Bulls Notes: Deng, Rose, Mirotic, Boozer
The Luol Deng trade between the Cavaliers and Bulls could have a significant impact on the Heat, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. As Winderman notes, the move should ensure that Andrew Bynum becomes available for Miami to pursue, and it also gives the Cavs an intriguing alternative to LeBron James in free agency this summer.
The Bulls had been expected to challenge Miami for Eastern Conference supremacy this season, but for now, Chicago’s front office is focused on how to improve the long-term outlook of a team that no longer has Deng and will be without Derrick Rose for several more months. Here’s the latest out of Chicago:
- Asked about the Deng trade, coach Tom Thibodeau declined to go into detail, but “it’s obvious he disagreed” with the decision to move the veteran forward, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago. Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald suggests (via Twitter) that Thibodeau isn’t necessarily upset about the move, since he recognizes the reality of the Bulls’ situation, but he’s “not thrilled, obviously.”
- Bulls VP of basketball operations John Paxson confirmed that the club offered Deng an extension recently. According to Paxson, the front office felt like it was a competitive offer, but understood completely when Deng passed (Twitter links via K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune).
- The money saved by the Bulls in this deal will be reinvested in the franchise, according to Paxson (Twitter link via Friedell).
- Paxson disagrees with the notion that the Bulls are rebuilding, suggesting that it’s not a rebuild when a franchise still has players like Rose and Joakim Noah, plus a coach like Thibodeau (Twitter link via TNT’s David Aldridge). Paxson added that the front office’s working relationship with Thibodeau is “really good,” according to Friedell (via Twitter).
- Owner Jerry Reinsdorf and GM Gar Forman both spoke to Rose about the Deng trade and didn’t get the sense that the former MVP was unhappy with the direction of the club, tweets Friedell.
- Nikola Mirotic remains a part of the Bulls’ future, but the organization isn’t as confident as it once was that he’ll be signed this summer, tweets Friedell. Still, Chicago hopes to bring him over “sooner rather than later,” says Paxson (Twitter link via Johnson).
- The Bulls haven’t yet decided whether Carlos Boozer will be amnestied in July, says Paxson (Twitter link via Friedell).
- Paxson acknowledged that the Bulls didn’t handle Deng’s spinal tap fallout last spring as well as they should or could have, according to Johnson (Twitter link).
Jazz Waive Mike Harris
The Jazz have waived Mike Harris in advance of today’s contract guarantee deadline, the team announced in a press release. Emiliano Carchia of Sportando passes along word from Puerto Rican team Leones de Ponce that Harris will sign with the team after leaving Utah.
Harris, a former MVP of the D-League, has spent parts of four seasons since 2007/08 with the Jazz, Rockets, and Wizards. In 20 contests for Utah this season (11.3 MPG), he recorded 4.2 PPG and 1.7 RPG, good for a solid 15.5 PER.
The move reduces Utah’s roster count to 14 players, creating a single opening. Ian Clark and Diante Garrett are also on non-guaranteed contracts, but with no announcement on either player yet, it looks like their spots on the roster may be safe.
Masai Ujiri Talks Raptors’ Direction, Goals
Having previously been a member of the Raptors’ front office under ex-GM Bryan Colangelo, Masai Ujiri returned to the franchise this spring to replace his old boss and assume control of the club’s basketball decisions. While Ujiri’s trades of Andrea Bargnani and Rudy Gay suggested that Toronto wasn’t necessarily expecting to contend this season, the team has gone on an impressive 10-4 run since moving Gay, a stretch that earned Dwane Casey coach of the month honors for December.
Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today caught up with Ujiri to talk about his vision for the Raptors, as well as how the team’s recent hot streak may affect the short- and long-term plans for the franchise. Here are a few of the noteworthy quotes from the Raptors’ president of basketball operations:
On the team’s direction:
“The team is playing well. Everybody’s encouraged. The NBA is a crazy league. One day, it’s great. The next day, it’s tough…. The players know, I have communicated to everybody where we stand. We want to be a good team, a winning team. If it’s not that way, we have to figure out a way to rebuild the team or figure it out. Everybody’s clear how this thing works.”
On the Raptors’ long-term goals:
“We want to have an effect on the league as a basketball team. I don’t believe in any of that B.S. that everybody says about Toronto. Players are going to want to play in Toronto, and we have to show that. I have to show that we can put a brand on the court to compete. We’ll continue to try and do that.”
On the process of making trades, and the notion that he has “won” multiple deals:
“Just get on the phone and call or listen to calls. All the general managers are unbelievable with this stuff. Until two people say, ‘We have a deal’ … one person cannot do it. Deals are tough to do, but it’s our job and we try our best to help our organizations going forward.”
Celtics Release Ryan Gomes
The Celtics have waived Ryan Gomes, the team announced today in a press release. Gomes had been a member of the Thunder this season, and was moved to Boston as salary filler in today’s three-team trade that saw the Grizzlies land Courtney Lee. Because Gomes’ contract was non-guaranteed, the C’s won’t be on the hook for his full-season salary.
Gomes, 31, only appeared in five games for the Thunder this season, playing a total of 34 minutes. After signing a minimum-salary contract in the offseason, the veteran forward saw his first NBA regular-season action since playing for the Clippers in 2011/12.
The Thunder’s decision to trade Gomes to the Celtics is cap-related. While Gomes’ full-season salary won’t be on Boston’s books, the salary he earned until now will still apply to the Celtics’ cap. Oklahoma City sent cash considerations to the C’s in the deal, making it worthwhile for Boston to assume Gomes’ modest cap hit, while the Thunder free up a little cap space to take on salary in a later deal, if they so choose.
Grizzlies Acquire Lee In Three-Team Trade
10:21am: The trade is now official, according to press releases from the Celtics and Thunder. OKC’s release notes that the Thunder will also receive the Sixers’ 2014 second-rounder from the Grizzlies in the deal. However, that pick is heavily protected and will only be conveyed if it falls between 51 and 55. The Thunder also sent cash considerations to the C’s in the move.
TUESDAY, 10:10am: In addition to landing Lee, the Grizzlies will receive a 2016 second-round pick from the Celtics, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link). The C’s will acquire Bayless and Gomes, while the Thunder will receive a conditional 2017 second-rounder from the Grizzlies, says Tillery. The deal is expected to be finalized today to give Boston the chance to waive Gomes before 4:00pm central time.
MONDAY, 7:32pm: Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that the Thunder will get involved in the deal with Ryan Gomes heading from Oklahoma City to Boston. This would allow OKC to get some wiggle room with regards to the luxury tax line and possibly set up another deal. The C’s, meanwhile, are expected to waive Gomes.
Stein adds (on Twitter) that there should be some second-round picks involved as well.
7:48am: The two sides have reached an agreement, according to Stein. It doesn’t sound like the trade will involve any additional pieces besides Bayless and Lee, which is a bit of a surprise. I wouldn’t have expected the Celtics to be able to move Lee for an expiring contract, since it was less than three weeks ago that a report suggested a lack of leaguewide interest in him. In any case, it appears as if the Grizzlies and C’s will finalize the deal at some point today.
SUNDAY, 4:29pm: The Celtics are in advanced discussions on a deal to acquire Jerryd Bayless from the Grizzlies, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The swap would involve Boston guard Courtney Lee.
In late December, the Grizzlies reportedly offered Bayless to the Lakers in return for Jodie Meeks. Memphis came into this season with high hopes, but their 15-18 start apparently has them wanting to make big changes. Bayless, 25, has averaged 8.0 PPG and 2.0 APG, numbers that are his lowest since his rookie year.
Lee was a client of Grizzlies CEO Jason Levien and front office exec Stu Lash when they were agents. The guard has already seen his name on Hoops Rumors quite a bit this season as he was linked to a proposed deal that would have sent him and Brandon Bass to Houston for Omer Asik. Of course, those talks fizzled. Swapping Bayless for Lee also figures to please Grizzlies exec John Hollinger as Lee boasts a career-best PER of 15.3 this season compared to Bayless’ 11.2, his worst total since 2008/09.
Lee, who appears headed to the fifth team of his professional career, finds himself stuck behind Avery Bradley in the rotation and only figures to see his role shrink further when Rajon Rondo comes back to action. While his efficiency rating has been strong, it’s happening off of a career-low 16.8 minutes per game.
Bayless is in his walk year and is earning just $3.135MM while Lee makes $5.23MM this year, $5.45 next year, and $5.675MM in his final year. It’s possible that Boston will include a draft pick in the trade if they’re getting another expiring contract or a solid talent along with Bayless in the swap since the Grizzlies are taking on a three-year deal in Lee. The Grizzlies are close to the luxury tax threshold and the Celtics are even closer, so that should play a factor in the proposed deal.
Assuming no trade exceptions are used in the swap, Memphis would have to add at least one more player for the salaries to match up, so the deal may expand beyond Bayless and Lee. However, Boston has a TPE from the Paul Pierce trade while the Grizzlies have one from the Rudy Gay swap, so it’s possible for the teams to make the move without including additional players.
Update On Non-Guaranteed Contracts
As has been discussed ad nauseam in recent reports on Andrew Bynum, the NBA’s contract guarantee deadline for 2013/14 arrives later today. If a team waives a player on a non-guaranteed contract by 4:00pm central time, that club won’t be on the hook for the remainder of the player’s salary. However, if the player remains on a roster beyond that, he’ll be assured of his full ’13/14 salary.
The NBA’s contract guarantee date technically lands on January 10th, but teams must ensure that players must clear waivers before Friday to avoid being on the hook for their full salaries. Because the waiver process takes 48 hours, that means making cuts today.
A number of players on non-guaranteed contracts are in no danger of being waived, but we’re still anticipating plenty of roster moves today, with veterans like Bynum and Stephen Jackson among the players expected to be released.
Here’s a quick rundown of the remaining players believed to be on non-guaranteed contracts, whose full 2013/14 salaries will be assured if they survive today’s round of roster cuts. Unless otherwise indicated, these players are on minimum-salary deals.
- 76ers: Lorenzo Brown, Brandon Davies, Daniel Orton, Hollis Thompson, Elliot Williams
- Bobcats: Jeff Adrien, Chris Douglas-Roberts
- Bulls: D.J. Augustin, Andrew Bynum ($12.25MM; $6MM guaranteed),, Erik Murphy ($250K guaranteed)
- Cavaliers: Matthew Dellavedova, C.J. Miles ($2.23MM), Henry Sims
- Clippers: Stephen Jackson
- Grizzlies: James Johnson
- Hawks: Shelvin Mack, Cartier Martin, Mike Scott
- Heat: Michael Beasley, Roger Mason Jr.
- Jazz: Ian Clark, Diante Garrett, Mike Harris
- Knicks: Cole Aldrich, Toure’ Murry
- Lakers: Xavier Henry, Ryan Kelly, Kendall Marshall, Shawne Williams
- Pacers: Rasual Butler
- Pistons: Josh Harrellson, Peyton Siva
- Raptors: Julyan Stone
- Rockets: Patrick Beverley, Ronnie Brewer, Greg Smith
- Spurs: Malcolm Thomas
- Suns: Dionte Christmas
- Thunder: Ryan Gomes, Hasheem Thabeet ($1.2MM)
- Timberwolves: Robbie Hummel, A.J. Price
- Warriors: Kent Bazemore
This post is just a refresher, so it won’t be updated throughout the day. However, we’ll keep our long-standing page of non-guaranteed deals up-to-date as teams make their cuts, so be sure to check that out, or keep tabs on our transactions feed for the latest moves.
Fallout, Leftover Details From Deng/Bynum Trade
Late last night, the Cavaliers and Bulls struck 2014’s first deal, and arguably the most interesting swap of the ’13/14 season so far, with Chicago sending Luol Deng to Cleveland in exchange for Andrew Bynum‘s contract and several draft picks. In our story on the trade last night, we made note of a few potential ramifications of the deal, including the possibility of the Cavs re-signing Deng in July, and the effect that losing the All-Star forward will have on the Bulls’ chances of a high lottery pick. There are many other leftover details related to the trade to round up though, so let’s dive right in and tackle a few of them….
- Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported last night that Deng turned down a three-year, $30MM extension offer from the Bulls before the team decided to trade him. In his full piece on that news, Woj notes that Chicago was unwilling to go as high as $12-13MM over four or five seasons for the 28-year-old.
- Following up with more details on those extension talks, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link) hears there’s a chance the two sides also discussed a four-year, $40MM contract, while Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today tweets that Deng’s reps may have been looking for a deal in the $15-16MM per year range.
- Although the Bulls will sneak below the tax threshold when they waive Bynum, that move will leave them with 12 players, one short of the league minimum. ESPN.com’s Brian Windhorst points out (via Twitter) that adding a player today for the prorated veteran’s minimum would still keep the Bulls below the tax, albeit not by much. Chicago also doesn’t have to add a 13th player immediately, since teams can drop to 12 for up to two weeks at a time, so the club could retain a little flexibility by waiting, then signing players to 10-day contracts.
- More financial details from Windhorst (Twitter link): Chicago’s total payroll and tax savings add up to more than $20MM+, and the Bulls will also receive another $2-3MM when this year’s tax money is dispersed, assuming team payroll remains below the $71.748MM threshold.
- A source tells Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio that this likely won’t be the last trade of the season for either the Bulls or the Cavs (Twitter link).
- The Cavs had been trying for “quite some time” to move the Kings‘ first-round pick, tweets Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. The pick isn’t quite as valuable as Cleveland’s other first-rounders, since its protection, combined with the Kings’ recent futility, could result in it eventually becoming a second-round pick. The first-rounder is top-12 protected this year, then top-10 protected from 2015 to 2017. Lloyd adds that the Cavs tried to give the pick back to Sacramento or loosen the protection in various deals before sending it to Chicago.
- Pau Gasol and the Lakers were connected to the Cavs frequently over the last week, but L.A. remained adamant about receiving a young player or premium pick from Cleveland, which wasn’t going to happen, tweets Amico. ESPN.com’s Marc Stein adds (via Twitter) that acquiring Deng was always the Cavs’ dream scenario, which is why the team was willing to send picks to the Bulls, but not the Lakers.
- According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link), the Lakers still believe they have other ways to get under the luxury tax after not landing Bynum. In my opinion, that’ll be pretty difficult.
- In his trade story at ESPN.com, Windhorst adds the Knicks to the list of teams expected to have interest in Bynum once he clears waivers.
- The Bulls created a modest trade exception in the deal, worth the difference in Deng’s ($14,275,000) and Bynum’s ($12,250,000) salaries: $2,025,000.
- Sean Deveney of the Sporting News writes that the Cavs completed this trade with Kyrie Irving‘s long-term future in mind, while ESPN Chicago’s Nick Friedell says that the divorce of Deng and Tom Thibodeau may lead to an adjustment period for both guys over the next few weeks.
Cavaliers Acquire Luol Deng For Bynum, Picks
The Cavaliers and Bulls have reached an agreement on a trade that will send Luol Deng to Cleveland in exchange for Andrew Bynum and draft picks, reports Shams Charania of RealGM (via Twitter). ESPN.com’s Brian Windhorst confirms that the Cavs have acquired Deng (Twitter link), while team owner Dan Gilbert also tweeted confirmation of the deal, welcoming Deng to Cleveland.
According to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link), the Bulls will receive a first-round pick and a pair of second-rounders from the Cavs in the swap, in addition to Bynum. The first-rounder will be the Kings’ 2014 pick, which is top-12 protected, while the second-rounders will be Portland’s 2015 and 2016 picks, according to an official release from the Cavs. The Bulls will also have the rights to swap first-rounders with the Cavs in 2015, but only if Cleveland’s pick doesn’t fall in the lottery, tweets Lloyd.
Although the Cavs will surrender a handful of draft picks in the deal, the move fills a giant need for the team, with Deng assuming a starting small forward role that has changed hands several times since LeBron James left for Miami in 2010. The Cavs also find a taker for Bynum, who had fallen out of favor in Cleveland, and was being shopped to the Lakers and Jazz, among other teams. So for now, Pau Gasol and Richard Jefferson will remain in L.A. and Utah, respectively, though both veterans are on expiring deals and could be involved in more trade rumors before February 20th’s deadline.
As for the Bulls, several recent reports had indicated that the team was reluctant to move Deng, still believing that he could be re-signed next summer. However, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link), the 28-year-old turned down a three-year, $30MM extension offer from Chicago last week, which was a prelude to this trade. The deal gives the Bulls the opportunity to dip below the tax this season and to add future assets, as well as greatly increasing the odds that the club will land a prime spot in the 2014 draft lottery.
Assuming the Bulls officially waive Bynum on Tuesday, as ESPN Chicago’s Nick Friedell confirms they will (Twitter link), the team will shed $8.275MM in payroll by paying Bynum’s $6MM guarantee rather than Deng’s $14.275MM salary. According to ShamSports’ salary figures for Chicago, that would reduce team payroll to about $71.01MM, giving the club a little breathing room below the $71.748MM luxury tax line.
The long-term ramifications of the deal will be worth keeping an eye on over the next several months. While the Cavs’ dream scenario for the summer of 2014 is believed to revolve around bringing LeBron back to Cleveland, the team will now have a very viable alternative in Deng, with his Bird rights in hand heading into free agency.
For the Bulls, coach Tom Thibodeau may not be entirely on board with the trade, since he was considered Deng’s biggest fan. A December report also indicated that Derrick Rose wasn’t eager to go through a rebuilding process in Chicago, so it’ll be interesting to see how aggressively the team retools during the offseason, perhaps amnestying Carlos Boozer and bringing Nikola Mirotic stateside.
Meanwhile, Chicago now technically holds the rights to three 2014 first-rounders: Their own pick, the Bobcats’ pick, and the Kings’ pick. However, the latter two are heavily protected. Charlotte’s first-round pick is top-10 protected in 2014, top-eight protected in 2015, and unprotected in 2016. Sacramento’s first-rounder is top-10 protected in 2015, 2016, and 2017, after being top-12 protected this season. If the pick doesn’t change hands by 2017, Chicago would receive the Kings’ 2017 second-rounder instead.
If and when the Bulls waive Bynum, he’ll likely go unclaimed on waivers, meaning he’ll be eligible to sign with any team besides the Cavs as soon as this week. The Clippers and Heat are believed to be among his preferred destinations.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Odds & Ends: Gay, Jazz, Nets, Miller
Rudy Gay has taken quite a bit of criticism lately for his lack of offensive efficiency. Some even say that the Raptors are better since Gay was shipped to Sacramento, but don’t try telling that to point guard Kyle Lowry. “He’s a hell of a scorer,” Lowry said, according to David Aldridge of NBA.com. “I think he can put up 30 points, 25 points. That’s his game. He’s a scorer. I don’t blame him for anything. He shouldn’t be blamed for anything. I would never say that he should be blamed. His job is to score the ball. That’s what he was out there for. That’s what he’s paid to do.” More from around the league..
- Expect the Jazz to be active in trade talks over the next few weeks, given all the veterans on expiring contracts on the roster, says Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
- The Nets announced that they have recalled Tyshawn Taylor from the D-League’s Springfield Armor after being assigned earlier in the day. In 20 games (three starts) this season, Taylor is averaging 4.3 points and 1.8 assists in 12.7 minutes per game.
- The Kings may be among the clubs in on Nuggets guard Andre Miller, but the Knicks are not in the running for him, tweets Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
- The Thunder are doing research on D-League standout Manny Harris, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today.
- Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau says that GM Gar Forman isn’t actively looking to trade anyone but that he is “always” looking for ways to improve the club, according to Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com.
Clippers Considering Sasha Vujacic
In addition to the recently waived Hedo Turkoglu, the Clippers are also thinking about signing free agent guard Sasha Vujacic, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (on Twitter). The club made one backcourt addition earlier this evening when they inked Darius Morris to a ten-day pact.
The 29-year-old could have returned to Europe in 2013 for a lucrative offer but held out for an NBA gig. it took a while for something to materialize, but he could finally get his wish in the form of a ten-day deal with the Clippers.
Over parts of seven seasons in the states, mostly with the Staples Center’s other tenants, Vujacic averaged 5.6 PPG and 1.3 APG in 15.9 minutes per game. He also showed that he can fill a stat sheet during a run with the Nets in 2010/11 where he put up 11.4 PPG and 3.3 RPG in 28.5 minutes per contest.