NBA Draft Rights Held: Atlantic Division
When top college prospects like Markelle Fultz or Lonzo Ball are drafted, there’s virtually no doubt that their next step will involve signing an NBA contract. However, that’s not the case for every player who is selected in the NBA draft, particularly for international prospects and second-round picks.
When an NBA team uses a draft pick on a player, it gains his NBA rights, but that doesn’t mean the player will sign an NBA contract right away. International prospects will often remain with their professional team overseas for at least one more year to develop their game further, becoming “draft-and-stash” prospects. Nikola Mirotic, Dario Saric, and Bogdan Bogdanovic are among the more notable players to fit this bill in recent years.
However, draft-and-stash players can be former NCAA standouts too. Sometimes a college prospect selected with a late second round pick will end up playing overseas or in the G League for a year or two if there’s no space available on his NBA team’s 15-man roster.
While these players sometimes make their way to their NBA teams, others never do. Many clubs around the NBA currently hold the rights to international players who have remained overseas for their entire professional careers and are no longer considered prospects. Those players may never come stateside, but there’s often no reason for NBA teams to renounce their rights — those rights can sometimes be used as placeholders in trades.
For instance, earlier this summer, the Pacers and Raptors agreed to a trade that sent Cory Joseph to Indiana. Toronto was happy to move Joseph’s salary and didn’t necessarily need anything in return, but the Pacers had to send something in the deal. Rather than including an NBA player or a draft pick, Indiana sent Toronto the draft rights to Emir Preldzic, the 57th overall pick in the 2009 draft.
Preldzic is currently playing for Galatasaray in Turkey, and at this point appears unlikely to ever come to the NBA, but his draft rights have been a useful trade chip over the years — the Pacers/Raptors swap represented the fourth time since 2010 that Preldzic’s NBA rights have been included in a trade.
Over the next several days, we’ll take a closer look at the players whose draft rights NBA teams currently hold, sorting them by division. These players may eventually arrive in America and join their respective NBA teams, but many will end up like Preldzic, plying their trade overseas and having their draft rights used as pawns in NBA trades.
Here’s a breakdown of the draft rights held by Atlantic teams:
Boston Celtics
- None
Brooklyn Nets
- Christian Drejer, F (2004; No. 51): Retired.
- Juan Vaulet, F (2015; No. 39): Playing in Argentina.
- Aleksandar Vezenkov, F (2017; No. 57): Playing in Spain.
New York Knicks
- Louis Labeyrie, F (2014; No. 57): Playing in France.
- Ognjen Jaramaz, G (2017; No. 58): Playing in Serbia.
Philadelphia 76ers
- Vasilije Micic, G (2014: No. 52): Playing in Lithuania.
- Anzejs Pasecniks, C (2017; No. 25): Playing in Spain.
- Jonah Bolden, F (2017; No. 36): Playing in Israel.
- Mathias Lessort, F (2017; No. 50): Playing in Serbia.
Toronto Raptors
- DeeAndre Hulett, F (2000; No. 46): Retired.
- Emir Preldzic, F (2009; No. 57): Playing in Turkey.
Information from Mark Porcaro and Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post.
Lamar Odom Talks Lakers, Retirement, BIG3
Longtime NBA forward Lamar Odom hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since the 2012/13 season, having battled off-court issues – including drug use – since then. However, the 14-year veteran believes he’d have a chance to still be playing in the NBA today if not for the trade that sent him from the Lakers to the Mavericks during the 2011 offseason. As he tells Shams Charania of The Vertical, Odom feels that he was never really himself after that trade.
“Being in L.A., the structure, the people I knew, it hurt leaving. I had great memories with the Lakers, with Kobe [Bryant] and Pau [Gasol]. That was a special time in my life,” Odom said. “I think about it all the time, about how much I had left in the tank. I had issues going on. But barring injury, could I play in the NBA today? I could play. I should still be playing.”
At age 37, Odom doesn’t intend to attempt an NBA comeback, and in fact has been in talks with the Lakers about signing a one-day contract during training camp to retire as a member of the organization, according to Charania.
Charania’s whole piece is worth checking out, but here are a few more highlights from Odom, who talked about the possibility of retiring as a Laker, his plans for the future, and a number of other topics:
On potentially retiring as a Laker:
“My family looks forward to me retiring as a Laker more than me. I’m not really emotional about being praised, about signing for a day. I’m shy at the end of the day. For my son, for my family, for my fans, they may enjoy that day. It’s for them. I ain’t celebrating not playing no more. In life though, I’ve learned to live with regrets.”
On his disappointing 2011/12 campaign with the Mavericks:
“That was a hard year for me because my cousin had just got killed. It was the lockout year, so I didn’t work out any, none, before that season. I spoke to Mark Cuban, and I told him the situation I was in emotionally, that this is what you’re getting, the player you’re getting. There were hard feelings over the course of the season. I thought I would return to my old form. … It’s too bad that it didn’t work out there because I really could have flourished with Dirk Nowitzki. I could have taken advantage of his skills and my skills. It’s too bad that I wasn’t at the top of my game mentally or physically. I couldn’t perform.”
On spending time with Luke Walton and the Lakers earlier this year, and potentially re-joining the franchise as a player development coach:
“I’ve thought about coaching with the Lakers, but I don’t know if I’m ready to commit myself. It was cool being back around that environment, watching Lonzo [Ball] work out. You could tell he will be special. It’s always good to be back around the Lakers’ facility. There’s nothing but good memories, besides that trade.
On the possibility of joining Ice Cube’s BIG3 league in 2018:
“I might play in the BIG3 next year. It would give me something to do. That league is going to last. It’s not going anywhere, and more dudes will get down with it. Getting $100,000 for playing, and three-on-three is nothing to these guys. They can play still. … I think the BIG3 could become international. It could tour. Basketball is an international game, and the four-point shot is entertainment. The reason it’s going to last is Cube – and celebrities come out for it.”
Celtics Work Out Thomas Robinson
Free agent big man Thomas Robinson worked out for the Celtics on Monday, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Chris Forsberg. Robinson remains on the open market following the expiration of his contract with the Lakers.
The fact that the Celtics are working out Robinson after agreeing to sign undrafted rookie L.J. Peak is interesting. Heading into their blockbuster deal with the Cavaliers, the Celtics had contract agreements in place with 20 players, the offseason maximum. Having sent three players to Cleveland in exchange for Kyrie Irving, Boston opened up two spots on its 20-man offseason roster and now has just 14 players on guaranteed salaries.
[RELATED: Latest on Kyrie Irving trade]
As Forsberg notes at ESPN, Boston may just be doing its due diligence on Robinson, but the team’s need for rebounding and interior toughness would be even more glaring with Ante Zizic headed to Cleveland. The Celtics’ interest in Robinson and their commitment to Peak may signal that they expect the Irving trade to get done as is — or with minor tweaks.
A former fifth overall pick, Robinson has failed to live up to his pre-draft billing, but was a solid role player for the Lakers in 48 games last season. Averaging just 11.7 minutes per contest, Robinson chipped in 5.0 PPG and 4.6 RPG to go along with a career-best .536 FG%.
Pelicans To Explore Adding Small Forward
With Solomon Hill expected to miss a significant portion of the 2017/18 season, the Pelicans find themselves short-handed at the small forward position, and are expected to explore adding depth at the position. Head coach Alvin Gentry confirmed as much during a Monday appearance on the Black and Blue Report, as Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com details.
“I think we’ve got some players who can fill in, but we’ve really got to go out and find another guy of that size with a little bit of versatility, that can play some (power forward) or maybe even some (shooting guard) for us, depending on who we try to get,” Gentry said. “Right now we’ve got to decide if we’re going to add a guy and how we can do that.”
The Pelicans have an All-Star duo up front in DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis, and will head into the season with a pair of starting-caliber point guards in Jrue Holiday and Rajon Rondo. However, the club’s depth on the wing remains a potential concern, particularly with Hill sidelined for six to eight months with a torn hamstring.
Currently, Quincy Pondexter and Darius Miller are the other viable small forwards on New Orleans’ roster, but Pondexter’s health is still a question mark, and Miller hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2014/15 season. It remains to be seen whether either player can approximate the production provided by Hill, who wasn’t a force on offense last season, but was often matched up against a top scorer on defense.
“I thought he guarded his position as well as anyone last year,” Gentry said of Hill. “He did a great job on guys like Paul George. Kevin Durant got his points, but it’s a matter of how he got those. I thought [Hill] did a great job in those situations. Not having him out there obviously takes a really good perimeter defender away from us, but we’ve got to find a way to fill in and adjust.”
If the Pelicans return to the free agent market, players like Shabazz Muhammad, Gerald Green, Matt Barnes may be on their radar. With the club on the hunt for a versatile, defensive-minded wing, Tony Allen would be an intriguing option, though it remains to be seen if he’ll play for the minimum salary. The Pelicans still have their full bi-annual exception ($3.29MM) available, but are getting dangerously close to the tax line, so a minimum deal may be necessary as they look to replace Hill.
Latest On Kyrie Irving Trade
The biggest trade of the NBA offseason remains in flux, as the Cavaliers determine what their next move is after conducting a physical exam on Isaiah Thomas‘ troublesome hip. According to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link), the two teams have until 9:00am central time on Thursday to finalize an agreement on the trade, though they could agree to extend that deadline.
As Kyler explains (Twitter links), the concern from the Cavaliers’ side appears to stem from the Celtics‘ assessment of Thomas’ hip. Boston believed that the veteran point guard wouldn’t require surgery on his hip, but Cavs doctors aren’t as certain about that diagnosis, which is why Cleveland is believed to be seeking further compensation. Still, as of Sunday, the Cavs hadn’t formally asked the C’s for more pieces, per Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com (Twitter link).
Here’s more on the mega-deal as we wait to see if it becomes fully official:
- If the Cavaliers fear that Thomas will miss a chunk of the 2017/18 season due to the hip injury, acquiring another asset that could help them improve their point guard depth figures to be a priority, tweets Kyler. Kyler suggests (via Twitter) that adding Terry Rozier to the Irving deal could be one option, but notes that adding another draft pick would also make sense, since that pick could potentially be attached to Iman Shumpert in a separate trade.
- Speaking of Shumpert, the Cavs are still looking to trade him, writes Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com. Pluto adds that there’s still not much interest in Shumpert, who will be difficult to move, though Kyler tweets that teams like the Rockets, Mavericks, and Bulls have expressed some interest — it’s not clear if those teams are all still viable trade partners for Cleveland.
- Both teams have plenty to lose if they were to void this trade, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today, who expects the Celtics and Cavs to find a way to get it done, even if one team is a bit less happy about the outcome. A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com also presents five reasons why the deal will eventually be completed.
- At least one player involved in the trade apparently anticipates it being finalized. As Vardon details in a Cleveland.com article, Jae Crowder has been photographed wearing Cavaliers gear. Vardon adds (via Twitter) that Crowder took his physical with the Cavs last week and is looking forward to playing for the franchise.
Sixers Name Elton Brand GM Of G League Team
The Sixers have formally named longtime NBA big man Elton Brand as the new general manager of their G League affiliate, the team announced today in a press release. The move to hire Brand as the Delaware 87ers’ GM was reported earlier today by Shams Charania of The Vertical.
“We are thrilled that Elton has agreed to take on the GM position of the Sevens, a natural next step given both his personal and professional skillset,” Sixers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo said in a statement. “The transition from a terrific playing career to team management was something that we have been talking about for some time and this opportunity is both timely and appropriate. I look forward to working side-by-side with Elton as we continue to grow and develop our overall basketball program.”
Brand, who announced his retirement as a player last fall, finished his career with the Sixers and then stepped into a front office role with the team during the 2016/17 season. The former No. 1 overall pick joined the 76ers as a player development consultant last December.
NBA teams have used G League affiliates for years to develop young players and coaches, and are increasingly taking advantage of those G League squads to mold young executives as well. While Brand enjoyed a successful 17-year run as an NBA player, he remains fairly inexperienced as an executive. However, if he does well with the Sevens, he could take on a larger role in the Sixers’ basketball operations department within the next few years.
Jazz Draftee Nigel Williams-Goss To Play In Serbia
Jazz second-round pick Nigel Williams-Goss will begin his professional career overseas. Serbian team KK Partizan Belgrade announced in a press release that it has signed the rookie guard to a two-year contract (English link via Sportando).
With 15 players already on guaranteed contracts, the Jazz didn’t have room on their regular-season NBA roster for Williams-Goss, who was the 55th overall pick in this year’s draft. Many players drafted in that neighborhood have agreed to two-way contracts with their new NBA clubs, and Williams-Goss was said to be a candidate for a two-way opening in Utah. However, it appears either he or the Jazz decided to go in another direction.
[RELATED: 2017 NBA Draft Pick Signings]
According to international basketball reporter David Pick (via Twitter), KK Partizan will pay Williams-Goss $130K, which is a significantly higher salary than he would have earned on a standard G League contract — if he had signed a two-way deal, the base value would have been $75K, though he could have exceeded that figure with NBA call-ups. Williams-Goss’ new contract in Serbia will include a $500K buyout for the 2018 offseason if the Jazz want to bring him stateside at that point, according to Pick.
Williams-Goss, who left Gonzaga after his junior year, was a key contributor for a squad that appeared in the Final Four for the first time this spring, falling to UNC in the championship game. The young point guard averaged 16.8 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 4.7 APG, and 1.7 SPG in 2016/17 for the Zags.
Sixers Notes: Brand, Simmons, Summer Moves
The Sixers are expected to hire former player Elton Brand as the GM of their G-League affiliate, the Delaware 87ers, Shams Charania of The Vertical tweets. Brand has served as a development consultant for the franchise, Charania adds. Brand would fill the vacancy left by the departure of Brandon Williams, who was hired by the Kings late last month as their assistant GM. Brand played for the Sixers from 2008-12, then rejoined them for the final 17 games of his career during the 2015/16 season.
In other news involving the club:
- Ben Simmons says he’s “ready to go” for training camp after recovering from the foot injury that prevented him from playing last season, he told Roy Ward of The Age. Simmons said he’s eager to prove himself after his rookie season was delayed by the surgery. “A lot of people maybe doubt me now but I’m ready to come back stronger and get to work,” he vowed to Ward. Simmons has been medically cleared for all basketball activities. He ran a basketball camp in Melbourne, Australia last week but flew back to Philadelphia on Monday to prepare for training camp, Ward continues. The Sixers sent two coaches to Melbourne to work with Simmons, including a shooting coach, but the point forward isn’t concerned about his jumper. “My shot has always been fine,” he insisted to Ward.
- The Sixers sent a message to their players and fans that they’re finally serious about winning when they traded up for the top pick in the draft, Shaun Powell of NBA.com notes in his offseason recap. The Sixers could have just taken the best available player at the No. 3 spot but GM Bryan Colangelo made a bold move by trading up for point guard Markelle Fultz, Powell continues. The Sixers now have solid building blocks with Joel Embiid, Simmons, Fultz and Robert Covington but still have to figure out what to do with Jahlil Okafor, Powell adds.
Revisiting Nerlens Noel’s Free Agency
Mavericks big man Nerlens Noel headed into restricted free agency with expectations of walking away with an long-term max deal, or something close to it. Instead, it turned into a contentious and drawn-out odyssey, with Noel eventually signing his one-year qualifying offer. He’ll head back into the free agent market next summer as an unrestricted free agent, hoping to the secure the contract he was hoping for this summer.
Noel was offered a four-year, $70MM contract by Dallas when he entered free agency at the beginning of July, Chris Haynes of ESPN confirmed to Hoops Rumors on Sunday, but the Mavericks soon pulled if off the table after Noel – represented at the time by agent Happy Walters – rejected it. That offer was not on the table for Noel later in free agency.
Let’s look at the timeline of events during Noel’s foray into restricted free agency:
JUNE 27: The Mavs tender the qualifying offer of $4,187,598 to Noel, making him a restricted free agent.
JULY 1: Mavs owner Mark Cuban has a “great call” with Noel and puts the $70MM on the table. Noel expresses a desire to re-sign but decides to wait and see what the market will bear. The offer is soon pulled.
JULY 5: The Hawks reportedly show interest in Noel after trading Dwight Howard and allowing free agency Paul Millsap to walk. They ultimately decide not to extend an offer sheet.
JULY 18: Noel and the Mavs remain far apart in negotiations. Walters tells the Dallas Morning News that his client is “very disappointed where things stand” and hasn’t received a “serious offer.”
AUGUST 21: Agitated how the process played out, Noel fires Walters and hires Rich Paul of Klutch Sports. Paul is the agent for LeBron James and John Wall, among many other NBA players.
AUGUST 26: Noel signs the qualifying offer, gambling that he’ll find more success in the open market next summer. The Mavs now need Noel’s approval to deal him before he becomes a free agent and he’ll have to surrender his Bird rights if he agrees to a trade. Meanwhile, Walters confirms that his former client turned down a four-year, $70MM offer from Dallas earlier in free agency, adding, “You can only advise. You cannot force people to do things they feel strongly about.” (Twitter links).
Noel’s situation is a prime example of how restricted free agency doesn’t work out for every player. While some – like Otto Porter and Tim Hardaway Jr. – benefit from a system that forces rival teams to overpay for an RFA to increase their chances of landing him, others can be left out in the cold once cap room dries up around the NBA.
Nikola Mirotic (Bulls), Alex Len (Suns), Mason Plumlee (Nuggets), and JaMychal Green (Grizzlies) are still restricted free agents, and it will be interesting to see whether any of them sign lucrative, long-term contracts this summer, or whether their free agency sagas ultimately end up looking more like Noel’s.
Forward Ben Bentil Signs With French Team
Forward Ben Bentil has signed overseas with Champagne Chalons-Reims, Chris Reichert of The Step Back tweets via a press release from the French club.
Bentil had a brief stay in the NBA last season. The 6’9” Bentil appeared in three games with the Mavericks after signing a 10-day contract in February, but didn’t score a point in 10 minutes of action. He wasn’t offered another 10-day deal.
The Pistons brought him in for a June mini-camp but didn’t sign him.
Bentil played a couple of months in China last season before rejoining the G-League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants. He played 22 games for the Pacers’ affiliate last season, averaging 12.1 PPG and 4.5 RPG.
Bentil was an early entrant to the 2016 draft, exiting Providence after his sophomore season. He was drafted in the second round with the 51st overall pick by the Celtics. Bentil received a partially guaranteed contract but was cut during training camp. The Pacers briefly picked him up in October and gave him $50K before waiving him.