2016 Offseason Outlook Series
Hoops Rumors took a look ahead at the potential offseason moves for all 30 teams. We examined free agency, the draft, trades and other key storylines for each franchise heading into the summer. Listed below are all 30 team previews organized by conference and division.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
Central Division
Southeast Division
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Northwest Division
Pacific Division
Southwest Division
Draft Rumors: Sixers, Noel, Magic, Butler, Raps
The 76ers have had “significant engagement” with the Celtics in the last 24 hours, and those trade talks are continuing, per Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (Twitter link). However, Wojnarowski reports that Philadelphia has also recently been in touch with the Timberwolves (No. 5) and Kings (No. 8). According to Michael Scotto of The Associated Press (Twitter link), the Sixers are dangling Nerlens Noel and their two picks near the end of the first round (Nos. 24 and 26) in an effort to pick up a second top-eight pick.
Here are a few more draft rumors and updates from around the NBA:
- There have been reports that some teams with high picks tonight – such as the Celtics at No. 3 or the Timberwolves at No. 5 – are willing to include those selections in a package for Jimmy Butler. Frank Isola of the New York Daily News suggests (via Twitter) that the Magic are also among the teams pursuing Butler, but according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune (via Twitter), the Bulls forward is under the impression that Chicago intends to keep him.
- If none of the consensus top eight players on draft boards slip to No. 9 for the Raptors, GM Masai Ujiri may end up taking Kentucky’s Skal Labissiere, according to ESPN’s Chad Ford (Twitter link), who is hearing “strong rumblings” about Toronto’s interest in the big man.
- League sources tell Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic that Washington’s Marquese Chriss is believed to be the Suns‘ preferred target at No. 4, assuming he’s available. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 tweets that he expects Phoenix to take either Chriss or Dragan Bender, adding that he doesn’t believe Buddy Hield or Jamal Murray are in play.
- Ford (ESPN Insider-only link) and Jonathan Givony of The Vertical have both updated their mock drafts today to reflect the latest info they’re hearing from around the league.
Offseason Outlook: Cleveland Cavaliers
Hoops Rumors is looking ahead to offseason moves for all 30 teams. We’ll examine free agency, the draft, trades and other key storylines for each franchise as the summer approaches.
State Of The Franchise
Forgive the Cavaliers and their fans if they’re not quite ready for the offseason to get underway quite yet. It has been four days since Cleveland won its first major sports championship in more than 50 years, and Cavs fans probably aren’t prepared to end the party quite yet. Given the quick turnaround between Game 7 of the NBA Finals and the 2016 draft, however, it’s time for the franchise to start looking ahead to 2016/17 and re-evaluating its roster.
What A Difference A Game Makes
Perhaps it’s more accurate to call this section “What A Difference Three Games Make,” since heading into Game 5, speculation surrounding the Cavaliers’ offseason centered around the team retooling the roster around LeBron James. Kevin Love was the most obvious bad fit on the roster, but he likely wouldn’t have been the only player shopped this summer if the Cavs had gone down quietly in the Finals.
Instead, Cleveland completed a comeback for the record books, storming back to win the next three games against the Warriors, and now the idea of blowing up the roster around LeBron doesn’t look quite so necessary.
Will the Cavaliers still consider moving Love? Probably. Despite the team’s championship victory, and Love’s contributions to that title, he was never a perfect fit with LeBron and Kyrie Irving, and it could make sense for Cleveland to move him if it helps the club add some help on the wing, a shooter, and/or a little spending flexibility.
Still, winning the championship means the Cavaliers are playing with house money in 2016/17. The team doesn’t have to move Love, and likely won’t be aggressive about trying to find deals that shake up the roster. There’s no harm in listening, since there’s still room for improvement, but the Cavs won’t be under nearly as much pressure to sell Love – or anyone else – for 50 cents on the dollar.
Trade Possibilities
What sort of offers would make Cleveland listen on Love? I’ve always viewed the Celtics as the best match, and a hypothetical trade sending Love to Boston has been the subject of plenty of speculation. The C’s have a ton of draft picks at their disposal, and veteran players like Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder could be appealing to Cleveland.
The Rockets could also make sense as a potential trade partner. If Dwight Howard doesn’t return to Houston, GM Daryl Morey will be on the lookout for a second star to pair with James Harden. The Rockets don’t have a first-round pick to offer this year, but have been gauging trade interest in players like Patrick Beverley, K.J. McDaniels and Trevor Ariza, all of whom would make some amount of sense for the Cavs.
Outside of Love, there are some other potential trade candidates on the roster. Tristan Thompson, Iman Shumpert, and Channing Frye don’t necessarily need to be moved, but they wouldn’t be untouchable either. Irving, on the other hand, has probably cemented his spot on the roster after his performance in the Finals.
The Cavaliers also have several trade exceptions that could be used to accommodate incoming players without sending out any salary, including one worth nearly $10MM that doesn’t expire until next February. The Cavs’ cap situation may prevent them from taking on too much salary without getting rid of some, but the team certainly has plenty of options when it comes to making roster adjustments.
LeBron: Not Going Anywhere
While LeBron’s contract features a player option for 2016/17, and he’s expected to decline that option, there has never been much real suspense about whether or not he’ll leave Cleveland this summer. There has been a tacit understanding that his contract is structured in a way that will allow him to re-up for more money as the cap increases and the CBA gets renegotiated. James confirmed as much prior to the club’s victory parade on Wednesday.
“I love it here. I love being here. I love my teammates,” James told Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. “Obviously my agent will take care of all the logistical things but, I’m happy. I’ve got no plans to go nowhere at this point.”
Those “logistical things” LeBron alludes to are somewhat complicated, since the Cavaliers only have Early Bird rights on their superstar, and don’t have any cap room. That could prevent LeBron from signing a maximum-salary contract this offseason, but he’ll be in line for a raise on his player option, and can get the max a year from now, as Bobby Marks of The Vertical explained in his breakdown of the situation.
Free Agent Outlook
Assuming James opts out of his contract and signs a new deal, his salary figures to increase to at least $27.5MM, which would put the Cavaliers’ total guaranteed salary commitments over $102MM for the 2016/17 season. Even with a projected $94MM cap and $113MM tax threshold, that’s a lot of money for eight players.
That $102MM+ figure doesn’t take into account J.R. Smith, who turned down his player option and will hit the open market in line for a raise. It also doesn’t include Matthew Dellavedova, who is eligible for restricted free agency, or Timofey Mozgov, an unrestricted free agent.
Replacing a couple of those veterans with young prospects would be one option to save a little money, but the Cavaliers have traded away both of their 2016 draft picks. As such, filling out the bench probably won’t be cheap, and with the cap on the rise, the mini mid-level exception and minimum-salary exception may not attract the caliber of player they once did.
With their flexibility somewhat limited, the Cavs may either have to rely on signing their own free agents or counting on an outside veteran to take a discount to join a championship contender, like David West did last year with the Spurs. If they can’t find free agents willing to do that, the trade market could be the Cavs’ most logical route for an upgrade.
Final Take
The Cavaliers’ NBA Finals win took away much of the urgency from their offseason. The roster, as constructed, is still a favorite to win the East, so there’s no pressure on the franchise to make major changes this summer. That doesn’t mean Cleveland won’t make a few noteworthy moves in the next few weeks, but it could open the door for the club to wait until the trade deadline to address potential holes in its roster, rather than agreeing to a deal it’s not 100% sold on this offseason.
Guaranteed Salary
- Kevin Love ($21,165,675)
- Kyrie Irving ($17,638,063)
- Tristan Thompson ($15,330,435)
- Iman Shumpert ($9,662,922)
- Channing Frye ($7,806,971)
- Mo Williams ($2,194,500)
- Sasha Kaun ($1,333,420)
- Total: $75,131,986
Player Options
- LeBron James ($24,004,173)
Team Options
- Jordan McRae ($874,636)
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Dahntay Jones ($1,551,659)
Restricted Free Agents (Qualifying Offers/Cap Holds)
- Matthew Dellavedova ($1,434,095/$2,179,824)
- Totals: $1,434,095/$2,179,824
Unrestricted Free Agents (Cap Holds)
- LeBron James ($29,861,650) — pending player option
- J.R. Smith ($9,500,000)
- Timofey Mozgov ($9,405,000)
- Mo Williams ($2,520,000)
- Richard Jefferson ($980,431)
- James Jones ($980,431)
- Total: $50,727,512
Other Cap Holds
- Shawn Marion ($980,431)
Projected Salary Cap: $94,000,000
The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Eastern Notes: Rose, Knicks, Durant, Magic
The Bulls missing the playoffs this season signaled to the front office that it was time to try a new approach, which led Chicago to trade Derrick Rose to the Knicks, Sam Smith of Bulls.com relays. “We had this window of opportunity,” GM Gar Forman said at a press conference Wednesday. “Obviously, injuries played a part where we couldn’t reach our ultimate goal to be a championship team. But we thought we had a window to compete at a high level. But through injuries and age… we felt that window was coming to a close.
“A year ago you could start to see signs it was coming to a close,” Forman added. “But we didn’t have a lot of [financial] flexibility and we wanted to give the group as it was another year to see where we could go. We also talked about putting together a plan moving forward. We feel we need to get younger, get more athletic; obviously, we need to find players who will fit the style of play [Bulls coach] Fred [Hoiberg] wants to play and fit the players we have on our team. In making this trade, we feel it’s the first step in that direction.”
Here’s more from the East:
- Knicks team president Phil Jackson informed Rose that the team intends to go after unrestricted free agent Kevin Durant as soon as the free agent signing period opens in July, Frank Isola of The New York Daily News writes. Jackson hopes he can sell Durant on the idea of joining Rose, Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis in New York, Isola adds.
- Marc Berman of The New York Post breaks down the five most pressing issues facing the Knicks following the Rose trade.
- One potential scenario that will be considered by the Magic this evening is packaging the No. 11 overall pick along with the non-guaranteed contract of Ersan Ilyasova in exchange for a veteran player from a team looking to shed salary, John Denton of NBA.com writes. “The positive thing is that we have players that the league values,’’ said GM Rob Hennigan, who noted he’s received several trade inquiries from other teams. “This time of year, especially, you’re always having conversations, always listening and always trying to explore ways to improve your team. We’ve had several conversations and we’ll continue to have those conversations [Wednesday] and [Thursday].’’
- Hennigan did note that the Magic would prefer to retain the No. 11 pick and add a player who could join the rotation immediately, rather than deal it away, Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel relays. “I think the preference would be someone who can contribute,” Hennigan said. “But with where we’re picking, we may have to lean more toward picking the best player on the board as we try to balance those two things. But the preference would be to find someone who can help us immediately.“
Thunder Shop Serge Ibaka
In advance of tonight’s NBA Draft, the Thunder are exploring the trade market for Serge Ibaka, Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated reports (ESPN Now link). It’s unclear who or what Oklahoma City is seeking in return for the talented forward.
Ibaka, 26, has one season remaining on his current deal and is set to earn $12,250,000 in 2016/17. The former No. 24 overall pick has been a valuable performer for the Thunder during his career, but his numbers did take a slight dip this past season. In 78 appearances, all as a starter, Ibaka averaged 12.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 32.9 minutes per outing. He shot .479/.326/.752 from the field.
If Ibaka is indeed dealt, it will be interesting to observe how it alters Kevin Durant‘s free agency plans this summer. Unless the team parlays Ibaka into multiple assets who will contribute immediately, it’s difficult to imagine such a move pleasing Durant. The primary motivating factor for OKC is likely Ibaka being set to hit unrestricted free agency next summer and the team not being willing to pony up a maximum salary contract for the forward. Especially given that Russell Westbrook will also hit the open market next summer and re-signing him will almost certainly take precedence over retaining Ibaka. Durant, if he re-signs on a short-term pact, could also become a free agent, thus making future cap flexibility a necessity for the team.
Bucks, Celtics Discuss Trade For Middleton, Monroe?
2:23pm: Charles F. Gardener of the Journal Sentinel (via Twitter) casts a different view, saying trade talks aren’t currently ongoing in Milwaukee and classifies any pending deals as “possible, but not likely.”
2:21pm: The Celtics are still desperately seeking a star player to add to their roster and are reportedly quite active on the trade front. To this end, Boston has engaged in trade discussions with the Bucks regarding Khris Middleton and Greg Monroe, Gery Woelfel of The Racine Journal Times relayed.
According to Woelfel’s sources, the Bucks and Celtics are exploring a potential deal that would send Middleton and Monroe to Boston in exchange for the No. 16 and No. 23 picks in tonight’s NBA Draft along with another unnamed player. Milwaukee has worked out a number of players who are projected to go in the 16 to 23 range, including guard Denzel Valentine of Michigan State, guard Malachi Richardson of Syracuse, guard Dejounte Murray of Washington and North Carolina power forward Brice Johnson, Woelfel adds.
If Milwaukee is indeed willing to part ways with Middleton it would be reversal from previous reports that stated the swingman was “untouchable.” Middleton, 24, is signed for four more years and is owed a reasonable $55.3MM over that span. In 79 appearances this season he averaged 18.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 36.1 minutes per outing while shooting .444/.396/.888.
The Bucks have shown no such reluctance when it comes to dealing Monroe, with the team reportedly “anxious to move on from him.” Given the Bucks’ overall lack of athleticism, even with the presence of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the lumbering big man was never a good fit in Milwaukee. He has two seasons remaining on his current deal, though, he can choose to opt out next summer. In 79 games for the Bucks Monroe notched averages of 15.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 29.3 minutes per contest. His shooting line was .522/.000/.740.
Poll: 2016 Community Mock Draft (Pick No. 30)
Drafting players is far from an exact science, and many a GM has been second-guessed for his draft night decisions. I’m willing to bet that every team executive has at least one pick that he would like a mulligan for. We at Hoops Rumors thought it would be fun to give our readers the chance to predict the results of this June’s draft, which is what we are doing with a series of polls.
We are now at the end of the first round (and our mock draft) and have come to the Warriors. Readers, you are now on the clock! Cast your vote for Golden State’s selection and check back Friday for the final results. But don’t limit yourself to a simple button click. Take to the comments section below and share your thoughts on the No. 30 overall pick and why you voted the way that you did.
- Sixers — Ben Simmons (LSU)
- Lakers — Brandon Ingram (Duke)
- Celtics — Dragan Bender (Maccabi Tel Aviv)
- Suns — Jaylen Brown (California)
- Timberwolves — Buddy Hield (Oklahoma)
- Pelicans — Kris Dunn (Providence)
- Nuggets — Jamal Murray (Kentucky)
- Kings — Henry Ellenson (Marquette)
- Raptors — Marquese Chriss (Washington)
- Bucks — Jakob Poeltl (Utah)
- Magic — Skal Labissiere (Kentucky)
- Jazz — Denzel Valentine (Michigan State)
- Suns — Domantas Sabonis (Gonzaga)
- Bulls — Deyonta Davis (Michigan State)
- Nuggets — Timothe Luwawu (Mega Leks)
- Celtics — Thon Maker (Australia)
- Grizzlies — Wade Baldwin (Vanderbilt)
- Pistons — Tyler Ulis (Kentucky)
- Nuggets — Furkan Korkmaz (Anadolu Efes)
- Pacers — Demetrius Jackson (Notre Dame)
- Hawks — Taurean Prince (Baylor)
- Hornets — Brice Johnson (North Carolina)
- Celtics — Malachi Richardson (Syracuse)
- Sixers — Malik Beasley (Florida State)
- Clippers — DeAndre Bembry (St. Joe’s)
- Sixers — Dejounte Murray (Washington)
- Raptors — Cheick Diallo (Kansas)
- Suns — Diamond Stone (Maryland)
- Spurs — Juan Hernangomez (Spain)
For Trade Rumors app users: [Direct Link]
Rockets Shop Beverley, McDaniels, Ariza
The Rockets have been calling around the league to gauge the trade interest in Patrick Beverley, K.J. McDaniels and Trevor Ariza, Jake Fischer of Liberty Ballers reports (Twitter links). Houston has already contacted the Sixers and offered a package including Ariza and Beverley for Nerlens Noel, Fischer adds. It’s unclear what the Rockets are seeking from other teams in any deal, though, with the team lacking a first round pick in tonight’s NBA Draft, nabbing a first-rounder is a likely possibility.
Beverley, 27, has three more years and approximately $18MM remaining on his current deal. The point guard made 71 appearances this season, averaging 9.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 28.7 minutes per outing to accompany a shooting line of .434/.400/.682.
Ariza, 30, appeared in 81 games in 2015/16, all starts. He averaged 12.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 35.3 minutes and owned a slash line of .416/.371/.783. The forward has two years and approximately $15.2MM remaining on his contract.
McDaniels appeared in just 37 games for Houston this season. The 23-year-old, who has two years and approximately $6.8MM remaining on his deal, averaged 2.4 points and 1.1 rebounds in just 6.4 minutes per contest. His shooting numbers were .403/.280/.800.
Offseason Outlook: Golden State Warriors
Hoops Rumors is looking ahead to offseason moves for all 30 teams. We’ll examine free agency, the draft, trades and other key storylines for each franchise as the summer approaches.
State Of The Franchise
On the heels of a championship season in 2014/15, the Warriors had another outstanding run this past year, right up until the final few minutes of Game 7 of the NBA Finals, when the team couldn’t find the basket, and failed to put a bow on its record-setting, 73-win season.
It was a disappointing end to an otherwise magical season, and there were no shortage of possible explanations for the Warriors’ inability to close out the Cavaliers in a series they led three games to one. If it hadn’t been for Draymond Green‘s suspension, Andrew Bogut‘s injury, or even Stephen Curry‘s health issues, which may have limited him a little in the postseason, the series might have ended differently.
Still, the Warriors’ decision-makers aren’t the types who will rely on better luck next season. Golden State’s front office is proactive and aggressive, and won’t be shy about pushing to improve the roster for 2016/17. After all, this year’s squad won 73 regular-season games, not 82 — there still could be room to get better.
Pursuing Another MVP
Curry has won the last two NBA MVP awards, but Golden State’s offseason may focus on the guy who won the award before him. Multiple reports have indicated that the Warriors are expected to make a major push for Kevin Durant, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time.
The Thunder, who pushed the Warriors to the brink in the Western Conference Finals, remain the odds-on favorites to retain Durant, who seems more likely to head into the summer hoping to beat Golden State rather than to join them. but if KD does want a change of scenery, the Warriors could certainly make a compelling pitch. A recent report indicated that the Warriors are viewed as the biggest threat to OKC as Durant prepares to meet with potential suitors.
With more than $71MM in guaranteed contracts for 2016/17, the Warriors won’t have the cap room necessary to offer Durant a max contract unless the cap greatly exceeds the projected $94MM figure, and working out a sign-and-trade with the rival Thunder seems unlikely. Still, outside of Curry, Green, and Klay Thompson, Golden State would surely be willing to part with any of its current players to land Durant. Bogut and Andre Iguodala, who are each entering contract years and are on the books for $11MM+ apiece next season, would probably be the prime candidates to be moved in that scenario.
Other Free Agent Targets
If the Warriors don’t land Durant, they’ll have plenty of alternate targets on their shopping list. A forward who can shoot makes the most sense for Golden State, which could ultimately lead the team back to restricted free agent Harrison Barnes.
Barnes’ performance in the Finals, where he struggled mightily with his shooting touch, was a worrisome sign for a player who could be looking at a maximum-salary offer sheet this offseason. It appeared at one point that Golden State would match any rival offer Barnes received, but that’s not quite so certain now. If Barnes does sign an offer sheet from another team, the Warriors will have a few days to make their decision on whether or not to match it, so that could allow the team to explore the market to see if there are more appealing options out there.
One of those options may be Dirk Nowitzki, whom the Warriors reportedly intend to call once free agency begins. I would be shocked if Nowitzki, a Maverick since 1998, left Dallas, but there’s no reason Golden State shouldn’t take a shot. It’s hard to imagine any free agent who wouldn’t have at least some interest in joining a team coming off a 73-9 season.
Whether or not the Warriors are able to land a big fish in free agency, the club also figures to focus on retooling its bench. Like Barnes, Festus Ezeli and Ian Clark are restricted free agents, while Marreese Speights, Leandro Barbosa, Brandon Rush, and Anderson Varejao are eligible for unrestricted free agency.
It’s possible that Ezeli will be retained if his price doesn’t get too high, and a couple of those veterans could be back on minimum-salary deals. But I’d expect the Warriors to let some of those players walk, then use any leftover cap room or exceptions to focus on upgrading its bench, adding players to complement Iguodala and Shaun Livingston on the second unit.
Draft Outlook
- First-round picks: 30th
- Second-round picks: None
Of course, with so many veterans facing free agency, one path for the Warriors to address their bench is through the draft. The 30th overall pick is actually a very nice asset to have this season, given the rising salary cap. The draft’s final first-rounder will likely sign a four-year contract worth less than $6MM, including a first-year salary of about $1.17MM, as we outlined here. Talented young players don’t come much more affordably than that — we could even see some second-round picks sign bigger deals than that.
With 29 prospects off the board ahead of their pick, the Warriors are unlikely to land an impact player at No. 30, but if several teams select draft-and-stash players ahead of them, it could make sense for the Dubs to grab a player who can join the roster immediately.
Many mock drafts agree with that approach, suggesting that Golden State could swap out a departing veteran free agent for a young replacement. In their latest mocks, ESPN’s Chad Ford and Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com have the Warriors addressing the center position, picking Damian Jones (Vanderbilt) and Diamond Stone (Maryland), respectively. Our own mock draft has Golden State adding depth at the two spot by nabbing Patrick McCaw (UNLV).
Planning For Steph’s Raise
Curry is currently one of the NBA’s best bargains, having signed a four-year, $44MM extension with the Warriors in 2012. That deal will expire after the 2016/17 season, and it’s virtually a given that the club will offer Curry a max contract – in terms of both dollars and years – at that time.
Assuming Curry remains in Golden State, that means his salary will more than double for the 2017/18 season. With the cap increasing and only Thompson and Green currently on guaranteed contracts beyond 2017, the Warriors should be in great shape to accommodate that huge raise. But it’s still somethings worth taking into account as they pursue free agents this summer, since the cap is expected to level out somewhat, beginning in 2018.
Final Take
The Warriors have vowed to be aggressive this offseason, and given what an appealing destination Golden State is, I’d expect plenty of free agents to be linked to the team in the coming weeks. Nonetheless, it will be a challenge to lure top targets like Durant and Nowitzki, who have only played for one team for their entire careers, to the Bay Area.
If the Warriors are unable to land one of those top free agents, re-signing Barnes and making a few changes to their bench isn’t a bad Plan B. Considering the team was just one quarter away from its second consecutive championship, it should be a legit title contender again in 2016/17, even without making a huge splash.
Guaranteed Salary
- Klay Thompson ($16,663,575)
- Draymond Green ($15,330,435)
- Stephen Curry ($12,112,359)
- Andre Iguodala ($11,131,368)
- Andrew Bogut ($11,027,027)
- Shaun Livingston ($3,000,000) — Partial guarantee; non-guaranteed portion listed below1
- Kevon Looney ($1,182,840)
- (Jason Thompson $945,126) — Salary remaining from release via stretch provision
- Total: $71,392,730
Player Options
- None
Team Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Shaun Livingston ($2,782,450) — Partial guarantee; guaranteed portion listed above1
Restricted Free Agents (Qualifying Offers/Cap Holds)
- Harrison Barnes ($5,194,227/$9,683,495)
- Festus Ezeli ($3,013,123/$5,021,870)
- Ian Clark ($1,215,696/$1,215,696)
- James Michael McAdoo ($1,180,431/$1,180,431)
- Totals: $10,603,477/$17,101,492
Unrestricted Free Agents (Cap Holds)
- Marreese Speights ($7,248,500)
- Leandro Barbosa ($3,250,000)
- Brandon Rush ($980,431)
- Anderson Varejao ($980,431)
- Total: $12,459,362
Other Cap Holds
- Jermaine O’Neal ($2,400,000)
- Ognjen Kuzmic ($980,431)
- No. 30 pick ($976,300)
- Total: $4,356,731
Projected Salary Cap: $92,000,000
Footnotes:
- Livingston’s full $5,782,450 salary will become guaranteed if he’s still on the roster beyond June 30th.
The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Sixers Working To Acquire No. 3 Overall Pick
The Sixers are intensifying their efforts to pry away the No. 3 overall pick from the Celtics, Marc Stein of ESPN.com relays (Twitter links). Numerous league sources tell Stein that Philadelphia is the most active suitor for Boston’s pick and that Nerlens Noel is the Sixers player most likely to be involved in any swap.
Boston reportedly wants to flip the pick for an established star, with Sixers 2015 lottery pick Jahlil Okafor also being mentioned as a possible trade candidate in relation to the Celtics. Philly has reportedly been pursuing a deal with the Celtics in recent weeks for the pick. With the Sixers reportedly set to take Ben Simmons with the No. 1 overall selection, the team is likely seeking to add backcourt help at the No. 3 spot, with Kris Dunn, Buddy Hield and Jamal Murray all strong candidates for the franchise if Philly completes a trade with Boston. If the Celtics do hang onto the pick, the team may look to nab Dunn, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (Twitter link).
Noel, 22, appeared in 67 games for the Sixers this past season, averaging 11.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 blocks in 29.3 minutes per outing. His shooting line was .521/.500/.590.