Two Teams Remain Below 2017/18 Salary Floor
When we discuss the NBA’s salary cap, we often refer to a team’s position in relation to either the cap itself or to the luxury tax line. For the 2017/18 season, the league has a salary cap of $99.093MM, with a luxury tax threshold of $119.266MM. With the exception of a few potential taxpayers and a few clubs with cap room, most team salaries fall between those two figures.
There’s at least one more key figure related to the salary cap though, and that’s the salary floor, as it’s informally known. The salary floor, which is 90% of the salary cap, is the minimum amount that a team must spend on its roster in a given NBA season. For 2017/18, that amount is $89,183,700.
While it’s possible that more teams will dip below the salary floor based on moves they make at the trade deadline, for now there are just two teams below that line, according to Basketball Insiders’ salary data. Those teams are the Mavericks ($85,669,472) and the Bulls ($83,223,828).
Both the Mavs and Bulls are actually functioning as over-the-cap teams at the moment, since they have various mid-level and trade exceptions that they haven’t renounced — added to their respective team salaries, those exceptions take them over the $99.093MM cap line. Still, that exception money isn’t technically being spent on any players right now, so it doesn’t count toward each club’s minimum salary.
Under the NBA’s old Collective Bargaining Agreement, it was fairly easy for teams below the salary floor to game the system. At the deadline, a team could simply acquire a highly-paid player whose cap hit would take the team over the salary floor, despite the fact that the club would only owe that player a prorated portion of his salary.
For instance, a year ago, the Sixers took on Andrew Bogut‘s $11MM+ salary as part of the deal that sent Nerlens Noel to Dallas. Bogut’s full $11MM+ cap hit counted for minimum team salary purposes for Philadelphia, but the Mavs had already paid a majority of the center’s salary, since the trade happened with less than two months left in the season. In other words, despite only having to pay about $3MM that was left on Bogut’s contract, the Sixers were able to artificially put an extra $8MM toward the calculation of their minimum team salary.
The league’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement closed that loophole. Now, players traded or acquired during the season will only count toward a team’s minimum salary for the amount that they were paid by that team. So the Bulls can’t simply acquire a player earning $7MM to get above the salary floor — if 40% of the season remains, that player would only count for $2.8MM toward Chicago’s minimum team salary, with the other $4.2MM applying to his old club’s minimum team salary.
With those new rules in mind, it will be interesting to see how the Bulls and Mavericks approach the trade deadline. In order to reach the salary floor based on the new guidelines, each team would have to use nearly all of its remaining cap room. While Chicago and Dallas should be willing to take advantage of that cap space to take on a contract or two if it means acquiring some extra assets in the process, that sort of deal may not be worth it if it adds major long-term money to the books. In that case, it may simply make more sense for the teams to finish the year below the salary floor, then make up the difference at season’s end by paying out the shortfall to their players.
And-Ones: Pistons, Hood, Muscala, Referees
The general consensus among various league executives and agents is that this season’s trade deadline won’t be overly eventful, writes Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. While several smaller-scale deals could be made, the 2018 deadline figures to be short on blockbusters, particularly since many big trades already happened during the 2017 offseason.
Still, O’Connor’s trade deadline preview touches on many players and teams, mixing in a few new tidbits alongside news and rumors that have been previously reported. For instance, the Bulls and Pistons are among the teams believed to have interest in Jazz shooting guard Rodney Hood, according to O’Connor, who adds that virtually any Utah player not named Rudy Gobert or Donovan Mitchell could be had in the right deal.
Among O’Connor’s other items of interest: Hawks big man Mike Muscala has generated “light interest” around the NBA, and execs across the league have vastly different opinions on Pistons trade candidate Stanley Johnson — some view him as a potential low-cost steal, while others are bearish on his value.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA:
- In his latest piece at NBA.com, TNT’s David Aldridge has 10 trade ideas that he believes would make sense for the various teams involved.
- The NBA recently announced an initiative that the league hopes will improve the working relationship between its players and referees. Sam Amick of USA Today spoke to Monty McCutchen, a former top-rated ref who has joined the league office, about the five-part program.
- In his latest look at trade rumors from around the NBA, Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post explores how the Pelicans and Thunder will try to fill the holes created in their rotations after season-ending injuries to DeMarcus Cousins and Andre Roberson, respectively.
Knicks Increasing Efforts To Move Joakim Noah
JANUARY 29: The Knicks are “exploring avenues” to part with Noah, according to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports, who tweets that the veteran center had a heated verbal exchange with Jeff Hornacek during a practice last week.
If New York can’t find a trade partner willing to take on Noah, waiving him and stretching his contract is an option. Last month, we broke down the impact of such a move on the Knicks’ salary cap.
JANUARY 26: Joakim Noah is currently away from the Knicks for what the team is calling “personal reasons,” and sources tell Marc Berman of The New York Post that the veteran center is unhappy with his situation in New York. As a result, the Knicks have “ramped up” their efforts to trade Noah, reports Berman, citing a source.
Noah, like fellow center Willy Hernangomez, has seen his role reduced this season due to the Knicks’ frontcourt logjam. Enes Kanter and Kyle O’Quinn have been the team’s primary centers for most of the 2017/18 campaign.
With O’Quinn and Kristaps Porzingis sidelined on Tuesday against Golden State, Noah had been hoping to see increased minutes. However, he only played sparingly in garbage time and was “visibly upset” after the game, according to Berman, who suggests that the incident may have triggered Noah’s departure from the team. Berman adds that the veteran center might not rejoin the Knicks until next Thursday.
While a trade may be a preferred outcome for both the Knicks and Noah, it’s hard to imagine the team finding a trade partner willing to take on the big man’s massive contract. Noah, who has a cap hit of $17.765MM for 2017/18, will still have two years and about $37.83MM in guaranteed money left on his deal after this season.
In previous trade talks, the only way the Knicks could get another team to consider taking on Noah was by attaching their 2018 first-round pick, according to Berman. New York’s front office is very much against giving up that first-rounder, which looks increasingly likely to be a lottery selection, so a Noah deal appears to be a long shot. Nonetheless, the Knicks plan to ask teams around the NBA about the idea as the trade deadline nears, says Berman.
Clippers, DeAndre Jordan Not Close To Extension
Clippers center DeAndre Jordan has recently had dinner with team owner Steve Ballmer to discuss his future, and has also spoken to the club a few times about an extension, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. However, according to Turner, the two sides aren’t close to a new deal.
Jordan, 29, can become an unrestricted free agent this July if he decides to turn down his player option for 2018/19. With the Clippers hanging around the playoff race in the Western Conference, Jordan’s uncertain future looms large over the club’s potential direction at the trade deadline — if extension talks are unproductive and the front office is worried about losing Jordan for nothing in the offseason, a trade is plausible.
The deadline for a contract extension is still a ways off, as Jordan and the Clippers could reach an agreement anytime before June 30. It’s also possible that the veteran center will opt into the final year of his deal this summer if he’s unsure about his ability to get a deal on the open market that’s more player-friendly than his $24MM+ option. Still, the February 8 trade deadline is an important date for the Clippers, since it could represent the club’s last chance to get assets in return for Jordan.
For his part, Jordan – who recently established a new record for most games played as a Clipper – hopes to spend the rest of his career with the franchise, according to Turner. However, the big man acknowledges that the decision isn’t just his to make.
“Whatever they decide to do, they decide to do,” Jordan said of the Clippers. “I can’t control that. I can only play basketball and that’s what I do. My love for the game will be wherever. For me, the most important thing is being wanted and appreciated where you are. And wherever that is, I’m going to be happy. And if it’s here, that’s amazing. If not, then it’s a business sometimes.”
Knicks Rumors: RHJ, O’Quinn, Lee, Dotson
The Knicks have inquired about Nets forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, an NBA source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post. However, Brooklyn asked for a first-round pick in exchange for the Hollis-Jefferson, and with the Knicks likely headed for the lottery, that pick is “virtually untouchable.”
In addition to wanting to hang onto that first-rounder, the Knicks’ front office is “vehemently opposed” to taking on any more bad contracts, writes Berman. I imagine the only exception would be if another team was willing to take on Joakim Noah‘s deal — in that scenario, the Knicks may be open to absorbing an unwanted contract that perhaps isn’t quite as bad as Noah’s.
While New York is receiving more calls about Willy Hernangomez than any other player, sources suggest to Berman that Kyle O’Quinn and Courtney Lee are more likely to be dealt. Lee, in particular, has generated increasing interest recently, though Berman says that the Knicks won’t move him unless they get “significant value” in return.
Here’s more out of New York:
- Most opposing executives and scouts surveyed by Fred Kerber of The New York Post believe that the Knicks should approach the deadline as sellers, looking to collect more assets. However, that view wasn’t unanimous — one opposing team official advocated for an attempt at a playoff push, though he cautioned that the Knicks shouldn’t move their first-round pick “under any circumstance.”
- Al Iannazzone of Newsday takes a closer look at the Knicks’ prime trade candidates, with the deadline fast approaching.
- The Knicks have been reluctant to send lottery pick Frank Ntilikina to the G League to get him extra work, but playing with the Westchester Knicks is paying off for fellow rookie Damyean Dotson, Berman writes in an article for The New York Post.
Pistons Make Avery Bradley Available In Trade Talks
8:58am: The Lakers offered Jordan Clarkson in one version of a potential Bradley trade, according to Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link), who isn’t sure if those discussions will go anywhere. Bradley and his expiring contract would make some sense as a target for the Lakers, who are looking to create major cap flexibility for the summer of 2018.
8:45am: Less than seven months after acquiring him from the Celtics, the Pistons have made Avery Bradley available in trade discussions, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Bradley will be a free agent at season’s end.
According to Wojnarowski, the asking price for Bradley is “significant,” since the Pistons initially traded for him in the hopes of locking him up to a long-term deal this summer. However, the team doesn’t want to risk losing him for nothing.
Detroit, currently three games out of the No. 8 seed in the East, has been one of the NBA’s most aggressive clubs when it comes to exploring the trade market and seeking out potential upgrades. Even as the Pistons have slipped out of the playoff picture, they’re not planning on a fire sale, according to Rod Beard of The Detroit News, who tweets that the club is gauging Bradley’s value and “seeing what’s out there.”
Bradley, 27, has struggled a little with his shot this season, as his .409 FG% is his worst mark since 2012/13. However, he’s still knocking down 38.1% of his three-point attempts, and is contributing 15.0 PPG to go along with solid perimeter defense.
Bradley, who has a cap charge of approximately $8.8MM this season, will be unrestricted – rather than restricted – as a free agent this offseason, which may limit his value for potential suitors. Still, a club that trades for the veteran guard would acquire his Bird rights, which could come in handy in July, since few teams are projected to have significant cap room. Bird rights allow a club to re-sign a player without using cap space, and Wojnarowski suggests that Bradley could command upwards of $20MM annually as a free agent.
NBA Increases Bonuses For All-Star Winners
In the wake of 2017’s NBA All-Star Game, a 192-182 contest that featured the usual lack of defensive effort, the NBA made changes to the format, moving away from the East vs. West matchup. According to Marcus Thompson of The Athletic, the league has also made another under-the-radar tweak, as players on the winning team will now earn $100K rather than $50K.
ESPN’s Chris Haynes goes into more detail on the change in a story of his own, noting that the difference between the bonuses for the winners ($100K) and losers ($25K) is significantly wider than it was before. The league presumably hopes to make the game a little more competitive by adding that extra incentive to win it.
According to Haynes, many All-Star players actually weren’t aware of the increase in bonus money for the winning team. However, several All-Stars who spoke to ESPN and were informed of the additional incentive believe it should have an impact on the level of play on the court.
“I would like to think so,” Celtics big man Al Horford told Haynes. “I think guys will definitely take the game more seriously. In the last couple of years, the games haven’t been good, and we’re all aware of that. Regardless of that, I think guys are going to come out and compete. But that’s a big incentive, for sure. We’re going to be diving for loose balls out there.”
Kyrie Irving added that the jump from $50K to $100K represents a “huge difference,” with Klay Thompson suggesting that “it will definitely help.” Stephen Curry was also in favor of the change, though he had a few other thoughts on how to improve All-Star weekend.
“An idea I have is shortening the day. The entire game day is the biggest drag for us,” Curry said to ESPN. “Media [obligations], sponsorship appearances, [extravagant, prolonged] All-Star introductions. It’s obviously a made-for-TV event. After all that, then there’s the game. That’s a lot. But all the changes should help make the game a little better.”
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 1/28/18
Here are the G League moves from around the Association today:
10:45pm:
- The Hawks have recalled Tyler Cavanaugh and Isaiah Taylor from their G League affiliate in Erie, Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets.
- The Warriors assigned Damian Jones to their affiliate in Santa Cruz, the team announced in a press release. Jones is averaging 15.5 points per contest in 31 games with the G League squad.
4:59pm:
- The Jazz have recalled center Tony Bradley from their affiliate, the team announced on Twitter. Bradley has averaged 15.6 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in his 16 games with the Salt Lake City Stars.
- The Knicks recalled Damyean Dotson from Westchester, the team’s public relation’s department tweeted. Dotson has averaged 2.8 points in 21 games with the big league club so far this season.
Lakers Will Not Re-Sign Nigel Hayes
The Lakers will not re-sign forward Nigel Hayes after his 10-day contract expired tonight, Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times tweets. The 23-year-old rookie saw action in two games during his stint with the club, seeing a grand total of 11 minutes.
Hayes, an undrafted combo forward out of Wisconsin, will hit the open market while Los Angeles frees up a roster spot with which they can test drive other free agents.
With a glut of forwards already on board in L.A., Hayes’ chances of breaking into the Lakers’ rotation were slim from the start.
Hayes previously went through training camp with the Knicks.
Central Notes: Parker, Turner, Wade
Injured Bucks forward Jabari Parker is still expected back in the lineup the week before the February 18 All-Star Game, Genaro Armas of The Associated Press writes. The 22-year-old is already practicing with the team without restrictions.
Parker’s return will come weeks after the Bucks fired the only NBA coach he ever knew. While there are conflicting accounts about Parker’s relationship with Jason Kidd, there’s no denying that he had a close one with assistant coach Frank Johnson, who was let go after Kidd was.
“It was kind of really hard for me to accept,” Parker told Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, noting that he saw Johnson every day and looked forward to their time together. “Not having him by my side is really going to be hard for me.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- After a nine-game absence, Pacers big man Myles Turner needs to shake some rust off and work his way back into game shape, Clifton Brown of The Indianapolis Star writes. “You could see that he was a little hesitant,” head coach Nate McMillan said. “He had an open look that I’ve never seen Myles pass up. We knew he would be a little rusty. We wanted to be patient with him and really watch him.“
- The Cavaliers expect Dwyane Wade back in the lineup on Tuesday, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. The guard has been out of action for two games following the death of his agent Henry Thomas. Thomas is said to have served as a father figure for Wade.
- The Bulls have seen their offense stagnate without Kris Dunn, Mark Strotman of NBC Sports Chicago writes. The sophomore guard’s absence has really driven home the impact that he has on the team when healthy.