2015/16 D-League Usage Report: Trail Blazers
The NBA’s relationship with the D-League continues to grow, and this season a total of 19 NBA teams had one-to-one affiliations with D-League clubs. Those NBA organizations without their own affiliates were required to assign players to D-League clubs associated with other NBA franchises. D-League teams could volunteer to take on the assigned players, and if no volunteers emerged, the players were assigned at random.
This significant change from the 2014/15 season came about after the Pacers purchased the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and turned them into their one-to-one partner for the 2015/16 campaign. Other NBA teams have interest in following suit in the years ahead, and the NBA’s ultimate goal for the D-League is for all 30 NBA franchises to have their own D-League squads. You can view the complete list of D-League affiliates here.
We at Hoops Rumors are recapping the D-League-related activity for the 2015/16 campaign for each team and we’ll continue with the Portland Trail Blazers, one of the 11 NBA franchises without their own D-League affiliate:
The Blazers made 2 assignments for the 2015/16 season, sending two players to the D-League for a total of 20 days. Listed below are all the assignments and recalls made by Portland for the 2015/16 campaign:
- March 10th: Assigned Cliff Alexander (1st) [Santa Cruz Warriors] — Recalled March 20th
- March 10th: Assigned Luis Montero (1st) [Santa Cruz Warriors] — Recalled March 20th
Here’s how Portland’s players performed while on assignment to the D-League this season:
- Cliff Alexander: Alexander appeared in four games and averaged 15.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 27.0 minutes per outing. His shooting line was .521/.000/.714.
- Luis Montero: Montero appeared in four contests and averaged 16.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 28.3 minutes per night. His shooting numbers were .412/.385/.783.
Knicks Notes: Hornacek, Rambis, Porzingis
The Knicks officially introduced Jeff Hornacek as their new coach today, with team president Phil Jackson telling reporters that he found the demeanor and leadership qualities he was seeking in the former Suns coach, Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press relays. “That a comfort zone was possible, and I think the basketball knowledge that he has and the familiarity he has playing basketball are things that attracted us together,” Jackson said. “This is a coach who can teach and also has an idea of what kind of practice he wants to run and how he wants to do business.”
Hornacek acknowledged the team currently lacks the personnel required to sustain his up-tempo system, adding that he hopes his style of play will attract free agents to New York, Mahoney notes. “My hope is now that I’m here that we can get some of those players to come in here and if you want to win, what better place to win than New York,” Hornacek said. “So to me it’s a great opportunity and the excitement level, I know we can do great things.”
Here’s more out of the Big Apple:
- The new head coach was initially surprised when Jackson contacted him regarding the position, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com notes (ESPN Now link). Hornacek said he hadn’t talked a lot with Jackson previously and expected first conversation with him to last maybe an hour or two, but their initial chat ended up being closer to six hours in duration, the scribe adds.
- Jackson told reporters that former interim coach Kurt Rambis was under serious consideration for the head coaching post, adding that Rambis may remain with the team as an assistant under Hornacek, Ian Begley of ESPN.com tweets.
- Hornacek expressed his excitement at the prospect of coaching Kristaps Porzingis, adding that the big man has the potential to be a superstar in the NBA, Youngmisuk and Begley relay in a separate piece. “His ceiling -– wow,” Hornacek said regarding Porzingis. “I don’t want to put pressure on the kid but let’s face it: At that size, and his skills, and his abilities, why can’t he be a top-five player in this league? Why can’t he be the best player in this league? He’ll continue to grow over these years. He’s 20 years old. He’s got a lot of things he’ll learn just from experience and I’m sure five-to-six years from now you’ll be saying, ‘Look how good this kid is.’ He’s already good.”
Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Denver Nuggets
Even if Darrell Arthur opts out of his contract, the Nuggets will have just three unrestricted free agents from this year’s roster – Arthur, D.J. Augustin, and Mike Miller – and none of them are crucial, long-term pieces. That leaves Denver with 12 contracts (nine guaranteed) on its books for 2016/17 and no glaring holes to fill, but there’s still plenty of room for the club to get involved in free agency if opportunities arise.
The Nuggets’ three highest-paid players, Danilo Gallinari, Kenneth Faried and Wilson Chandler, missed some – or all – of the 2015/16 campaign with injuries, and it’s unlikely that any of them would be the No. 1 option on a legit contender. But those aren’t albatross contracts, and there are multiple solid values elsewhere on the Nuggets’ roster, including promising young guard Emmanuel Mudiay and inexpensive wing Will Barton. With three top-20 picks in hand, Denver is in good position to continue adding young, affordable players to its roster.
See how Denver’s cap situation looks for 2016/17 as Hoops Rumors continues its offseason salary cap digest series.
Guaranteed Salary
- Danilo Gallinari ($15,050,000)
- Kenneth Faried ($12,078,652)
- Wilson Chandler ($11,233,146)
- Jameer Nelson ($4,540,525)
- Will Barton ($3,533,333)
- Emmanuel Mudiay ($3,241,800)
- Jusuf Nurkic ($1,921,320)
- Gary Harris ($1,655,880)
- Nikola Jokic ($1,358,500)
- (Nick Johnson $980,431)
- Total: $55,593,587
Player Options
- Darrell Arthur ($2,940,630)
Team Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Joffrey Lauvergne ($1,709,719)
- JaKarr Sampson ($980,431)
- Axel Toupane ($874,636)
- Total: $3,564,786
Restricted Free Agents (Qualifying Offers/Cap Holds)
- None
Unrestricted Free Agents (Cap Holds)
- D.J. Augustin ($3,900,000)
- Mike Miller ($980,431)
- Total: $4,880,431
Other Cap Holds
- No. 7 pick ($2,675,700)
- No. 15 pick ($1,656,200)
- No. 19 pick ($1,356,100)
- Total: $5,688,000
Projected Salary Cap: $92,000,000
The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.
Poll: 2016 Community Mock Draft (Pick No. 12)
The results of the 2016 NBA Draft lottery are in and the Sixers finally landed the elusive No. 1 overall pick after missing out the past two seasons. Now that the exact draft order is locked in, teams can begin targeting specific players who are likely to still be on the board when it is their time to choose. 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 intend to do with a series of polls.
We’ll continue on with the Jazz. Readers, you are now on the clock! Cast your vote for Utah’s pick and check back Saturday for the results, as well as to cast your vote for who the Suns will select with the No. 13 overall pick. But don’t limit yourself to a simple button click. Take to the comments section below and share your thoughts on the No. 12 overall pick and why you voted the way that you did.
Previous Selections
- 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)
With the No. 12 Overall Pick, the Jazz Select...
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Denzel Valentine (Michigan State) 36% (387)
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Domantas Sabonis (Gonzaga) 14% (152)
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Deyonta Davis (Michigan State) 9% (97)
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Wade Baldwin (Vanderbilt) 8% (91)
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Timothe Luwawu (Mega Leks) 8% (90)
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Thon Maker (Australia) 7% (71)
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Tyler Ulis (Kentucky) 5% (56)
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Furkan Korkmaz (Anadolu Efes) 5% (50)
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Demetrius Jackson (Notre Dame) 3% (29)
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Malachi Richardson (Syracuse) 1% (16)
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Cheick Diallo (Kansas) 1% (15)
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Stephen Zimmerman (UNLV) 1% (13)
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Ante Zizic (Croatia) 1% (9)
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Taurean Prince (Baylor) 1% (7)
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Damian Jones (Vanderbilt) 0% (4)
Total votes: 1,087
Draft Updates: Dunn, Suns, Celtics, Pelicans
Last month, we heard that former Providence point guard Kris Dunn may refuse to release his medical records to the Celtics and Suns, since he prefers not to land with a team with a young point guard or two already in place. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM is hearing similar rumblings, tweeting that Dunn isn’t interested in working out for Phoenix or sharing his medical records with the Suns — Gambardo hears that the point guard would like to land with the Timberwolves.
Let’s check out a few more draft-related updates…
- While the Celtics may not be Dunn’s preferred destination, ESPN’s Chad Ford (Insider link) has the Providence product going to Boston at No. 3 in his latest mock draft, writing that he thinks the C’s will choose one of Dunn, Jamal Murray, or Marquese Chriss. Dragan Bender, who has also been viewed as a candidate for that No. 3 pick, goes sixth overall in Ford’s latest mock, with the ESPN.com scribe writing that the Pelicans are believed to be “pretty big fans” of the 18-year-old big man.
- Also within his mock draft, Ford writes that Kings GM Vlade Divac and owner Vivek Ranadive love Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield, and suggests that the Raptors have been “secretly hoping” Chriss falls to them at No. 9, which appears increasingly unlikely.
- Former Seton Hall point guard Isaiah Whitehead has workouts with the Nuggets and Pistons lined up for June 10th and 15th, respectively, and will work out for the Bulls and Nets after that, according to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link).
- After working out for Philadelphia on Thursday, Daniel Hamilton (UConn) will work out for the Rockets, Warriors, and Bucks, while Alex Caruso (Texas A&M) will work out for the Knicks, Wizards, and Celtics, per Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter links).
NBA Player Option Decisions For 2016/17
Twenty-nine NBA veterans have player options on their contracts for 2016/17, but few – if any – are expected to actually exercise those options and play out their current deals. With so much salary cap space available around the NBA this summer, it makes more sense for most of these players to opt out and explore the market, since – barring a huge dropoff or a major injury – they’re unlikely to be offered less money than they’d been set to earn via their options.
Still, not every decision is a lock. For instance, a player like Mo Williams, who battled injuries this season and wasn’t always a part of the Cavaliers’ rotation even when healthy, may be inclined to exercise his option, worth about $2.2MM.
While most players don’t have to make decisions on their options until later in June, some early deadlines have passed, and other decisions have already been reported. We’ve made note of those decisions below, and will continue to pass them along in this space over the next several weeks.
Here’s a breakdown of the decisions on 2016/17 NBA player options:
Point Guards
- Seth Curry, Kings ($1,015,696): Opted out
- Shane Larkin, Nets ($1,500,000): Opted out
- Jeremy Lin, Hornets ($2,235,255): Opted out
- Deron Williams, Mavericks ($5,621,026): Opted out
- Mo Williams, Cavaliers ($2,194,500): Opted in
Shooting Guards
- Arron Afflalo, Knicks ($8,000,000): Opted out
- James Anderson, Kings ($1,139,123): Opted out
- DeMar DeRozan, Raptors ($10,350,000): Opted out
- Wayne Ellington, Nets ($1,567,500): Opted out
- Manu Ginobili, Spurs ($2,940,630): Opted out
- Wesley Johnson, Clippers ($1,227,286): Opted out
- Austin Rivers, Clippers ($3,344,106): Opted out
- J.R. Smith, Cavaliers ($5,375,000): Opted out
Small Forwards
- Caron Butler, Kings ($1,551,659): Opted in
- Alonzo Gee, Pelicans ($1,379,400): Opted out
- LeBron James, Cavaliers ($24,004,173): Opted out
- Chandler Parsons, Mavericks ($16,023,000): Opted out
- Derrick Williams, Knicks ($4,598,000): Opted out
Power Forwards
- Quincy Acy, Kings ($1,050,961): Opted out
- Darrell Arthur, Nuggets ($2,940,630): Opted out
- Brandon Bass, Lakers ($3,135,000): Opted out
- Tim Duncan, Spurs ($6,393,750): Opted in
- Pau Gasol, Bulls ($7,769,520): Opted out
- Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks ($8,692,184): Opted out
- Thomas Robinson, Nets ($1,050,961): Opted out
- David West, Spurs ($1,551,659): Opted out
Centers
- Cole Aldrich, Clippers ($1,227,286): Opted out
- Bismack Biyombo, Raptors ($2,940,630): Opted out
- Dwight Howard, Rockets ($23,282,457): Opted out
And-Ones: Player Values, Trade Kickers, D-League
With the NBA salary cap set to jump by about $22MM this summer, it’s time to re-evaluate how players are valued, says Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. As Kennedy points, 24 teams are on track to have the ability to offer at least one maximum-salary contract this offseason, so while it’s easy to argue that a player isn’t “worth” the significant salary he’ll land in free agency, it makes more sense to adjust our expectations and get used to the new normal.
In my opinion, a good way to make that adjustment is to consider what percentage of his team’s salary cap a player’s salary takes up, rather than simply looking at the dollar amount. For instance, some executives believe Bismack Biyombo will command $16MM+ per year in free agency. That may seem outrageous, but consider that a $16MM salary in 2017/18 (when the cap is projected to rise to $107MM) would only represent about 15% of the cap. In 2013/14, when the salary cap was $58.68MM, a player taking up the same percentage of his team’s cap would have been earning just $8.77MM.
Here are a few more odds and ends from across the NBA:
- As Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders details, timing is crucial for many players’ trade kickers, which could affect teams’ plans this offseason. For instance, players like Marc Gasol, Blake Griffin, and Carmelo Anthony would be owed significantly more money if their current teams trade them in July rather than June. That’s not to say any of those players will be dealt, but for veterans with trade kickers who are on the block, teams may want to finalize deals this month.
- Both the NBA and the D-League have been adamant about wanting 30 D-League affiliates for the NBA’s 30 teams, but there are still eight NBA franchises without them. Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor examines those eight teams, estimating the odds that they’ll land D-League affiliates within the next few years.
- Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders identifies several pending free agents who will be seeking redemption and looking to bounce back on their next contracts, including Ty Lawson, Lance Stephenson, and Roy Hibbert.
Northwest Notes: Durant, Thunder, Crabbe, Jazz
A two-year contract with an opt-out after the first year has long been viewed as the most likely scenario for Kevin Durant and the Thunder this summer, simply because it would make the most financial sense for the OKC star. However, sources around the league tell Sean Deveney of The Sporting News that maximizing his future earnings may not be the No. 1 priority for Durant.
“He is not the kind of guy who wants to fiddle around in free agency and sort of play the system that way,” said one source who has worked with the Thunder forward. “That is not his personality. He likes stability and it is kind of a gamble to be taking a short contract and then trying to come back and do it all over again in a year. That’s the other thing. He is not someone who wants to go through this twice, I really don’t think. It’s no sure thing.”
As Deveney points out, we saw several players last year accept long-term contracts, despite the fact that they would’ve been in line for much larger paydays that they waited another year or two to sign those deals. It’s possible Durant will go the same route, which doesn’t mean he’ll leave the Thunder — it just means he could sign a longer-term deal than most of us expect.
As we wait on Durant’s decision, let’s round up a few more items from out of the Northwest…
- Within his preview of the Thunder‘s offseason, Bobby Marks of The Vertical breaks down how much more money Durant could earn by staying with OKC and by waiting a year to sign a long-term deal. Marks also looks at a few other issues of interest for the Thunder, including Dion Waiters‘ pending free agency, and potential extensions for Steven Adams and Andre Roberson.
- Looking ahead to his restricted free agency and his 2016/17 season, Allen Crabbe acknowledged that he should be in line for a significant raise, as Casey Holdahl of Blazers.com writes. However, the Trail Blazers wing won’t necessarily sign with the team making him the highest offer. “It doesn’t make sense to make a lot of money and go to a team that, if you don’t fit that system, then get paid a lot of money to be frustrated?” Crabbe said. “That doesn’t make sense to me.”
- Forward Talib Zanna, who has spent the last two seasons with the Thunder‘s D-League affiliate, is headed to Utah for a Jazz mini-camp, tweets international journalist David Pick. According to Pick, Zanna has received Summer League offers, but is mulling a move to Europe.
- The Timberwolves could have drafted Stephen Curry, and later nearly traded for Klay Thompson, but even as they watch both those players in the NBA Finals, the Wolves and their fans should be optimistic about their future and the way things turned out, says Jim Souhan of The Star Tribune.
Offseason Salary Cap Digest: New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans’ 2015/16 season was derailed by injuries, to the point that the team finished the season carrying 18 players on its roster due to multiple hardship exemptions granted by the NBA. Many of those injured players were among the club’s highest-paid veterans, but with at least one big contract (Eric Gordon) coming off the books, and a couple more (Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans) entering their final year, New Orleans should gain a little flexibility this offseason.
There’s still plenty of guaranteed salary on the Pelicans’ books for 2016/17, even before taking into account unrestricted free agents like Gordon and Ryan Anderson, but those salary commitments don’t look quite as restrictive with the cap on the rise. The team also caught a break when Anthony Davis failed to make an All-NBA team, limiting his maximum salaries over the next few years. With Davis locked up through 2021, the Pelicans can afford to exercise a little patience in building their roster around him, rather than rushing to add veteran help in hopes of convincing him to stay in New Orleans.
See how New Orleans’ cap situation looks for 2016/17 as Hoops Rumors continues its offseason salary cap digest series.
Guaranteed Salary
- Anthony Davis ($21,597,000)1
- Jrue Holiday ($11,286,518)
- Tyreke Evans ($10,203,755)
- Omer Asik ($9,904,494)
- Alexis Ajinca ($4,638,203)
- Quincy Pondexter ($3,617,978)
- Dante Cunningham ($2,978,250)
- Luke Babbitt ($200,000) — Partial guarantee; non-guaranteed portion listed below2
- Total: $64,426,198
Player Options
- Alonzo Gee ($1,379,400)
Team Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Toney Douglas ($1,315,448)
- Luke Babbitt ($1,027,286) — Partial guarantee; guaranteed portion listed above2
- Bryce Dejean-Jones ($874,636)3
- Total: $3,217,370
Restricted Free Agents (Qualifying Offers/Cap Holds)
- James Ennis ($1,180,431/$1,180,431)
- Tim Frazier ($1,180,431/$1,180,431)
- Totals: ($2,360,862/$2,360,862)
Unrestricted Free Agents (Cap Holds)
- Eric Gordon ($23,271,047)
- Ryan Anderson ($12,750,000)
- Norris Cole ($5,770,163)
- Jordan Hamilton ($980,431)
- Kendrick Perkins ($980,431)
- Total: $43,752,072
Other Cap Holds
- No. 6 pick ($2,931,000)
Projected Salary Cap: $92,000,000
Footnotes:
- Davis’ exact salary on his max contract won’t be determined until July. This figure represents an estimation.
- Babbitt’s full $1,227,286 salary would become guaranteed on July 12th.
- Dejean-Jones died in May, but his contract will remain on the Pelicans’ books until the team makes a roster move.
The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.
Hawks, Sixers Discuss Deal Involving Teague, Noel
7:48pm: Sixers shooting guard Nik Stauskas and/or small forward Robert Covington could be included in the potential deal, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays. Philly has shopped both Noel and Jahlil Okafor to approximately 15 teams in an effort to locate the best deal, Pompey adds.
5:34pm: The two sides have discussed the deal recently, but an agreement isn’t imminent, Charania relays in a full-length story.
5:00pm: The Hawks and the Sixers are discussing a trade that would involve point guard Jeff Teague going to Philadelphia and big man Nerlens Noel heading to Atlanta, Shams Charania of The Vertical reports (Twitter link). It’s unclear how far along the talks are, or what other pieces are involved, though any deal would likely be completed prior to the NBA Draft on June 23rd, though that is merely my speculation.
This is a deal that could potentially benefit both teams, though Noel is six years younger than Teague, which means the Hawks could be the ones receiving the better long-term benefit from the swap. Atlanta may need to find a replacement for Al Horford, who is an unrestricted free agent this offseason. While Noel lacks Horford’s offensive game, he more than makes up for that on the defensive end of the floor. It remains to be seen how well Noel would fit in Atlanta’s system, but acquiring the young big man would be a bold and exciting move for the team.
The Sixers desperately need backcourt help and Teague would be a major upgrade at the one spot for Philly. Atlanta can spare a playmaker, with Dennis Schröder waiting in the wings and making no secret about his desire to be the starter going forward. Perhaps Schröder would be a better fit with the Sixers due to his age, 22, but the franchise has stated it wants to add veteran leadership, something Teague could provide.
Noel, 22, is set to earn $4,384,490 in 2016/17 and will be eligible to become a restricted free agent next summer. He appeared in 67 games this season and averaged 11.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 29.3 minutes per outing. His shooting line was .521/.500/.590.
Teague, 27, has one season remaining on his current deal that will pay him $8MM in 2016/17, after which he will become an unrestricted free agent. He appeared in 79 games this season and averaged 15.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists in 28.5 minutes per night. His shooting numbers were .439/.400/.837.
Which team would get the better of this potential swap? Share your thoughts in the comments section.