Eastern Notes: Stephenson, Pistons, Knicks
The Nets and unrestricted free agent Lance Stephenson have nothing going on, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). Mazzeo’s report squashes the rumors that suggested Stephenson was joining Brooklyn. Stephenson, a New York native, had made a post on Instagram with the caption, “Dreams come true,” which ignited the rumors.
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Reggie Jackson likes the moves the Pistons made this summer, which includes drafting power forward Henry Ellenson and signing Ish Smith, Jon Leuer and Boban Marjanovic, and expressed confidence that Detriot will make a deep playoff run, Brian Manzullo of the Detroit Free Press relays. “I don’t believe there necessarily is a ceiling,” Jackson said. “We can go as far as we want. But it’s really going to come from internal growth as a team. Not just in skills but mentally, as well, and being ready for the burden of the season.”
- Lance Thomas, whom the Knicks re-signed to a four-year deal in July, applauded the hiring of Jeff Hornacek as coach because the coach wants to win and wasn’t interested in just landing a job, Kristian Winfield of Elite Sports NY writes.
Hoops Links: Magic, Wall, Grizzlies
Every Sunday, we link to some of the very best work from around the basketball blogosphere. Do you have a link to a great basketball blog post – either your own or someone else’s – that you want to see featured on Hoops Rumors? Then you should send it to us at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s rundown …
- The Hardwood Nation chronicles significant changes in a review of the Magic’s summer.
- The Jump Ball argues the time is now for the Wizards to trade John Wall.
- Grizzly Bear Blues wonders where Tony Allen fits with Memphis’ plans.
- Bright Side Of The Sun examines what once was considered the future of the Suns.
- Clips Nation provides a timeline on former first-rounder Al Thornton‘s career.
- Liberty Ballers runs down the moves that defined the Sam Hinkie era.
- Fear The Sword lists five possible point guards for the Cavs’ bench.
Please send submissions for Hoops Links to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.
Heat Notes: Dragic, Spoelstra, Ellington, Winslow
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is visiting point guard Goran Dragic in Slovenia this weekend to talk about changes in the wake of the loss of Dwyane Wade, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Dragic is expected to become more of a focus in Miami’s offense with Wade leaving for Chicago in free agency. Jackson notes that in the games Dragic has played without Wade during his time with the Heat, his scoring average rose from 14.8 points per game to 17.6 and his assist average increased from 5.7 to 6.6, but his shooting dropped from 48.3 percent to 43.2 percent. In a video released by the team Friday, Spoelstra said he wants to adjust the offense to maximize Dragic’s abilities. “Goran is one of the best fast-break, transition point guards in this game,” the coach said. “He will force tempo regardless of how you want to play or how you want to defend. Goran is going to run. … You don’t find many players that can attack, that can play fast, that can make other players better in that type of game. And he’s relentless in getting to the rim. And Goran is that kind of player. And I think young players gravitate to Goran. They want to play that style.”
There’s more out of Miami:
- Free agent addition Wayne Ellington hopes to make Hassan Whiteside a better passer next season, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The 28-year-old shooting guard, who got more than $12MM over two seasons to leave Brooklyn for Miami, thinks his 3-point range will provide an opportunity for Whiteside to increase his assist total. The newly re-signed center has handed out just 35 assists over the past two seasons and ranked 80th among centers in 2015/16 in points created off assists.
- The departure of Luol Deng and lingering concerns about the health of Chris Bosh have seemingly opened a starting spot for Justise Winslow, Winderman notes in the same piece. Winslow averaged 6.4 points and 5.2 rebounds as a rookie last season in 78 games, mostly as a reserve. But Deng signed with the Lakers in free agency and questions remain about the availability of Bosh, whose last two seasons were cut short by blood clots. That creates an opportunity for Winslow, who is among the few holdovers after an offseason of change in Miami. “He’s going to find a way to make an impact on the game,” Spoelstra said. “And he’s going to do it in winning fashion. It might be defensively; it might be offensively. It might be leadership. All of that is far ahead of his age.”
Sir’Dominic Pointer Will Play In Israel
Sir’Dominic Pointer, a second-round draft choice by the Cavaliers in 2015, will play in Israel next season, tweets Chris Reichert of Upside and Motor. Pointer has agreed to a reported two-year contract with Hapoel Eilat, but the deal has an escape clause for the NBA (Twitter link).
Cleveland still holds the draft rights to Pointer after making him the 53rd overall selection a year ago. He played for the Cavaliers’ entry in the Las Vegas Summer League the past two seasons.
Pointer, a 6’6″ swingman, spent last season with Cleveland’s D-League affiliate in Canton, averaging 6.9 points and 4.5 rebounds in 50 games. Pointer, 24, played four years at St. John’s before joining the NBA.
Sixers Notes: Henderson, Bayless, Rodriguez, Pleiss
The Sixers solidified their backcourt and added a veteran presence in their locker room with three offseason signings, writes Bobby Marks of The Vertical. Entering free agency with $54MM in cap space, the team spent most of it on shooting guard Gerald Henderson and point guards Jerryd Bayless and Sergio Rodriguez. Philadelphia will pay Bayless more than $9.4MM for the upcoming season, along with $9MM for Henderson and $8MM for Rodriguez, giving them the three highest salaries on the roster. Marks adds that the Sixers learned the importance of having a serviceable point guard last season when they started 1-30 before trading for Ish Smith on Christmas Eve.
There’s more this morning out of Philadelphia:
- The Sixers are the only team with 20 players currently under contract, Marks notes in the same story. That’s the league maximum heading into training camp, and it means the team will face some tough decisions in cutting down its roster. Friday’s trade for Tibor Pleiss gives the Sixers 14 players with fully guaranteed contracts, although Pleiss’ deal is only for $3MM, so there has been speculation that Philadelphia may not hold onto him. Pleiss played just 82 minutes in Utah last season, so the Sixers may want to evaluate him in camp before making a decision. Philadelphia has six players with partial or non-guaranteed deals.
- In his rookie season, Jahlil Okafor never found a way to use his one-on-one offensive skills to help his teammates, writes Derek Bodner of PhillyMag.com. In comparing the contributions of Okafor and Nerlens Noel, Bodner also contends that Okafor doesn’t do much on offense when he doesn’t have the ball and that the defensive concerns that haunted him coming into the league were well founded. Bodner believes the Sixers will eventually have to deal either Okafor or Noel, and the drafting of Ben Simmons and the apparent health of Joel Embiid will probably make the decision happen sooner.
- Former Sixers power forward Drew Gordon is close to signing with Rytas Vilnius in Lithuania, tweets international basketball writer David Pick. Gordon, the younger brother of Orlando’s Aaron Gordon, played nine games with Philadelphia in 2014/15.
Southeast Notes: Marshall, Hornets, Ibaka
The Wizards could be a suitor for Kendall Marshall, Ben Standig of Comcast Sportsnet speculates. Marshall was traded to the Jazz and subsequently waived on Friday. Washington could look to add depth at the point guard position with John Wall still recovering from knee surgery. The team added former first round pick Trey Burke via trade this offseason and the Michigan product will likely get the first shot at backing up the team’s franchise player.
Here’s more from the Southeast Division:
- The Hornets made several under-the-radar moves to improve this offseason, such as signing Ramon Sessions to a team-friendly deal, and they should be considered the biggest challengers to Cleveland for the Eastern Conference crown, Ben Dowsett of Basketball Insiders argues. Dowsett also praises the decision to bring Roy Hibbert aboard on a one-year, $5MM deal.
- The Magic acquired Serge Ibaka on draft night and they hope the big man can help lead them back to the playoffs, however, Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders is pessimistic about Ibaka’s chances of having a strong 2016/17 campaign. Greene notes that Ibaka’s production, including his points, rebounds and blocks per game, has decreased over the past several seasons. His field goal percentage has also dwindled, going from 57.3% during the 2012/13 season to 47.9% last year.
Heat Notes: Bosh, Whiteside, Johnson
There remains no timetable for a decision on whether or not Chris Bosh will play for the Heat this season, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes. Winderman believes that coach Erik Spoelstra will develop dual game plans as the team enters training camp and notes that it’s not something unusual, as many coaches have to prepare for stars sitting out as the seasons goes along.
Here’s more from Miami:
- It’s unclear whether Hassan Whiteside and Bosh can coexist in the frontcourt, but the duo is talented enough to make it work should they see enough time on the floor together, Winderman opines in a separate piece. The Heat re-signed Whiteside to a four-year, max deal this offseason.
- New addition James Johnson can be a valuable contributor if he can prove he can make 3-pointers at a reliable rate, Winderman argues in that same piece. Johnson signed a one-year, $4MM deal with the Heat this offseason.
Community Shootaround: Utah Jazz
The Jazz acquired then waived Kendall Marshall on Friday in a cap saving move that presumably allow the team to renegotiate and extend Derrick Favors‘ contract. Favors will make $11.05MM this upcoming season and $12MM during the 2017/18 campaign. Favors would likely want to complete an extension this summer given how team-friendly his current deal, as Dana Gauruder of Hoops Rumors explained in his Extension Candidate piece.
Utah will also look to lock up Rudy Gobert long-term and the center is likely to garner a max contract or extension, as Gauruder writes in a separate piece. If the team is able to come to terms with both players, it will have its starting frontcourt set for years to come.
However, in the modern day NBA, it’s fair to wonder whether having two traditional big men as the foundation of a team is the best way to build a championship roster. So that leads us to tonight’s topic: How far can the Jazz go as a franchise with Favors and Gobert as their starting frontcourt? They have played well together, but can the duo overcome their limitations to elevate the Jazz to contenders in the near future?
Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.
Joel Embiid Declares Himself Healthy
Joel Embiid is ready to get on the court for the Sixers and the big man is optimistic about his progress, as he tells Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I feel 100 percent and ready to get started, my summer has been great,” said Embiid, who was making his first public remarks on his health. “We have been working on a lot this summer, and I got a chance to play a little bit against the guys, and it has been going great.”
The center admits that there will still be some restrictions once he sees the court for the first time in his young NBA career. “Yes, probably, I think the decision will probably be about that I haven’t played in two years. It won’t be because people are worried that I am going to reinjure myself, which I don’t think is going to happen, but it will be about the fact I haven’t played in two years and take it slow,” he added.
Coach Brett Brown recently said that he expects Embiid to be ready to play in the preseason. “Physically, mentally, recent medical scans, everything is pointing in the right direction. We’re just very excited,” Brown said last week.
The former No. 3 overall pick missed his first two seasons with Philadelphia because of a foot injury, which required him to have multiple surgeries. He was cleared to play five-on-five basketball back in June.
Salary Cap Snapshot: New Orleans Pelicans
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 Pelicans’ team page accessible here.
Here’s a breakdown of where the Pelicans currently stand financially:
Guaranteed Salary
- Anthony Davis —$22,116,750
- DeMarcus Cousins —$16,957,900
- Solomon Hill —$11,709,603 [Year-end cap hit adjusted due to bonus]
- Jrue Holiday —$11,286,518
- Omer Asik —$9,904,494
- E’Twaun Moore —$8,081,363
- Alexis Ajinca —$4,638,203
- Quincy Pondexter —$3,617,978
- Dante Cunningham —$2,978,250
- Omri Casspi —$2,963,814 [Waived by team]
- Tim Frazier —$2,090,000
- Alonzo Gee —$1,400,000 [Waived by team]
- Terrence Jones —$980,431 [Waived by team; Actual Salary — $1,050,961]
- Lance Stephenson —$584,766 [Waived by team; Pelicans paid non-guaranteed salary until he recovered from groin surgery]
- Donatas Motiejunas —$576,724 [Actual Salary — $618,212]
- Cheick Diallo —$543,471
- Reggie Williams —$180,483 [Waived by team]
- Jordan Crawford — $173,099
- Anthony Brown —$108,043 [Waived by team]
- Archie Goodwin —$95,595 [Waived by team]
- Hollis Thompson — $57,672 [10-day contract (Feb 23); actual salary — $59,747]
- Jarrett Jack — $57,672 [10-day contract (Feb 24); actual salary — $91,274]
- Reggie Williams — $57,672 [10-day contract (Feb 25); actual salary — $72,193]
- Hollis Thompson — $57,672 [10-day contract (Mar 6); actual salary — $59,747]
- Jordan Crawford — $57,672 [10-day contract (Mar 6); actual salary — $61,821]
- Wayne Selden — $31,969 [10-day contract (Mar 8)]
- Quinn Cook — $31,969 [10-day contract (Mar 19)]
- Quinn Cook — $31,969 [10-day contract (Mar 29)]
- Axel Toupane —$25,725
- Quinn Cook — $15,984
Total Guaranteed Salary= $101,413,461
Cash Sent Out Via Trade: $0 [Amount Remaining $3.5MM]
Cash Received Via Trade: $400K received from Heat in Luke Babbitt trade [Amount Remaining $3.1MM]
Payroll Exceptions Available
- Trade Exception — $3,517,200 (Buddy Hield trade) — Expires on 2/20/18
- Room Exception — $808,000 remaining [Used $2,090,000 to sign Tim Frazier]
Total Projected Payroll: $101,413,461
Salary Cap: $94,143,000
Estimated Available Cap Space: –$7,270,461
Luxury Tax Threshold: $113,287,000
Amount Below Luxury Tax: $11,873,539
Last Updated: 4/15/17
The Basketball Insiders salary pages and The Vertical’s salary database were used in the creation of this post.