Hoops Rumors Glossary: Hardship Provision
The ability for NBA teams to surpass the 15-man regular season roster limit has come into focus this week, with the Pelicans and Grizzlies applying for hardship provisions. Both teams are dealing with multiple injuries that have made it difficult for them to field competitive lineups, but the league provides relief, in certain circumstances.
The term “hardship” used to be a common part of the league’s vernacular in reference to players who entered the draft before exhausting their college eligibility, but it has a completely different meaning in regard to the size of NBA rosters. The NBA’s Constitution and By-Laws, in their definition of hardship, give the board of governors the power to approve special provisions counter to the NBA’s roster limits with a majority vote. It’s rare for the board of governors to get involved, but the rule also spells out circumstances in which injury and illness would allow teams to receive extra roster spots without board of governors approval, instead leaving the matter at the commissioner’s discretion. This is the more well-traveled route.
In these cases, a team must have three players who have missed at least three straight games because of injury or illness, plus a fourth player who is also unable to perform. The team can apply for the hardship, and it’s up to the commissioner’s office to determine, using an independent doctor if it so chooses, that all four of those players will continue to be unable to play for at least two weeks. If so, the commissioner can grant the hardship and the team can acquire an extra player.
The rules are vague about the mechanics of the hardship provision, but reports about the several instances in which teams have expanded their rosters beyond 15 players in the past couple of seasons have shed light on its parameters. Each provision lasts 10 days, regardless of whether it comes before or after January 5th, the first day each season that teams can sign players to 10-day contracts. Players who go into extra roster spots don’t necessarily have to be on 10-day contracts, and they may stick around past the expiration of the hardship as long as the team offloads someone else. That was the case when the Thunder waived Sebastian Telfair last season instead of hardship signee Ish Smith to reduce their roster to 15 players. Teams are also allowed to reapply for provisions as they expire, meaning they can carry a roster of more than 15 players for longer than 10 days if the league allows it. The NBA doesn’t limit the number of provisions a team may apply for at any one time, allowing teams to have as many players as they need, at the league’s discretion, though it’s rare for any roster to go beyond 16.
A sharply limited amount of time exists for teams to take action when the league grants a hardship. They have two days to acquire an extra player, giving front offices motivation to have deals lined up in advance. Still, complications sometimes arise. The Pacers scuttled their deal with Gal Mekel last season when a visa issue would have kept him from signing until a day after the Pacers were ready to put pen to paper. That extra day would have pushed the Pacers past the two-day window, so they signed A.J. Price instead.
The hardship isn’t the only mechanism by which a team can acquire an extra player. Lengthy suspensions also give teams the ability to do so, and that happened twice last season, when the Grizzlies signed Kalin Lucas and Hassan Whiteside to move to 16 men while Nick Calathes was serving a league suspension, and when the Sixers traded for Jared Cunningham, who was briefly their 16th man while Andrei Kirilenko was on a team suspension. The rules are slightly different for a league suspension, which requires that the player have served at least five games of the suspension before a team can add an extra player, and a team suspension, in which case the player has to have missed only three games. The ability to carry an extra man goes away once the suspended player returns.
The NBA takes a careful approach to granting teams permission to expand their rosters. Not every team with four or more injuries receives a hardship provision, since making an accurate prognosis about whether an injured player might return to action within a two-week window is a tricky enterprise. The Pelicans received a hardship and used it to sign Orlando Johnson this week, but it’s unclear whether the Grizzlies got one, given the confusion over the time at which they signed Briante Weber. Thursday’s release of Mario Chalmers suggests the league didn’t give the OK, or at least hasn’t yet, because his season-ending torn Achilles would otherwise count toward the number of injuries necessary for the provision. The league doesn’t “hand those things out like candy,” as the late Flip Saunders observed.
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 (or in this case, the NBA’s Constitution and By-Laws). Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ was used in the creation of this post.
Reports from Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman, Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times and Marc Stein of ESPN.com provided background information for this post. An earlier version appeared on November 28th, 2014.
Central Notes: Blake, Motiejunas, McRae
Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy downplayed the idea of a Brandon Jennings trade in the weeks leading up to the deadline, but Steve Blake nonetheless readied himself for more playing time in case a Jennings trade happened or a deal that sent Blake himself to another team took place, MLive’s David Mayo notes. Of course, the Pistons traded Jennings to the Magic and kept soon-to-be free agent Blake, who’s glad he’s stuck around.
“I easily could have ended up somewhere else,” Blake said, according to Mayo. “I was praying it wouldn’t happen but I knew it could happen. I knew it was a possibility.”
Reggie Jackson is a fan of his backup, acknowledging that he seeks advice from Blake, a 13th-year veteran, as Mayo also relays. See more on the Pistons amid news from the Central Division.
- The Pistons aren’t worried about the implications of a grievance that the union is reportedly giving strong consideration to filing in the wake of the voided Donatas Motiejunas trade, Van Gundy said, according to Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. The Pistons want to cultivate a reputation as a player-friendly organization, but they don’t think the flap over the failed deal, which prompted some harsh words from Motiejunas, will hurt the team.
- Jordan McRae‘s potential to develop was one of the reasons the Cavaliers signed the 58th overall pick from 2014 to a two-year deal this week, GM David Griffin told Sam Amico of Amico Hoops. The sides decided against a second 10-day contract to strike a long-term deal after only a single 10-day stint. “He has fit in well, understands his role and embraces the opportunity he has to improve,” Griffin said. “Jordan has a unique combination of length and scoring ability, and we are intrigued by his versatility and upside.”
- The Bulls have fallen flat this season, but injuries have played a major role in that, and the team would be unwise to execute a major overhaul in the summer, argues Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Jimmy Butler is a legitimate centerpiece and Derrick Rose is probably better than anyone they could trade him for, so the Bulls should concentrate on marginal changes instead, using their rookie contracts and Taj Gibson as trade bait, Berger contends.
Grizzlies Sign Briante Weber To 10-Day Deal
FRIDAY, 9:18am: The Grizzlies announced the signing this morning. Still, given the conflicting information about whether his signing took place Wednesday or today, it’s unclear whether it expires at the end of March 18th or March 20th. Thus, his status for the March 19th game against the Clippers is a mystery.
THURSDAY, 10:07am: The signing took place Wednesday, according to the RealGM transactions log, though the Grizzlies made no announcement of the move. His name didn’t appear in the NBA.com box score from Wednesday’s Memphis-Boston game. He’d be eligible for games against the Pelicans, Hawks, Rockets, Timberwolves and Bucks if the signing happened Wednesday, but not a game on March 19th against the Clippers, the team directly in front of the Grizzlies in the Western Conference standings.
WEDNESDAY, 10:05am: The league hasn’t granted the team a hardship exception, and it’s not a certainty that the Grizzlies will get it, writes Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal, who confirms the team plans to sign Weber if the league OKs the 16th roster spot. The exception, if granted, won’t come until at least another day or so, Tillery adds. Barnes and Randolph missed the team’s last game primarily because of rest, but the other injured players will be out for a while, Tillery writes. Just how long they’re likely to be out will probably determine whether the Grizzlies get the extra roster spot to sign Weber.
TUESDAY, 10:21pm: The Grizzlies intend to ink combo guard Briante Weber to a 10-day deal, Shams Charania of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports reports (via Twitter). The signing is expected to take place on Friday, Charania notes. The Vertical scribe also relays that Memphis will utilize the hardship provision to add Weber, which ostensibly means that the league has granted, or will grant, the team the means to add a 16th player.
Memphis is without Marc Gasol for the rest of the year and backup center Brandan Wright is liable to miss another seven weeks, which would finish him for the season. Fellow big man Chris Andersen is dealing with a shoulder issue, Mike Conley has a bum foot, Zach Randolph and Matt Barnes are both day-to-day with assorted woes, while Jordan Adams is out indefinitely with a knee injury. The team has two days from the time the league formally grants the provision to use it. The roster spot lasts 10 days, though the team can apply to renew it.
Weber, who is an affiliate player of the Heat, joined the Sioux Falls Skyforce after the Heat cut him in the preseason. The 23-year-old has made 22 D-League appearances this season and is averaging 10.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 28.5 minutes per contest. His slash line on the campaign is .453/.444/.750.
Knicks Notes: Anthony, Williams, Fisher
Carmelo Anthony would reportedly give strong consideration to approving a trade to the Clippers if he decides to waive his no trade clause, and Marc Berman of the New York Post makes the case for the Clips as Melo’s top choice outside the Knicks. Still, ‘Melo says he’s laughing off such talk, Berman notes.
“My name is always associated with L.A., whether it was earlier with the Lakers, now it’s the Clippers,’’ Anthony said. “I try not to pay attention to that. I laugh it off. People always try to make scenarios and situations. But nothing’s happened.’’
He’s not the only Knick associated with L.A., as we examine amid the latest on the blue-and-orange:
- Derrick Williams says the Lakers showed heavy interest in him this past summer when he instead signed with the Knicks, the combo forward told Berman for a separate piece. The Southern California native is anxious to return home for games at the Lakers and Clippers this weekend, but he called New York “home away from home,” as Berman relays, adding that the Knicks are hoping he opts in to his $4.598MM salary for next season. “I felt like I picked the right spot where I wanted to be — that was New York to play with Carmelo, I knew they had a great pick in [Kristaps Porzingis], all the pieces we have here,” Williams said. “We haven’t played well the last month, but I don’t think it sums up our whole season.’’
- Derek Fisher‘s essay addressing his preseason encounter with Matt Barnes left many questions unanswered, opines Frank Isola of the New York Daily News (All six Twitter links right here). The ex-Knicks coach comes off poorly as he blames the media and not Barnes for the story’s continued presence, Isola opines, wondering why the coach didn’t explain why he was away from the team when the incident took place. Fisher nonetheless deserves praise for his work with Porzingis, Isola believes.
- Anthony isn’t alone in a desire to cash in, but his quest for lucrative paydays over the years helps explain why he’s on a losing team, contends Shaun Powell of NBA.com.
Hornets Sign Jorge Gutierrez For Rest Of Season
FRIDAY, 8:18am: The signing is official, the team announced.
THURSDAY, 12:28pm: The Hornets will sign Jorge Gutierrez to a contract that covers the rest of the season, a source tells Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). The signing will take place Friday, according to Bonnell, after Gutierrez’s second 10-day contract expires tonight. Most signings that take place this time of the year are for the prorated minimum salary, which would give Gutierrez about $190K, though Charlotte still has its prorated mid-level exception worth about $3.5MM.
Regardless of the terms, the 27-year-old point guard is apparently set to become the 15th Hornets player signed through at least the end of the season, closing off the team’s roster flexibility. That’s even though he’s totaled only 14 minutes across three games so far and hasn’t appeared in Charlotte’s last three contests. He performed well in his sharply limited playing time, making every shot he took as he racked up nine points, three assists and two turnovers. Hornets coach Steve Clifford has frequently praised him, a signal that Gutierrez was likely to stick, Bonnell observed Wednesday (Twitter link).
Once the signing becomes official, it’ll be the third year in a row that Gutierrez will have followed two 10-day contracts with a deal for the rest of the season, as our 10-Day Contract Tracker shows. The contracts he signed for the rest of the 2013/14 season with the Nets and the rest of the 2014/15 season with the Bucks were multiyear arrangements, but both teams ultimately waived him before those deals ran to term. It’s not immediately clear whether Gutierrez will have multiple seasons on his latest pact with the Hornets. Charlotte faces uncertainty after this season, with Nicolas Batum and Al Jefferson headed to free agency and $46MM in guaranteed salary already committed against a salary cap expected to fall between $90MM and $95MM.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 3/10/16
The NBA ownership ranks took a loss on Wednesday with the announcement that Spurs majority owner Peter Holt is relinquishing control of the team to wife Julianna Hawn Holt. The Holts jointly became the franchise’s largest shareholders in 1996, when Peter Holt ascended to the top of the organization. He’ll remain on the board of managers of Spurs Sports & Entertainment and continue as part of the ownership group, and his wife will now become the franchise’s chairman, CEO and representative on the board of governors. “Our ownership in the Spurs has always been a family affair,” Julianna Hawn Holt said in the team’s press release. “For many years I’ve had the desire to take a more active role with Spurs Sports & Entertainment. We felt this was the right time to make this transition. We are very excited about the current Spurs season and the future of the organization.”
It’s unclear how or if the change will affect the on-court product going forward. Peter Holt was a hands-off owner, allowing coach/president Gregg Popovich and GM R.C. Buford to build one of the league’s most well-respected and well-run basketball operations. The changing of the guard closes a remarkably successful era for the Spurs, who missed the playoffs only once under Peter Holt’s reign. The franchise has won five NBA titles while qualifying for the postseason for an amazing 19 straight seasons.
The success of the team, as well as the distinct lack of turmoil within the Spurs organization during his tenure, certainly should earn Holt praise as one of the best owners in the league. That’s a solid enough segue into the question/topic for today: Who is the best team owner in the NBA?
Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts on the subject. But don’t just limit yourself to providing a name. We’d love to know why you made the selection you did. We look forward to what you have to say.
And-Ones: Robinson, Johnson, Parsons
Nate Robinson is trying to leap from the pages of Hoops Rumors to Pro Football Rumors. The diminutive NBA veteran who began this season with the Pelicans announced in a YouTube video that he’s going to make a run at playing in the NFL. The video features testimonials from NFL players Marcedes Lewis and Brendon Ayanbadejo, former NBA teammates Jamal Crawford and Glen Davis, as well as former football coach Rick Neuheisel, all of whom insist that Robinson is perhaps the only athlete who could make the transition from professional basketball to professional football.
Robinson, who turns 32 in May, went to the University of Washington on a football scholarship in 2002 and impressed with electrifying plays on the field, but many years have passed since he played competitive football. He didn’t say which position he would like to play in the NFL, but he spoke about both offense and defense in the video, inferring that he might try to market himself as being able to play on either side of the ball.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Injured Heat point guard Tyler Johnson is aiming to play again this season after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder on February 3rd, though there is still no definitive timetable for his return to action, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel writes. “I’m still hopeful, for sure,” Johnson said. “But, again, I’m not going to push it to a point where I can maybe damage it a little bit more or do anything to have a setback. I think every day it feels a little bit better. So I guess that’s where the optimism comes in, is that every day I wake up I can start to do a couple of new things that I wasn’t able to do before. So, I’m going to push for that. That’s a personal goal. But the doctors and the trainers, they haven’t given me a timetable. They said, ‘We’re not going to give you a date to where you can come back,’ because we could get to that time and it’s not ready.“
- Chandler Parsons, provided he remains with the Mavericks, is a solid candidate to replace Dirk Nowitzki as the face of the franchise once the German power forward calls it a career, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News opines. While Parsons certainly has the skill set to carry a franchise, the question remains whether he will put in the work required to achieve greatness, Sefko adds. The small forward is reportedly almost certain to turn down his player option for 2016/17, and Houston and Orlando are expected to pursue him.
- The Blazers assigned Cliff Alexander and Luis Montero to the D-League, Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor tweets. The duo will report to the Warriors‘ affiliate as part of the NBA’s flexible assignment rule, since Portland does not have its own affiliate.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Western Notes: Russell, Gasol, Freeland
Spanish national team coach Sergio Scariolo believes there is still a chance that Grizzlies center Marc Gasol will play in this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio, as he told the Spanish media outlet ACB.com (translation via Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype). “Marc is hoping to be there, but health comes first and the main thing is he recovers 100%,” Scariolo said. “When the time comes, he will tell us what’s his situation and his club’s opinion because with Marc there’s a lot of factors at play. I wish it was only up to him to make the decision.” While Scariolo’s comments were likely tinged with a dose of optimism, the mere possibility of Gasol being able to suit up and play this summer bodes well for the big man being able to be on the court for Memphis come opening night next season. Gasol is out for the remainder of the 2015/16 after undergoing surgery in February to repair damage to his broken right foot.
Here’s more from out West:
- D’Angelo Russell tries not to think about the implications his performance could have for the future of the Lakers, but he believes that as he, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle play better, it helps the team’s case for free agents this summer, notes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. “If we keep playing at a high level, the sky is the limit,” Russell said. “That could dictate who wants to come here and who feels like we don’t need to bring this guy here because we have such and such. We can play a certain part.”
- Joel Freeland, who signed a two-year deal with the Russian club CSKA Moscow this past summer, said he had a number of NBA offers, including one from the Mavericks, but chose to head overseas because of the playing time that doing so would provide, Mark Woods of MVP247.com relays. “I wanted to play. I probably had four or five offers from the NBA, but at the end of the day, nobody would guarantee me minutes,” Freeland told Woods. “And I never knew what my situation was going to be, going to those teams. So I felt like this was my best option, especially coming to a team with a great heritage, a great organization and a team that’s hopefully going to be fighting for championships.” Freeland became a free agent last offseason after his rookie deal expired and the Trail Blazers declined to submit a qualifying offer to him.
- The Thunder have assigned Josh Huestis and Mitch McGary to their D-League affiliate, the team announced. Huestis has appeared in 18 games with the Blue this season, averaging 11.9 points and 5.7 rebounds in 32.9 minutes per night, while McGary has made 19 appearances and is averaging 15.0 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 25.6 minutes per contest.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Atlantic Notes: Porzingis, Biyombo, D-League
Knicks power forward Kristaps Porzingis denies that his struggles of late are because he hit the “rookie wall” and is worn down by the long NBA season, Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News writes. “It happens. Bad games happen. Two or three games later I have a great game,” Porzingis said after scoring just six points against the Nuggets on Tuesday. “It’s just ups and downs, especially my rookie season. It’s all a learning experience, especially some games you don’t feel as well, some games you feel better. But I try to find that consistency where I can play at the same level. I’m not there yet.”
Interim coach Kurt Rambis critiqued Porzingis’ shot selection, expressing a desire for the rookie to operate in the post area more, but Rambis still believes big things are ahead for the young Latvian, Bondy notes. “I’m not concerned at all. He’s still 20 years old. He’s got a lot to learn and my mindset is not going to change about him,” Rambis said. “He’s going to be great. There’s no doubt in my mind. But if we thought it was all going to happen this season, and he was going to be perfect and not make mistakes and going to do everything right, and he was going to solve all the mysteries of basketball this year, it just wasn’t going to happen.”
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Bismack Biyombo says he’s extremely happy with the Raptors and would love to remain in Toronto, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports relays (Twitter links). It’s unclear if Biyombo’s remarks indicate he intends to exercise his player option worth $2,940,630 for 2016/17 or if he is referring to opting out and seeking a long-term pact. The TSN scribe notes that Biyombo will likely have to sacrifice financially if he wishes to remain with the Raptors, with Toronto already committed to almost $70MM in guaranteed salary for next season.
- The Celtics have assigned Coty Clarke, James Young and Jordan Mickey to their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This will be Clarke’s first official D-League assignment on the year, though he was a member of the Red Claws prior to signing his 10-day deal with Boston. Neither Young nor Mickey is a stranger to Maine, with this being Young’s 10th and Mickey’s 11th trip there this season.
- The Raptors have recalled Bruno Caboclo, Lucas Nogueira and Delon Wright from their D-League affiliate, the team announced.
Grizzlies Waive Mario Chalmers
The Grizzlies have waived point guard Mario Chalmers, the team announced. Memphis also confirmed that he’ll miss the remainder of the 2015/16 season after rupturing his right Achilles tendon on Wednesday night. Zach Lowe of ESPN.com first reported that Chalmers had suffered a potential season-ending injury.
“Mario did an incredible job for us since coming to Memphis,” Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace said. “Right from the start, he embraced his change of scenery and endeared himself to his teammates and coaches on the court and the Memphis community off of it.” Memphis’ roster count now stands at 15 players.
Chalmers mouthed the words, “I heard it pop,” as he was helped off the floor during the third quarter of Wednesday night’s contest, according to Chris Mannix of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. He didn’t return to the game and later left the locker room in a wheelchair, as Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal first relayed. The timing of the injury for Chalmers couldn’t have been worse, as he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end. By waiving him, Memphis forfeits its Bird rights for Chalmers.
“He has been an important part of our success this season, both coming off the bench and when called upon as a starter,” Wallace said. “But with Mario’s season-ending injury and our already-depleted roster, it became necessary to free up a roster spot.”
Marc Gasol is also done for the season, while Jordan Adams, Chris Andersen, Mike Conley, Zach Randolph and Brandan Wright are all out for indefinite periods with maladies of some kind. The avalanche of injuries the team has endured had already prompted the Grizzlies to apply for a 16th roster spot. The team has reportedly signed Briante Weber via the hardship exception to a 10-day deal, which presumably means the league granted the request, though the Grizzlies issued no formal announcement. It’s conceivable that Memphis could once again get clearance for a 16th player, since the team applied for the roster spot before Chalmers went down, as Hoops Rumors’ Chuck Myron noted earlier today. Memphis would need four players likely to miss two weeks or more to receive clearance to add a 16th man.
Chalmers posted averages of 10.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals in 22.8 minutes over 55 games with the Grizzlies after they acquired him from the Heat in early November.