Clippers Sign Alan Anderson
AUGUST 3, 1:25pm: The Clippers have officially signed Anderson, the team announced today in a press release.
AUGUST 2, 7:14pm: Anderson’s deal is for one year and is worth the veteran’s minimum, Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times tweets.
6:37pm: The Clippers have agreed to a deal with unrestricted free agent Alan Anderson, Dan Woike of The Orange County Register reports (via Twitter). The length and terms of the arrangement are unknown, but given Los Angeles’ lack of cap space, it is likely a minimum salary pact.
There were reports that the Wizards were considering re-signing Anderson, though their interest was categorized as minimal. The swingman was limited to 13 games last season with Washington after undergoing offseason surgery on his left ankle. He averaged 5.0 points , 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 14.8 minutes per outing in 2015/16.
Anderson, 33, has appeared in a total of 300 regular season NBA games over the course of his career. He owns career averages of 7.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting .406/.345/.818.
Derek Fisher Exploring Possible Comeback
12:33pm: Begley has updated his story to add that Fisher is considering playing in China if he can’t find a suitable NBA opportunity.
11:47am: Derek Fisher made a rare leap directly from his playing career to a coaching career in 2014, when he became the Knicks’ head coach less than two weeks after playing in a postseason game for the Thunder. Now, it appears that Fisher is mulling another unusual career move.
According to Ian Begley of ESPN.com, Fisher has been “exploring options and expressing interest in playing again,” at age 41 (42 next Tuesday). Fisher himself hinted at the possibility of a comeback on Tuesday when he posted a Facebook video that showed him working out and featured the hashtag #Imnotdoneyet.
Based on Begley’s report, it’s not clear if any teams have reciprocated Fisher’s interest, or if the longtime NBA point guard has simply put out some feelers, but it’s a situation worth keeping an eye on.
There has been no shortage of former NBA players exploring potential returns to the league this year, with league-wide free agent spending at an all-time high. Fisher has a stronger case than many of those other players attempting comebacks — he was a regular contributor up until the 2013/14 season, when he averaged 17.6 minutes per game in 81 regular-season contests, then appeared in another 19 playoff games.
Assuming he’s still in good shape, Fisher could get a look from teams interested in him as much for his locker-room presence and veteran leadership as for his on-court contributions.
Eastern Notes: DeRozan, Plumlee, Pistons, Heat
Earlier this week, we passed along some comments made by DeMar DeRozan about the free agency process, which only lasted about two hours for him, as he quickly agreed to re-sign with the Raptors in the early hours of July 1. DeRozan also spoke to Michael Lee of The Vertical about his offseason, and he admitted that the idea of having the NBA’s highest salary in 2016/17, approximately a $16MM increase on his previous salary, hasn’t really sunk in.
“Honestly, I haven’t looked at it like [that],” DeRozan said. “It’s crazy when you do say it. But I’m going to go out there and play like I’m still playing for a contract.”
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- According to Bobby Marks of The Vertical, Miles Plumlee‘s new four-year deal with the Bucks has an annual $12.4MM cap hit, making it worth $49.6MM in total. Plumlee’s contract can max out at $52MM, so it features about $600K in unlikely incentives annually.
- In his latest mailbag at NBA.com, Keith Langlois discusses a handful of Pistons-related topics, including the possibility of a Kentavious Caldwell-Pope extension and Stanley Johnson‘s role and future with the team.
- Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel cautions that Heat fans should keep their expectations in check regarding the possibility of landing Russell Westbrook in free agency next summer, since Miami – and any other team besides Oklahoma City – is a long shot for the star point guard. Winderman suggests that it makes more sense for the Heat to focus on developing their young talent rather than to “build an entire season around an all-or-nothing run for Westbrook.”
How Teams Are Using Room Exception, MLE
The NBA’s salary cap is a soft one, and that’s perhaps no better demonstrated than by the existence of the room exception. A form of the mid-level exception, it’s available for teams that have gone under the cap but spent their cap room. In other words, it’s essentially bonus cap room.
This year, the room exception is worth $2.898MM, and teams can use it to give two-year deals that include a 4.5% raise in the second season. So, the greatest total amount a player can receive using the room exception is $5,926,410. That’s not a lot, but it is significantly more than a two-year minimum-salary contract would entail, even for a veteran of 10 or more seasons.
Due to the rising NBA salary cap, more teams than ever have the room exception available to them this year. A year ago, 13 teams stayed over the cap in the offseason, while 17 went under. This time around, the number of teams staying over the cap has dipped to just three — the Clippers, Raptors, and world-champion Cavaliers. That means the league’s other 27 teams will all have the option of using the room exception during the 2016/17 league year.
Below, we’ve detailed how those 27 teams have used – or not used – the room exception so far. We’ve also made a note on how the Clippers, Raps, and Cavs have used their MLEs. This list will be kept up to date throughout the year, and can be found on our right-hand sidebar under “Hoops Rumors Features.”
Room Exception (used):
- Atlanta Hawks
- Used: $2,500,000 (Malcolm Delaney)
- Available: $398,000
- Dallas Mavericks
- Used: $2,898,000 (Seth Curry)
- Available: $0
- Golden State Warriors
- Used: $2,898,000 (Zaza Pachulia)
- Available: $0
- Houston Rockets
- Used: $2,898,000 (Nene)
- Available: $0
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Used: $2,898,000 (James Ennis)
- Available: $0
- Miami Heat
- Used: $2,898,000 (Dion Waiters)
- Available: $0
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Used: $2,090,000 (Tim Frazier)
- Available: $808,000
- New York Knicks
- Used: $2,898,000 (Mindaugas Kuzminskas)
- Available: $0
- San Antonio Spurs
- Used: $2,898,000 (Dewayne Dedmon)
- Available: $0
- Washington Wizards
- Used: $1,200,000 (Brandon Jennings)
- Available: $1,698,000
Room Exception (unused):
- Boston Celtics (cap space remaining)
- Brooklyn Nets (cap space remaining)
- Charlotte Hornets
- Chicago Bulls
- Denver Nuggets (cap space remaining)
- Detroit Pistons
- Indiana Pacers (cap space remaining)
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Minnesota Timberwolves (cap space remaining)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (cap space remaining)
- Orlando Magic
- Philadelphia 76ers (cap space remaining)
- Phoenix Suns (cap space remaining)
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Sacramento Kings
- Utah Jazz (cap space remaining)
Mid-Level Exception (used):
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Used: $2,500,000 (Richard Jefferson); $543,471 (Kay Felder)
- Available: $433,529 (taxpayer MLE)
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Used: $5,628,000 (Wesley Johnson)
- Available: $0
- Toronto Raptors
- Used: $5,628,000 (Jared Sullinger)
- Available: $0
Information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Free Agent Notes: Gordon, T. Robinson, Spurs
Veteran guard Ben Gordon, who will suit up for Great Britain during the Eurobasket qualifiers in the coming weeks, tells Ian Begley of ESPN.com that he’s still looking for an opportunity to return to the NBA.
“I would definitely love to get back in the league after being out for a year,” Gordon said. “Just watching the way the game is being played, up and down. Obviously, the 3-point shot is always a big deal but it seems like just now, more than ever, that shot is being used more and more. So I feel like I can still play at a high level and shoot that 3-ball and add that kind of depth to a team that may be looking to fulfill that need. So yeah, I definitely have hopes of making a return with an NBA team or just playing period, wherever that may be.”
Here are a few more free agency notes and rumors from around the basketball world:
- According to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link), the Spurs have been the “most vocal” team when it comes to showing interest in free agent power forward Thomas Robinson. A former fifth overall pick, Robinson spoke to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders about the strides he feels he has made on and off the court since entering the league in 2012.
- The Rockets made Andrew Goudelock a free agent last month by waiving him before his 2016/17 salary became guaranteed, and the veteran point guard has since found a new home. According to international basketball journalist David Pick (Twitter link), Goudelock has agreed to a $1.2MM deal with Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv. Emiliano Carchia of Sportando had passed along a report on the agreement between the two sides earlier today. Meanwhile, Pick tweets that Goudelock turned down a slightly larger offer from Turkish team Galatasaray.
- LeBron James remains the top player who technically remains unsigned, but his free agency is such a non-story that Lee Jenkins’ latest piece on SI.com about the Finals MVP barely mentions it, with Jenkins noting that signing a new contract with the Cavaliers is merely a “formality.” Still, Jenkins’ story on LeBron is worth reading in full.
Western Notes: Thompson, Tarczewski, Faried
Klay Thompson, whose shot attempts are likely to decrease now that Kevin Durant is a member of the Warriors, disagrees with the notion that Golden State’s players will need sacrifice their individual games for the team to be successful, Shams Charania of The Vertical writes. “I feel kind of disrespected that people keep using the term sacrifice to describe me and describe us,” Thompson told Charania. “We all want to see each other do well. But I’m not sacrificing [expletive], because my game isn’t changing. I’m still going to try to get buckets, hit shots, come off screens. I want to win and have a fun time every game we play.”
Thompson also relishes that the Warriors will be viewed as villains by opposing fans, Charania adds. “The NBA season can get mundane; 82 games are so long and there can be some boredom,” Thompson said. “Now, we can embrace being the hated team and getting everyone’s best, and adding some tension every night. It’ll be a fun experience going into arenas on the road, with opposing fans hating what we’ve built.”
Here’s more from out West:
- Undrafted free agent center Kaleb Tarczewski has been invited to attend training camp with the Thunder with an eye on him joining their D-League affiliate, international journalist David Pick relays (on Twitter).
- The Timberwolves have hired Noah Croom as their new assistant GM, Chris Haynes of The Northeast Ohio Media Group reports (via Twitter). Croom previously served as the Grizzlies assistant GM when the franchise was still located in Vancouver.
- The Nuggets are still open to trading power forward Kenneth Faried, with the Thunder and Pelicans among the teams that have expressed interest, Sam Amico of Amico Hoops relays.
Salary Cap Snapshot: Boston Celtics
Here’s a breakdown of where the Celtics currently stand financially:
Guaranteed Salary
- Al Horford — $26,540,100 (Deal includes 15% Trade Kicker)
- Amir Johnson — $12,000,000
- Avery Bradley —$8,269,663
- Tyler Zeller — $8,000,000
- Isaiah Thomas — $6,587,132
- Jae Crowder —$6,286,408
- Jonas Jerebko — $5,000,000
- Jaylen Brown — $4,743,000
- Marcus Smart — $3,578,880
- Kelly Olynyk — $3,094,013
- Terry Rozier — $1,906,440
- James Young — $1,825,200
- Demetrius Jackson — $1,450,000
- Jordan Mickey — $1,223,653
- R.J. Hunter — $1,200,240 [Waived by team]
- Gerald Green — $980,431 [Actual Salary — $1,410,598]
- Ben Bentil — $250,000 [Waived by team]
- Damion Lee — $50,000 [Waived by team]
- Marcus Georges-Hunt — $25,000 [Waived by team]
- Jalen Jones — $25,000 [Waived by team]
Total Guaranteed Salary= $93,035,160
Cash Sent Out Via Trade: $0 [Amount Remaining $3.5MM]
Cash Received Via Trade: $0 [Amount Remaining $3.5MM]
Payroll Exceptions Available
- Room Exception: $2,898,000
Total Projected Payroll: $93,035,160
Salary Cap: $94,143,000
Estimated Available Cap Space: $1,107,840
Luxury Tax Threshold: $113,287,000
Amount Below Luxury Tax: $20,251,840
Last Updated: 1/10/17
The Basketball Insiders salary pages and The Vertical’s salary database were used in the creation of this post.
Eastern Notes: George, Stephenson, Andrews
Pacers swingman Paul George is excited about the team’s offseason additions and views next season as one that Indiana will use to vault back into championship contention, Michael Singer of USA Today relays. “I think Al Jefferson is as good as it gets in terms of low-post scorers,” George said. “Thaddeus Young has been very underrated, been forgotten about being in Brooklyn.”
George, who chose to participate in this summer’s Olympic games despite suffering a horrific leg injury two years ago during a Team USA scrimmage, discussed his mindset now, telling Singer, “Being away from the game you cherish it a whole lot more. It’s a reality that one day this thing could be all over. So stepping on that court, it’s refreshing. I found a whole new love that I didn’t think I could find in basketball.”
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- The Hornets have invited undrafted free agent Andrew Andrews to attend training camp with the team, Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops reports (via Twitter). The point guard appeared in 34 games for the Washington Huskies last season, averaging 20.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 33.8 minutes per outing.
- While Lance Stephenson may be a fit with the Heat if he were willing to come off the bench, the team’s roster crunch (18 players currently under contract) would likely prevent the swingman from viewing Miami as a desirable landing spot for next season if the team were interested in him, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel opines in his latest “Ask Ira” column.
- Bobby Marks of The Vertical took a look at back an active offseason for the Hawks that saw the departures of longtime players Jeff Teague and Al Horford, plus the arrival of Dwight Howard via free agency.
Jimmer Fredette To Play In China
6:21pm: Fredette’s deal is for one year and will pay him in excess of $1MM, Ian Begley of ESPN.com tweets.
2:20pm: Five years after being selected 10th overall in the 2011 draft, Jimmer Fredette appears set to take his talents overseas. According to international basketball journalist David Pick (Twitter link), Fredette has agreed to sign with the Shanghai Sharks, the Chinese team owned by former NBA star Yao Ming.
While Fredette’s deal with the Sharks is not yet official, it doesn’t come at a surprise that he has decided to explore international opportunities. After averaging 18.6 minutes per game in his rookie season with the Kings in 2011/12, Fredette has seen his playing time steadily decline since then, as he bounced around from Sacramento to Chicago to New Orleans to New York.
Last season, the former BYU star appeared in just six total games for the Pelicans and Knicks, playing a total of 18 minutes. By heading overseas, Fredette will have a chance to take on a more significant role for a club, rather than battling for a back-end roster spot with an NBA team.
In 235 career NBA games, Fredette has averaged 6.0 PPG and 1.4 APG, shooting a respectable 38.1% on three-point attempts.
Poll: 2005 NBA Draft Take Two (Pick No. 1)
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’ll tackle 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 kick this off with the Bucks, who held the No. 1 pick that season. Readers, you are now on the clock! Cast your vote for Milwaukee’s pick and check back Wednesday night for the results, as well as for your chance to vote for whom the Hawks should have taken at No. 2. 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.
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