Wolves Sign Andre Miller
AUGUST 3RD, 1:50pm: The deal is official, the team announced (Twitter link).
6:09pm: Miller will receive a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). He adds that Miller goes back with T’Wolves assistant Ryan Saunders from their time together with the Wizards.
JULY 29TH, 5:55pm: The Wolves have signed guard Andre Miller, according to Shams Charania of RealGM (on Twitter). The terms of the deal have yet to be reported.
Miller, 39, began the season with the Wizards as a backup for John Wall but a February trade sent him out west to the Kings. Coach George Karl was known to be fond of Miller and pushed the front office to make the deal. Shortly after going from the nation’s capital to California’s capital, Miller indicated that he would be interested in re-signing. Team exec Vlade Divac said recently that the Kings were in touch with Miller, but for one reason or another, that reunion did not take place.
In 81 games last season, Miller averaged 4.4 PPG and 3.5 APG in 15.5 minutes per contest. The well-traveled Miller is now set to join his eighth team as he enters his 17th season in the league.
Heat Sign Josh Richardson
AUGUST 3RD, 1:44pm: The deal is official, the team announced.
11:59pm: Richardson will make the minimum salary in at least the first two seasons of the deal, while the sides are still hammering out the terms of year three, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
JULY 28TH, 5:34pm: The Heat and Josh Richardson have agreed to terms on a three-year $2.5MM deal, Shams Charania of RealGM reports. The deal is fully guaranteed for the first season and partially guaranteed for the second year, Charania adds.
Miami could offer Richardson a contract of three years because the team still possesses the taxpayer mid-level exception, former Nets executive Bobby Marks notes on Twitter. Had the Heat signed someone using that exception, they would only be able to offer a two-year pact.
Richardson was the 40th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. The 21-year-old averaged 16 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.6 per game last season for the University of Tennessee. The 6’6″ guard likely won’t carry a heavy burden on offense for Miami. If he sees significant minutes, it will most likely be because of his impact on the defensive end.
Players Set To See The Largest Raises In 2015/16
Jimmy Butler probably would have jumped at a salary of nearly $14.4MM in the fall, when he was reportedly prepared to settle for salaries between $12.5MM and $13MM in extension talks with the Bulls. Instead, that $14.4MM figure represents merely the amount of the raise he’s getting. He’ll make $16,407,500, the maximum salary for a player of his experience, in 2015/16 after having earned only $2,008,748 last season. No one in the NBA is slated to see a more significant raise this year.
Butler personifies two traits shared by most of the 10 players slated to see raises of $10MM or more this coming season. He re-signed with his team, and he was coming off a rookie scale contract. Khris Middleton, Draymond Green and DeMarre Carroll are the only players on the list below who aren’t coming off rookie scale deals, and Green and Middleton made the minimum last season. Carroll and Greg Monroe are the only ones to change teams, even though free agents can receive the same starting salaries wherever they sign.
An eleventh player seems poised to join this group eventually. Tristan Thompson, who made $5,138,430 last season on the final year of his rookie deal, is the most prominent free agent still available, and he’s eligible for that same $16,407,500 max.
- Jimmy Butler, Bulls — $14,398,752 ($2,008,748 to $16,407,500)
- Khris Middleton, Bucks — $13,784,757 ($915,243 to $14,700,000)
- Tobias Harris, Magic — $13,619,406 ($2,380,594 to $16,000,000)
- Kawhi Leonard, Spurs — $13,513,441 ($2,894,059 to $16,407,500)
- Draymond Green, Warriors — $13,345,627 ($915,243 to $14,260,870)
- Klay Thompson, Warriors — $12,425,120 ($3,075,880 to $15,501,000)
- Reggie Jackson, Pistons — $11,708,675 ($2,204,369 to $13,913,044)
- DeMarre Carroll, Raptors — $11,157,545 ($2,442,455 to $13,600,000)
- Greg Monroe, Bucks — $10,927,565 ($5,479,935 to $16,407,500)
- Enes Kanter, Thunder — $10,712,826 ($5,694,674 to $16,407,500)
The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.
Which of these raises was the most-deserved? Least-deserved? Leave a comment to let us know.
Atlantic Notes: Porzingis, Jackson, Embiid
Knicks team president Phil Jackson mentioned six draft prospects that he liked in a late-March interview with confidant Charlie Rosen, posted today on ESPN.com, but none of them were Kristaps Porzingis, the Latvian power forward whom the Knicks selected No. 4 overall. Scout Clarence Gaines was perhaps the most influential advocate for Porzingis within the organization, though dropping to the fourth spot in the order because of poor lottery luck no doubt played a major role in New York’s choice. Jackson signaled to Rosen that he preferred the more NBA-ready Jahlil Okafor to Karl-Anthony Towns, but both were off the board by the time the Knicks picked. See more from Jackson amid the latest Atlantic Division news here:
- Jackson had praise for Alexey Shved, Lance Thomas and Andrea Bargnani but lost affection for Quincy Acy‘s play, as Rosen details. The Knicks boss also had criticism for Jason Smith‘s reaction to coming off the bench. All five were free agents this summer, but only Thomas re-signed with the Knicks.
- The Zen Master indicated that he saw Marc Gasol and DeAndre Jordan as the prime movers of free agency this summer as far as the Knicks were concerned, but he didn’t mention LaMarcus Aldridge. Of course, Aldridge at that point seemed like a safe bet to re-sign with the Trail Blazers. He instead signed with the Spurs after he and the Knicks mutually decided to cancel a meeting. Jordan met with the Knicks but re-signed with the Clippers, and Gasol didn’t meet with any other teams before signing his new deal with the Grizzlies.
- The Sixers said on July 11th that Joel Embiid would have a bone graft surgery within seven to 10 days, but the Philadelphia organization has since made no mention of any surgery for the big man and a team source tells Jake Fischer of SI Now that the Sixers don’t plan any statement this week (Twitter link). The No. 3 pick from 2014 is likely to miss a second consecutive season this year, and an October 31st deadline looms for a decision on his team option of more than $4.826MM for 2016/17.
- Amin Elhassan and Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com, in an Insider-only piece, debate the paths by which the Celtics can acquire championship-level talent. Boston will have cap flexibility to go after a maximum-salary free agent next summer, but even though the trade market for stars isn’t hot now, that can change and offer the C’s an easier route than free agency would.
Teams With Hard Caps For 2015/16
The NBA’s salary cap is really a misnomer of sorts, since it doesn’t place an absolute limit on salaries. Teams routinely zoom past the cap, and it’s assumed they will do so, with features like cap exceptions and the luxury tax built into the collective bargaining agreement. Still, it’s possible that teams can end up with a truly “hard cap.”
The use of the non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception, the biannual exception or the acquisition of a player via sign-and-trade limits a team to dishing out no more than $4MM in excess of the luxury tax threshold. The tax line is $84.74MM for 2015/16, so the hard cap for this season is $88.74MM.
Six teams have triggered the hard cap, meaning their salaries can’t exceed $88.74MM from now through June 30th, 2016, and more may join those six throughout the season. Still, none of those six teams are anywhere close to their hard cap amounts. Only two of them are within $10MM. The Rockets seem like the most likely candidate to impose a hard cap on themselves among those that haven’t so far, since they’d have to do so to sign No. 32 overall pick Montrezl Harrell for more than the minimum. They’d also likely come closer to that $88.74MM amount than any of the teams so far hard-capped.
This listing includes information on how each team triggered its hard cap and the amount of money the clubs have left to spend. A slightly different calculation is involved with the hard cap as opposed to the standard salary cap, and these estimates reflect that. The estimates are based on guaranteed salary, since hard-capped teams can cross the $88.74MM line with non-guaranteed money as long as they manage to find a way under before that salary becomes guaranteed. Also, required tender amounts to second-round picks aren’t included in these estimates, since teams still have about another month to decide whether to make those tenders.
Hornets
Hard cap created: Signed Jeremy Lin via biannual exception
Estimated room left under hard cap: $12.657MM
Grizzlies
Hard cap created: Signed Brandan Wright via non-taxpayer MLE
Estimated room left under hard cap: $9.09MM
Timberwolves
Hard cap created: Signed Nemanja Bjelica via non-taxpayer MLE
Estimated room left under hard cap: $16.117MM
Pelicans
Hard cap created: Signed Dante Cunningham and Alonzo Gee via non-taxpayer MLE
Estimated room left under hard cap: $10.085MM
Knicks
Hard cap created: Acquired Kyle O’Quinn via sign-and-trade
Estimated room left under hard cap: $17.317MM
Wizards
Hard cap created: Signed Alan Anderson via non-taxpayer MLE; Signed Gary Neal via biannual exception
Estimated room left under hard cap: $7.254MM
The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.
Updated Hoops Rumors Databases
The primary component of Hoops Rumors is our day-to-day coverage of news and rumors, but we also maintain reference information that puts NBA player movement into context and allows you to see where your favorite team stands. One of our most prominent tools, particularly at this time of year, is our Free Agent Tracker. Thanks to pro basketball database guru Mark Porcaro, we also have a comprehensive listing of every draft rights held player and a round-by-round look at traded draft picks through 2021. Both are freshly updated as of today.
Draft rights held players, aka draft-and-stash prospects, are players who have been drafted but have yet to sign NBA contracts, often for a period of several years. It’s a common phenomenon with draftees from outside North America, but as our database shows, many of them are homegrown. In all, teams possess the rights to 112 unsigned draftees, though that number includes a handful from the 2015 draft who are expected to sign sometime this summer. Not surprisingly, the Spurs lead the NBA in draft rights held players with 13.
The round-by-round traded pick listing looks ahead to next year and beyond, and it demonstrates just how often picks change hands. As many as 14 of the 30 first-round picks in 2016 may change hands, and there are a whopping 24 stipulations attached to 2016 second-round picks. Thanks to teams like the Sixers and Celtics who commoditize them, teams have traded several dozen second-rounders for the next several years, including four for 2021 already.
Check out these updated databases and other resources listed on the right sidebar!
Free Agent Stock Watch: Carlos Boozer
Unrestricted free agent Carlos Boozer is one of the biggest names still on the market. A big reason for Boozer being one of the final chips to fall is his age. The summer was filled with marquee free agent big men — and ones that are in their prime — landing lucrative deals. Boozer, on the other hand, will turn 34 in November.
The man can still play, though. The veteran can still help a contending team with his scoring and rebounding. That is why Boozer still has interest from at least a few teams for his services.
The Knicks, Rockets and Mavericks continue to have interest in signing Boozer, according to Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops. Scotto first identified the Knicks as among the teams eyeing the Rob Pelinka client earlier this month. Marc Berman of the New York Post reported soon thereafter that the Knicks had engaged in internal conversations about him but hadn’t made a formal pursuit and then labeled New York’s interest in Boozer as “tepid.” Whether as a starter or reserve, Boozer would be a nice piece to add from the Knicks’ perspective because the team, as presently constructed, would start either Derrick Williams or Kyle O’Quinn at power forward (unless Carmelo Anthony sees time there) with little depth after that in the frontcourt. Chris Broussard of ESPN.com said the Mavs and Rockets were among teams interested in Boozer just before free agency began, while Broussard later heard that the Mavs were one of four teams in talks with the former two-time All-Star.
At this point in the summer, financial flexibility — or lack thereof — is a big factor. The Knicks and Mavericks have access to the $2.814MM room exception. The Rockets are in a more difficult situation because they only have roughly $2.3MM left on their mid-level exception to spend but would trigger a hard cap if they gave any of it to Boozer. Houston also has No. 32 pick Montrezl Harrell who remains unsigned.
There are plenty of more potential suitors for Boozer, according to reports. Several other teams, including the Clippers, Spurs, Raptors, Pelicans, Nuggets, Nets, Lakers and Heat, have reportedly been interested in Boozer over the last month, but it’s unclear if any of them remain in the mix. Boozer and the Clippers reportedly had mutual interest.
In Boozer’s 13-year career, he has averaged 16.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. In a somewhat limited role with the Lakers last season, Boozer produced a pretty solid season. He had 11.8 points per game and 6.8 rebounds per game in 23.8 minutes per game.
If he’s looking to play for a team with a strong chance to challenge for a championship, the Clippers and Rockets would both seem like logical choices because they each have assembled another quality team, especially considering the Clippers’ re-signing of DeAndre Jordan. Boozer would add even more depth and experience to either team’s frontcourt. Boozer has expressed a willingness to come off the bench for any team he signs with, according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders.
Eastern Notes: Whiteside, Copeland, Thomas
Here’s a look at the latest contract news from the Eastern Conference:
- The $981,348 contract for this upcoming season for Heat center Hassan Whiteside, who will hit free agency next summer, becomes guaranteed on Dec. 1st, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders points out. The deal is already partially guaranteed for $245,337, and that partial guarantee escalates to $490,674 if he makes it to opening night.
- Chris Copeland‘s one-year deal with the Bucks is worth precisely $1.15MM, as Pincus shows (Twitter link). That means Milwaukee has $1.664MM left on its $2.814MM room exception, Pincus also notes.
- Jorge Gutierrez‘s non-guaranteed minimum salary with the Bucks becomes partially guaranteed for $250K on December 1st, Pincus adds on the same page.
- The deal between Adonis Thomas and the Pistons is a two-year pact for the minimum salary, according to Pincus (Twitter link).
Will Joseph contributed to this post.
Western Notes: McDaniels, Barton, Babbitt
Here’s a look at the latest contract news from the Western Conference:
- The three-year contract that K.J. McDaniels signed with the Rockets is worth exactly $10MM, as Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders shows (Twitter link).
- Will Barton will make $3,533,333 in each season with no options in his new three-year deal with the Nuggets, according to Pincus.
- Luke Babbitt‘s two year deal with the Pelicans is for the minimum salary, reports Pincus (Twitter link).
- Salah Mejri is receiving a guaranteed rookie minimum of $525,093 this season, the first on his three-year deal with the Mavs, tweets Pincus.
Will Joseph contributed to this post.
Atlantic Notes: Amundson, Thomas, Holmes
Here’s a look at the latest contract news from the Atlantic Division:
- The value of Lou Amundson‘s one-year contract with the Knicks is precisely $1,635,476, according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders, the greatest amount they could have given him via Non-Bird rights. It’s fully guaranteed, Pincus also shows.
- The $1,636,842 Lance Thomas gets in his guaranteed one-year deal with the Knicks exceeds the Non-Bird amount, so New York used cap space to accommodate his contract, Pincus reports on the same page.
- The value of the deal between the Sixers and No. 37 overall pick Richaun Holmes is precisely $4,202,784, reports Pincus (Twitter link).