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Month: September 2013

Bulls Sign Patrick Christopher, Kalin Lucas

By | at September 12, 2013 1:40 pm

1:40pm: Former Michigan State guard Kalin Lucas has also signed with the Bulls, according to Deeks (via Twitter). It sounds like his contract will be fully non-guaranteed as well.

As our international tracker shows, Lucas also played for a Turkish team in 2012/13.

1:32pm: The Bulls have signed free agent guard Patrick Christopher to a non-guaranteed training camp deal, according to Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com (via Twitter).

Christopher, 25, went undrafted out of California in 2010, and has been playing overseas since then. As our international player movement tracker shows, he spent last season in Turkey with Besiktas. Christopher averaged 8.4 PPG in 24 contests with the club.

The Bulls will only have 15 players under contract once they make their deals with Christopher, Mike James, and Dexter Pittman official, so there's a chance a regular-season roster spot will be available if Christopher has a strong camp. Still, he's likely a long shot.

6 comments Chicago Bulls Transactions

Contract Details: Warriors, Lakers, Davies, Lockett

By | at September 12, 2013 12:29 pm

Most of the contracts being signed these days are non-guaranteed and worth the minimum salary, essentially amounting to make-good deals for camp. However, a few players who recently joined NBA clubs received modest guarantees, ensuring they'll make some money whether or not they earn a roster spot. Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com has the details, so let's round them up….

  • The Warriors will pay partial guarantees to two recent signees, Seth Curry and DeWayne Dedmon. Both players inked one-year rookie minimum contracts, but Curry received the larger guarantee — $75K to Dedmon's $25K.
  • The Lakers guaranteed $100K of Shawne Williams' one-year, minimum-salary deal.
  • Brandon Davies' two-year deal with the Clippers is partially guaranteed for $50K in 2013/14.
  • Trent Lockett's two-year contract with the Kings is currently guaranteed for $35K, but he can increase that amount by earning a spot on the team's regular-season roster. Lockett's guarantee will become $100K if he's not waived by opening night, and if he keeps a roster spot all year, his 2014/15 salary will become guaranteed for $100K on the last day of the '13/14 season.
  • The Pelicans cut Lance Thomas in July to clear cap space for their new additions, then re-signed him to a new deal. Thomas received a guarantee of $15K for his trouble — his previous contract had been fully non-guaranteed.
0 comments Golden State Warriors Los Angeles Clippers Los Angeles Lakers New Orleans Pelicans Sacramento Kings

Sixers Agree To Sign Darius Morris

By | at September 12, 2013 10:53 am

Nearly two and a half months after 2013's free agent period got underway, the Sixers are set to sign their first NBA free agent. The team is finalizing an agreement with former Laker Darius Morris, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

It's not clear yet whether Morris will sign a one-year contract or a multiyear deal, or whether he'll earn more than the minimum. But Wojnarowski suggests that Morris' salary for 2013/14 will be at least partially guaranteed. The 22-year-old is also expected to make the team and play meaningful minutes, making him more than just a training camp invitee.

In 48 games last year, including 17 starts, Morris averaged 4.0 PPG and 1.6 APG, while playing 14.2 minutes per contest. With Kobe Bryant on the shelf in the postseason, the Lakers leaned more heavily on Morris, who responded by upping his averages to 10.5 PPG and 3.0 APG. The Brian Dyke client also ranked among the best three-point shooters still available when I explored the subject last month.

The Sixers have made a handful of trades this offseason, bringing in young players like Nerlens Noel, Royce White, and Tony Wroten. However, the club has been very quiet on the free agent front. Prior to Morris' agreement, the only player believed to have a deal with Philadelphia was undrafted rookie Rodney Williams, who reportedly agreed to a partially guaranteed multiyear contract.

Once the Sixers' deals with Williams and Morris become official, the team will have 15 players under contract, though only 11 of those deals are fully guaranteed. As for Morris, he'll likely see plenty of time at the point in Philadelphia, since Michael Carter-Williams and Wroten are the only point guards currently on the roster.

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Team Facebook/Twitter/RSS

By | at September 12, 2013 10:31 am

If you want to keep tabs on all of Hoops Rumors' stories and updates, you can follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or subscribe to our feed through your RSS reader of choice. However, if you prefer to only receive news about your favorite NBA team, we have you covered. Below are links to our Facebook, Twitter, and RSS pages and feeds for all 30 teams.

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Transactions only: Twitter / RSS

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Hamed Haddadi Weighing NBA, Overseas Offers

By | at September 12, 2013 8:52 am

Free agent center Hamed Haddadi is still looking for work for the 2013/14 season, and is currently mulling offers from teams in the NBA and China, according to Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter). I would guess that Haddadi's offers from CBA teams include more assurances when it comes to role and salary, whereas NBA interest may be limited to camp invites.

Haddadi, 28, has been linked primarily to the Knicks since being released by the Suns in June, with several reports indicating that New York had interest in the big man. The most recent story, earlier this month, suggested the Knicks' interest had dissipated, but that report came a couple days before Jeremy Tyler underwent foot surgery, which may have put the club back in the market for a center. Haddadi also reportedly worked out for the Pelicans.

The Grizzlies and Raptors both included Haddadi in trades prior to the deadline last season, with the five-year veteran ultimately ending up in Phoenix. He finished the year strong, averaging 4.1 PPG and 5.1 RPG in just 13.8 MPG in 17 contests for the Suns. A month ago, when I examined the remaining free agents with the best rebounding numbers, Haddadi ranked atop the list.

0 comments New Orleans Pelicans New York Knicks

Odds & Ends: Bynum, Thompson, Redick

By | at September 11, 2013 10:33 pm

Here are the latest odds and ends from around the NBA on Wednesday night:

  • The Cavaliers' addition of Andrew Bynum is the most underrated move of the 2013 offseason, according to HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy.  Kennedy writes that a healthy Bynum, who played for Cleveland head coach Mike Brown in L.A., could take the Cavs "to another level."  With an incentive-laden contract, Kennedy expects Bynum to be more motivated than he was in Philadelphia. 
  • Klay Thompson is excited about how the offseason additions of Andre Iguodala and Toney Douglas may help him on the offensive side of the floor, writes Marcus Thompson of the San Jose Mercury News.  With Stephen Curry focused on scoring and running the point, Thompson frequently became gassed last season when he was asked to be a defensive stopper along with contributing on offense.  Particularly with the defense-oriented Iguodala now in the fold for the Warriors, Thompson figures that relief in pressure may result in him shooting better than the 42.2 percent he shot last season. 
  • While it seems like a stretch to compare J.J. Redick to Ray Allen, it probably isn't a coincidence that one of Doc Rivers' first moves as senior vice president of the Clippers was to acquire someone capable of filling the role Allen manned for Rivers' championship Celtics team, writes D.J. Foster for ESPN.com.  Foster argues that Redick and that version of Allen are more similar than you'd think when you break down the statistics and that if Rivers and the Clips make finding Redick open looks a priority, the Duke product could be a pleasant surprise in Los Angeles. 
1 comment Cleveland Cavaliers Golden State Warriors Los Angeles Clippers

Carmelo Anthony Not Interested In Leaving Knicks

By | at September 11, 2013 9:56 pm

Carmelo Anthony strongly indicated on Wednesday night that he plans to re-sign with the Knicks rather than opt out of his contract and explore free agency after the upcoming season, writes Al Ianozzone of Newsday.  In an interview with Bloomberg Television, Anthony said that he came to New York in hopes of thriving on a big stage and has no plans to give up on his pursuit of a title in the Big Apple. 

"I'm not going nowhere," Anthony said during the interview.  "That is one of the reasons why I wanted to come here to New York, just so I could take on those pressures and those challenges. A lot of people do not like to deal with the pressure. A lot of people do not know how to deal with the challenges they face. To me, it is everyday life.''

Anthony will make $23.3MM in the 2014/15 season and can re-up with the Knicks for five years and $129MM next summer, assuming he keeps his word about not discussing his contract during the season.  The Knicks can begin negotiations as early as February.  Other NBA teams can only offer Anthony four years and around $95MM.  Asked about Anthony's intentions a few weeks ago, J.R. Smith said that while he expects his teammate to stick around, he also expected him to do the same in Denver too before he eventually left for New York. 

0 comments New York Knicks

Lakers Notes: Landry, Bryant, James, Jackson

By | at September 11, 2013 8:53 pm

Let's round up the latest from the always-busy rumor mill in Los Angeles:

  • Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register tweets that he expects the Lakers to sign Marcus Landry, younger brother of Carl Landry, in the near future.  Ding also adds that Landry, if signed, would have a good shot to make the team.  This sounds very similar to several reports we heard in late July regarding Landry and the Lakers, but no official deal was reached.  Landry last appeared in 18 games in the 2009/10 season with the Knicks and Celtics.  He has since bounced between the D-League and Europe, and played with the Reno Bighorns of the D-League last season.
  • With second-rounder Ryan Kelly not expected to be ready for camp, Ding tweets that three of Landry, Xavier Henry, Shawne Williams and Elias Harris could make the Lakers' roster.  A chunk of Harris' deal is guaranteed, making him a good bet for a roster spot, but there’s been no confirmation of any guarantee for Henry, Williams or Landry, assuming he is signed.
  • It is hard to consider Kobe Bryant's looming presence on the Lakers as anything but a negative recruiting tool when it comes to near-future premiere free agents, writes Andy Kamenetzky of Land O'Lakers, who agrees with the notion that LeBron James, or any of the league's other elite players, would be hesitant to join Bryant in Los Angeles.  
  • Jim Buss and his father, the late Jerry Buss, knew that the Lakers couldn't keep the expensive team they showcased last year together past the 2012/13 season, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, who says this sentiment made it difficult for the team to secure Phil Jackson as coach.  Ownership knew they had to rebuild soon, Shelburne says, largely due to the extreme luxury tax situation they would face this season.  Because of this, the Lakers didn't feel right giving Jackson a two-year pact knowing the second year would be a transition year, she adds (Twitter links here).
0 comments Los Angeles Lakers

Poll: Is Michael Beasley Worth The Risk?

By | at September 11, 2013 7:31 pm

The Heat announced earlier today that they have brought back Michael Beasley, who they let go three years ago after making the Kansas State product the No. 2 overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft.  As our Luke Adams indicated today, few scouts question Beasley's natural ability, potentially making him the consummate buy-low reclamation project for a team like the Heat.

Beasley's deal with Miami is non-guaranteed and requires him to make the roster in training camp to secure his one-year minimum contract salary of $1MM, according to Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski.  Woj agrees that Miami could be a good spot for Beasley, with a strong veteran leadership group and stability in place throughout the organization.  He writes that several of the team's key veterans were supportive of the signing. 

It certainly seems like many people, including the Heat brass, think this is a no-risk situation for Miami.  But is it?  Beasley's issues with marijuana are well-documented and his on-the-court statistics are headed in the wrong direction.  Not only did the 6-foot-10 Beasley average a career-low in points and rebounds last season (10.1 and 3.8 per game), his PER has dropped every year since his rookie season.  Coming off two titles and with one project already on the roster in Greg Oden, is adding the enigmatic Beasley worth the risk for the champs?

Is Michael Beasley Worth The Risk For Miami?

  • Yes 73% (651)
  • No 27% (245)

Total votes: 896

2 comments Hoops Rumors Polls Miami Heat

NBA Roster Limits

By | at September 11, 2013 4:58 pm

During NBA regular seasons, teams aren't permitted to carry more than 15 players on their rosters, except in rare instances. Generally, when a club with 15 players on its roster acquires a new player, it must waive someone to clear a spot.

In the offseason, however, teams are permitted to carry up to 20 players on their rosters. One club taking advantage of that extra flexibility this summer, as it did a year ago, is the Houston Rockets — last offseason, even after Houston hit the 20-man limit, the club continued to pursue free agents. This time around, the Rockets have 19 players lined up for training camp, and continue to be linked to additional targets.

Many of the Rockets' players are on partially guaranteed or non-guaranteed deals, making it virtually certain that most of those extra bodies will simply be waived before the regular season begins, so that the team can reduce its roster to the in-season limit of 15 players. However, Houston (or any other team) is allowed to carry more than 15 guaranteed contracts until the season starts, if it so chooses.

For instance, when the Suns sent Caron Butler to the Bucks in exchange for Ishmael Smith and Viacheslav Kravtsov, it increased Phoenix's total guaranteed contracts to 17. Since then, the team has released Michael Beasley, but at least one player with a guaranteed deal will have to be traded or waived before the season begins. In all likelihood, the Suns will have to release a player, then continue paying the player's full-season salary, given the guaranteed nature of his contract.

Before the season opens, teams like the Rockets and Suns, who are carrying more than 15 players, will be required to make cuts. However, other clubs may have to worry about meeting the roster minimum, rather than getting below the maximum.

The fewest number of players an NBA team can have on its roster during the regular season is 13, a figure exceeded by all the league's clubs at the moment. Still, not every team is carrying 13 or more guaranteed contracts. Several teams have 12 players on guaranteed contracts, while the Sixers, Bulls, Cavaliers, and Lakers only have 11. That means players with partially guaranteed or non-guaranteed contracts on those clubs have a decent chance of obtaining roster spots, as their teams attempt to reach the 13-player regular-season minimum.

A few more notes on NBA roster sizes:

  • In the lockout-shortened 2011/12 season, NBA teams were allowed to have 13 active players, rather than 12 active players with at least one on the inactive list. This change became permanent starting in 2012/13.
  • Teams are permitted to carry just 11 active players or zero inactive players for no more than two weeks at a time. A team can also temporarily place up to four players on its inactive list (for a total roster of 16 players) with league approval in the event of a hardship. The injury-riddled Timberwolves took advantage of this opportunity last season.
  • Players assigned to a D-League affiliate are automatically placed on their NBA team's inactive list.

Note: This is a Hoops Rumors Glossary entry. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to trades, free agency, or other aspects of the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement. Larry Coon's Salary Cap FAQ was used in the creation of this post.

This post was initially published on September 10th, 2012.

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