Celtics Sign Tyler Zeller To Two-Year Deal
JULY 27th, 6:09pm: The signing is official, Boston announced via press release.
JULY 23rd, 10:15am: The Celtics will re-sign restricted free agent Tyler Zeller to a two-year deal, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald reports (on Twitter). The deal is worth $8MM per year and there is a team option for the second year, Bulpett adds. The Celtics also signed second round pick Demetrius Jackson and have agreed on a partially guaranteed deal with second round pick Ben Bentil, according to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe (Twitter link).
R.J. Hunter, James Young, John Holland and Bentil are in position to fight for the final roster spot, Himmelsbach tweets. It remains to be seen just how much more creative Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge is going to be after he said he was looking to add another significant piece to a group that features newcomer Al Horford. If there were to be another move for Boston, it would likely come in the form of a large trade, according to recent reports. The Celtics also plan to sign unrestricted free agent Gerald Green.
Zeller spoke fondly of the Celtics after the season and was open to a return. It would not have been surprising, however, if he had signed elsewhere with the hopes of having a larger role than the one he had last season with Boston. Zeller averaged 6.1 points and 3.0 rebounds last season. He did not play in three of the six playoff games.
Celtics Sign Demetrius Jackson
JULY 27th, 6:07pm: The signing is official, the team announced via press release.
JULY 26th, 5:40pm: The Celtics have signed 2016 draftee Demetrius Jackson to a four-year, $5.5MM deal, Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops reports (via Twitter). It’s unknown how much of that salary is guaranteed, but the fourth year is a team option, notes Scotto.
Jackson, 21, was the No. 45 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft by Boston. He joins a crowded Celtics roster that now has 18 players heading into training camp, which is three over the regular season maximum.
The point guard spent three seasons at Notre Dame, appearing in 103 games and averaging 11.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting .467/.381/.782 from the field.
Celtics Sign Gerald Green
JULY 27th, 6:05pm: The signing is official, the team announced via press release.
JULY 23rd, 8:50am: The Celtics will sign unrestricted free agent Gerald Green, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News reports (on Twitter). It is a guaranteed one-year deal, Deveney writes in a full story. Green’s deal is for the minimum, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald tweets.
It’s a homecoming of sorts for Green, whom the Celtics drafted at No. 18 in the 2005 draft. Green has played for eight franchises and spent last season with the Heat. Miami never reportedly seemed interested in re-signing Green, but the swingman did play decently. Green averaged 8.9 points per game last season.
By adding Green, the Celtics continue to seem headed toward making a trade. It’s been an interesting summer for Boston, which landed Al Horford early in free agency and it may not be over. Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has already said he would still like to add one more big piece. The Celtics will have 14 guaranteed contracts on their roster, once they sign No. 3 pick Jaylen Brown, as Deveney points out.
Mavericks Sign Jameel Warney, Keith Hornsby
JULY 27th, 5:56pm: The team has officially signed Warney, the Mavs announced via press release. Dallas also signed free agent guard Keith Hornsby, as was relayed in the same announcement. Hornsby went undrafted out of LSU this year. No contract details for either player were released by the team.
JULY 26th, 2:55pm: The Mavericks have reached an agreement with undrafted free agent Jameel Warney, reports Michael Scotto of The Associated Press (via Twitter). Exact details of the deal aren’t known, but if figures to be a minimum-salary pact, and according to Scotto, it will include a partial guarantee.
Warney, 22, played his college ball at Stony Brook, averaging 20.1 PPG and 10.7 RPG in his senior season, the second straight year he averaged a double-double. The young power forward also chipped in 3.1 blocks per contest, and shot 62.9% from the field. His performance earned him a spot on Jonathan Givony’s 2016 big board at DraftExpress.com, as he squeezed in at No. 100.
The Mavs have 14 players on guaranteed contracts on their books, and have another three players with partial guarantees, so Warney will face an uphill battle as he attempts to earn a regular-season roster spot. Warney will enter camp behind Dirk Nowitzki, Dwight Powell, and Quincy Acy on Dallas’ depth chart at power forward.
Eastern Notes: Gabriel, Rondo, Thomas
The Cavaliers have expressed interest in forward Kenny Gabriel, who has received an invitation to attend training camp with the team, Antonis Stroggylakis of Eurohoops.net relays. If Gabriel decides to remain overseas, he’s likely to sign with the Russian club, Lokomotiv Kuban, Stroggylakis notes. He appeared in 51 games last season for Pinar Kasiyaka, also in Russia, notching averages of 11.4 points and 5.7 rebounds on 47.1% shooting. The 27-year old was a member of Cleveland’s squad in the Las Vegas Summer League this year, where he averaged 7.4 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.
Here’s more from out of the Eastern Conference:
- The Bulls‘ addition of point guard Rajon Rondo could pay dividends for the team, Sam Smith of NBA.com writes, noting that Rondo’s reputation as being a disruptive force is a bit overblown. Rondo believes he and fellow new arrival, Dwyane Wade, will mesh well together, Smith adds. “I think I’m coming off one of my best seasons,” said Rondo. “I didn’t miss any games as far as injuries. I feel great. Dwyane’s been doing the same. We’re a little bit older in age, but I think that’s wiser. I’ve talked to Wade. I think we’ll be a very talented team, a very versatile team, especially at the guard position. To play with a guy like that, that I’ve battled against personally, it’s always great to have a guy like that on your side.”
- The free agent spending boom sparked by the league’s new TV deal this summer has many role-players earning higher salaries than the Celtics‘ All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas, who will be paid $6,587,132 for his work in 2017/18. Thomas isn’t bitter about his situation, but the player does worry if these larger deals will affect locker rooms around the NBA, Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com writes. “Hopefully it doesn’t mess up any locker rooms, hopefully it doesn’t mess up ours, but it can,” said Thomas. “Definitely if you get paid that much, you feel like you should have a bigger role than whatever that role is. But hopefully for the betterment of the team and the guys we have around the locker room, I don’t think it’s going to happen.“
- Despite feeling the pressure to add a superstar to the Celtics‘ roster, team executive Danny Ainge should hold onto the teams ample assets and not deviate from the plan merely to add a short-term piece, Michael Pina of RealGM opines in his look at the team.
Mavs, Dirk Nowitzki Finalize $50MM Deal
JULY 27th, 5:21pm: The deal is official, the Mavericks announced via press release.
JULY 22nd, 1:59pm: The second year of Nowitzki’s new deal is only partially guaranteed for $5MM, Stein writes within his full story on the agreement. Still, barring something drastic happening between now and next summer, it’s hard to imagine the Mavericks waiving the future Hall-of-Famer to get out of that second year — it’s likely a precaution in the event that Nowitzki decides to retire in 2017.
1:48pm: About two and a half weeks after reaching an agreement on the framework of a two-year contract, Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks have finalized that contract, and the deal will pay him more than initially expected, reports ESPN’s Marc Stein (via Twitter). According to Stein, Nowitzki’s new pact will be worth $50MM, an increase over the $40MM figure reported earlier this month.
Because the Mavericks hold Nowitzki’s Bird rights, the team can go over the cap to re-sign him, and can give him any salary up to his maximum, which is nearly $31MM for the 2016/17 season. Dallas has been keeping Nowitzki’s $12.5MM cap hold on the books while finalizing all the other agreed-upon signings and trades from the offseason — now that the team has no more cap room left, the 38-year-old’s deal can be completed.
Increasing Nowitzki’s salary by an extra $5MM per year shouldn’t have an impact on the team’s ability to bring in any other players. The pay bump also ensures that Dirk’s latest deal is worth slightly more than the final two-year, $48.5MM contract Kobe Bryant signed with the Lakers.
Even at $20MM annually, Nowitzki’s new deal would have represented a significant increase in salary on his last contract, which was worth $25MM over three years. At $50MM over two years, Nowitzki’s new annual average salary matches the overall value of that three-year pact.
The longtime Maverick opted out of the final year of that previous deal last month, choosing instead to work out a new, multiyear contract with Dallas. Although there were rumblings that the Warriors – and perhaps other teams – intended to reach out to Nowitzki, the Mavs were always the strong favorites to re-sign him.
Despite turning 38 in June, Nowitzki has continued to be extremely productive for the Mavericks, even as the team has slipped from title contention in recent years. In 2015/16, the German big man averaged 18.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 1.7 3PG. Nowitzki’s field-goal percentage did slip to .448, his worst mark since his rookie season, but he shot a respectable 36.8% on three-pointers and continued to handle a significant offensive load for the franchise.
Nowitzki’s new two-year contract was reportedly expected to include a player option in year two, as of earlier this month. There’s no indication yet that has changed, now that the two sides have formally hammered out the details.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Clippers Exploring Sites For New Arena
The Clippers, no longer content to share the Staples Center with division and city rivals, the Lakers, are exploring their options regarding a new arena and location, Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com reports. The franchise declined to comment on whether or not they are actively searching for a new home, but an NBA source told the scribe that one area that has piqued the Clippers’ interest is Los Angeles’ west side.
Another league source informed Arnovitz that the Clippers have identified six locations, all in southern California, as possibilities for their new potential home. Speaking at the Geekwise Sports Tech Summit last week, team owner Steve Ballmer emphasized that he had no plans to move the team out of Los Angeles, Arnovitz relays. “The Clippers are not going anywhere, ever,” Ballmer said. “I will die owning the L.A. Clippers in Los Angeles.”
The team’s lease with the Staples Center, which was extended in 2013, runs through June of 2024. Sources informed Arnovitz that any potential move by the Clippers would occur after the current arrangement with the arena expires. The Clippers have been co-tenants of Staples Center, which is owned and operated by Anschutz Entertainment Group, sharing it with the Lakers and the NHL’s Kings since the facility opened in Los Angeles prior to the 1999/2000 NBA season.
Sources with knowledge of the team’s thinking told the ESPN scribe that the Clippers feel that they are in essence the arena’s “third tenant,” which is growing tiresome to Ballmer and the rest of the front office. The Clippers receive a smaller share of proceeds from suites and club seats than the Lakers and Kings, according to sources, and have a lesser say in scheduling and the overall fan experience at the Staples Center, Arnovitz notes. In 2015, Ballmer told the Los Angeles Times, “We’re third guy in, we have third choice in dates. If you are a good businessman, you don’t come to the end of your lease and say, ‘I have no options, landlord, please take me to the woodshed and beat me.’ We’ll have options.”
A new arena, in addition to expanding the team’s revenue stream inside the facility, would also allow Ballmer to develop the surrounding area similar to how entertainment and office facilities have integrated with the Staples Center, Arnovitz writes. The Clippers don’t currently own their training center, and a source with knowledge of the organization’s vision said a new arena complex would very likely include a new practice facility, the scribe adds.
Pacific Notes: Gay, Pierce, Calathes, Kings, Suns
After Rudy Gay made some interesting comments that conveyed his dissatisfaction with his situation in Sacramento, Kings general manager Vlade Divac was asked about the disgruntled forward. As James Ham of CSN California details, Divac downplayed Gay’s comments about a lack of communication between him and the Kings as trade rumors swirl.
“He has my number,” the Kings GM said. “If I do something, I will call him. Obviously, if I didn’t call him, we didn’t do anything. … I was a player, 16-17 years in the league, nobody called me everyday and tell me what management is doing. Management was doing their job. If something big happened, they called and told me. Obviously, nothing big happened (so) I’m not going to call anybody.”
Let’s check in on a few other items from out of the Pacific division…
- Paul Pierce has yet to formally announce a decision one way or the other about his future, and a source tells Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter links) that the veteran forward will take a few more weeks to weigh his options and make a final call. However, another source suggests to Turner that Pierce is planning to return to the Clippers for one more season.
- As we heard earlier this week, the Kings made an effort to land Nick Calathes, but the former Grizzlies guard is “bound to return” to Panathinakos in Greece, according to international journalist David Pick.
- The Suns have officially announced Earl Watson‘s coaching staff, confirming in a press release that Tyrone Corbin and Nate Bjorkgren will be assistants, with former Raptors coach Jay Triano serving as the club’s associate head coach.
- After signing a three-year deal with the Suns, Jared Dudley has penned a piece for The Players’ Tribune about returning “home” and aiming to get the Suns back to their “2010 vibe.”
Blazers Sign C.J. McCollum To Extension
JULY 27: The Blazers have officially signed McCollum to his extension, the team announced today in a press release.
“I’m ecstatic to be able to extend my career in Portland and grateful for the trust and the opportunity the organization has provided for me,” McCollum said in a statement. “Since I arrived in Oregon I’ve considered it home and look forward to building something special, not only on the court, but in the community as well.”
JULY 25: The Trail Blazers and C.J. McCollum have reached an agreement on a maximum-salary contract extension, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. According to Wojnarowski, the deal will add four years to McCollum’s current contract, locking him up through the 2020/21 season. Based on current cap projections, the deal would be worth about $106MM.
The 10th overall pick in the 2013 draft, McCollum became eligible for a contract extension for the first time this month, after playing the first three seasons of his rookie contract. He’s set to earn a modest $3.22MM salary in 2016/17 before getting bumped up to the max the following year. If he hadn’t agreed to an extension with Portland, McCollum would have been eligible for restricted free agency next summer.
After starting just three of 100 games in his first two seasons as a pro, McCollum became a full-time starter in 2015/16. He responded by increasing his scoring average from 6.8 PPG to 20.8 PPG, and chipped in 4.3 APG and 1.2 SPG as well. Although McCollum’s huge increase in production was largely due to a similar increase in playing time, he was also a more efficient contributor in his third season, establishing new career highs in FG% (.448), 3PT% (.417), and FT% (.827).
Because Portland inked Damian Lillard to a five-year contract extension last year, making him the team’s “designated player,” McCollum was limited to a four-year extension. Wojnarowski adds that the agreement for the team’s starting two guard won’t include any options or a trade kicker.
While the exact value of McCollum’s contract won’t be known until the NBA officially sets the 2017/18 salary cap next July, the league currently projects a $102MM cap, which would result in a starting salary of about $24MM on McCollum’s new deal. The Blazers already have nearly $62MM committed to Lillard, Allen Crabbe, and Evan Turner for the ’17/18 campaign — McCollum’s deal figures to bring that total to about $86MM.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
And-Ones: Cap Room, L. Sanders, R. Smith, RFAs
The Sixers, Nuggets, Nets, Thunder, and Lakers have the most cap room still available, as Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders details. In addition to those five clubs, the Timberwolves, Suns, Jazz, Celtics, Pacers, and Bucks also have some wiggle room remaining. While some of those clubs could use that cap space to try to sign a free agent like J.R. Smith or Lance Stephenson, I’d expect many of those teams to stay well below the cap throughout the year. Remaining $10-15MM below the cap would allow a team to accommodate a mid-season salary dump, potentially picking up a draft pick or two in the process.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA:
- Larry Sanders, who has been working out and is considering an NBA comeback, may be willing to play for a minumum-salary contract, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (via Twitter). It remains to be seen whether a team will take a flier on the former Bucks big man.
- Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders identifies a few players who will be under pressure to perform in 2016/17 due to big new free agent contracts or roles that changed as a result of other players’ deperatures.
- Former Louisville guard Russ Smith, who appeared in 15 games for the Grizzlies last season, has accepted a $1MM contract offer from Galatasaray, according to international basketball reporter David Pick (via Twitter). Mete Budak of Eurohoops pegs the former second-round pick’s salary at $850K, so the Turkish team may have included some bonuses in the deal.
- Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders explains why he thinks the NBA’s restricted free agency system has problems, and puts forth some suggestions to potentially improve it. Donatas Motiejunas of the Rockets is the only RFA still on the market this summer.