Five Key Offseason Questions: Phoenix Suns
It looked like the Suns might be on the upswing after they lucked into the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft, then lured a coveted two-way forward (Trevor Ariza) away from the 65-win Rockets during free agency. However, things took an abrupt downward turn from there.
Team owner Robert Sarver‘s patience with GM Ryan McDonough ran out when Phoenix was unable to land a starting-caliber point guard in the offseason, prompting the club to fire McDonough right before the regular season began. Despite aspirations of postseason contention, the Suns spent virtually season in the basement of the Western Conference, selling off veterans like Ariza when it became clear that the playoffs were a pipe dream. To top it all off, first-year head coach Igor Kokoskov got his walking papers at season’s end.
With a new permanent GM (James Jones) and head coach (Monty Williams) now in place, there’s some optimism that this duo can finally be the winning combination for the Suns. But after losing at least 58 games for four straight seasons and not appearing in the playoffs since 2010, the team remains in prove-it mode.
Here are five key questions facing the franchise this summer:
1. Will they acquire a starting point guard this year?
The days of Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe, and Isaiah Thomas vying for minutes in Phoenix are long gone. The team’s current point guard depth chart, which features 2018 draftees De’Anthony Melton and Elie Okobo and combo guard Tyler Johnson, is… well, a little thinner.
Unlike last year, the Suns are unlikely to have any cap room at their disposal during the 2019 offseason, which will limit their ability to add an impact player at the position. Barring major cost-cutting moves, it’s hard to imagine the team being able to make a play for a young point guard like D’Angelo Russell or Terry Rozier, both of whom will be restricted free agents.
Second-tier RFAs like Delon Wright or Tyus Jones could be in Phoenix’s price range, but those players have yet to show they can be reliable starters. On the unrestricted market, veterans like Patrick Beverley, Darren Collison, Cory Joseph, Rajon Rondo, and Ricky Rubio may be realistic targets for the Suns if they don’t receive other offers that exceed the mid-level.
Of course, the draft would provide the simplest path to securing a long-term answer at point guard, but the Suns will need some lottery luck to be in a position to snag Murray State’s Ja Morant, who looks like the consensus No. 2 pick in this year’s class. Although they finished in a tie for the league’s second-worst record, the Suns only have a 27.4% chance to land a top-two pick, thanks to the NBA’s new lottery format.
If the Suns can’t get Morant, Vanderbilt’s Darius Garland could be a viable fallback option — he’s ranked fourth among this year’s prospects on ESPN’s big board, and other teams near the top of the lottery, like the Cavaliers and Hawks, have already used lottery picks on point guards in recent years, making them less-likely suitors for someone like Garland.
4. How will James Jones’ philosophy affect the team’s direction?Hawks Officially Rebrand NBAGL Affiliate; 2 Chainz Has Ownership Stake
After controlling the Erie BayHawks for the last two seasons, the Hawks have officially relocated their G League franchise to College Park, Georgia. The new NBAGL team, the College Park Skyhawks, now has an official website and unveiled its primary and secondary logos today.
It was first reported back in January 2017 that the Hawks would have a G League club in College Park beginning in the 2019/20 season. In the interim, Atlanta used the Erie BayHawks as its affiliate, and now that the Hawks are no longer associated with the team in Erie, the Pelicans that will be affiliated with that squad going forward. New Orleans will eventually have a G League franchise in Birmingham, Alabama, but that’s not expected to happen until 2022, so the BayHawks will once again serve as a placeholder.
As for the Hawks’ new affiliate in College Park, the team is set to play its home games at the all-new Gateway Center, which will hold 3,500 people for Skyhawks games.
The team also announced today that rapper 2 Chainz – whose real name is Tauheed Epps and who was born and raised in College Park – has a minority stake in the Skyhawks’ ownership group. Epps told Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the opportunity is a “dream come true,” adding that he intends to use his new position as a platform.
“I’m an entertainer,” Epps said. “I’m a hip-hop musician. … I’m able to use my platform to inspire the youth, with real action though, like real time, not just stories of what it used to be. I’m able to show them a real timeline of me actually going through these steps, ups and downs, and to continue the marathon. This is a real story that people can relate to. I’m tangible. I’m accessible. I’m somebody that people can touch, get next to. I’m at Hawks games with my kids. I’m a real person. I’m very transparent. I think the Hawks see how I can help spark the next coach, assistant, owner.”
With the BayHawks remaining in the G League as the Pelicans’ affiliate and the Skyhawks beginning play in 2019/20, the NBAGL is expected to have 28 teams next season. The Trail Blazers and Nuggets are the only two NBA clubs that don’t yet have their own affiliates.
Jazz Rework Front Office, Promote Lindsey, Zanik
1:50pm: The Jazz have officially confirmed Lindsey’s and Zanik’s promotions.
1:36pm: The Jazz are making some changes to their front office structure, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports that longtime general manager Dennis Lindsey will be promoted to executive vice president of basketball operations. An official announcement is expected from the team as soon as Friday.
With Lindsey vacating the general manager job, assistant GM Justin Zanik will be elevated to that position, per Wojnarowski.
While Lindsey had already been the team’s de facto head of basketball operations, it’s becoming increasingly common for NBA teams to assign a title besides general manager to that top executive. Zanik, Utah’s new GM, will now be responsible for day-to-day duties and running basketball operations, while Lindsey will assume a “broader, strategic and leadership role,” sources tell Woj.
Based on Wojnarowski’s report, it’s not clear if the Jazz will add any new executives to the front office or promote anyone to fill Zanik’s assistant GM role. However, the promotions may help Utah keep its management group in place going forward — Zanik has been considered for other top front office jobs around the NBA before, but might be less inclined to leave the Jazz after being promoted to GM.
Poll: Which Teams Will Win Game 7?
The Sixers and Trail Blazers each won Game Six of their respective series on Thursday, pushing a pair of conference semifinals to a seventh and deciding game.
Both of those Game Sevens are scheduled to take place on Sunday, with the Sixers and Raptors set to tip off at 7:00 pm ET, while the Nuggets and Blazers will either play before or after, depending on whether a third Game Seven is required for Golden State and Houston.
For the 76ers and Raptors, there’s a ton at stake in Sunday’s Game 7. Each team made two huge trades this season, with Toronto acquiring Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, and Marc Gasol, while Philadelphia landed Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris. Those franchise-altering deals were made with an NBA Finals appearance in mind, so neither club would be happy with a second-round exit.
It has been hard to know what to expect from the Raptors and Sixers from game to game, as players like Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Kyle Lowry, and Gasol have looked great in one outing, then all but disappeared in the next. The fact that Game 7 will take place in Toronto should offer the Raptors an advantage. Through six games, the Raps have a +14.7 net rating at home, compared to their -8.7 mark on the road.
Home court advantage could also be crucial over in the West, as the Nuggets posted an NBA-best 34-7 record during the regular season in the Mile High City. The club hasn’t been invincible in Denver during the postseason, losing a home game in each of the first two rounds. But the difference between the Nuggets’ net rating at home (+9.2) and on the road (-3.2) vs. Portland is stark.
Although the Sixers and Blazers will go on the road as underdogs, it would be dangerous to write them off. Both teams have superstars who are capable of taking over games and single-handedly turning a potential loss into a win.
What do you think? Will the Raptors and Nuggets protect their home courts and advance to the final four? Or will will see stars like Embiid and Damian Lillard come up big and push their teams through to the conference finals?
Vote below in our poll, then head to the comment section to share your two cents!
Which teams will advance to the conference finals?
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Raptors / Nuggets 38% (581)
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Raptors / Trail Blazers 31% (483)
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Sixers / Nuggets 17% (266)
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Sixers / Trail Blazers 14% (218)
Total votes: 1,548
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
Lakers Interviewing J.B. Bickerstaff For Head Coaching Job
The Lakers are continuing their search for a new head coach by interviewing J.B. Bickerstaff for the open position, reports Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. According to Turner, Bickerstaff’s meeting with the Lakers will happen on Friday at the team’s practice facility in El Segundo.
Bickerstaff will become the second candidate to interview for the job since negotiations between Tyronn Lue and the Lakers fell apart, joining Frank Vogel, who met with the club on Thursday.
[RELATED: 2019 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker]
As has been the case for most of L.A.’s head coaching interviews, a number of executives will be in attendance. Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, general manager Rob Pelinka, co-owners Joey Buss and Jesse Buss, president of business operations Tim Harris, director of special projects Linda Rambis, and senior advisor Kurt Rambis will all meet with Bickerstaff, says Turner.
Bickerstaff, who was dismissed by the Grizzlies at season’s end after nearly two full seasons at the helm in Memphis, has also interviewed with the Cavaliers this spring.
The Lakers’ list of new candidates since failing to lock up Lue now features four former head coaches, including two who used to coach in Memphis. Besides Bickerstaff and Vogel, L.A. is also said to have interest in Mike Woodson and Lionel Hollins, who had three stints as the Grizzlies’ head coach in Vancouver and Memphis, most recently from 2009-13.
Anthony Davis Unlikely To Back Off Trade Request
While new Pelicans head of basketball operations David Griffin has talked about wanting to try to convince Anthony Davis to remain in New Orleans, that looks unlikely to happen.
An NBA source tells Fletcher Mackel of WDSU in New Orleans that the arrival of Griffin hasn’t impacted Davis’ stance — he still wants to be traded (Twitter link). Asked by Mackel if things could change in the coming weeks, the source advised not to expect to a change of heart from AD, despite the fact that Griffin and agent Rich Paul have a strong relationship.
After taking over the Pelicans’ front office, Griffin said he wanted to meet with Davis, and an April report suggested that would probably happen this month. However, assuming that meeting does take place, Davis seems likely to simply reiterate his trade request to Griffin.
Griffin also said at his introductory presser that he’d like to know definitively whether Davis is all-in or out on the Pelicans. So if the All-Star big man is still expressing a desire to be moved this summer, the team will likely try to accommodate that request. Still, it’s fascinating how much the landscape has changed over these last few months, beyond Griffin replacing Dell Demps in New Orleans’ front office.
The Lakers and Celtics were widely viewed as the frontrunners for Davis, but Brandon Ingram‘s health issues and Magic Johnson‘s resignation could complicate the Lakers’ pitch. Boston, meanwhile, may not be as inclined to go all-out for Davis if Kyrie Irving is leaning toward leaving in free agency after a disappointing second-round exit. The Knicks are still a potential wild card in the AD sweepstakes, but their ability to put together a strong package may hinge on where their first-round pick lands in the lottery.
With those big-market suitors for Davis in various states of flux, it could open the door for a surprise team to make a run at the 26-year-old, like when the Thunder acquired Paul George in 2017 or the Raptors landed Kawhi Leonard in 2018.
Pau Gasol Undergoes Foot Surgery, Out For Playoffs
Bucks center Pau Gasol won’t return before the end of the 2019 postseason, the team announced today in a press release. According to the club, Gasol underwent successful surgery on Thursday to repair a navicular stress fracture in his left foot.
The Bucks confirmed that Gasol’s recovery timetable should put him in position to make a full recovery in advance of training camp. However, since the big man is on an expiring contract, there’s a good chance he’ll no longer be on Milwaukee’s roster when he’s ready to return to action in the fall.
General manager Jon Horst and the Bucks’ front office made a series of savvy roster additions before and during the 2018/19 season, but the signing of Gasol on the buyout market looks like one of the club’s few missteps. After being waived by the Spurs and arriving in Milwaukee in early March, the six-time All-Star appeared in just three games, averaging 1.3 PPG and 3.3 RPG in 10.0 minutes per contest.
Gasol was never expected to be a major part of Milwaukee’s playoff rotation, so his absence likely won’t have much of an impact on the team’s ability to advance even deeper in the postseason.
Still, the Bucks may regret the decision to keep Gasol on the roster over young power forward Christian Wood when they needed a roster spot to sign Tim Frazier later in March. After being claimed off waivers by the Pelicans, Wood averaged 16.9 PPG and 7.9 RPG in eight games (23.6 MPG) down the stretch, and he remains under contract at the non-guaranteed minimum for 2019/20. Pau didn’t an appear in another game for Milwaukee after Wood’s release.
Gasol, who will turn 39 this July, said back in the fall that he wasn’t considering retiring anytime soon, and still hoped to play during the 2019/20 season. We’ll see if a disappointing, injury-plagued season changes his outlook at all, but for now it’s safe to assume he’ll try to make it back from this foot surgery and catch on with an NBA team for training camp.
2019 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder‘s 2017 trade for Paul George paid off in a big way during the 2018 offseason when they convinced the All-Star forward to sign a long-term deal with the franchise. However, despite a terrific season from George, Oklahoma City was eliminated from the playoffs in the first round for a third consecutive year, raising questions about the long-term ceiling of the current core.
Here’s where things currently stand for the Thunder financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2019:
Guaranteed Salary
- Russell Westbrook ($38,506,482)
- Paul George ($33,005,556)
- Steven Adams ($25,842,697)
- Dennis Schroder ($15,500,000)
- Andre Roberson ($10,740,740)
- Jerami Grant ($9,346,153)
- Patrick Patterson ($5,711,200): Exercised player option
- Terrance Ferguson ($2,475,840)
- Hamidou Diallo ($1,416,852)
- Kyle Singler ($999,200) — Waived via stretch provision
- Total: $143,544,720
Player Options
- Nerlens Noel ($1,988,119)
- Total: $1,988,119
Team Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Abdel Nader ($1,618,520) 1
- Deonte Burton ($1,416,852) 2
- Total: $3,035,372
Restricted Free Agents
- Jawun Evans (two-way qualifying offer / $1,443,842 cap hold): Non-Bird rights 3
- Total: $1,443,842
Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds
- No. 21 overall pick ($2,475,720)
- Raymond Felton ($1,618,486): Early Bird rights
- Markieff Morris ($1,618,486): Non-Bird rights
- Norris Cole ($1,618,486): Non-Bird rights 4
- Nick Collison ($1,618,486): Bird rights 4
- Total: $10,109,464
Projected Salary Cap: $109,000,000
Projected Tax Line: $132,000,000
Offseason Cap Outlook
- Realistic cap room projection: $0
- After paying the highest luxury tax bill in the NBA in 2018/19, the Thunder appear poised to blow past the tax threshold again in 2019/20. It’s possible they’ll find a way to sneak below that line, but there’s no chance they’ll have cap room and little chance they’ll gain access to the full mid-level exception and bi-annual exception.
Cap Exceptions Available
- Trade exception: $10,883,189 (expires 7/25/19)
- Trade exception: $1,544,951 (expires 2/3/20)
- Taxpayer mid-level exception: $5,711,000 5
Footnotes
- Nader’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 5.
- Burton’s salary becomes partially guaranteed ($1MM) after August 1.
- The salaries for two-way players don’t count against a team’s cap, but their cap holds do during the offseason.
- Cole’s and Collison’s cap holds remain on the Thunder’s books because they haven’t been renounced after going unsigned in previous offseasons. They can’t be used in a sign-and-trade deal.
- This is a projected value. If the Thunder were to reduce salary and stay out of tax territory, they could instead have access to the full mid-level exception ($9,246,000) and the bi-annual exception ($3,619,000).
Note: Minimum-salary and rookie-scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders and RealGM was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Klay Thompson, Warriors
As we detailed earlier this week, free agency rumors and speculation haven’t followed Klay Thompson around this season in the same way they’ve followed teammate Kevin Durant. That discrepancy can be attributed in large part to a widespread belief around the league that Durant will leave the Warriors, while Thompson has long been expected to re-sign.
In a story from ESPN’s Nick Friedell this week, Golden State head coach Steve Kerr confirmed that there’s significant mutual interest between Thompson and the Warriors in a new deal.
“I know that everybody — coaches, management, ownership — everybody wants Klay back,” Kerr said. “I think the feeling is just: Klay wants to be here, we want Klay.”
Still, while the Warriors remain the strong frontrunners to retain the veteran sharpshooter, there’s a “very real temperature-taking process happening behind the scenes right now,” according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Thompson has long been content to play second or third fiddle behind Stephen Curry and – since 2016 – Durant, but he’ll want to be compensated for his All-Star play in the “kind of way that he believes he deserves,” writes Amick. A source with knowledge of the situation tells Amick that Klay will be seeking a five-year, maximum salary contract from the Warriors, and the team would risk having him test the free agency waters if it isn’t willing to put that offer on the table this July.
Amick makes it clear that there’s no indication the Warriors aren’t ready to make that sort of offer, or that Thompson would definitely leave if they don’t. Amick’s source also adamantly denied a report that Thompson has grown at all discontent with the franchise. In other words, a long-term union between the two sides continues to look like the most probable outcome.
Still, with several significant contract situations to address this summer – including trying to re-sign Durant and perhaps extending Draymond Green – the Warriors will want to make sure to give their negotiations with Thompson the attention they deserve.
Community Shootaround: Better Match-Up For Bucks?
The Eastern Conference Finals are halfway set, with the No. 1 seed Bucks set to face the winner of the Raptors/Sixers series. And while the Bucks ended up making quick work of the Celtics after losing Game 1 of that series, the match-up against Toronto or Philadelphia figures to be much more difficult.
The series between the Raptors and Sixers is now tied 3-3, and both teams have shown promise as a potential NBA Finals participant during stretches this postseason. Kawhi Leonard is having an all-time great postseason, while both Jimmy Butler and Joel Embiid (when ostensibly healthy) have played great games.
Milwaukee took two of three contests from the Sixers this season, splitting the match-ups in Wisconsin and winning in Philly, while the Raptors lost their regular season series to the Bucks 3-1 (split in Milwaukee with the Bucks winning both contests in Toronto).
So, based on the above and any other factors you may consider, which match-up do you think would be the most compelling? Would either of the series go the full seven games? Could there be a sweep? Let us know what you think in the comments.