eligible for restricted free agency next summer, while Ellis will have the opportunity to opt out of his contract and hit unrestricted free agency. Here's the latest on the Bucks guards:
- Jennings isn't getting involved in extension talks between the Bucks and his agent, Bill Duffy, as he tells Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times. "I talked to [Duffy] a couple of weeks ago, but it wasn’t about the contract," Jennings said. "I can’t put my hand on what’s really going on (with contract talks). That’s why I just let my agent handle it…. If anything happens, I’m sure he’ll text me and let me know and let me know what’s offered and then say, 'It’s up to you.' But I haven’t gotten that call yet."
- Woelfel surveyed four NBA officials not associated with the Bucks to ask what they'd offer Jennings in extension talks, and the answers ranged from $9-11MM annually. Duffy is reportedly seeking the max for his client.
- Stephen Brotherson of HoopsWorld wonders if the Jennings we've seen in the 2012 preseason is one that's on the verge of turning a corner and taking a big step forward.
- As for Ellis, Woelfel says it appears "talks to extend his contract aren’t encouraging."
- Woelfel adds that, according to coach Scott Skiles, candidates to start at the three with Luc Mbah a Moute out include Mike Dunleavy and Marquis Daniels.
Bucks Exercise Options On Sanders, Udoh, Harris
The Bucks have picked up a handful of contract options for 2013/14, the team announced today (Twitter link). Milwaukee exercised its fourth-year options on Larry Sanders and Ekpe Udoh, and picked up its third-year option on Tobias Harris.
Udoh, who was acquired from the Warriors in March's Andrew Bogut/Monta Ellis blockbuster, will now earn a guaranteed $4.47MM in 2013/14, while Sanders will be owed $3.05MM. Both players will be eligible for restricted free agency in the 2014 offseason, unless they sign contract extensions next summer. As for Harris, the Bucks will pay him a $1.55MM salary in 2013/14, and hold an additional team option for 2014/15, worth $2.38MM.
Be sure to check out our rookie contract option tracker to keep tabs on which 2013/14 team options have been exercised to date.
Upcoming October NBA Deadlines
For most of the last few weeks, we've made reference to the end of October as a deadline by which a number of decisions must be made by NBA teams. Whether it's cutting rosters down to 15 players, exercising 2013/14 rookie contract options, or signing fourth-year players to extensions, teams have plenty of decisions to make by the end of the month. Here's a quick rundown of what to look for in the next week:
Monday, October 29th (Last day of offseason)
- Teams must reduce rosters to a maximum of 15 players. Players must be released by Saturday at 4:00pm CT in order to clear waivers by Monday.
- Last day for summer contracts to clear waivers without applying to team salary.
- Last day to complete sign-and-trade deals this season (for taxpaying teams, this will be the last day they can ever make a sign-and-trade deal, until they become a non-taxpayer).
Wednesday, October 31st
- Last day teams can sign players entering the final year of their rookie contracts to extensions.
- Last day teams can exercise 2013/14 team options for second-year and third-year players on rookie contracts.
While a number of decisions are due within the next week, not all of the important early-season deadlines occur in October. For instance, most non-guaranteed contracts don't become guaranteed for the rest of the season until January 10th, 2013, unless a different date was written into a player's contract (ie. DeJuan Blair's 2012/13 salary becomes guaranteed on November 1st).
Larry Coon's Salary Cap FAQ was used in the creation of this post.
Bulls Rumors: Hinrich, Robinson, Fesenko, Gibson
When Kirk Hinrich tweaked his groin during last night's game against the Thunder, it shone a spotlight on the reality of the Bulls' situation, according to Nick Friedell in a piece for ESPNChicago.com. With Derrick Rose out and the bench having been overhauled in the offseason, it's not clear yet whether Chicago has the depth to withstand another injury or two, opines Friedell. While we wait to hear if Hinrich's injury is any more than a minor issue, here's the rest of this morning's Bulls-related updates:
- Nate Robinson is confident that he can step up and man the point if Hinrich's injury results in missed time, writes Scott Powell of ESPNChicago.com. If he wasn't a lock to make the team already, Robinson certainly appears to be now — due to the Bulls' hard cap, that means camp invitees Marko Jaric and Ryan Allen have no chance to be on the opening night roster unless the club makes a trade to clear salary.
- Another Bulls camp invitee who was recently waived, Kyrylo Fesenko may be drawing interest from Spanish team Caja Laboral, according to a report passed along by Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. As Mark Deeks of ShamSports tweeted after Fesenko was cut, the Bulls could consider circling back around to Fesenko later this season, when they can afford to re-sign him.
- With one week remaining to work out a long-term extension with the Bulls, Taj Gibson continues to not let his contract situation affect his play, as he tells Aggrey Sam of CSN Chicago. "When you’re in this situation, a lot of people are more focused on it than you," Gibson said. "You just have to let it slide off your shoulders. Joakim [Noah] was talking about to me about it a couple of days ago, but I always just shrug it off…. You really can’t do anything about it, except worry about what you can take care of and that’s the court work. Your agent and the GM has to worry about that."
Jazz, Raja Bell End Buyout Negotiations
WEDNESDAY, 8:03am: According to Rudoy, while he confirmed that he's no longer talking to the Jazz about a buyout for Bell, he didn't say the team is now working on trade scenarios involving his client.
"Absolutely not," Rudoy told Jody Genessy of the Deseret News. "I was asked if we are discussing a buyout and I said 'no.' The rest is pure speculation. There is no trade talk that I know about."
TUESDAY, 2:08pm: The Jazz and Raja Bell are no longer discussing the possibility of the team buying out the final year of Bell's contract, agent Herb Rudoy tells Shams Charania of RealGM.com. According to Rudoy, the two sides have moved past buyout negotiations, and are now talking about potential trade scenarios involving his client.
The week before training camps officially got underway, we heard that the Jazz and Bell's camp had agreed that it was "in the best interest of all parties" if Bell didn't report to the team. With the regular season now just a week away, it doesn't appear that the two sides are a whole lot closer to resolving a situation that worsened last season when Bell clashed with coach Tyrone Corbin.
Bell is owed a guaranteed $3.48MM for 2012/13, the last season of his three-year contract. If the veteran guard and his agent had been able to line up an alternate destination for the 36-year-old, I imagine they would have been able to reach an agreement with Utah on a buyout. The end of buyout negotiations suggests to me that teams aren't exactly clamoring to acquire Bell, and that working out a trade will be difficult, but that's just my speculation.
Charania mentions the Lakers and Heat as potentially "viable destinations" for the 12-year veteran.
Odds & Ends: Mavs, Brooks, Suns, Bucks
Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News believes the Mavs will go "hard" after Chris Paul, and perhaps Dwight Howard, in free agency next summer. That would be no surprise, given the team's effort to position itself to pursue another marquee name next summer after its push to sign Deron Williams fell through. It's hard to envision either turning down a five-year deal in L.A. for a four-year contract in Dallas, especially considering Paul's involvement in the Clippers' offseason moves and Howard's enthusiasm about being with the Lakers, but plenty can happen between now and July. In the meantime, here's a late night look around the Association:
- Before signing with the Kings this summer, Aaron Brooks was expecting to return to the Suns, who held the right to match offers for him until they pulled their qualifying offer to him in July, as Paul Coro and Zach Buchanan of the Arizona Republic report.
- P.J. Tucker, whose contract with the Suns is partially guaranteed for $150K, has emerged as the team's best perimeter defender, coach Alvin Gentry said, according to Coro and Buchanan.
- Camp invitee Alando Tucker is "nearly certain" to be let go by the Bucks, who have 15 other players on fully guaranteed deals, and is considering playing in Europe this season, as Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes.
- Geoff Calkins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal argues that incoming Grizzlies owner Robert Pera should keep GM Chris Wallace around.
- After the Spurs ran counter to coach Gregg Popovich's previous indication and cut both Eddy Curry and Derrick Brown today, Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News does his best to size up the remaining competitors for the end of the Spurs bench.
- HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy identifies 15 players who have surprised with their performances in the preseason.
- Alexey Shved will see significant minutes backing up Brandon Roy at shooting guard for the Wolves, but life in the NBA has been an adjustment on and off the court for the offseason signee from Russia, as Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune details.
- The Clippers' signing of Matt Barnes looks shrewd now that Grant Hill is out with a bone bruise in his right knee, Ben Golliver of SI.com believes.
Eastern Notes: Henderson, Sixers, Belinelli
We looked at news from around the Western Conference this morning, and now it's time for the East, where seven lottery teams will look to make their first playoff appearance in awhile this season. The same eight teams made the Eastern Conference playoffs in 2011 and 2012, but at least one of them will have trouble holding onto its spot this year, as the Magic are in full rebuilding mode after the departure of Dwight Howard. Here's the latest on some of the teams trying to take their place, and others hoping they don't follow the Magic's descent.
- The Bobcats are reportedly only interested in extending Gerald Henderson's contract if he signs a team-friendly deal, and offseason trade acquisition Ben Gordon is pushing him for the starting shooting guard job, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reports (Twitter links).
- John Gonzalez of CSNPhilly.com identifies five questions looming over the Sixers as they prepare to start the season.
- Marco Belinelli's rough preseason for the Bulls reminds Steve Aschburner of NBA.com of the struggles Hedo Turkoglu has suffered over the past few seasons (Twitter link).
- Bolstered by former Bulls reserve John Lucas III and other offseason acquisitions, the Raptors bench is shaping up to be the team's deepest in a long time, writes Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun.
- Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio takes a stab at predicting the Cavs' final roster cuts, guessing that the team will waive Jeremy Pargo and Kevin Jones.
- Ben Rohrbach of WEEI.com examines the challenge that Celtics coach Doc Rivers faces as he tries to build chemistry on a team that returns just six players from last season.
Northwest Rumors: Bell, Wolves, Blazers, Hayward
The Thunder are the only Northwest Division team in action tonight, as they take on the Bulls, and after that, every team in the division will have just one more preseason game before final roster decisions must be made. Clubs are offering a few clues about their plans, and we round them up tonight along with other news out of the Northwest.
- The Wolves are unlikely to deal for Raja Bell, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link). The Jazz are reportedly trying to trade Bell after failing to come to an agreement on a buyout.
- Wolves coach Rick Adelman said the team won't make any cuts until after the team's last preseason game on Friday, Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. The team has 17 players on the roster, with Will Conroy, Mike Harris and Chris Johnson the only guys without fully guaranteed deals.
- Kevin Love's injury has pressed Wolves offseason signee Andrei Kirilenko into the starting power forward spot, but the 31-year-old Kirilenko isn't planning on changing his game to make up for Love's absence, as Richardson writes.
- Adam Morrison, Sasha Pavlovic and Coby Karl have the best chance to make the Blazers opening-night roster among the team's six players on non-guaranteed deals, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com, though Karl expects to be cut. Haynes reported earlier that fellow camp invitees Demonte Harper and Dallas Lauderdale are destined for the D-League.
- Gordon Hayward is poised to take on a more significant role for the Jazz this season, as Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune examines. As our Rookie Contract Option Tracker shows, the Jazz have until the end of the month to pick up his $3.45MM option for 2013/14, but there's no real chance they'd turn it down.
Mitch Kupchak On Howard, 2014, Nash
The acquisition of Dwight Howard may have received more fanfare, but Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak believes the sign-and-trade that brought Steve Nash aboard was the linchpin to the team's ballyhooed offseason, citing the enthusiasm others have for playing with a distributor like Nash, as Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News reports. The Nash deal wouldn't have been possible without last year's Lamar Odom trade, but Kupchak said he wasn't envisioning a summer like the team just had when he let Odom go last year. Kupchak shared plenty more with Medina, as we highlight here.
On whether Dwight Howard has told him he'll re-sign next year:
"I have not asked that question nor do I intend to ask the question. I hear he's embraced the city. Certainly, everything he says publicly is positive. But there really is nothing to pursue there from that point of view. It doesn't make any sense for him to do anything other than wait for this summer."
On what the Lakers must do to convince Howard to come back:
"Winning a championship wouldn't hurt. If we didn't win it this year, would that factor into his decision? I don't know. I would think that if he has a great year and there's great chemistry and the city embraces him like I think we do and will, I'm not sure it would be a factor. But that's something that he'll have to decide. He doesn't have to decide that now."
On 2014, when executive Jim Buss says the team plans to "make a big splash":
"Even if we sign back Dwight, we'll have cap flexibility. But I don't know who's going to be available two years down the road. I don't know what will happen in the next year or two. There may be a trade that comes along. Right now, we do have financial flexibility."
On the team's pursuit of Nash this past summer:
"When we were talking about it in the office, we said, 'Steve is on our list.' but I said, 'It's unlikely.' Jimmy said, 'Well, make the call.' I said, 'we'll make the call anyway, but don't get your hopes up.' He took the optimistic approach to it. Lo and behold, the unlikely took place."