Heat Sign Bam Adebayo To Rookie Contract
The Heat have officially signed former Kentucky big man Bam Adebayo to his rookie contract, the team announced today in a press release. Adebayo was the 14th overall pick in last week’s draft.
Because the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement calls for cap holds for unsigned first-round picks to count for 120% of their rookie scale amount rather than 100%, there’s now little reason for teams to wait to sign their first-rounders. As such, I expect we’ll see most of them signed earlier this year than they have been in the past. Adebayo is the first to make it official.
As the No. 14 pick, Adebayo will likely receive a contract worth $14,015,772 over four years. He’ll earn about $2.49MM in 2017/18, as our chart of rookie scale salaries shows. Those figures are based on Adebayo receiving the maximum allowable 120% of the rookie scale amount.
Knicks Maintain ‘Serious’ Interest In Derrick Rose
With several potential point guard options falling off the board, the Knicks maintain interest in Derrick Rose, league sources tell ESPN’s Ian Begley. Begley’s ESPN colleague Jeff Goodman classifies Rose as a “serious option” for the team as targets Ricky Rubio (traded to Jazz), Jeff Teague (agreed to sign with Timberwolves), and Jrue Holiday (agreed to re-sign with Pelicans) are no longer available.
Just yesterday, Stefan Bondy and Frank Isola of the New York Daily News called a Rose reunion in New York a “long shot.” The 28-year-old Chicago native posted solid numbers in his first season with the Knicks in 2016/17, averaging 18.0 PPG and 4.4 APG in 32.5 MPG through 64 contests. However, Rose’s defense and outside shooting was suspect, and his season included going AWOL in early January and suffering a torn meniscus toward the end of the year.
Begley has reported that free agent George Hill is a possible target in free agency for New York. Also, Marc J. Spears of ESPN indicated today (via Twitter) that free agent Michael Carter-Williams has received interest from the Knicks. However, the team would need to clear out cap space to entice Hill with a competitive offer and Carter-Williams has struggled to regain his Rookie of the Year form in the three seasons since winning the award.
Considering the Knicks hold Rose’s Bird rights, the former MVP makes some sense from a cap perspective. The Knicks would have about $15MM in cap room if they were to renounce their rights to him. If more point guards are traded and/or sign elsewhere, the oft-injured Rose may return to New York and possibly serve as a mentor for eight overall pick Frank Ntilikina.
Paul Millsap To Meet With Timberwolves
Free agent big man Paul Millsap is set to meet with the Timberwolves today, reports Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders (via Twitter). It’s one of two reported meetings for Millsap, who is said to be sitting down with the Suns on Sunday.
Millsap, 32, would be a fascinating addition for a Timberwolves team that has already added Jimmy Butler this offseason and is poised to finalize a contract for point guard Jeff Teague as well. However, taking into account Butler’s salary and Teague’s three-year, $57MM agreement, it doesn’t appear Minnesota would be able to offer Millsap a max contract. Still, if the veteran big man decides he wants to join the Wolves, the team could dump some salary or Millsap could accept a more modest starting salary.
[RELATED: Timberwolves agree to sign Jeff Teague]
Minnesota was named in a Friday night report as a possible frontrunner with Millsap, along with the Nuggets. Phoenix and Sacramento are also believed to be in the mix for the four-time All-Star, who appears increasingly unlikely to return to Atlanta.
The Timberwolves are actively scouring the free agent market for roster reinforcements, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News, who tweets that the team has also inquired on Justin Holiday.
Six Teams Interested In Michael Carter-Williams
Michael Carter-Williams received a call from the Rockets last night, according to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link), who says that Houston is one of at least six teams with interest in the free agent point guard. Spears identifies the Knicks, Thunder, Mavericks, Pelicans, and Hornets as other clubs eyeing Carter-Williams.
Carter-Williams, the NBA’s Rookie of the Year back in 2013/14, has seen his usage and his production fall off since his days with the Sixers. After being acquired by Chicago in a preseason trade for Tony Snell last fall, Carter-Williams appeared in 45 games for the Bulls in 2016/17, averaging just 6.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 2.5 APG on 36.6% shooting (18.8 minutes per game). The Bulls didn’t tender him a qualifying offer this week, so he’s an unrestricted free agent.
While Carter-Williams appears to be drawing some interest, it remains to be seen whether he’ll prioritize joining a contending team or finding a situation where he’d have a larger role.
The Rockets, Thunder, Pelicans, and Hornets all have standout starting point guards, while the point guard situations in New York and Dallas are a little more in flux — the Knicks and Mavs addressed the position in last week’s draft by selecting Frank Ntilikina and Dennis Smith Jr., respectively, but those those rookies likely won’t take on huge minutes right away.
Free Agent Rumors: Iguodala, Noel, Roberson, Ingles
The Heat are one of three teams scheduled to meet with free agent Gordon Hayward, which could put several free agency plans on hold. For Miami free agent James Johnson, being patient is not a problem, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes.
“I’m a patient guy,” Johnson said to Jackson at a recent golf tournament. “They can take as long as they want. My mindset is winning. I think Hayward can help us win and I’m all for it. They brought me here for a reason and I know they’re going after Hayward for a reason and I think his statistics and his numbers that he [produces], he fits in the best here.”
Johnson, 30, developed into a solid two-way player last season, averaging 12.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and shot nearly 48% from the floor. However, if Miami does lure Hayward to South Beach, retaining both Johnson and Dion Waiters would be problematic from a financial standpoint. Stretching Josh McRoberts‘ salary and several other moves would have to be made to re-sign both players. However, Johnson has reiterated he does not mind waiting to see how the Heat’s plan develop.
Here are some other free agency rumors circulating around the NBA:
- The Rockets‘ meeting with two-time NBA champion and free agent Andre Iguodala is scheduled for this morning, according to Chris Haynes of ESPN (via Twitter).
- In a separate tweet, Haynes reports that the Knicks and Bucks have inquired on free agent swingman Ben McLemore.
- Restricted free agent Nerlens Noel can speak to other teams, but appears very likely to remain in Dallas. It’s likely a matter of “how much and when” the Mavericks get a deal done with the swingman, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon (via Twitter).
- With Paul George headed to Oklahoma City, the Thunder are more likely to retain restricted free agent Andre Roberson, according to ESPN’s Royce Young (via Twitter).
- The Nets have secured a meeting with free agent Joe Ingles, sources tell Adam Joseph of 16WingsARing (via Twitter).
- We heard on Friday night that the Cavaliers have interest in Zach Randolph. That interest is mutual, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com.
Poll: Which Team Will Sign Gordon Hayward?
With Blake Griffin heading back to the Clippers, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant sticking with the Warriors, and Chris Paul not reaching the free agent market at all, Gordon Hayward looks like the top player on the open market at the moment.
Hayward isn’t rushing his free agent decision, having scheduled meetings with three very interested suitors. The All-Star forward is sitting down with the Heat today before meeting with the Celtics on Sunday and the Jazz on Monday.
The Celtics, armed with cap flexibility and assets, and coming off a 53-win season, have long been viewed as a potential landing spot for Hayward, especially given his history with Boston head coach Brad Stevens, who coached him at Butler. However, the Jazz have a promising young core of their own, won 51 games last season, and have built up a strong relationship with Hayward over the course of his NBA career. The Heat don’t have the same kind of history with Hayward, but Hassan Whiteside has been working hard to recruit Hayward, and the appeal of South Beach shouldn’t be understated.
While those three teams appear to be the finalists for Hayward, ESPN’s Zach Lowe noted on Friday that he wouldn’t be surprised if a fourth club lands a meeting with the 27-year-old too. At this point though, it’s not clear which other teams might attempt to get involved in the Hayward sweepstakes. It may simply come down to Boston, Utah, and Miami.
What do you think? Where will Hayward end up signing? Place your vote in our poll, then jump into the comments section below to share your thoughts.
Which team will sign Gordon Hayward?
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Boston Celtics 43% (1,679)
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Utah Jazz 33% (1,261)
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Miami Heat 18% (717)
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Another team 6% (221)
Total votes: 3,878
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
Mutual Interest Between Jose Calderon, Cavs
The Cavaliers have targeted veteran free agent Jose Calderon to be their backup point guard, reports Jason Lloyd of The Athletic (via Twitter). According to Lloyd, the interest between the Cavs and Calderon is mutual.
Calderon, who will turn 36 this fall, saw his production fall off in 2016/17, as he averaged just 3.4 PPG and 2.1 APG in 41 games with the Lakers and Hawks. The Spaniard’s shooting percentages (.410 FG%, .313 3PT% also represented the worst marks since his rookie season. Still, it appears Cleveland is willing to bet on him having a bounce-back year in 2017/18.
Last season, the Cavs finished the year with Deron Williams as their backup point guard behind Kyrie Irving. Although Williams provided some solid minutes during his time with the team, he looked overmatched in the NBA Finals against the Warriors, making just two of 16 shots in that series.
Assuming the Cavs aren’t able to shed salaries, their ability to add free agents this offseason will come down to the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.2MM) and the minimum salary exception. If they’re able to work out a deal with Calderon, I’d expect it to be worth the minimum.
Knicks Rumors: Hill, Rubio, Lee, Baker, Griffin
George Hill appears to have emerged as the Knicks’ top free agent target, writes Ian Begley of ESPN.com. According to Begley, the team has been making an effort to unload some salary in order to make a competitive offer to a free agent point guard, and Hill has emerged as the name atop that list. Although the Knicks have made their interest in Hill known, they didn’t formally reach out to his camp during the early hours of free agency, says Begley.
Here are a few more Knicks-related rumors and notes:
- The Knicks had some interest in trading for Ricky Rubio, but weren’t willing to part with a first-round pick for the veteran point guard, a source tells Begley.
- If the Knicks are able to move a salary, Courtney Lee is the prime candidate, though Carmelo Anthony would be another option. We heard on Friday night that New York and Houston had discussed Anthony, but there’s currently no traction there.
- Terms of Ron Baker‘s new deal with the Knicks aren’t yet known, but Begley says people in touch with the team expect New York to use an exception to re-sign Baker. That’s a little vague, but assuming the Knicks go under the cap, the exceptions available for Baker would be the room ($4.3MM), minimum ($1.3MM), and Non-Bird ($1.6MM).
- Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com provided an update on the Knicks’ front office situation on Friday, tweeting that if David Griffin were to join the franchise, he would likely become the general manager, with current GM Steve Mills ascending to president of basketball operations. It remains to be seen whether that situation would appeal to Griffin.
Pelicans Eyeing Nick Young, Ty Lawson, Others
Having locked up their top free agent target with a new five-year contract agreement, the Pelicans are now exploring the rest of the market as they search for veteran scorers and playmakers, tweets David Aldridge of TNT. According to Aldridge (Twitter links), New Orleans is engaging today with free agent shooting guard Nick Young and will also connect with point guard Ty Lawson.
[RELATED: Pelicans agree to five-year deal with Jrue Holiday]
Even after agreeing to re-sign Jrue Holiday, the Pelicans’ roster is somewhat heavier on frontcourt players, led by Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins. Having traded Tim Frazier to Washington in June, New Orleans will be on the lookout for backcourt players to play alongside or behind Holiday in the rotation.
Young and Lawson both appear capable of fitting that bill. While we haven’t heard much yet about Young’s free agent options, Lawson has reportedly drawn some interest from the Timberwolves, Thunder, and Kings in addition to the Pelicans.
Scott Kushner of The Advocate adds (via Twitter) that Jodie Meeks is another free agent name to watch for New Orleans.
The Pelicans will almost certainly operate as an over-the-cap team, leaving them the mid-level ($8.4MM) and bi-annual ($3.3MM) exceptions to add players above the minimum salary level.
Hoops Rumors’ 2017 NBA Free Agent Tracker
With free agency officially underway and news of contract agreements already breaking, Hoops Rumors is here to help you keep track of which players are heading to which teams this July. To this end, we present our Free Agent Tracker, a feature we’ve had each year since our inception in 2012. Using our tracker, you can quickly look up deals, sorting by team, position, free agent type, and a handful of other variables.
A few notes on the tracker:
- During the July moratorium (July 1-6), most of the information you’ll find in the tracker will reflect agreements, rather than finalized deals. As signings become official, we’ll continue to update and modify the data as needed.
- Similarly, contract years and dollars will be based on what’s been reported to date, so in many cases those amounts will be approximations rather than official figures. Salaries aren’t necessarily fully guaranteed either.
- A restricted free agent who signs an offer sheet won’t be included in the tracker right away. We’ll wait to hear whether the player’s original team will match or pass on that offer sheet before we update our tracker, in order to avoid confusion.
- If you’re viewing the tracker on mobile, be sure to turn your phone sideways to see more details.
Our 2017 Free Agent Tracker can be found anytime on the right sidebar under “Hoops Rumors Features,” and it’s also under the “Tools” menu atop the site. It will be updated throughout the offseason, so be sure to check back for the latest info. If you have any corrections, please let us know right here.
Our lists of free agents by position/type and by team break down the players who have yet to reach contract agreements.