Submit Your Questions For Hoops Rumors Mailbag
We at Hoops Rumors love interacting with our readers. This is why we provide an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in our weekly mailbag feature, which is posted every Sunday.
Have a question regarding player movement, free agent rumors, the salary cap, the NBA draft, or the top storylines of the week? You can e-mail them here: hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com. Feel free to send emails throughout the week, but please be mindful that we may receive a sizable number of questions and might not get to all of them.
If you missed out on any past mailbags and would like to catch up, you can view the full archives here.
Salary Cap Snapshot: Denver Nuggets
With the free agent signing period winding down and teams looking ahead to the preseason, we at Hoops Rumors will be tracking the Salary Cap figures for each team around the league. These posts will be maintained throughout the season once financial data is reported. They will be located on the sidebar throughout the year, once all the teams’ cap figures have been relayed. You can always check RosterResource.com for up-to-date rosters for each franchise, with the Nuggets’ team page accessible here.
Here’s a breakdown of where the Nuggets currently stand financially:
Guaranteed Salary
- Danilo Gallinari — $15,050,000 (Deal includes 15% Trade Kicker)
- Kenneth Faried — $12,078,652
- Wilson Chandler — $11,233,146
- Darrell Arthur — $8,070,175
- Roy Hibbert — $5,000,000
- Jameer Nelson — $4,540,525
- Will Barton — $3,533,333
- Mike Miller — $3,500,000
- Emmanuel Mudiay — $3,241,800
- Jamal Murray — $3,210,840
- Mason Plumlee —$2,328,530
- Mo Williams — $2,194,500 [Waived by team]
- Juan Hernangomez — $1,987,440
- Gary Harris — $1,655,880
- Malik Beasley — $1,627,320
- Nikola Jokic — $1,358,500
- Nick Johnson — $980,431 [Waived by team]
- Alonzo Gee — $417,848 [Waived by team]
- Robbie Hummel — $150,000 [Waived by team]
- Jarnell Stokes — $150,000 [Waived by team]
- Alonzo Gee — $57,672 [10-day contract (Jan 8); actual salary — $77,379]
- Johnny O’Bryant — $57,672 [10-day contract (Jan 26)]
- Johnny O’Bryant — $57,672 [10-day contract (Feb 6)]
- D.J. Kennedy — $50,000 [Waived by team]
- Nate Wolters — $50,000 [Waived by team]
Total Guaranteed Salary= $82,581,936
Cash Sent Out Via Trade: $0 [Amount Remaining $3.5MM]
Cash Received Via Trade: $3.5MM — Received $650K from Hawks in Mo Williams trade. Received $2.85MM from Trail Blazers in Mason Plumlee trade. [Amount Remaining $0]
Payroll Exceptions Available
- Room Exception: $2,898,000
Total Projected Payroll: $82,581,936
Salary Cap: $94,143,000
Estimated Available Cap Space: $11,561,064
Luxury Tax Threshold: $113,287,000
Amount Below Luxury Tax: $30,705,064
Salary Cap Floor: $84,729,000
Amount Below Salary Cap Floor: $2,147,064
Last Updated: 2/24/17
The Basketball Insiders salary pages and The Vertical’s salary database were used in the creation of this post.
Western Notes: McCollum, Nance Jr., Wolves
Speaking at a press conference today, Blazers guard C.J. McCollum raved about the team’s moves this offseason and what they mean for the season ahead, Joe Freeman of The Oregonian relays. “I think we have a little bit of everything,” McCollum said. “You look at the roster, the way we put different pieces together, bringing in Festus Ezeli, a guy who has championship-level experience defensively, impacts the game right way. Can hedge ball screens. Can do a lot of things we’re not accustomed to. Then you look at Mason Plumlee, a big who can handle the ball, can initiate the offense, can kind of serve as our defacto point guard a lot of times in situations where Dame (Damian Lillard) and I were getting trapped. Bringing back (Allen Crabbe) was big, a guy who can knock down shots, defend high-level wings. Bringing in Evan Turner, a versatile wing, who can pass, play-make, play on the ball, and I think he’ll be an improved three-point shooter.
So we brought back Maurice Harkless, we brought back Meyers Leonard, we brought back a lot of young guys who are thirsty, thirsty to get better, thirsty to prove that the success wasn’t a fluke, thirsty to prove they’re worth what they are getting. A lot of guys are looking forward to the challenge of, like Neil said before, exceeding expectations again and continuing to win and build. Because we care about the city, we care about where we come from, we care about what we represent. And I think that’s what you get, guys who are team-first.”
Here’s more from out West:
- Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr., who injured his wrist during Las Vegas Summer League play, is progressing well and is expected to resume full basketball activities in two weeks time, per an announcement by the team.
- In his look at the Timberwolves‘ offseason moves, Bobby Marks of The Vertical opines that the most important addition was coach/executive Tom Thibodeau, who will be counted on to teach the young roster how to be winners. The scribe also notes that the additions of Cole Aldrich and Jordan Hill were vital for the franchise, given the health concerns of Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Garnett.
Poll: 2005 NBA Draft Take Two (Pick No. 4)
Drafting players is far from an exact science, and many a GM has been second-guessed for his draft night decisions. While life, and the NBA, doesn’t often allow for second chances, we at Hoops Rumors believe it’s fun to give our readers a second take at picking players, complete with the benefit of hindsight.
We’ve previously tackled the 2003 and 2013 NBA Drafts and the next one we’re tackling is 2005’s, the year that the Bucks nabbed big man Andrew Bogut with the No. 1 overall pick. That year’s draft class is generally viewed as one of the weaker ones in recent memory, though, there were quite a few second-rounders that year (Ersan Ilyasova, Monta Ellis, Lou Williams, Amir Johnson and Marcin Gortat) who have gone on to have very solid NBA careers.
In the weeks ahead, we’ll provide a series of reader polls that ask you to vote on the player whom you believe should have been selected with each pick. We’ll continue onward with the Hornets/Pelicans, who held the No. 4 pick that season. Readers, you are now on the clock! Cast your vote for New Orleans’s pick and check back Saturday night for the results, as well as for your chance to vote for whom the Charlotte Bobcats should have taken at No. 5. But don’t limit yourself to a simple button click. Take to the comments section below and share your thoughts on the pick and why you voted the way that you did. Also, if I fail to list a player who you think should be selected, feel free to post that in the comments section and I’ll be certain to tally those votes as well.
Selections
- Bucks — Chris Paul [Actual Pick — Andrew Bogut]
- Hawks — Deron Williams [Actual Pick — Marvin Williams]
- Jazz — Monta Ellis [Actual Pick — Deron Williams]
- Hornets/Pelicans — ? [Actual Pick — Chris Paul]
If you’re a Trade Rumors app user, click here.
Lakers Re-Sign Marcelo Huertas
AUGUST 5: The Lakers have officially signed Huertas, the team announced today in a press release.
“Marcelo’s understanding of the game, unselfishness, and professionalism are assets to our team and he has an uncanny ability to change the pace of the game,” GM Mitch Kupchak said in a statement. “He’s fundamentally solid but also has a flair and excitement to his style of play, which makes him a fan favorite.”
Estimates from Bobby Marks of The Vertical and Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders put the value of Huertas deal at about $1.6-1.7MM annually over two years.
JULY 7: The Lakers and restricted free agent Marcelo Huertas have agreed to a deal that will keep the point guard in Los Angeles, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports. It’s a two-year pact, Wojnarowski notes, but the scribe does not relay the amount, nor what guarantees, if any, are included in the arrangement.
Los Angeles had tendered the 33-year-old a qualifying offer worth $1,074,636, which made Huertas a restricted free agent. He’ll be the the third-string point guard behind recently acquired Jose Calderon and 2015 lottery pick D’Angelo Russell, the scribe adds.
Huertas appeared in 53 games for the Lakers in 2015/16, averaging 4.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 16.4 minutes per outing. His shooting numbers on the campaign were .422/.262/.931.
Players Eligible For Veteran Extensions
Outside of Kevin Durant, perhaps the two most notable stars to sign new contracts so far this summer are players who weren’t yet free agents. James Harden renegotiated and extended his deal with the Rockets, while Russell Westbrook recently did the same with the Thunder. In both cases, the player received a significant raise on his 2016/17 salary in addition to tacking on a couple extra years to his contract.
The Rockets and Thunder, however, were only permitted to bump up Harden’s and Westbrook’s current-year salaries because they had the cap space necessary to accommodate those raises. For over-the-cap teams, contracts can be extended, but renegotiated raises of that magnitude aren’t allowed. Veteran players are generally only eligible to sign extensions with a new starting salary worth up to 7.5% more than the salary in the final season of the contract under its existing terms, or, in special cases, the contract’s average salary.
Veteran extensions aren’t like rookie-scale extensions, which allow teams to go over the cap to sign players for a salary up to the maximum. Plus, veteran extensions can cover no more than three new seasons (four total), whereas rookie-scale extensions can run as long as five. That’s why rookie-scale extensions are fairly common, while veteran extensions are much rarer — it usually makes more sense for veterans to wait until free agency, even if they want to re-up with their current teams.
Further limiting the scope of veteran extensions is the fact that a player may only sign one if he’s been under his existing contract for three years, or once three years have passed since the last time he signed an extension. That means any contract that doesn’t run at least four seasons can’t be extended.
The limitations on veteran extensions mean that we likely won’t see many more of those deals agreed upon this offseason, if any at all. There are some teams, such as the Jazz and Sixers, who have the cap room necessary to give their extension-eligible players a renegotiated raise for 2016/17, making such a deal plausible. And some extension-eligible veterans may not be in line for a major pay increase in 2017’s free agent period anyway, making them more inclined to ink an extension now. For the most part though, these players will eventually reach free agency without a new agreement in place.
The complete list of players currently eligible for veteran extensions is as follows:
- Atlanta Hawks
- Chicago Bulls
- Dallas Mavericks
- Andrew Bogut (eligible as of October 25)*
- Golden State Warriors
- Indiana Pacers
- Paul George (eligible as of September 25)
- Jeff Teague*
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Nikola Pekovic (eligible as of August 15)
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Tyreke Evans
- Jrue Holiday
- Quincy Pondexter (eligible as of October 31)
- New York Knicks
- Orlando Magic
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Sacramento Kings
- DeMarcus Cousins (eligible as of September 30)
- Utah Jazz
- Derrick Favors (eligible as of October 19)
- George Hill
- Washington Wizards
* — These players have been traded within the last six months, so they face further constraints. Veteran extensions for them can cover only two new years (three total), and the starting salary can be no more than 4.5% greater than the salary in the last season of the existing contract.
See the list of players eligible for rookie-scale extensions right here.
Roster Resource was used in the creation of this post. Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Community Shootaround: Miami Heat
It’s been an offseason of surprises in Miami, where the Heat’s roster looks much different than it did a couple months ago.
After months of posturing over whether or not the team would be willing to offer Hassan Whiteside the max, Miami relented, holding off aggressive rival suitors to re-sign the star center to a four-year deal. However, several days later, the Heat lost their other key free agent, longtime star guard Dwyane Wade, when he decided to head to Chicago. With Wade no longer on their books, the Heat turned around and matched Tyler Johnson‘s pricey four-year offer sheet from the Nets, an outcome that likely surprised even Johnson.
The Heat also got one of the bargains of the summer when they signed Dion Waiters using their room exception, but the addition of Waiters – along with veterans like James Johnson, Wayne Ellington, and Luke Babbitt – raises questions about the club’s plan for 2016/17.
Will Miami hand the reins to young players like Whiteside, Johnson, Justise Winslow, and Josh Richardson, and start looking ahead to the future? Or is this still a team focused on immediately contending with the help of its veterans?
The status of Chris Bosh could go a long way toward determining the Heat’s future, at least in the short term. If Bosh can return to the court, the club will have its eye on the playoffs and on the 2017 free agent market, where it could pursue an impact player to complement Whiteside, Bosh, and the team’s other core players. If Bosh is deemed medically unfit to return, the Heat may shift into retooling mode. Of course, even with Bosh on the floor, it doesn’t look like Miami has enough talent to seriously challenge LeBron James and the Cavaliers in the East.
Complicating matters is Russell Westbrook‘s recent extension with the Thunder — if the Heat were already looking ahead to the 2017 free agent period, Westbrook likely would have been atop the club’s wish list. Instead, he no longer looks like a viable target until at least 2018.
What do you think? How do you think the Heat should move forward? Should they shift into retooling mode, allowing their young players to take on larger roles? Or should the team still be exploring the trade market and looking ahead to next summer’s free agent market in an effort to make upgrades and compete immediately? Are those two scenarios even mutually exclusive, or is there a way for the club to do both?
Take to the comments section below to share your opinions on the Heat. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Nets Sign Beau Beech
AUGUST 5: The Nets have issued a press release formally announcing that Beech’s deal is now complete.
JULY 24: The Nets will sign Beau Beech to a partially guaranteed one-year deal, Shams Charania of The Vertical reports (on Twitter). Brooklyn has 15 guaranteed contracts so Beech is likely headed to the team’s D-League affiliate in Long Island.
Beech went undrafted last month out of the University of North Florida. At 6’9,” Beech is versatile enough to play shooting guard, small forward or power forward. He played mostly as a shooting guard in college.
Beech averaged 15.9 points and 6.5 rebounds over 32 minutes per game last season last season. He also shot 42.4% from 3-point range. Beech played on the Nets’ summer league team and impressed enough to earn the partially guaranteed deal.
Nets Sign Yogi Ferrell
AUGUST 5: The Nets have officially signed Ferrell, the team announced today in a press release.
JULY 22: Nearly a month after the Nets’ agreement with Ferrell was initially reported, it looks like it’s close to being made official. Michael Scotto of The Associated Press tweets that it will just be a one-year deal for Ferrell.
JUNE 24: The Nets and Yogi Ferrell have agreed to a partially guaranteed deal, according to Jake Fischer of Liberty Ballers (Twitter link). Fischer adds that Ferrell turned down several draft-and-stash opportunities, presumably in the second round.
Ferrell started all four years while attending Indiana and he averaged 17.3 points, 5.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game during his senior season. Jonathan Givony of Draft Express ranks him as the 63rd best prospect in the draft.
The Nets don’t have a strong option at the point guard position on their roster. Incumbent starter Jarrett Jack, who played well last season before tearing his ACL, is no lock to return, as GM Sean Marks indicated that the team is still undecided on whether to pick up his team option. If Ferrell impresses early on, he could end up being part of the team’s rotation next season, though that’s merely my speculation.
Metta World Peace Wants To Continue Career
Veteran NBA forward Metta World Peace will turn 37 this fall and he has already given some consideration to what he’ll do once his playing career is over, but he’s not ready to call it a career quite yet. Speaking to Ian Begley of ESPN.com, World Peace said he’s “absolutely” planning to play in 2016/17, adding that the NBA is “always on the front burner.”
“I’m waiting for teams. I can still play. I can play, it’s not even a question man,” World Peace said. “But, you know, sometimes you don’t get in the game, man. What are you going to do? I’m not going to be upset, I’m going to support. So if I don’t play, like this year on the Lakers I could have averaged 15 or 20 on the Lakers if I played, easily. But you know, I’ll be supportive [if I don’t play].”
The man formerly known as Ron Artest appeared in 35 games for the Lakers this past season, making five starts. He averaged 5.0 PPG and 2.5 RPG in those contests, averaging a dismal 31.1% from the floor. His stat line in Los Angeles makes it seem unlikely that he’ll get a guaranteed contract offer from an NBA team anytime soon, but the former first-round pick says he has been staying busy in the meantime, and hinted at what he’d like do once his playing career is officially over.
“Right now, I’m life coaching a lot of people that are in the NBA,” World Peace said to Begley. “I can’t say [who]. But I coach a couple players. But it’s not a thing where I’m going to hide and be that perfect mentor. I just give them the best advice I can and live my life accordingly. I’m doing that now and one day I would love to coach. The Lakers are tattooed in my heart. They gave me a second chance when everyone was down on me, they gave me a chance to win a ring. The city of Los Angeles, they put up with me.”