Headlines

Month: March 2015

Western Notes: Jazz, Hood, Crawford, Spurs

By | at March 20, 2015 1:59 pm

The Jazz‘s willingness to commit to paying building blocks like Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors has helped the team show signs that it will quickly rebound from its rebuilding project, as Sean Deveney of The Sporting News details. Critical, too, was the deadline-day trade that sent Enes Kanter out, at his request, as the Jazz weren’t interested in paying a premium to keep him in restricted free agency this summer, writes Chris Mannix of SI.com. A greater focus on Favors and Rudy Gobert since then has paid dividends, as Mannix examines.

“[The trade] helped me work on my game a lot,” Favors said. “Enes was the first option in the post. Since the trade, it’s always been me. It’s helped me work on my game and made me better for it.”

Coach Quin Snyder downplays the connection between the Kanter trade and the team’s ascent in the standings, Mannix notes. Still, Utah was 19-34 at the deadline and has gone 12-3 since. There’s more on the Jazz amid the latest from the Western Conference:

  • Jazz higher-ups are “positively giddy” about the future of Rodney Hood, as Mannix reports in the same piece. Utah selected Hood 23rd overall in June after the swingman spoke to Zach Links of Hoops Rumors last spring.
  • The Clippers aren’t sure they’ll have Jamal Crawford back for the playoffs, according to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. Crawford has missed the last eight games because of a bruised right calf that Doc Rivers has deemed a “serious injury” and one that won’t have him back “anytime soon, that’s for sure,” Howard-Cooper notes. L.A. has an open roster spot and Nate Robinson on a 10-day contract.
  • The Spurs are keeping a close eye on draft-and-stash prospect Davis Bertans of late, as Lefteris Moutis of Eurohoops.net writes in a slideshow dedicated to the 10 European players who have the best chances of playing in the NBA next season. The power forward has a contract that runs through 2017 with Spain’s Laboral Kuxta (aka Saski Baskonia), as Mark Porcaro shows in our Draft Rights Held Players database, though it apparently contains NBA escape clauses for each year of the deal.
0 comments Los Angeles Clippers San Antonio Spurs Utah Jazz

Players On The Cap For Multiple NBA Teams

By | at March 20, 2015 1:06 pm

Jameer Nelson is a one-time All-Star who carved out a consistent role for many years with the Magic, but only now, in his 11th season, has he represented seven figure cap hits to multiple teams. The Magic still have him on their books for $2MM this year, the result of having waived his partially guaranteed contract this summer. The point guard found a deal for the full value of the room exception from the Mavericks, and a pair of midseason trades took him to Denver by way of the Celtics. The Nuggets have Nelson’s $2.732MM salary for this season on their cap, just as the Magic have $2MM for Nelson on theirs.

Nelson and John Salmons are the only players this season who account for at least $1MM in cap hits to more than one team, but players who represent at least some money against the cap for more than one NBA franchise are not unusual. There are more than 30 such players this season, including swingman Chris Johnson and forward Quincy Miller, who are each on the books for three different clubs.

There are lots more players who’ve drawn paychecks from more than one team but only show up on the cap for one. That’s a group that includes traded players as well as those waived via the amnesty clause. However, our focus here is on a narrower but still fairly robust bunch who’ve managed to hit the cap in multiple locations. Here’s a complete list, including each player’s respective cap hit. Note that cap hit doesn’t always align precisely with the player’s salary.

* — Cotton’s figure with the Jazz assumes he’s making a prorated minimum salary on the multiyear deal he signed this week, though that’s not entirely certain.

** — Miller’s figure with the Pistons assumes he’s making a prorated minimum salary on the two-year deal he signed last week, though that’s not entirely certain.

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

0 comments Hoops Rumors Originals

Latest On Kevin Durant

By | at March 20, 2015 11:56 am

Thunder GM Sam Presti wouldn’t declare Kevin Durant out for the season and the playoffs, but he said in a press conference today that’s essentially “the direction we’re headed right now,” according to Royce Young of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The reigning MVP won’t be back unless the soreness in his foot abates, Presti added, as Michael Lee of The Washington Post tweets. Presti said that Durant, who had been ramping up for a return that was expected within the next week, has been removed from basketball activity, and the GM doesn’t sound optimistic about a return this season, observes Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman (Twitter link).

The high-scoring forward hasn’t played since February 19th after undergoing a second procedure that was designed to alleviate the lingering pain in the Jones fracture that he suffered in his right foot before the season. Various ailments have limited Durant to just 27 games so far in 2014/15.

The Thunder are also without Serge Ibaka for as many as six weeks, with the playoffs set to begin in a little more than four weeks. They’re just a game up on New Orleans and two and a half up on Phoenix for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, and they have little recourse for upgrading their roster to help them salvage a postseason berth, as I examined. Oklahoma City has 15 players on contracts that run through at least the end of the season, and the team is already a taxpayer, making it difficult for the Thunder to waive a contract to sign someone else.

Durant is in the next to last season of his contract, which puts pressure on the Thunder to maximize their championship window. The team already has more than $78MM in commitments for next season, which doesn’t include a new contract for soon-to-be restricted free agent Enes Kanter.

1 comment Newsstand Oklahoma City Thunder

2015/16 Salary Commitments: Mavericks

By | at March 20, 2015 10:43 am

With the NBA trade deadline now passed, teams are focusing on locking down playoff spots or vying for a better chance in the draft lottery. Outside of the players who are added on 10-day deals, or those lucky enough to turn those auditions into long-term contracts, teams’ rosters are relatively set for the remainder of the season.

We at Hoops Rumors are in the process of taking a look ahead at each franchise’s salary cap situation heading into the summer, and the free agent frenzy that occurs every offseason. While the exact amount of the 2015/16 salary cap won’t be announced until July, the cap is projected to come in at $67.4MM, with the luxury tax threshold projected at approximately $81MM. This year’s $63.065MM cap represented  an increase of 7.7% over 2013/14, which was well above the league’s projected annual increase of 4.5%.

We’ll continue by taking a look at the Mavericks’ cap outlook for 2015/16…

Here are the players with guaranteed contracts:

Here are the players with non-guaranteed contracts:

Players with options:

The Mavs’ Cap Summary for 2015/16:

  • Guaranteed Salary: $28,064,039
  • Options/Non-Guaranteed Salary: $14,615,974
  • Total: $42,680,013

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

0 comments Dallas Mavericks Hoops Rumors Originals

Poll: What Will Reggie Jackson Make Next Year?

By | at March 20, 2015 9:53 am

It’s been a discombobulated season for Reggie Jackson. It began under the shadow of extension negotiations with the Thunder that ultimately failed to produce a deal, seemingly in part because some teams reportedly believed he’d draw offers of $13-14MM in free agency and because Jackson made it clear he wants to be a starting point guard. That sort of role wasn’t going to come open for him in Oklahoma City, at least on any long-term basis. Still, the 24-year-old had a brief chance to audition for the sort of job he sought when Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook both missed most of November.

Jackson averaged 20.2 points and 7.8 assists against 3.3 turnovers per game in 13 contests without both Durant and Westbrook in November, a stretch during which the Thunder went 3-10. He also grabbed 5.2 rebounds a night, displaying all-around talent that nonetheless came amid a high volume of 17.9 field goal attempts per game, 27.0% three-point shooting, and Oklahoma City’s losing record. The poor outside shooting was no shock for the career 28.8% three-point shooter, and neither was the regression in his stats to 10.2 PPG, 3.1 APG, 3.6 RPG and 9.3 shot attempts per game from the time Westbrook made his return through the trade deadline.

Still, there was enough potential there for Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy to pull the trigger on a deadline-day deal that cost Detroit D.J. Augustin, Kyle Singler and a pair of second-round picks in return for Jackson. It wasn’t a dire price to pay, but it seems there’ll be a steeper cost for retaining Jackson when his contract is up this summer.

Jackson has so far compiled a decidedly up-and-down track record for GMs around the league to evaluate in his brief tenure as the starting point guard for the Pistons. He put up an eye-popping 23 points and 20 rebounds against a Grizzlies team without Mike Conley on Tuesday and followed it up with a triple-double against the Sixers the next night. He nearly recorded a triple-double against the Cavs in just his second game as a Piston, posting 22 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. The next game he shot just 5 for 24 against the Knicks, and his two-point, 1 for 9 performance against the Lakers is another red flag. Most disturbingly, the Pistons are just 2-11 when Jackson plays.

It’s the same Pistons core that went 12-4 in between the day the team waived Josh Smith and the time Brandon Jennings missed his first game with his season-ending Achilles tear. The presence of Jennings, who’ll be on an expiring contract next season, further complicates Jackson’s impending free agency for Detroit.

There are probably almost as many question marks about Jackson among other teams as there are for the Pistons. So, let us know the sort of starting salary you think the Aaron Mintz client will end up scoring on his next deal, and elaborate on your choice in the comments.

What Will Reggie Jackson Make Next Season?

  • Less than $10MM 23% (136)
  • $10-11MM 22% (128)
  • $11-12MM 21% (124)
  • $12-13MM 19% (109)
  • $13-14MM 8% (50)
  • The max (about $15.5MM) 5% (28)
  • $14-$15.5MM 2% (14)

Total votes: 589

0 comments Detroit Pistons Hoops Rumors Polls

And-Ones: George, Griffin, Knicks

By | at March 19, 2015 10:51 pm

Paul George has been cautious in his timetable to return to the Pacers, but the Fresno State product is fully committed to participating with Team USA again, writes Scott Horner of the Indy Star. “I’m in. Of course,” George said. “The day [the injury] happened, right after, I told them I looked forward to continuing on with USA Basketball.”  George reiterated that he wants to be close to 100% when he returns to the court for the Pacers. “I want to play, but I don’t want to play under any terms of just wanting to get out there. I want to be fully healthy,” George said. “It’s different if this was the beginning of the year, and we were still trying to find our way. But these guys are playing at the top at their game right now and again, the last thing I want to do is slow them down.” Indiana is 30-37 on the season, tied with Boston for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • Blake Griffin says his right arm is considerably smaller than his left one because it was in a cast for so long, according to Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). Griffin missed 15 games due to a staph infection in his right elbow. The power forward is shooting 50% from the field in 37.7 minutes per game since recovering from the injury.
  • Knicks team Physician Dr. Lisa Callahan has been named the 2014 Physician of the Year, by members of the National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association. Perhaps New York can use her employment to its advantage when luring free agents to the city. Older veterans and players coming off of an injury, such as Wesley Matthews, could look at the rank of a team’s medical staff as a deciding factor in where they sign during the offseason, although that is just my speculation.
0 comments Indiana Pacers Los Angeles Clippers New York Knicks USA Basketball

Eastern Notes: Beasley, Payton, Harkless

By | at March 19, 2015 9:43 pm

The Nets are two and a half games behind the Celtics for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and Tim Bontemps of the New York Post believes the next four games will decide their season. Brooklyn will play Milwaukee on Friday and then Indiana, Boston and Charlotte. Any loss hurts twice as much as it will elevate the direct competition closer to a playoff berth.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

  • The Heat and Michael Beasley have indeed agreed to a rare team option (and not non-guaranteed salary) for next season in their deal, confirms Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link).
  • Elfrid Payton has improved as the season has progressed and the Magic have found their point guard of the future, opines Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. After recording a triple-double on Wednesday night, Payton seems to be feeling more comfortable leading the team. “I’m just working, putting up shots, getting in the gym, working hard,” Payton said. “I think the confidence has always been there, but I know I’ve got the support of my teammates.”
  • Maurice Harkless has seen more minutes since Orlando fired coach Jacque Vaughn and the team likes how the forward is playing, writes Robbins in a separate piece. “He’s showing that he wants to play,” interim coach James Borrego said. “There’s a confidence about him right now, and he’s got to continue to play with that.” Harkless is under contract through next season, but he is eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer.
0 comments Brooklyn Nets Miami Heat Orlando Magic

Northwest Notes: Wolves, Durant, Jazz

By | at March 19, 2015 8:46 pm

President of basketball operations Flip Saunders says signing Sean Kilpatrick came down to proximity, according to Alan Horton, who is the play-by-play announcer for the Wolves (Twitter link). Minnesota played the Knicks tonight and Kilpatrick was playing for the Delaware 87ers, the D-League affiliate of the Sixers. After a three hour car ride to New York, the Cincinnati product was in uniform for the Wolves. Minnesota had only eight healthy players active, the league minimum, in the game tonight.

Here’s more from the Northwest Division:

  • Kevin Durant had a setback at practice today and isn’t playing in Friday’s game against the Hawks, according to Royce Young of the TrueHoop Network.  “Just he experienced some soreness,” coach Scott Brooks said. “I think when you go through rehab, we all know through the rehab process you’re going to have some peaks and valleys, and you just have to adjust accordingly. That’s why he was off today, and he’s definitely not playing tomorrow. That’s all part of the process with his rehab.” Durant has missed 17 of the last 23 games, including 13 straight,  because of a foot injury.
  • The Jazz have one of the youngest rosters in the league and Ben Detrick of Grantland.com chronicles how the franchise turned itself into a team with one of the brightest futures in the Western Conference. Detrick points out that Utah’s success lately is partially a result of trading away Enes Kanter. The move cleared up a jumbled frontcourt situation and gave Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors ample playing time. Of the power forwards in the league, only Blake Griffin and Anthony Davis have a higher PER than Favors’ 22.4 rating this season.
  • The Jazz have recalled Grant Jerrett from their D-League affiliate, the Idaho Stampede, according to the team’s website. The Arizona product appeared in four games for the Stampede, averaging 12.8 points and 1.5 blocks per game.
0 comments Minnesota Timberwolves NBA G League Oklahoma City Thunder Utah Jazz

College Notes: Hoiberg, Russell, Johnson

By | at March 19, 2015 7:33 pm

Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg was the victim of an upset loss in the NCAA tournament, but he’s been a popular head coaching candidate in NBA circles of late, and the sense around the league is that he’ll be selective and won’t take just any NBA job, tweets Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com. He was a leading candidate for the Warriors job this past offseason, but once the team’s brass interviewed him, they shifted their focus to Steve Kerr, according to Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group (Twitter link).

Here’s more from the NCAA:

  • D’Angelo Russell has had a monster season, and Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders believes the point guard should declare for the draft. The freshman had previously expressed uncertainty about whether or not he would leave Ohio State after this semester. Kennedy compares Russell’s impending decision to the decision that Jabari Parker made last season. Parker ended up being selected by Milwaukee with the No. 2 overall pick. Eddie Scarito of Hoops Rumors has Russell as his second best player in his latest Prospect Power Rankings.
  • Dakari Johnson hasn’t received much attention due to the amount of talent on Kentucky’s roster, but Ryan Wolstat the Toronto Sun believes the center could become a star. Wolstat mentions several prospects, including Johnson and fellow Wildcat Trey Lyles, that may be available late in the first round, where the Raptors‘ pick is projected to land.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

0 comments Golden State Warriors Toronto Raptors

Eastern Notes: Cavs, Knicks, Sixers

By | at March 19, 2015 6:03 pm

Cavs first-year coach David Blatt believes that finishing second in the Eastern Division is a worthy goal the remainder of the regular season, according to Chris Fedor of Northeast Ohio Media Group. Cleveland’s relative lack of playoff experience, other than LeBron James, makes homecourt advantage even more essential, the story continues. The Cavs have not lost a home game since January 7th. Blatt may still rest some of his top players at times but not if it costs the team in seeding, Fedor adds. “I’d like us to finish as high as possible because there’s value in that,” Blatt said to the team’s beat reporters. “We’re going to come out and try to win every game regardless of who we are putting on the floor. If we see the need and we have the ability to rest someone we may do that too. We’re not going to lose sight of the fact that we’re going to compete every single game and not give anything away.”

In other news around the Eastern Conference:

  • Knicks first-year coach Derek Fisher says the most frustration he’s experienced this season is trying to instruct and lead players from the sidelines rather than on the court, Fred Kerber of the New York Post reports. “A lot of times, you see things in them that they’re still trying to discover in themselves,” Fisher said. “Being a guy that was just in that position a year ago at this date, there are a lot of things I can relate to and I can offer.”
  • The Sixers are winning too much for their own good and need to stay among the top four in the draft to get an impact player, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer opines. Philadelphia, which currently owns the third-worst record in the league, has won three of its last six. It plays the Knicks, who are tied for the worst record, and Lakers, who have the fourth-worst record, this weekend. Pompey notes that Jahlil Okafor, Emmanuel Mudiay, Karl Anthony-Towns and D’Angelo Russell are generally considered by most NBA scouts as the only sure things in the draft. You can track all of the teams in the hunt for the No. 1 overall pick by visiting our Reverse Standings page.
  • Miles Plumlee is making the most of his extended playing time with the Bucks, writes Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel.  The team likes what the 6’11” center has brought to the court since coming to Milwaukee in a deal with the Suns at the deadline. “I think his athletic ability, his ability to set screens and run the floor [was impressive],” coach Jason Kidd said. “The big thing is rebounding the ball, and he had 11 rebounds in 18 minutes. We have to get him more time on the floor.”

Chris Crouse contributed to this post.

0 comments Cleveland Cavaliers Milwaukee Bucks New York Knicks Philadelphia 76ers
Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors