Month: May 2024

Community Shootaround: Luol Deng’s Future

August 30th, 2018 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

As of this coming Saturday, teams waiving a player can no longer stretch that player’s 2018/19 cap hit — only the player’s future cap charges can be stretched.

That’s an item of interest for a player like Luol Deng, who has two years and $36.81MM left on his contract with the Lakers. If he were stretched today, Deng would count against the team’s cap for $7.362MM over each of the next five years. Waiving and stretching him on Saturday would leave his 2018/19 cap hit as is, creating $6.27MM annual cap charges for the following three seasons.

In an in-depth and interesting piece for GiveMeSport.com, cap expert Mark Deeks argues that, as of Saturday, the time is right for the Lakers to make a move involving Deng. The Lakers want to create as much cap room as possible for the 2019 offseason and trading Deng in a salary-dump deal is their best path to maximizing that cap space, but Deeks doesn’t view that as a realistic or desirable option. Any deal that clears Deng’s salary from the Lakers’ books would cost the team at least a first-round pick, and likely more than that, given how unappealing the contract is.

In Deeks’ view, the Lakers’ best bet is to push for a buyout sometime after September 1. Deng has spoken about wanting the opportunity to play this coming season, and if he doesn’t think he’ll get the chance to get back on the court in Los Angeles, he could be open to giving back a portion of his salary to play elsewhere. Deng won’t surrender a huge chunk of the money owed to him, but Deeks believes a buyout in the $5MM range isn’t unrealistic — after all, the veteran forward could essentially make that money back by signing minimum-salary contracts over the next two seasons.

In that scenario, the Lakers would apply a pro-rated portion of the buyout to each of Deng’s remaining seasons, reducing his cap hit for 2019/20, which in turn would reduce the annual cap charges created by stretching him.

The Lakers are under no pressure to do anything with Deng right now. Stretching Deng on September 1 and doing so next July would have the same impact on the team’s cap. So it may be in the team’s best interests to be patient, exploring the trade market at the deadline and again next summer to see if any takers are out there — if not, the club could simply waive and stretch Deng in 10 months.

Still, Deeks argues that the Lakers’ leverage in buyout talks won’t improve over the course of the year, since allowing Deng to reach free agency now would give him the chance to catch on with a new team for the 2018/19 season. In other words, this may be the club’s best chance to reduce Deng’s stretched cap hits as much as possible.

Additionally, even if the Lakers are able to eventually find a trade involving Deng, they’ll have to give up young players and/or picks to make it happen, and Deeks doesn’t believe surrendering those assets would be worth creating a little extra cap room — even if that extra cap room helps open up a 35% maximum-salary slot.

What do you think? Should the Lakers start working on a Deng buyout now and try to resolve the situation soon? Or does it make sense to hang onto him until at least next summer in order to maximize their potential options?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in on Deng and the Lakers.

And-Ones: Tax Projections, Bargain Signings, Ennis

August 30th, 2018 at 3:13pm CST by Luke Adams

By waiving and stretching Kyle Singler, the Thunder will reduce their projected tax bill to about $73.75MM, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, who lists the current penalties for the other clubs above the tax line as well. As Marks observes, teams hovering near the tax line should make every effort to finish the season below that threshold, since the non-taxpayers will be in line for a financial windfall. Currently, the league’s 22 non-taxpaying teams project to receive $4.88MM apiece in distribution money from eight taxpayers.

Let’s round up a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world…

While the usual suspects like DeMarcus Cousins and Isaiah Thomas top Jesse Blancarte’s Basketball Insiders list of this summer’s most team-friendly contracts, Blancarte also identifies Ed Davis (Nets), Greg Monroe (Raptors), and Seth Curry (Trail Blazers) as potential bargains.
Having signed with Fenerbahce earlier this summer, former Lakers point guard Tyler Ennis is excited about joining the Turkish powerhouse, as Antonis Stroggylakis of Eurohoops.net relays. “I started to got messages from our fans before I signed my contract,” Ennis told FB TV. “That was a huge support for me in that process. I can’t wait to get on the court and show them what I got.”
Jamal Murray (Nuggets), Brandon Ingram (Lakers), and Jaylen Brown (Celtics) are among the potential breakout players named by Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders in an article on players who could take a third-year leap.
A number of star players can hit free agency in 2019 and there should be plenty of teams with cap room available. Danny Leroux of The Athletic suggests that another interesting factor related to 2019’s free agent period involves all the star players who are already on long-term contracts. A team like the Lakers, for instance, with LeBron James locked up through at least 2021, will be able to sell potential targets on “a finished product rather than patience and possibility,” Leroux writes.

NBA’s Top 50 Highest-Paid Players For 2018/19

August 30th, 2018 at 2:07pm CST by Luke Adams

While many of the NBA’s highest-paid players are on contracts considered maximum-salary deals, the 2018/19 salaries for those players vary significantly depending on when the player signed his contract and how much NBA experience he has. That’s why a player like Stephen Curry can earn $17MM+ more than Kyrie Irving in ’18/19 despite both star point guards technically being on max deals.

When a player signs a maximum-salary contract, he doesn’t necessarily earn the NBA max for each season of that contract — he earns the max in year one, then gets a series of identical annual raises. In Curry’s case, his 2018/19 salary actually exceeds this year’s maximum, since his deal started last summer and includes 8% annual raises, while the cap only rose by about 3% this season.

Listed below, with the help of salary data from Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders, are the top 50 highest-paid NBA players for the 2017/18 season. The players on this list don’t necessarily have the contracts with the largest overall value. Jabari Parker‘s $20MM salary, for instance, places him among the highest-paid players for this season, but the total value of his deal is modest, since it’s only guaranteed for one year, with a second-year option. The list below only considers salaries for 2018/19.

Additionally, we’ve noted players who could potentially increase their earnings via incentives or trade bonuses. We didn’t add those notes for players like Curry, LeBron James, and others who have trade bonuses but are already earning the maximum — their salaries for this season can’t increase beyond their max.

Here are the NBA’s 50 highest-paid players for the 2018/19 season:

Stephen Curry, Warriors: $37,457,154
LeBron James, Lakers: $35,654,150
Chris Paul, Rockets: $35,654,150
Russell Westbrook, Thunder: $35,654,150
Blake Griffin, Pistons: $32,088,932
Gordon Hayward, Celtics: $31,214,295
Kyle Lowry, Raptors: $31,200,000 (plus incentives)
Paul George, Thunder: $30,560,700
Mike Conley, Grizzlies: $30,521,116
James Harden, Rockets: $30,421,854 (15% trade kicker)
Kevin Durant, Warriors: $30,000,000 (15% trade kicker)
Paul Millsap, Nuggets: $29,230,769 (plus incentives)
Al Horford, Celtics: $28,928,710 (15% trade kicker)
Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers: $27,977,689
DeMar DeRozan, Spurs: $27,739,975
Otto Porter, Wizards: $26,011,913
Jrue Holiday, Pelicans: $25,976,111 (plus incentives)
C.J. McCollum, Trail Blazers: $25,759,766
Joel Embiid, Sixers: $25,467,250
Andrew Wiggins, Timberwolves: $25,467,250
Andre Drummond, Pistons: $25,434,263 (8% trade kicker)
Hassan Whiteside, Heat: $25,434,263
Bradley Beal, Wizards: $25,434,262
Anthony Davis, Pelicans: $25,434,262
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets: $24,605,181 (plus incentives)
Steven Adams, Thunder: $24,157,304 (7.5% trade kicker)
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks: $24,157,304
Marc Gasol, Grizzlies: $24,119,025 (15% trade kicker)
Kevin Love, Cavaliers: $24,119,025
Harrison Barnes, Mavericks: $24,107,258 (8% trade kicker)
Chandler Parsons, Grizzlies: $24,107,258
Nicolas Batum, Hornets: $24,000,000
Rudy Gobert, Jazz: $23,241,573 (plus incentives)
Kawhi Leonard, Raptors: $23,114,067
DeAndre Jordan, Mavericks: $22,897,200
LaMarcus Aldridge, Spurs: $22,347,015 (15% trade kicker)
Serge Ibaka, Raptors: $21,666,667
Aaron Gordon, Magic: $21,590,909 (plus incentives)
Danilo Gallinari, Clippers: $21,587,579
Victor Oladipo, Pacers: $21,000,000
Jimmy Butler, Timberwolves: $20,445,779
Ryan Anderson, Suns: $20,421,546
Kyrie Irving, Celtics: $20,099,189
Jabari Parker, Bulls: $20,000,000
Zach LaVine, Bulls: $19,500,000
Tyler Johnson, Heat: $19,245,370
John Wall, Wizards: $19,169,800
George Hill, Cavaliers: $19,000,000
Jeff Teague, Timberwolves: $19,000,000
Klay Thompson, Warriors: $18,988,725

Note: Some outlets suggest Anthony Davis has a 15% trade kicker, but it’s not listed on Basketball Insiders.

Note: Carmelo Anthony is not included on this list because his $25,534,253 buyout with the Hawks will be paid over three seasons, even though Atlanta kept the entire cap hit on this year’s team salary. If included, he would come in at No. 15, since his Hawks buyout plus his Rockets salary totals $27,928,140.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Grizzlies Sign Doral Moore To Camp Deal

August 30th, 2018 at 1:43pm CST by Luke Adams

1:43pm: The Grizzlies have officially signed Moore, the team announced today in a press release.

1:04pm: The Grizzlies have reached an agreement on a training camp deal with undrafted free agent Doral Moore, reports Jon Roser of the Memphis Grizzlies Radio Network (Twitter link). According to Roser, Moore is considered likely to join the Memphis Hustle after spending camp with the Grizzlies.

Moore is coming off a breakout junior year at Wake Forest in which he averaged 11.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, and 2.0 BPG with a .689 FG% in 31 games (25.5 MPG). An early entrant in the 2018 draft, the 7’1″ center decided to forgo his final year of college eligibility to go pro, but wasn’t selected in June.

Moore joined the Wizards for Summer League play, though he didn’t see much action in Las Vegas, averaging just 4.2 minutes per contest. Still, the Grizzlies apparently like him enough to bring him to camp and reportedly plan on making him an affiliate player for the Hustle. If Moore signs an Exhibit 10 contract with Memphis, he’d be in line for a bonus of up to $50K if he spends at least two months with the team’s G League squad.

Assuming the Grizzlies finalize their reported deal with Moore soon, he’ll become the 19th player on the club’s offseason roster, leaving one open spot.

Grizzlies Notes: Shooting Guards, Green, Defense

August 30th, 2018 at 11:48am CST by Luke Adams

Having traded Ben McLemore to the Kings in a deal for Garrett Temple, the Grizzlies were able to transform their shooting guard spot from an area of concern into a potential strength, contends Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com.

As Wallace notes, eight different players started at the shooting guard position for the Grizzlies last season, but there should be more stability in 2018/19. While the team may still take a committee approach to the two spot, Temple, Dillon Brooks, MarShon Brooks, and Wayne Selden provide a handful of solid options who possess different sets of skills.

Here’s more on the Grizzlies:

After an unsettled contract situation and an ankle injury hindered JaMychal Green‘s development last fall, he’s healthy entering a contract year in 2018/19. However, it remains to be seen what sort of role he’ll have in a crowded Grizzlies frontcourt, according to Peter Edmiston of The Commercial Appeal, who speculates that trade whispers may follow Green throughout the season.
The Grizzlies have made a conscious effort this offseason to make roster moves that will help the club recapture its old grit ‘n’ grind mentality. In a separate article for The Commercial Appeal, Edmiston explores whether or not it’s reasonable to expect a defensive-first roster to have on-court success in the modern NBA.
Former Grizzlies two-way player Kobi Simmons, who was waived by Memphis on Tuesday, is on track to clear waivers today, assuming he goes unclaimed.
For more notes on the Grizzlies, be sure to check out our team page for the club.

Hawks Sign Thomas Robinson

August 30th, 2018 at 9:30am CST by Luke Adams

AUGUST 30: The Hawks have officially signed Robinson, the team announced today in a press release.

AUGUST 27: The Hawks have reached an agreement to sign former lottery pick Thomas Robinson, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Charania, Robinson will receive a non-guaranteed deal.

The fifth overall pick in the 2012 draft, Robinson didn’t even spend a full season with the Kings before being traded to Houston, then didn’t last long with the Rockets either. Over the course of five NBA seasons, Robinson also spent time with the Trail Blazers, Sixers, Nets, and Lakers. He appeared in 313 overall regular season contests, but never more than 102 for a single club.

Viewed as a strong rebounder and inside scorer coming out of Kansas, Robinson has been unable to carve out a consistent role in the NBA, averaging 4.9 PPG and 4.8 RPG during his career. Having headed overseas in 2017/18, the 27-year-old had a solid season for Russian club Khimki, averaging 8.2 PPG and a team-high 5.8 RPG in 20 EuroLeague games.

Now that he has returned stateside, Robinson will be looking to earn a roster spot on an NBA team, but even on the lottery-bound Hawks, there’s no clear path to a role.

Having recently signed Vince Carter and Daniel Hamilton to guaranteed contracts, the Hawks are carrying 15 players with guaranteed salaries for 2018/19. In order for Robinson to crack the regular season roster, Atlanta would have to trade or release one of those 15 players.

David West Announces Retirement

August 30th, 2018 at 9:06am CST by Luke Adams

Longtime NBA big man David West has announced his retirement from the NBA after 15 seasons. West issued a statement on Twitter confirming his decision, which comes one day after he turned 38 years old.

“I have been fortunate enough to live out my childhood dream of playing in the NBA. After 15 seasons I have decided to retire from the game of basketball,” West wrote. “I am humbled and thankful for the support of my family, friends, coaches, teammates, organizations, and fans throughout this experience. To anyone who has ever cheered me on, been in my corner, prayed, or simply said a nice word on my behalf, I am grateful.”

West, who began his career as a New Orleans Hornet after being selected with the 18th overall pick in the 2003 draft, played in New Orleans for his first eight years in the NBA, earning a pair of All-Star nods in 2008 and 2009 and teaming with Chris Paul during many of the most successful seasons in franchise history.

West later spent four years with the Pacers, one with the Spurs, and his last two in Golden State, where he won a pair of NBA championships with the Warriors. For his career, the former Xavier standout averaged 13.6 PPG and 6.4 RPG in 1,034 regular season games. He also appeared in 118 postseason contests, contributing 11.3 PPG and 5.6 RPG in the playoffs.

Although West earned nearly $100MM in salary throughout his NBA career, per Basketball-Reference, his last few years in the league were defined by his willingness to play for the veteran’s minimum for championship contenders.

After winning his first title in 2017, West re-signed with the Warriors, but reports at the time indicated that it was expected to be his last year, with retirement coming in 2018. That’s exactly what happened, with West’s announcement coming just days after another accomplished NBA veteran, Manu Ginobili, announced his own retirement.

While it’s unclear what the next step will be for West, he has long been one of the most widely-respected players in the game, according to Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports, who tweets that the 38-year-old could have a future in anything from coaching to broadcasting to front office work. It likely won’t take long for West to receive coaching and front office offers, if he wants them, notes Zach Lowe of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Jazz Poised To Have Next Big 3?

August 29th, 2018 at 9:57pm CST by clarkcrum

The Jazz already have one of the better rosters in the Western Conference, but Jordan Hicks of Basketball Insiders believes that they’ll get even better if and when Dante Exum can become the team’s third star behind Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.

Per Hicks, Exum has elite size and length for his position at a height of 6-foot-6 with a wingspan of 6-foot-9. He also has a quick first step, superior acceleration, and top-level speed. Unfortunately for Exum, he has also had a career riddled with injuries. He played in all 82 games his rookie season, but went on to tear his ACL playing for the Australian national team the summer before his second season, causing him to miss the entire year.

Exum’s last two seasons have been promising, but he really flashed his star potential at the end of last year — especially in 10 playoff games, in which he showed his development on the defensive end of the court by guarding 2017/18 MVP James Harden. While guarded by Exum, Harden shot 21.4% from the field with no threes and four turnovers.

On the offensive side of the floor, Exum’s athleticism allows him to be a legitimate threat driving to the rim. If he can improve his jump shot, he should become a nightmare to plan for. Add in the fact that he’s still only 23 years old, and his development may be key for the Jazz’s chances of becoming the NBA’s next super-team.

Categories:
Utah Jazz
Dante Exum

Southwest Notes: Spurs, Holiday, Watanabe

August 29th, 2018 at 8:34pm CST by clarkcrum

After playing 16 seasons in the NBA, former Sixth Man of the Year Manu Ginobili retired earlier this week. His departure now opens the door for increased roles on the Spurs for both Derrick White and Lonnie Walker, writes Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype.

As Kalbrosky notes, Ginobili was used as the primary ball handler in pick-and-rolls for a majority of his possessions last season, and was also used as a spot-up shooter. White also excelled on these play types during his 17 games as a rookie for the Spurs last season. White was also dominant in the G League, meaning he may be ready for an increased role in his second season in the NBA.

Walker, meanwhile, has shown tremendous flashes of potential. At Miami, he was also thrust into the role as a spot-up shooter and ball handler. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich does not generally give a lot of playing time to rookies, but with Ginobili gone, it’s possible he may change his tune with Walker.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

The Pelicans caught up with starting point guard Jrue Holiday to discuss the team’s 2017/18 playoff run, the team’s acquisitions like Julius Randle and Elfrid Payton, his off-season preparation, and what he expects for this upcoming season.
According to Michael Wallace of Grind City Media, Grizzlies rookie Yuta Watanabe is a perfect developmental prospect for today’s NBA because of his combination of length, shot-blocking and three-point range. Watanabe, 23, is trying to become only the second Japanese player to see action in an NBA game.
In another article for HoopsHype, Kalbrosky looks at how even though the Spurs have always been at the forefront of basketball analytics, they will now heavily rely on two of the most mid-range-happy jump shooters in the NBA in LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan.

Southeast Notes: Ross, Hawks, Wolf, Maten

August 29th, 2018 at 6:56pm CST by clarkcrum

Magic guard Terrence Ross is about to enter the final season of a three-year, $31.5MM rookie contract extension that he signed in November, 2015. And according to Dan Savage of OrlandoMagic.com, Ross, 27, is intent on improving upon an injury-riddled 2017/18 season that limited him to 24 games.

“It’s always a big year any time your contract is coming to an end,” Ross explained. “You just want to go out there know that you’re 100 percent and play as well as you can, play with confidence and more importantly, help the (Magic) win.”

Regardless of his motivation, both Magic High Performance Director David Tenney and new head coach Steve Clifford appear to be satisfied with what they’re seeing out of Ross so far this offseason.

“He’s done a consistent amount of work this entire offseason, not just with (the Magic), but with his personal trainers as well,” said Tenney. “The consistency of doing stuff multiple times per week, coming here at night and doing stuff on his own, the consistent workload from the beginning of June until now, is really starting to pay off and you can see that he’s really looked a lot sharper.”

According to Savage, Ross’ conditioning and strength-training efforts are paying off on the court. In a recent pick-up game with Magic teammates and other NBA players, Ross knocked down six consecutive shots from various parts of the floor.

“Every day – he’s (even) come in on a couple of Saturdays,” Clifford said. “He’s really committed himself. I think his conditioning level is good, but his game is getting into rhythm, you can see it when he works out and you can see it when they (he and his Magic teammates) play.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Heat power forward Yante Maten is excited to show people what he can do after signing a two-way contract with Miami this summer, reports Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel. The 2018 SEC Player of the Year believes his ability to stretch the floor and play hard on both sides of the court will help find him success in the NBA.
The Hornets plan to name Joe Wolf as the new head coach of their G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, per a report from Adam Johnson of 2 Ways & 10 Days. A University of North Carolina alum, Wolf spent last season serving as an assistant coach for UNC Wilmington after spending multiple years as a coach in the G League beforehand.
The Hawks have announced a 20-year collaboration with State Farm that includes naming rights for the Hawks’ newly-renovated arena. Per principal owner Tony Ressler, “Our ownership group considers the Atlanta Hawks Basketball Club a community asset, and we are excited to have found a partner that shares our vision and has committed to working with us to expand on the community engagement and philanthropic initiatives we do that benefit the many communities that make up this great metropolitan area.”

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