Although initial reports suggested the Suns would likely release Austin Rivers without a buyout, the veteran guard ended up giving back $650K to the team when he was waived this week, per Gina Mizell of The Athletic (Twitter link). Rivers had been on a $12.65MM expiring deal, so he’ll still make $12MM in 2018/19 as a result of that contract, with Phoenix paying the majority of that money.
As cap expert Albert Nahmad details (via Twitter), Rivers should still come out ahead as long as it doesn’t take him long to finalize a new deal. If Rivers signs shortly after clearing waivers on Thursday, a minimum salary contract for the rest of the season would pay him about $1.2MM. He could tack on that figure to the $12MM he’s already earning on his previous deal, exceeding $13MM for the season.
Here’s more on the Suns:
- Following last week’s failed three-team trade drama and an eventual move to Phoenix, Kelly Oubre spoke to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News about his new NBA home, suggesting that he’s “excited” about the change. Sources tell Deveney that Oubre drew interest from multiple teams, including his hometown Pelicans, before the Suns acquired him.
- Deveney also reports that Oubre would “certainly be willing” to remain in Phoenix beyond this season, despite the club’s spot at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. Of course, since he’s a restricted free agent in 2019, it might be tricky for him to change teams even if he wanted to.
- Within a profile on Mavericks rookie Luka Doncic, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon cites a source who says that Suns head coach Igor Kokoskov “loved” Doncic, but had minimal input in Phoenix No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft.
- After being fired by the Suns in October, former general manager Ryan McDonough plans to stay involved in the NBA in some capacity, but it still figuring out his next steps, he tells Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. In the meantime, he’s staying busy in an informal capacity for some NBA clubs. “A number of teams — probably a majority of the other 29 clubs — reached out, and a lot of them expressed interest in having me come visit or just kind of come observe what they do and exchange ideas and all that kind of stuff,” McDonough said. “So that’s what I’ve been doing the last couple of weeks. I was in Oakland on Monday night for the Grizzlies-Warriors game and was around the Golden State group for a few days, and in the weeks before that I’ve been to Denver and Utah and San Antonio, as well.”
Love the Oubre Jr. addition. This is a young team that will contend for a playoff spot next year. Just need to find a good young point. Or go after someone like Rozier, Collison , Joseph, Beverly in the off season.
They need to sort out the wing first. It seems that Warren and Bridges are locked into starting. As they should since Warren is an elite scorer and Bridgea does all the small stuff. I’m personally on team Oubre over Jackson. But one has to go. I think the Suns should trade Jackson to Fultz and let both teams try and reclimate past mistakes.
Jackson also makes sense to Dallas for DSJ. Brunson is starting to play like a good starter, they have JJ running the second unit with Devin Harris at the two. He’s starting to run out of pg opportunities because doncic is the best passer on the team and his game (DSJ) doesn’t mesh well when the ball isn’t in his hands.
We’ve been losing with him at the point
Wow, Smith is the only of four players who have played PG for Dallas that have minus +/- this season, in either +/- system. Brunson, Harris, Barea
It’s convenient all these teams that passed on Doncic all of a sudden have people who really wanted him.
Josh….probably will be the one to go. But I would stay clear of Fultz. I never understood why trade for Bridges either. He would be great fit back home in Philly. How about Jackson, Bridges, and Melton for Dennis Smith Jr. and Dwight Powell?
Doncic…
I was so wrong on this guy… he is tearing it up !!!
They hide him on defense so he doesn’t have to guard the quick guys and he’s killing it on offense. In time he will cut down on his turnovers and keep improving.
Nobody had him as a future 4! That may not be permanent though.
Hire a coach and not give him input into player personnel decisions. It’s actually becoming a model (but so are teams not being able to get out of their own way).