Bucks Re-Sign Miles Plumlee
AUGUST 2nd, 4:44pm: The signing is official, the team announced. “Miles is an athletic big man that gives us added depth on the frontline,” GM John Hammond said. “He does a really good job as a finisher around the basket and also as a rim protector on the defensive end. We’re very happy to have him back with the Bucks.”
JULY 18th, 11:11am: The Bucks have agreed to terms with restricted free agent Miles Plumlee on a four-year deal that will pay him $50MM+, according to multiple reports. Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who first broke word of the agreement, tweets that it’s worth $50MM, while ESPN’s Marc Stein says (via Twitter) it’s worth $52MM. Michael Scotto of The Associated Press adds (via Twitter) that there are no options, and all four years are guaranteed.
Plumlee, who turns 28 in September, has played for three teams since entering the NBA in 2012. After playing for Indiana in his rookie season, Plumlee was sent to Phoenix as part of a trade package for Luis Scola. He was later moved to the Bucks in the three-way trade at the 2015 deadline that saw Brandon Knight land in Phoenix and Michael Carter-Williams join Plumlee in Milwaukee.
After averaging nearly 20 minutes per game in Phoenix, Plumlee saw his role reduced in Milwaukee. In his first full season with the Bucks this past year, he played 14.3 minutes per contest, averaging 5.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 0.8 BPG. Those numbers are modest, but the Bucks apparently liked what they saw enough to make him a restricted free agent, then to commit big money to him on a four-year deal.
[RELATED: Milwaukee Bucks depth chart at RosterResource.com]
With Plumlee locked up, the Bucks are now on the hook for more than $40MM combined to him, John Henson, and Greg Monroe for the 2016/17 season. Even with a Giannis Antetokounmpo extension potentially coming this fall, or next summer, the Bucks have the financial flexibility to afford all three deals — Henson’s salary declines annually, and Greg Monroe can opt out of his contract in 2017.
Still, we’ve heard throughout the summer that the Bucks have been exploring the trade market in an attempt to find a viable deal for Monroe. With Henson and Plumlee now locked up through the 2019/20 season, it seems even more clear that Monroe isn’t a part of the team’s long-term plans.
As our Free Agent Tracker shows, Plumlee is the 26th free agent this summer to land a new contract with a total value of at least $50MM.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Free Agent Spending By Division: Northwest
Over the next several days, we’ll be breaking down 2016 NBA free agent spending by division, examining which teams – and divisions – were the most active this July.
These divisional breakdowns won’t present a full picture of teams’ offseason spending. Some notable free agents, including LeBron James, remain unsigned, so there’s still money out there to be spent. Our lists also don’t include money spent on this year’s first- and second-round picks or draft-and-stash signings. There are a few free agent names missing in some instances as well, since those deals aren’t yet official or terms haven’t been reported.
Still, these closer looks at divisional spending should generally reveal how teams invested their money in free agency this summer, identifying which clubs went all-out and which ones played it safe.
With the help of our Free Agent Tracker and contract info from Basketball Insiders, we’ll focus today on the Northwest division. Let’s dive in…
1. Portland Trail Blazers
- Total money committed: $242,414,220
- Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $234,307,500
- Largest expenditure: Allen Crabbe (four years, $74,832,500)
- Other notable signings:
- Evan Turner (four years, $70,000,000)
- Meyers Leonard (four years, $41,000,000)
- Maurice Harkless (four years, $40,000,000)
- Festus Ezeli (two years, $15,133,000)
- Notes:
- Crabbe’s deal was an offer sheet extended by the Nets that was matched by the Trail Blazers. Crabbe, Leonard, and Harkless were all restricted free agents.
- Ezeli’s second-year salary of $7.733MM is currently guaranteed for just $1MM.
2. Minnesota Timberwolves
- Total money committed: $33,580,000
- Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $24,500,000
- Largest expenditure: Cole Aldrich (three years, $21,900,000)
- Other notable signings:
- Jordan Hill (two years, $8,180,000)
- Brandon Rush (one year, $3,500,000)
- Notes:
- Hill has a non-guaranteed $4.18MM salary in the second year of his contract, while $4.9MM of Aldrich’s total third-year salary is non-guaranteed.
3. Denver Nuggets
- Total money committed: $29,999,999
- Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $26,499,999
- Largest expenditure: Darrell Arthur (three years, $22,999,999)
- Other notable signings:
- Mike Miller (two years, $7,000,000)
- Notes:
- Miller’s deal is non-guaranteed in its second year, creating the $3.5MM gap between the Nuggets’ total money and guaranteed money committed in free agency.
4. Utah Jazz
- Total money committed: $21,505,000
- Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $21,505,000
- Largest expenditure: Joe Johnson (two years, $21,505,000)
- Other notable signings:
- None
- Notes:
- Rather than signing free agents, the Jazz focused on using their cap room to acquire players in trades, landing Boris Diaw and George Hill.
5. Oklahoma City Thunder
- Total money committed: $0
- Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $0
- Largest expenditure: None
- Other notable signings:
- None
- Notes:
- After losing Kevin Durant, the Thunder made one notable signing this summer, bringing over Alex Abrines on a three-year, $17MM+ deal. However, Abrines was a draft-and-stash player, not a free agent.
Spurs Sign David Lee
AUGUST 2: The Spurs have issued a press release officially announcing their deal with Lee.
JULY 28: The Spurs have added some veteran help to their frontcourt, with the team reaching an agreement on a contract with unrestricted free agent David Lee, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports (via Twitter).
It will be a two-year pact that includes a player option for the 2017/18 campaign, Wojnarowski adds. The contract will pay Lee an estimated $3.2MM, Jabari Young of The San Antonio Express-News tweets. That will make it a minimum-salary pact.
Lee brings a solid work ethic, a versatile skill set and a high motor with him to San Antonio. If he can remain healthy, Lee should fit right in with the Spurs brand of basketball. He’ll add some depth to a frontcourt that will be without Tim Duncan, who announced his retirement earlier this offseason.
The 33-year-old finished the 2015/16 season with the Mavericks after he reached a buyout arrangement with the Celtics. In 25 games with Dallas, Lee averaged 8.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 17.3 minutes per outing. He shot .636/.000/.738 from the field during his time in Texas.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Contract Details: Raptors, Bucks, Knicks, Spurs
The Raptors officially announced earlier today that their deal with undrafted free agent Jarrod Uthoff is done, and Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders has the details on that agreement. As Pincus outlines, it’s a two-year, minimum-salary pact with a $50K guarantee in year one. If Uthoff earns a spot on the regular-season roster and remains on the team beyond January 10, his first-year salary will become guaranteed. In that scenario, he’d have $100K of his 2017/18 salary guaranteed if he’s still on the roster past next July 25.
Pincus has specifics on a few more contracts from around the NBA, so let’s round up some of those updates…
- Second-round pick Malcolm Brogdon received a three-year deal with the Bucks that will be worth more than the minimum for the first two years. Those first two years are also fully guaranteed, per Pincus, who suggests that the total three-year value is just below $3MM.
- The Knicks formally signed undrafted rookie Ron Baker to a one-year contract on Monday, and the guaranteed portion of that deal is worth $75K, according to Pincus.
- Argentinian forward Patricio Garino got a two-year, minimum-salary deal from the Spurs that includes a $100K guarantee in its first year, Pincus reports. San Antonio should have a roster spot or two open heading into the season, so it’s worth noting that other players contending for those openings have slightly guarantees that are slightly higher (Bryn Forbes, $125K) or lower (Ryan Arcidiacono, $75K) than Garino’s.
Raptors Sign Jarrod Uthoff
AUGUST 2: The Raptors have officially signed Uthoff, the team announced today in a press release.
JULY 21: The Raptors and undrafted free agent Jarrod Uthoff have agreed on a partially guaranteed two-year deal, Shams Charania of The Vertical reports (on Twitter). It figures to be a minimum-salary pact, since Toronto is over the cap and has used its mid-level exception.
Uthoff will compete for the Raptors’ final roster spot. Uthoff was an All-American at Iowa last season. Among Big Ten players, Uthoff ranked second in scoring (18.9), first in blocked shots (2.7), and tied for 11th in rebounding (6.4).
Uthoff was expected by many draft pundits to get picked as a late first round selection. In a draft that featured a heavy influx of foreign talent, that, of course, was not the case. Uthoff did work out for several teams, including the Clippers, Grizzlies and Suns.
Knicks Sign J.P. Tokoto
A day after announcing the signing of undrafted free agent Ron Baker, the Knicks have added another player to their offseason roster, confirming (via Twitter) that they’ve finalized a contract for shooting guard J.P. Tokoto. Details of the agreement aren’t known, but it’s likely a training camp deal with a partial guarantee, as Ian Begley of ESPN.com tweets.
Tokoto, who will turn 23 next month, was a second-round pick in 2015, coming off the board at No. 58. He spent last offseason with the Sixers, but was ultimately cut before the regular season began, and landed in the D-League with the Oklahoma City Blue. The former Tar Heel appeared in 48 D-League contests (25 starts), averaging 11.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 1.5 SPG, while shooting 46.0% from the floor. Tokoto also played for the Knicks in Summer League action last month.
A busy offseason has left the Knicks with 14 players on fully guaranteed contracts for the 2016/17 season, with Baker and likely Tokoto receiving partial guarantees. Assuming the team heads into the regular season carrying the maximum 15 players and doesn’t waive a guaranteed salary, Tokoto, Baker, and others should have the opportunity to vie for the one open roster spot.
The Knicks’ roster and depth chart can be found right here.
And-Ones: Stackhouse, Labor, Olympics, Garnett
The Raptors are expected to name former All-Star Jerry Stackhouse as head coach of their D-League affiliate, Raptors 905, sources told Chris Reichert of UpsideMotor.com. Stackhouse, who played for eight teams during a career that lasted from 1995-2013, spent last season on Dwane Casey’s staff. He would replace Jesse Mermuys, who is now an assistant to new Los Angeles Lakers coach Luke Walton. Stackhouse coached the Raptors’ Summer League team in Las Vegas last month. Raptors 905 was an expansion team last season and had several players that also saw action in the NBA, including Anthony Bennett, Bruno Caboclo, Delon Wright and Lucas Nogueira, Reichert adds.
In other news around the league:
- NBPA executive director Michele Roberts is optimistic a new labor agreement will be reached before a potential lockout, she told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. “Our teams have been in discussions for some months now and we have made progress and we’re inclined to continue along those lines,” she said. “We have meetings this summer and we’re meeting next week and [consistently] after that. We’re trying to get a deal as quickly as we can, ideally before the start of the season.” Roberts added that if an agreement isn’t reached by the Dec. 15th deadline, the union would likely opt out, triggering the possible lockout following the season.
- American fans will get their first look at a lot of foreign players during the Summer Olympics, writes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. There will be many players whose names are familiar because teams hold their draft rights, such as Croatian star Dario Saric, who recently signed to play for the Sixers next season. Other prominent names include Lithuania’s Mindaugas Kuzminskas and Spain’s Willy Hernangomez, who will both be part of the Knicks; Nigeria’s Michael Gbinije, a second-round pick of the Pistons; China’s Zhou Qi, a Rockets’ second-rounder; Spain’s Sergio Llull, who the Rockets have been trying to convince to come to the NBA, Lithuania’s Domantas Sabonis, who was traded to the Thunder on draft night; and Spain’s Alex Abrines, who recently signed with the Thunder.
- Kevin Garnett met with Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor but no final decision materialized regarding Garnett’s future, Darren Wolfson of KSTP tweets. The 40-year-old Garnett, who appeared in 38 games last season, has one year and $8MM remaining on his contract.
- CAA Sports signed NBA free agent guards Sergio Rodriguez and Ish Smith and negotiated deals with their new clubs, Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal tweets. The Sixers signed the 30-year-old Rodriguez to a one-year, $8MM contract. Smith received a three-year, $18MM deal from the Pistons.
Extension Candidate: Russell Westbrook
Kevin Durant‘s decision to join the Warriors presents All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook with a difficult dilemma. The way the Collective Bargaining Agreement is structured makes Westbrook’s decision even more complex.
In most cases, productive veteran players have little incentive to restructure their current contracts and sign an extension. Not so in Westbrook’s case. The Thunder exercised caution this summer once Durant chose to join forces with the two-time Western Conference champions. Outside of adding Euro Alex Abrines via free agency, they essentially stood pat.
When free agent guard Dion Waiters signed with the Heat, his cap hold disappeared and Oklahoma City had more than enough salary-cap room to offer Westbrook a maximum extension.
Westbrook could elevate his salary for the upcoming season from approximately $17.8MM to $26.5MM. Since these types of extensions are capped at four seasons and include the remaining years on the current deal, Westbrook could sign only through the 2019/20 season. As Tommy Beer of Basketball Insiders details, Westbrook would essentially be agreeing to a four-year contract worth nearly $118MM.
The bump in salary for the upcoming season would allow Westbrook to make more money over the next four seasons than he could through unrestricted free agency. With a projected cap of $102MM, Westbrook would make $110.7MM if he re-signed with Oklahoma City as a free agent or $108.2MM if he signed elsewhere.
The flip side is that Westbrook could get two additional years by re-signing with the Thunder via free agency and add another $74MM to his coffers, or one more year and approximately $33MM if he chose to leave Oklahoma City.
Another intriguing scenario, as The Vertical’s Bobby Marks recently pointed out, is that Westbrook could sign a shorter extension with a player opt-out. In that case, Westbrook could become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2018. By virtue of being a 10-year player at that point, his starting salary would be $35MM and the team owning his Bird Rights could pay him upwards of $200MM over five seasons.
Westbrook could sign an extension any time before the end of February, though he’d be leaving money on the table if he waited until after the season started.
So which way is Westbrook leaning? Thunder management probably doesn’t know the answer at this juncture. He reportedly was surprised and upset that Durant didn’t re-sign to continue chasing a championship with him in Oklahoma City. Westbrook has also kept an extremely low profile this offseason, shunning the media and social platforms.
He’s fully aware that the Thunder, as presently constituted, are no longer a serious contender and could struggle to make the playoffs. Oklahoma City made a big trade on draft night, acquiring shooting guard Victor Oladipo in a package that sent power forward Serge Ibaka to Orlando. The Thunder brass felt that Oladipo’s scoring ability could take some pressure off Westbrook and Durant, particularly in the postseason.
Now, Oladipo becomes the Thunder’s No. 2 option behind Westbrook. Center Steven Adams, a solid defender, is probably the third-best player on the team ahead of scoring big Enes Kanter, who had a minus 3-1 Defensive Box Rating last season. The rest of the roster is filled with role players or unproven commodities.
Certainly, there are plenty of teams that would love to add Westbrook, if the price is right and if he’s willing make some type of long-term commitment. The team that acquires him could also offer an extension, but getting something done would likely hinge on opening up enough extra cap space ($8.8MM) to offer him a max contract.
While the Thunder don’t want to lose a superstar without compensation two summers in a row, they would prefer to keep Westbrook. They would have to convince Westbrook that they’d bring in other quality pieces next summer to regain the status of serious title contender. Blake Griffin, an unrestricted free agent next season, reportedly tops their wish list.
If Westbrook balks at an extension, the Thunder would have to shelve their current plan. They would obviously be in a rebuild mode at that point and could accelerate the process by getting the best package available for Westbrook.
The Celtics have long been rumored to be the logical trade partner for Oklahoma City, given their stash of draft picks and renewed status as a playoff team. The Lakers, trying to find some relevance in the post-Kobe Bryant era, could offer young talent, if not the promise of being a contender. Other teams, such as the Timberwolves, could jump into the fray and make a bold move.
Westbrook’s personality may rub some people the wrong way and some may question his leadership but there’s little doubt he’s worth the money. The 27-year-old is in the prime of his career and a triple-double machine. Two seasons ago when Durant was often sidelined by a foot injury, Westbrook led the NBA in scoring at 28.1 points per game while also averaging 7.3 rebounds and 8.6 assists. With a healthy Durant last season, Westbrook’s scoring average dropped to 23.5 but he averaged career highs in rebounds (7.8) and assists (10.4). His Offensive Box Rating was a league-high 8.0 and he’s also an intense defender. He had a career-best 3.7 Defensive Box Rating last season.
If Westbrook remains with the Thunder this season, it’s conceivable he could average a triple-double, or something close to it. He’ll have to carry a heavy burden, something he wasn’t expecting as Durant entered free agency. He’ll have decide whether it’s worth sticking it out with the weakened Thunder by signing an extension, or chase a ring with another franchise as Durant chose to do.
Photo courtesy of Mark D. Smith (USA Today Sports Images).
Warriors, Elliot Williams Agree To One-Year Deal
The Warriors have agreed to a one-year contract with 27-year-old combo guard Elliot Williams, sources told Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). The contract has a “strong” partial guarantee, Charania adds. Impact Sports, which represents Williams, tweeted out a congratulations to Williams.
Williams appeared in five games with the Grizzlies last season, averaging 1.6 points in 9.0 minutes. In 2014/15, he played a combined 13 games with the Pelicans and Jazz.
The 6’5” Williams made his league debut with the Trail Blazers in 2011/12, appearing in 24 games. His career was sidetracked by an Achilles injury, forcing him to miss the following season.
His most extensive playing time came with the Sixers in 2013/14, when he saw action in 67 games, including the only two starts of his career. He averaged 6.0 points in 17.3 minutes that season.
The Warriors are quite familiar with Williams, as he played for their D-League team in Santa Cruz last season. Williams averaged 28.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 21 games.
Williams has a shot to earn rotation minutes behind Stephen Curry, Shaun Livingston and Klay Thompson. The other guard options are Ian Clark and Pat McCaw.
Community Shootaround: Trading Block
Major league baseball teams just completed a whirlwind of activity prior to the non-waiver trade deadline this afternoon. The NBA’s trade deadline doesn’t arrive until after the All-Star break but there could still be a big deal or two prior to training camp.
We’ve already seen some well-known players swap uniforms this offseason, mostly during the week of the draft. Derrick Rose was dealt to the Knicks. Serge Ibaka was sent packing to the Magic in a deal that brought Victor Oladipo to the Thunder. The Pacers picked up a pair of starters in Jeff Teague and Thaddeus Young, while George Hill wound up with the Jazz in one of those deals.
Overall, there really hasn’t been a flurry of activity via the trade market. With the rising salary cap, most teams opted to improve through free agency.
Several All-Star caliber players enveloped in trade rumors in recent months appear to be staying put, a group that includes DeMarcus Cousins, Jimmy Butler and Blake Griffin.
There are some other starters out there who could eventually get dealt, with an All-Star heading that list. Russell Westbrook‘s situation is fluid, as the Thunder await to hear if he’ll sign an extension. The Sixers have made it known — probably too public — that they’re willing to deal either Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor.
The Kings are more than willing to move Rudy Gay, while the Bucks are looking for someone to take Greg Monroe off their hands. Kenneth Faried, Ricky Rubio and D’Angelo Russell are some other players who have heard their names pop up on the rumor mill. It’s also fair to wonder what the Wizards will do with Marcin Gortat, considering they spent a lot of money to sign another center, Ian Mahinmi.
That leads us to our question of the day: Which high-profile player is most likely to be traded prior to the start of the season?
Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.