De’Aaron Fox Works Out For Kings; Suns Next
Projected high lottery pick De’Aaron Fox worked out for the Kings on Monday and will visit three other teams with a Top 5 pick over the next week, Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com tweets. The University of Kentucky point guard will work out for the Suns, who hold the No. 4 pick, later this week, Howard-Cooper continues. Fox will work out next week for the Sixers, who have the No. 3 pick, and the Lakers, slotted at No. 2, Howard-Cooper adds.
Fox, who averaged 16.7 PPG and 4.6 APG in his lone season with the Wildcats, is ranked No. 5 by DraftExpress and ESPN’s Chad Ford. That’s where the Kings sit on the draft board, and they certainly have a need at the position. The same could be said about the Lakers and Sixers, though most mock drafts predict Los Angeles will go with UCLA point man Lonzo Ball and Philadelphia will target Kansas small forward Josh Jackson.
Fox could improve his stock during his tour and perhaps even get picked at the No. 2 spot. It’s not a lock that the Lakers will draft Ball, according to another tweet from Howard-Cooper. Fox’s maturity and intelligence will blow the Lakers away, Howard-Cooper predicts.
If Fox makes a big impression on the Lakers or Sixers, there may be more mystery and intrigue to the top of the draft than currently projected.
Five Key Offseason Questions: Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons were a massive disappointment this season and enter the offseason with plenty of tough decisions to make.
Coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy committed to the core group of players he assembled the past two years by handing out multiyear contracts to his two top players, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson, and adding some expensive pieces.
The Pistons, who made the playoffs for the time since the 2008/09 season the previous year, sank out of contention as virtually everyone on the roster underachieved. Their longest winning streak was a meager three games. Drummond and Jackson both had subpar seasons and heard their names bandied about in trade rumors.
Van Gundy now heads into a pivotal summer seeking to make roster upgrades despite an unpalatable cap situation.
Here’s a look at the major questions confronting the club this offseason:
1. Should the Pistons hold onto restricted free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at all costs?
It’s expected that locking up Caldwell-Pope will require a contract in excess of $20MM per year.
Caldwell-Pope is the team’s best perimeter defender and he’s entering his prime years. If the team’s curve continued on an upward arc this season, it would a pretty easy decision to match any offer.
The team’s cap situation and Caldwell-Pope’s spotty offense changes that dynamic. They’ll be perilously close to the luxury tax threshold if they re-sign him to a big number and he’s not a consistent offensive threat. In 31 of the 76 games he played this season, Caldwell-Pope scored 10 or fewer points.
Van Gundy wants to keep Caldwell-Pope, but he shouldn’t take an “at any cost” approach to the shooting guard’s free-agency foray.
2. Should Reggie Jackson be given a mulligan or do the Pistons need to trade for another point guard?
Central Rumors: Butler, Garrity, Griffin, Pacers
Jimmy Butler held a meeting with Bulls management on Monday to discuss the team’s direction, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune tweets. Butler had only met with team officials briefly after the season, the tweet adds. Chicago isn’t looking to move the three-time All-Star swingman but will listen to any offers, Johnson wrote in an earlier story. Butler had been training in Los Angeles and will leave for Europe later in the month to train there, Johnson adds.
In other developments around the Central Division:
- Pistons assistant GM Pat Garrity interviewed for the Hawks GM position and will soon interview for the Bucks‘ GM opening, according to Tony Paul of the Detroit News. Atlanta chose Warriors executive Travis Schlenk. Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy confirmed to Paul that Garrity will interview for the job formerly held by new Magic GM John Hammond.
- There are several more hurdles to clear before the Pistons can move into a new downtown arena next season, the Detroit Free Press reports. The Detroit City Council on Tuesday will vote on a package of agreements that would allow the move, while the lease agreement with Little Caesars Arena has not been finalized, the report continues. The league also has to give its final approval. The franchise hopes to have all the elements completed in time for the annual July board of governors meeting in Las Vegas, the report adds.
- Cavaliers GM David Griffin will seek a significant raise from owner Dan Gilbert, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com reports. Griffin is making less than $2MM annually, according to Vardon’s sources. The two sides have not yet discussed financial terms on a new contract for Griffin, whose current contract expires at the end of the month. The Magic and Hawks were denied permission to interview Griffin for front-office openings and the Bucks appear to be moving away from Griffin in their GM search, Vardon adds.
- The Pacers will bring in six players for a pre-draft workout on Tuesday, according to the team’s website. That group includes Antonio Blakeney (LSU), Isaac Hamilton (UCLA), Zak Irvin (Michigan), Naz Long (Iowa State), Johnathan Motley (Baylor) and Rashawn Thomas (Texas A&M-CC). It’s a group of second-round hopefuls, headlined by Blakeney, a shooting guard ranked No. 85 by DraftExpress.
Community Shootaround: Game 3
The third installment of the Warriors–Cavaliers Finals promised plenty of drama and tight finishes. Instead, it’s looking more like a Golden State coronation, as the Western Conference champions dominated the first two games.
Cleveland seems helpless in slowing down the Warriors and their turbo-boost attack, fueled by Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. Curry is averaging 30 PPG, 8 RPG and 10.5 APG, while Durant is posting 35.5 PPG, 11 RPG and 7 APG in the series.
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers have a multitude of issues, particularly regarding the role players around their Big 3. Two of their starters, shooting guard J.R. Smith and center Tristan Thompson, have provided nothing but angst for Cavaliers supporters. Smith has scored three points in 42 minutes and is still looking for his first assist and steal. Thompson has grabbed a total of eight rebounds in 43 minutes and hasn’t blocked a shot.
Cleveland’s bench, fortified by a variety of front office moves this season, has also not helped the cause. Veteran point guard Deron Williams has not scored in 33 minutes. Long-range specialist Kyle Korver is 1-for-6 on 3-point attempts. None of the other reserves have made a significant impact.
LeBron James has 12 turnovers, a sign that he may be trying to do too much while his teammates are doing too little. However, fans must be reminded that the Warriors only did what they were supposed to do — win at home. With the series shifting to Cleveland, the Cavaliers should put up much more resistance.
In any case, no team with LeBron James should be underestimated. The Cavaliers were counted out by virtually everyone last year after falling behind 3-1 in the series.
There are rumblings that Smith will be replaced in the lineup by Iman Shumpert for Game 3. It could be just one of several tweaks coming for the Cavs.
That brings us to today’s question: What moves should Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue make for Game 3 of the Finals in order to get his club back on track?
Please take to the comments section to voice your opinion. We look forward to what you have to say.
Draft Notes: Lakers, Ball, Artis, Briscoe, D. White
Despite multiple reports suggesting that the Lakers aren’t sold on the idea of using the No. 2 overall pick on Lonzo Ball, NBA executives are skeptical. As Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com writes, several execs told him that they don’t buy those reports, and one suggested that the Lakers may be trying to convince teams they like Josh Jackson in the hopes that someone will trade up to No. 2 for Jackson and allow the Lakers to move down while still landing Ball or De’Aaron Fox.
I’m also skeptical that the Lakers would pass on Ball, though I think the explanation could be simpler than that. While Magic Johnson has said publicly that Ball’s outspoken father LaVar Ball won’t affect the team’s decision at all, it’s possible that the club has some private concerns. In that scenario, it could make sense to leak word of those concerns in the hopes that LaVar, not wanting to alienate the Lakers, will dial back on his public comments a little.
While we wait to see how Ball’s meeting with the Lakers goes this week, let’s round up a few more draft-related items…
- Pittsburgh wing Jamel Artis has workouts on tap with the Spurs, Clippers, and Mavericks this week, league sources inform Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). Ian Begley of ESPN.com adds the Knicks to the list of clubs Artis will audition for in the coming days, writing that Artis and UVA’s London Perrantes are scheduled to work out for New York on Friday.
- Kentucky’s Isaiah Briscoe has a busy pre-draft workout schedule, according to Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter link), who says sessions with the Trail Blazers, Pistons, Bulls, and Lakers are still on tap for Briscoe. Camerato also adds the Raptors and Rockets to the list of teams Briscoe has already auditioned for.
- Camerato also provides workout details for a couple more prospects who visited Philadelphia today, reporting that Derrick White (Colorado) will audition for the Pelicans, Jazz, and Hornets, while Melo Trimble (Maryland) will work out for the Rockets, Trail Blazers, Pelicans, and Knicks (Twitter links).
- The Kings will work out Duke’s Harry Giles on Tuesday, Marc J. Spears of ESPN.com tweets. The 6’11” center, whose lone college season was marred by knee injuries, is ranked No. 12 overall by ESPN’s Chad Ford, though he’s just No. 33 on DraftExpress’ board. Sacramento holds the No. 5, No. 10 and No. 34 picks in the draft.
2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Miami Heat
The Heat started the 2016/17 season with a 7-12 record, then had a pair of wild swings, losing 18 of their next 22 games before winning 30 of their final 41. There’s reason to believe that Miami’s strong second half is a positive sign of things to come, but a few of the club’s key players from that run are now eligible for free agency. That will create some uncertainty going forward, but with Chris Bosh‘s $25MM+ salary no longer on their books, the Heat will have a little more room to maneuver this offseason.
Here’s where things currently stand for the Heat financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2017:
Guaranteed Salary
- Hassan Whiteside ($23,775,506)
- Goran Dragic ($17,000,450)
- Josh McRoberts ($6,021,175) — Exercised player option.
- Tyler Johnson ($5,881,260)
- Justise Winslow ($2,705,040)
- Total: $55,383,431
- Note: Chris Bosh‘s $25,289,390 salary removed from cap due to medical ruling.
Player Options
- None
Team Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Wayne Ellington ($6,270,000)1
- Josh Richardson ($1,471,382)2
- Rodney McGruder ($1,312,611)3
- Okaro White ($1,312,611)4
- Total: $10,366,604
Restricted Free Agents
- None
Cap Holds
- Udonis Haslem ($7,600,000)
- James Johnson ($4,800,000)
- Dion Waiters ($3,477,600) — Player option declined.
- No. 14 overall pick ($2,490,360)
- Luke Babbitt ($1,471,382)
- Willie Reed ($1,471,382) — Player option declined.
- Total: $21,310,724
Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000
Maximum Cap Room: $38,232,519
- Taking into account their five guaranteed contracts, plus cap holds for a first-round pick and six empty roster spots, the Heat have a team salary of $62,767,481. However, that would mean waiving all their non-guaranteed players, including Richardson and McGruder, which is very unlikely — still, since those players are on veteran minimum salaries, they won’t cut into Miami’s cap room in a major way.
Footnotes:
- Ellington’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 6.
- Richardson’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30.
- McGruder’s salary becomes partially guaranteed ($452,625) after August 1.
- White’s salary becomes partially guaranteed ($226,312) after July 1. Partial guarantee increases to $452,624 after August 1.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post.
Sixers Not Ruling Out Trading No. 3 Pick
The Sixers don’t appear to be locked in on a specific player with the No. 3 overall pick in this month’s draft, with president Bryan Colangelo suggesting earlier today that there are “six or seven” players on the team’s radar for that selection. According to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Colangelo also hasn’t ruled out the possibility of trading that pick.
“I think that should we move or if there’s a transaction that comes out that gives us a chance to perhaps increase what impact No. 3 can have in terms of its return, I think we will look at it,” Colangelo said. “There’s some discussions that have been fairly interesting.”
Assuming Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball are the first two players off the board, as expected, there’s no consensus choice for that third overall spot. De’Aaron Fox, Jayson Tatum, Josh Jackson, and Malik Monk are among the candidates to be drafted there, and if the Sixers like several of those players, they could attempt to move back a few spots and still grab one. Moving up in the draft or trading the No. 3 pick in a package for a star are also possibilities, though they’re probably less likely.
Trades for top-five picks have been somewhat rare in recent years, so there’s a good chance the Sixers simply keep and make their selection. Still, given Colangelo’s suggestion that there have been some “interesting” talks regarding the pick, it’s a situation worth monitoring as the draft approaches.
Ian Clark In Line For Significant Raise In Free Agency?
While the Warriors expect to retain their top free agents this summer, increasing team salary may cost the club some of its role players, including perhaps Ian Clark. Within a piece on Golden State’s Game 2 win, Shams Charania of The Vertical writes that NBA executives believe Clark could command a deal worth more than the mid-level exception as a free agent.
Clark saw regular minutes for the Warriors in 2016/17, averaging 14.8 MPG in 77 contests, and established new career highs in several categories, including PPG (6.8), FG% (.487), and 3PT% (.374). The shooting guard, who began in his career with the Jazz before spending time with Denver and now Golden State, is still young — he just turned 26 in March.
Although Clark has shown promise and could play a larger role on a team less stacked than the Warriors, projecting a salary worth more than the mid-level exception seems somewhat aggressive. With the NBA’s cap on the rise again and a new CBA set to take effect on July 1, the MLE will be worth $8.4MM in 2017/18. Clark is currently on a minimum salary deal, and has never averaged more 15 minutes per game in a season.
With Clark’s Early Bird rights in hand, the Warriors would have a certain level of flexibility to give him a raise when he reaches unrestricted free agency this summer. But with Stephen Curry in line for a substantial raise of his own, Kevin Durant likely to negotiate a new deal, and other role players like Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, and Zaza Pachulia also on track for free agency, Clark may not be a top priority for the Dubs.
Players Eligible For Rookie Scale Extensions In 2017
July 1 marks the start of the NBA’s new league year. At that point, players eligible for free agency will be able to begin negotiating and reaching contract agreements with suitors. In addition to those free agents, another group of players will also become eligible to sign new deals.
For players who are entering the fourth and final year of their rookie scale contracts, July 1 is the first day that they can sign rookie scale extensions. Those players, who are – for the most part – 2014 first-round selections, will have until the start of the 2017/18 regular season to finalize long-term deals with their current teams.
Players eligible for rookie scale extensions can sign new deals that run at least four years, with those contracts taking effect to start the 2018/19 season. If they don’t sign extensions during this offseason, those players will be eligible for restricted free agency in the summer of 2018.
A year ago, eight players eligible for rookie scale extensions signed new deals between July 1 and October 31. Here are the players eligible to sign rookie scale extensions this year, beginning on July 1:
- Kyle Anderson (Spurs)
- Bruno Caboclo (Raptors)
- Clint Capela (Rockets)
- Joel Embiid (Sixers): Extended
- Dante Exum (Jazz)
- Aaron Gordon (Magic)
- Gary Harris (Nuggets): Extended
- Rodney Hood (Jazz)
- Zach LaVine (Bulls)
- Doug McDermott (Bulls)
- Shabazz Napier (Trail Blazers)
- Lucas Nogueira (Raptors)
- Jusuf Nurkic (Trail Blazers)
- Jabari Parker (Bucks)
- Elfrid Payton (Magic)
- Julius Randle (Lakers)
- Marcus Smart (Celtics)
- Nik Stauskas (Sixers)
- Noah Vonleh (Trail Blazers)
- T.J. Warren (Suns): Extended
- Andrew Wiggins (Timberwolves): Extended
The following players were selected in the first round of the 2014 draft along with most of the players above, but aren’t eligible for rookie-scale extensions this year:
- Jordan Adams: Waived in 2016.
- Bogdan Bogdanovic: Has yet to sign rookie contract.
- Tyler Ennis: Fourth-year option declined in 2016.
- P.J. Hairston: Third-year option declined in 2015.
- Josh Huestis: Signed rookie contract in 2015 (extension-eligible in 2018).
- Mitch McGary: Waived in 2016.
- Adreian Payne: Fourth-year option declined in 2016.
- Dario Saric: Signed rookie contract in 2016 (extension-eligible in 2019).
- C.J. Wilcox: Fourth-year option declined in 2016.
- James Young: Fourth-year option declined in 2016.
Jan Vesely Drawing Interest From NBA Teams
Former sixth overall pick Jan Vesely is drawing interest from NBA teams exploring the idea of bringing him back stateside, reports Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders. According to Scotto, the Nets, Sixers, and Mavericks have expressed interest in Vesely.
Selected sixth overall by the Wizards in 2011, Vesely appeared in 162 total NBA regular season games for Washington and Denver over the course of three years, struggling to make an impact. He averaged just 3.6 PPG and 3.5 RPG during his three NBA seasons.
Since then, the 27-year-old power forward has played for Turkish club Fenerbahce, regaining his confidence and helping to lead the team to three straight Euroleague Final Four appearances. In 2016/17, Vesely averaged 10.7 PPG and 5.1 RPG in 29 Turkish League games, as well as 9.6 PPG and 4.5 RPG in 34 Euroleague contests, playing alongside former and future NBAers like Ekpe Udoh, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Pero Antic.
While Vesely is drawing interest from NBA teams and has a contract that gives him an out to explore NBA opportunities, there’s no guarantee he’ll return to North America. He still doesn’t have much of an outside shot in his game, making him a less than ideal fit as a modern NBA big man, and a report last summer suggested he may be seeking an eight-figure salary to play in the NBA. He may be worth a flier for a team willing to roll the dice, but likely not at that price.