LeBron James To Decline Player Option
Although LeBron James has indicated he’ll return to the Cavaliers for the 2016/17 season, he won’t do so on his current contract. Agent Rich Paul tells Chris Haynes of Cleveland.com that his client will decline his player option and sign a new deal.
James’ decision doesn’t come as a real surprise, since opting out and re-upping with the Cavs ensures that he’ll get a larger raise than he otherwise would have. LeBron’s player option for 2016/17 was worth just over $24MM. Depending on what type of deal he signs, the reigning Finals MVP figures to earn a salary closer to $30MM on a new contract.
According to Haynes, Paul says no decision has been made on what type of contract James will sign, and there’s no timetable for when that new deal will be made official. The situation is a little complicated, since Cleveland only holds Early Bird rights on LeBron. An Early Bird deal would allow for a 30% raise on his 2015/16 salary, but the contract would have to be for at least two years, with no options. A Non-Bird agreement would allow him to opt out again in 2017, but would mean accepting a more modest raise.
With the salary cap set to rise again in 2017/18, and James earning Bird Rights with the Cavaliers at that point, it makes sense for him to wait one more year to sign a longer-term contract, since Cleveland doesn’t have the cap room to accommodate a long-term, max contract at this point. No matter what type of contract LeBron signs, he intends to sign it with the Cavs — he and Kyrie Irving and the rest of his Cleveland teammates will look to defend the first title in franchise history.
“I love it here. I love being here. I love my teammates,””James said on the day of the Cavs’ championship parade through downtown Cleveland. “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.”
Kyler’s Latest: Durant, Conley, Whiteside, Rondo
The prevailing wisdom heading into free agency has suggested that Kevin Durant is likely to sign a two-year contract with a second-year player option this summer. After all, opting out a year from now and signing a long-term deal at that point figures to be the best way for the star forward to maximize his earnings.
Still, we’ve heard whispers that Durant may prefer to simply sign a long-term pact now to avoid having free agency looming over him for another year, and Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders cites sources close to the former MVP who echo that sentiment. According to Kyler, Oklahoma City remains the frontrunner for Durant, but the free-agent-to-be will hear out and consider all his suitors, and could make a long-term commitment to the team he signs with, whether that’s the Thunder or another club.
Here’s more from Kyler on a few of this summer’s top free agents:
- Mike Conley is expected to listen to some free agent pitches, but will likely give the Grizzlies the last word, writes Kyler. Conley would like to see Memphis be aggressive about adding talent to fortify the roster if he’s going to return. If the veteran point guard decides to go elsewhere, the Mavericks, Rockets, Spurs, and even the Nets are among his potential landing spots, per Kyler.
- The Lakers, Mavericks, Celtics, and Hornets are some of the teams expected to make a push for Hassan Whiteside if the Heat waver on offering him a max contract, says Kyler.
- Kyler identifies the Heat as a potential dark horse in the Al Horford sweepstakes, if Whiteside does leave Miami. Horford is believed to be the next target on the team’s wish list, and that interest may be mutual, Kyler writes.
- There’s mutual interest between Rajon Rondo and the Nets, who could be the favorites to land the point guard. However, according to Kyler, Rondo wouldn’t want to be Brooklyn’s only high-profile addition this summer, so the Nets might have to make a commitment to another notable free agent if they hope to lure Rondo.
- Dwight Howard could end up being a primary target this offseason for teams like the Bucks, Trail Blazers, and Hornets, who aren’t necessarily expected to get involved with many top-tier free agents, per Kyler. Sources close to Howard and the Magic indicate to Kyler that the odds of D12 returning to Orlando are slim, despite the fact that the team expects to be active on the open market.
- Kyler adds the Lakers and Grizzlies to the list of teams with interest in Ryan Anderson, and notes that there’s mutual interest between Anderson and the Wizards. Sources also tell Kyler that Anderson would prefer to land with a playoff team.
Eastern Notes: Budenholzer, Crawford, Nets
The Nets won’t necessarily be gunning for the top players in the free agent market this summer, but instead, will be seeking players with high character and a strong work ethic who are on the verge of breaking out, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com relays (ESPN Now link). “I think veteran leadership is important,” coach Kenny Atkinson said regarding what kind of players the team would be targeting. “I think undervalued guys, guys that might be under the radar and can produce and maybe not necessarily the big star, maybe we’re not in position to get that guy and really guys like Isaiah Whitehead that fill the characteristics we’re looking for — hardworking, high character, high basketball IQ is important for us and competitors.”
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- After dealing Victor Oladipo to the Thunder, the Magic are extremely interested in unrestricted free agent guard Jamal Crawford, Sam Amick of USA Today tweets.
- Hawks coach/executive Mike Budenholzer has been found not guilty of DUI charges stemming from a 2013 traffic stop, The Associated Press relays. Budenholzer relayed that he believes the trooper may have been confused about him being impaired because the coach has chronic redness around his eyes, previous ankle injuries and a foot surgery that causes imbalance, according to the report.
- Despite not being able to pull off a big draft night trade to land a star player, the Celtics‘ players are still behind team executive Danny Ainge and believe he did the right thing by not pulling the trigger on any of the rumored deals Boston was linked to, Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com notes (ESPN Now link). “We trust Danny [Ainge] and we believe in Danny. And we know Danny made the right decision. We stand behind him 100%,” point guard Marcus Smart told Forsberg.
- New Magic coach Frank Vogel is bringing over Spurs assistant Chad Forcier to join his coaching staff in Orlando, Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Sixers are expected to exercise their 2016/17 team option for swingman Hollis Thompson, Derek Bodner of Philadelphia magazine tweets. Thompson is scheduled to earn $1,015,696 next season.
Qualifying Offers: Drummond, Beal, Powell
Players eligible for restricted free agency don’t become restricted free agents by default. In order to make a player a restricted free agent, a team must extend a qualifying offer to him. The qualifying offer, which is essentially just a one-year contract offer, varies in amount depending on a player’s service time and previous contract status. A qualifying offer is designed to give a player’s team the right of first refusal. Because the qualifying offer acts as the first formal contract offer a free agent receives, his team then receives the option to match any offer sheet the player signs with another club. You can read more about qualifying offers here.
Teams don’t always formally announce when they submit qualifying offers, which is the case with a number of players who have already been extended these offers by their respective clubs. The procedural moves listed below have been posted to the RealGM Transactions page, with more sure to follow in the next few days:
- Bradley Beal [Wizards] — $7,471,412
- Andre Drummond [Pistons] — $4,433,683
- Boban Marjanovic [Spurs] — $1,500,000
- Dwight Powell [Mavericks] — $1,180,431
Also receiving a qualifying offer is Magic center Dewayne Dedmon, with Orlando submitting the $1,215,696 required to make him a restricted free agent earlier today, per Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel.
Heat, Erik Spoelstra Nearing Contract Extension
The Heat and coach Erik Spoelstra are closing in on a contract extension, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports. Spoelstra is entering the final year of his current deal.
Team owner Micky Arison and team president Pat Riley are eager to secure Spoelstra beyond the final year of his contract and want to insure that he doesn’t hit the open market next summer, Wojnarowski notes. Spoelstra is the second-longest active tenured coach with one team, trailing only behind San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich.
The 45-year-old just completed his eighth season as Heat head coach, reaching the Eastern Conference semifinals before losing to the Raptors in seven games. Spoelstra has won two NBA titles with the franchise, reaching four Eastern Conference finals along the way and he owns a career regular season mark of 399-241 (.623) and is 70-43 (.619) as a head coach in the postseason.
Tim Duncan Exercises Option, Unsure About 2016/17
Spurs big man Tim Duncan has elected to exercise his player option for the 2016/17 campaign, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports. But despite the veteran choosing to opt in, it doesn’t mean he has definitively decided to continue his playing career, the scribe adds. Duncan is set to earn $5,643,750 if he suits up next season.
Duncan, 40, is still seriously contemplating his desire to continue playing ball and needs time to judge how his body feels, team sources tell Wojnarowski. The Spurs are allowing Duncan to make a decision on his own timetable, despite their plans to pursue unrestricted free agent forward Kevin Durant this summer. The scribe also notes that this is the most serious Duncan has been about hanging up his sneakers and calling it a career at any point over the past few years.
The future Hall-of-Famer saw his production decline this season, averaging a career-low 8.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 blocks in 25.2 minutes per contest over 61 appearances. He shot .488/.000/.702 from the field on the campaign.
Unsigned Draft Picks: Southwest Division
With the 2016 NBA draft now in the books, the term draft-and-stash will be mentioned quite often in regard to international players and late second-rounders. While some of these athletes will eventually sign with an NBA team, it seems like the majority of them stay overseas and never make it to the league. Those players in the latter category aren’t without value as they become trade assets for the teams holding their rights.
While many players fail to work out the way teams expect them to, they can at least become tradeable assets for teams that don’t want to part with a future second-round pick in a deal. Each team must give up something in a trade, which is why many swaps include top-55 protected second-round picks. Older draft rights held players who clearly will never come over to the NBA are essentially the same as flipping those heavily protected second-rounders, for all intents and purposes.
Listed below are the current unsigned draftees for the teams of the Southwest Division. These listings don’t include players selected in this year’s draft:
Dallas Mavericks
- Petteri Koponen — Selected No. 30 overall in 2007.
- Emir Preldzic — Selected No. 57 overall in 2009.
- Renaldas Seibutis — Selected No. 50 overall in 2007.
- Satnam Singh — Selected No. 52 overall in 2015.
Houston Rockets
- Alessandro Gentile — Selected No. 53 overall in 2014.
- Marko Todorovic — Selected No. 45 overall in 2013.
- Jon Diebler — Selected No. 51 overall in 2011.
- Sergio Llull — Selected No. 34 overall in 2009.
- Brad Newly — Selected No. 54 overall in 2007.
- Axel Hervelle — Selected No. 52 overall in 2005.
- Serhiy Lishchuk — Selected No. 49 overall in 2004.
- Venson Hamilton — Selected No. 50 overall in 1999.
Memphis Grizzlies
- Andrew Harrison — Selected No. 44 overall in 2015.
New Orleans Pelicans
- Latavious Williams — Selected No. 48 overall in 2010.
San Antonio Spurs
- Nikola Milutinov — Selected No. 26 overall in 2015.
- Livio Jean-Charles — Selected No. 28 overall in 2013.
- Cady Lalanne — Selected No. 55 overall in 2015.
- Nemanja Dangubic — Selected No. 54 overall in 2014.
- Marcus Denmon — Selected No. 59 overall in 2012.
- Davis Bertans — Selected No. 42 overall in 2011.
- Adam Hanga — Selected No. 59 overall in 2011.
- Ryan Richards — Selected No. 49 overall in 2010.
- Giorgos Printezis — Selected No. 58 overall in 2007.
- Erazem Lorbek — Selected No. 46 overall in 2005.
- Viktor Sanikidze — Selected No. 42 overall in 2004.
- Sergei Karaulov — Selected No. 58 overall in 2004.
- Robertas Javtokas — Selected No. 55 overall in 2001.
Nets Shopping Jarrett Jack
The Nets are shopping point guard Jarrett Jack in advance of his salary for next season becoming fully guaranteed, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports (Twitter links). If Brooklyn is unable to find a taker for Jack, Brooklyn plans to waive the player, Wojnarowski adds.
Jack’s contract calls for him to earn $6.3MM in 2016/17, the final year of his deal. His salary is already partially guaranteed for $500,00, an amount Brooklyn will be on the hook for if it releases the player. The point guard’s pact will become fully guaranteed if he remains on the roster past Thursday. Jack tore his ACL in January and has been rehabbing with the hope of being ready for the start of training camp.
It’s unclear if any market exists for Jack, who could potentially be had for a lower annual amount after clearing waivers. One potential suitor I could see stepping up in the event Jack is waived are the crosstown Knicks, who are in desperate need of backcourt depth, though this is pure speculation on my part.
The 32-year-old made 32 appearances for the Nets this past season and averaged 12.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 7.4 assists in 32.1 minutes per outing. His slash line on the campaign was .391/.304/.893.
Pacific Notes: Livingston, Pierce, Stevens
The Warriors intend to keep Shaun Livingston on the roster for next season, Marc Stein and Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated relay. Livingston’s contract for 2016/17, worth $5,782,450, is partially guaranteed for $3MM and will become fully guaranteed if he is still a member of the team on Thursday, which will now be the case, according to the ESPN duo’s report. “I would love to be back with Warriors next year and feel there is something special cultivating with the organization,” Livingston told the scribes via text message. “The time spent there has allowed me the platform to see the ingredients of winning and the importance of culture.”
The 30-year-old appeared in 78 games this season for Golden State and averaged 6.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 19.5 minutes per outing. His shooting line was .536/.167/.860. Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- If the Warriors miss out on signing unrestricted free agent Kevin Durant, the team could shift focus and look to add a proven big man, Stein and Spears relay in the same piece. Potential targets could include Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, David West and Timofey Mozgov, the duo note.
- Veteran Clippers forward Paul Pierce remains undecided about continuing his playing career next season or retiring, but is expected to make his decision over the next couple of weeks, Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times relays (via Twitter). Pierce has two seasons remaining on his current contract and is slated to earn $3,527,920 for his work in 2016/17 if he chooses to suit up for an 18th campaign.
- Celtics coach Brad Stevens is regarded as one of the top coaches in the game and according to Suns GM Ryan McDonough, Phoenix made a run at hiring him prior to Boston convincing Stevens to leave Butler for the NBA, Jay King of Mass Live writes. The two sides even had a meeting to discuss the post, King adds. “So yeah, we were at his kitchen table,” McDonough said. “We were meeting with him about potentially coaching the Suns. Ultimately he decided at that time to stay at Butler, and then a month or two later he chose to go to the Celtics. But as far as how close it was or what his decision-making process was, you’d have to ask him about that. But we were sitting around his kitchen table discussing him potentially coaching the Suns in May of 2013.“
Sixers, Kings Interested In Dion Waiters
The Sixers and Kings are teams in need of backcourt help and both franchises may make a run at Thunder shooting guard Dion Waiters, Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops relays (on Twitter). Waiters will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer, provided Oklahoma City submits a qualifying offer worth $6,777,589. Otherwise, Waiters will hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent and OKC would not have the ability to match any offer he were to ink.
It’s unclear if the Thunder intend to re-sign Waiters this summer and his fate may very well be linked to the free agency decision of Kevin Durant. If Durant re-signs with the team, OKC won’t have enough cap space to ink a suitable replacement, which would markedly increase the likelihood of the team retaining Waiters. But, if Durant departs, the team may not be willing to commit to Waiters on a long-term pact. The Oklahoman’s Anthony Slater has speculated that Waiters could command a salary in the range of $12MM to $16MM range annually on his next contract, which may be too rich a deal for the Thunder to commit to if they need to begin rebuilding in the wake of a Durant departure.
The Sixers would be an interesting fit for Waiters given their need for backcourt scoring. The guard, who hails from Philadelphia, has said in the past that he would be interested in playing for the Sixers, which would certainly aid the team’s recruitment efforts if true. Sacramento’s backcourt could also use an influx of talent, though I don’t necessarily view Waiters as much of an upgrade of Ben McLemore, who currently sits atop the Kings’ depth chart at the two.
Waiters made 78 appearances for the Thunder this past season, including 15 starts. He notched averages of 9.8 points, 2.6 rebounds an 2.0 assists in 27.6 minutes per outing while shooting .399/.358/.713.