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Teams Inquired On Myles Turner Before, After Draft
Teams contacted the Pacers both before and after last month’s draft to inquire about center Myles Turner, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv. However, it’s not clear if any of those talks gained any real traction, Begley notes.
Around the time of the draft, J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star reported that no one on Indiana’s roster was truly untouchable, but suggested that the club had no plans to trade Turner. About a week later, ESPN’s Zach Lowe wrote that the Pacers rejected trade offers for the veteran center at the draft.
According to Begley, multiple teams that had conversations with the Pacers about Turner were left with the impression that it would take an “incredibly significant offer” to acquire him.
The Pacers appear to have a mini-logjam at the five, with first-round pick Goga Bitadze joining Turner and rising young center Domantas Sabonis on the depth chart. However, the club is committed to playing Turner and Sabonis alongside one another going forward.
It would be in Indiana’s best interest if the two young big men can co-exist and thrive on the court together. Turner is entering the first year of a four-year contract with a total base value of $72MM. Sabonis, meanwhile, is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason, so he’ll get much more expensive beginning in 2020/21.
If the duo produces mixed results this season and the Pacers look like a more dangerous team with one or the other on the floor, it could force the front office to make some tough decisions related to Sabonis’ potential restricted free agency and long-term future. For now though, it seems safe to say that neither player – especially Turner – is going anywhere.
2019/20 NBA Contract Extension Tracker
NBA teams have spent record-setting amounts of money on free agents this summer, but many of the most lucrative contracts that have been signed within the last week weren’t free agent deals at all — they were contract extensions.
Extensions, of course, don’t involve adding a new player to the roster. By extending a contract, a team ensures that a current player will remain locked up for multiple years to come. Although a contract extension may not change the club’s outlook on the court, it can have a major impact on that team’s salary cap situation for the next several summers.
Rookie scale extensions are the most common form of contract extension, and Ben Simmons and Jamal Murray became the first two members of the 2016 draft class to sign those. However, they won’t be the last. There are many other players eligible for new deals up until the mid-October deadline, and it’s common for about four to eight players entering the final year of their respective rookie contracts to sign extensions.
[RELATED: Players eligible for rookie-scale extensions]
While they’ve historically been less common than rookie-scale extensions, veteran extensions are happening more frequently these days, with the league’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement expanding the rules for eligibility and creating some additional incentives for star players to sign new deals before they reach free agency. Seven players signed veteran extensions during the 2017/18 league year, and three more signed them in 2018/19.
Listed below are the players who have finalized contract extensions so far in the 2019/20 league year. This list, which can be found on the right-hand sidebar under “Hoops Rumors Features” on our desktop site (or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu) will be kept up to date throughout the offseason — and throughout the ’19/20 regular season if any veteran players ink an extension at that point.
Veteran extensions:
- Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers): Four years, 35% maximum salary (story). Projected value of $196,000,000. Designated veteran extension. Starts in 2021/22.
- C.J. McCollum (Trail Blazers): Three years, $100,000,000 (story). Starts in 2021/22.
- Draymond Green (Warriors): Four years, $99,666,363 (story). Includes 15% trade kicker. Starts in 2020/21.
- Eric Gordon (Rockets): Four years, $75,574,356 (story). Fourth year is non-guaranteed. Starts in 2020/21.
- Bradley Beal (Wizards): Two years, $71,764,428 (story). Includes 15% trade kicker, second-year player option. Starts in 2021/22.
- Royce O’Neale (Jazz): Four years, $36,000,000 (story). Fourth year is partially guaranteed. Starts in 2020/21.
- Dillon Brooks (Grizzlies): Three years, $35,000,000 (story). Starts in 2020/21.
- Dwight Powell (Mavericks): Three years, $33,240,375 (story). Starts in 2020/21.
- Cedi Osman (Cavaliers): Four years, $30,800,000 (story). Fourth year is non-guaranteed. Starts in 2020/21.
- Kyle Lowry (Raptors): One year, $30,000,000 (story). Includes $500K All-Star bonus. Starts in 2020/21.
- Andre Iguodala (Heat): Two years, $30,000,000 (story). Includes 7.5% trade kicker, second-year team option. Starts in 2020/21.
- Joe Ingles (Jazz): One year, $12,436,364 (story). Includes $1.2MM in incentives. Starts in 2021/22.
Rookie scale extensions:
- Ben Simmons (Sixers): Five years, 25% maximum salary (story). Projected value of $168,200,000. Starting salary can be worth up to 30% of the cap if Simmons earns All-NBA honors in 2020 (full details). Includes 15% trade kicker. Starts in 2020/21.
- Jamal Murray (Nuggets): Five years, 25% maximum salary (story). Projected value of $168,200,000. Starting salary can be worth up to 30% of the cap if Murray earns All-NBA honors in 2020 (full details). Starts in 2020/21.
- Pascal Siakam (Raptors): Four years, 25% maximum salary (story). Projected value of $129,920,000. Starting salary can be worth between 28-30% of the cap if Siakam earns All-NBA or MVP honors in 2020 (full details). Starts in 2020/21.
- Jaylen Brown (Celtics): Four years, $103,000,000 (story). Includes $12MM in incentives. Starts in 2020/21.
- Buddy Hield (Kings): Four years, $86,000,000 (story). Includes $20MM in incentives (full details). Starts in 2020/21.
- Domantas Sabonis (Pacers): Four years, $74,900,000 (story). Includes $10.4MM in incentives. Starts in 2020/21.
- Dejounte Murray (Spurs): Four years, $64,000,000 (story). Includes $6MM in incentives (full details). Starts in 2020/21.
- Caris LeVert (Nets): Three years, $52,500,000 (story). Starts in 2020/21.
- Taurean Prince (Nets): Two years, $25,250,000 (story). Includes $3.7MM in incentives. Starts in 2020/21.
Community Shootaround: NBA’s Best Duo
A hectic offseason has shifted some major balance in the NBA across both conferences, with stars such as Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Paul George and others switching teams to create a surprising new-look league this summer.
There appears to be no clear front-runner for the first time in recent memory, though a common theme rapidly spread across teams as the offseason progressed: multiple franchises loaded up in pursuit of a championship, each led by two major star players.
In no particular order, some of the NBA’s top duos now include Leonard/George (Clippers), Durant/Irving (Nets), Davis/LeBron James (Lakers) and James Harden/Russell Westbrook (Rockets).
Among the returning top duos are Stephen Curry/Klay Thompson (Warriors), Giannis Antetokounmpo/Khris Middleton (Bucks), Ben Simmons/Joel Embiid (Sixers), Damian Lillard/CJ McCollum (Blazers) and Jamal Murray/Nikola Jokic (Nuggets).
With several competitive teams now sporting star-studded duos, which team do you believe has the best faction entering the 2019/20 season? Is it one of the pairs listed above, or perhaps another pair that hasn’t been discussed yet? Take to the comments section below to voice your opinion!
Eastern Notes: Kanter, Pistons, Tyndall
Veteran big man Enes Kanter decided to sign with the Celtics with hopes of competing for an NBA championship next season, he explained to Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype.
Kanter, 27, opted to leave the Blazers after spending the second half of last season with the organization, joining a Boston team that has the likes of Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Gordon Hayward on the active roster.
“The reason I went [to Boston] is for a championship,” Kanter told Kennedy. “I feel like the team is really young and willing to learn and we have an amazing group of guys. I feel like we can beat any team on any floor. All we have to do is just be good friends and stay together. Let’s just go have fun! It’s definitely going to be a very, very exciting season.”
Kanter registered major interest from a handful of teams at the start of free agency, but he and agent Mark Bartelstein worked quickly to reach an agreement with the Celtics. He’ll likely be named the team’s starting center for the 2019/20 season.
“It’s my ninth year in the league and I understand that, for many people, the money is important. For me, the most important thing is being with a team that you’re really happy on and playing with a team that’s competing for a championship,” Kanter said. “That’s was the big thing for me. For everybody else, the money matters [more]. For me, the No. 1 thing was winning.
“After I got released by the New York Knicks, I would always hear, ‘Boston Celtics, Boston Celtics, Boston Celtics,’ but I never really got a chance to talk to them. When free agency started and the clock hit 6 pm ET, I actually talked to Danny Ainge. He told me about his plans and everything. Then, the second time he called me, I answered the phone and it wasn’t him. It was Kemba Walker and he was on Danny’s phone. Kemba said, ‘Hey, my man, are we doing this or not?’ Then, he talked to me about the team and everything. That showed me what kind of leader he is, and that made me very happy. That was one of the biggest reasons [I signed with Boston].”
There’s more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:
- The mother of former Grand Rapids Drive forward Zeke Upshaw has reached a private settlement in her federal lawsuit with the NBA and Pistons franchise, according to T.J. Quinn of ESPN.com. Upshaw tragically passed away after collapsing near the end of a G League game in 2018, with his mother Jewel filing a wrongful death lawsuit in the months that followed. NBA officials released the following statement on the matter: “Jewel Upshaw, the National Basketball Association, and the Detroit Pistons announced today that they have resolved their prior dispute and the litigation claims against the National Basketball Association and the Detroit Pistons pending in federal district court have been dismissed. The NBA and Pistons express their sympathies to Jewel Upshaw and the rest of Zeke’s family on his tragic passing.”
- The Pistons are expected to name Donnie Tyndall as new head coach of the Grand Rapids Drive, according to Adam Johnson of 2 Ways & 10 Days. Tyndall has spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach with the Raptors 905, helping win a league championship under Jerry Stackhouse in 2017.
Atlantic Notes: Portis, Nets, Poirier, Knicks
For Bobby Portis, joining the Knicks in free agency didn’t require a promise from the team to name him a starter. Portis agreed to a two-year, $31MM deal with the team earlier in the month, fully prepared to contribute regardless of his role in the rotation.
“I don’t care about starting or coming off the bench,” Portis told Marc Berman of the New York Post. “I envision myself being a Sixth Man of the Year candidate. Last year I was in the running at the beginning of the season, playing well. That’s in the back of my mind for sure. Naysayers will say I’m crazy. I feel it’s going to come for me one day for sure. I play my role really well.”
With Portis eyeing the Sixth Man of the Year award, it’s worth noting he’s coming off a season that saw him average a career-high 14.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 26 minutes in 50 games with the Wizards, starting in 28 contests. He’s mostly played off the bench during his career, displaying an impressive touch around the rim and willingness to play physical.
In addition to Portis, the Knicks also reached free-agent agreements with Julius Randle, Marcus Morris, Elfrid Payton, Taj Gibson, Reggie Bullock and Wayne Ellington, giving head coach David Fizdale plenty of new options for the upcoming season.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division tonight:
- Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype spoke with a number of current and former Nets players about the new look of the team, including fourth-year Brooklyn guard Spencer Dinwiddie. “It shows that our program as a whole took a huge step forward – one that I don’t think many people thought was possible,” Dinwiddie said of the Nets landing Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. “Even when you and I talked about it previously on the podcast, people were mocking me! I was very upfront and said, ‘Hey, I’d welcome stars with open arms,’ but everybody laughed at it. The reaction was, ‘Alright, that sounds good, but it ain’t going to happen.’ I guess it just makes this experience that much sweeter (laughs).”
- Las Vegas oddsmakers don’t believe the Knicks will win more than 30 games next season, Marc Berman writes in a separate article for the New York Post. New York is coming off a league-worst 17-65 record from last season.
- New Celtics center Vincent Poirier impressed the team for a variety of reasons, as detailed by Jacob Carmenker of NBC Sports Boston. The Celtics were intrigued with Poirier’s athleticism, ability to rebound and willingness to sacrifice, reaching a two-year deal with him earlier this month.
Southwest Notes: Duncan, Morey, Iguodala, Zion, McClure
While perhaps not as noteworthy as some of the more marquee free agent news we’ve seen this summer in terms of on-the-court impact, Marc Stein of The New York Times opines that the return of all-time-great Tim Duncan to the Spurs as a full-time assistant coach under legendary head coach Gregg Popovich is a gigantic story all the same.
As Stein notes, Duncan has been a frequent visitor at the Spurs’ practice facility throughout his retirement, mentoring/coaching players along the way, but this had always been done outside of the limelight, a setting in which Duncan prefers. So his abrupt return to the court for an 82-game season filled with continual travel and other headaches is a bit surprising, to say the least.
One narrative as to why Duncan accepted a position on Pop’s staff despite his disposition is simply need. Duncan reportedly knew that his old coach was struggling to fill the last open spot on his bench staff after departures by longtime Spurs’ assistants Ime Udoka and Ettore Messina, and his loyalty dictated he offer his services.
Here are some more stories from around the Southwest Division:
- As Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said on Friday that while Houston is not yet done adding to their 2019/20 roster, the team is much more likely to make further additions by trade rather than via free agency.
- According to Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian, it’s not a certainty that trade offers for Grizzlies veteran swingman Andre Iguodala will improve as time goes on, and Herrington remains skeptical that Iguodala will play a meaningful role for the Grizzlies at any point.
- Pelicans president of basketball operations David Griffin tells Jeff Duncan of The Athletic that rookie phenom Zion Williamson is still getting taller and that the team is more worried about making sure the 19-year-old is eating well and in good condition than what his playing weight will be.
- The Grizzlies have hired Pacers player development coach David McClure as an assistant for new head coach Taylor Jenkins’ staff in Memphis, reports J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star. McClure also spent two seasons in San Antonio before joining the Pacers back in 2015.
Weekly Mailbag: 7/21/19 – 7/28/19
We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com.
Do you think the NBA isn’t doing enough to prevent teams from tampering during free agency? — Greg Dizon
The rules against tampering have been flaunted for years, but everyone in the process has gotten more brazen after seeing how little enforcement there is. ESPN’s story this week cited several executives and agents who admit that discussions sometimes begin in May at the draft combine. This year may have been a tipping point, as a string of high-profile signings were announced shortly after the official start of free agency on June 30. The league heard complaints from its owners and issued a stern warning about following the rules prohibiting early contact. We’ll find out next summer if anything has changed.
What do you expect to happen with Chris Paul? Possible suitors? Timing? Will the Thunder need to package Danilo Gallinari, Steven Adams or another player to get a deal done? — Dan Gridley
Oklahoma City seems to have accepted that Paul will be on the roster when the season starts. The Heat were reported as the only interested suitor, and it appears they aren’t that interested without significant draft compensation. Paul has three years and $124MM remaining on his contract, which is scary for a 34-year-old with a history of injuries. The trade market may open up if he gets off to a strong start, and injuries to contending teams can create opportunities. The danger is that if he gets hurt or appears to have lost a step, OKC could be stuck with that contract through 2022.
Joe Johnson has been the dominant player in the BIG3. Should we expect him to get another NBA opportunity? — KGL, via Twitter
Johnson had another outstanding performance last night with 21 points and four steals in front of a supportive Utah crowd and has clearly been the best player in the summer three-on-three league. But there’s a big difference between that and NBA basketball, and Johnson wasn’t all that effective with the Rockets at the end of the 2017/18 season. Johnson is 38 and has been out of the league for a full year. He might get a chance to play limited minutes for a contender sometime during the season, but expectations should be kept in check.
Atlantic Notes: Gasol, Lin, Poirier, Erman
Raptors center Marc Gasol is thankful that the Grizzlies didn’t agree to his request not to be traded, relays Alex Madrid of Eurohoops. Gasol had been with Memphis for more than a decade before the team committed to rebuilding and sent him to Toronto in a deadline deal. The move led to Gasol collecting his first NBA championship ring.
“There have been few players that haven’t been traded over the years in the NBA,” Gasol said. “If it had been dependent on me, I wouldn’t have been traded. I always thought I could reverse the situation there (in Memphis) and bring the team to the top. But, thank God, they ignored me.”
Gasol will be part of the remaining foundation as the Raptors try to stay in contention without Kawhi Leonard. The 34-year-old will earn $25.6MM this season in the final year of his contract.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Jeremy Lin appears distraught about his free agency situation in a video tweeted by Daily Sports Dosage. “Free agency has been tough,” Lin says. “Because I feel like in some ways the NBA has kind of given up on me.” The Raptors signed Lin in February to provide backcourt depth, but he shot just 37% in 23 games and was barely used during the playoffs.
- French center Vincent Poirier could have made more money in Europe, but he wanted the challenge of playing in the NBA, tweets Ben Rohrbach of Yahoo Sports. Poirier was the EuroLeague’s top rebounder last season, and the Celtics believe his athleticism will translate well.
- Former Celtics assistant Darren Erman will become head coach of the organization’s G League affiliate in Maine, according to Jay King and Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Known as a defensive specialist, Erman has spent the past four seasons with the Pelicans.
Heat Notes: Salary Guarantees, Two-Way Players, Westbrook, Adebayo
The Heat face three roster decisions this week that will determine how much flexibility they will have heading into training camp, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Thursday is a salary guarantee date for Derrick Jones Jr., Kendrick Nunn and Yante Maten, and with Miami operating under a hard salary cap, every dollar the team spends will be important.
Jones’ $1.6MM salary will become fully guaranteed August 1, and the Heat are almost certain to keep him, according to Winderman. Jones, 22, has made great strides since joining the organization as a two-way player in December of 2017. He was a rotation player last season, averaging 7.0 PPG in 60 games, and his promising future and low salary appear to make this an easy decision.
Nunn also seems likely to be retained, Winderman adds. He was signed on the final day of the regular season and played well in Summer League in both Sacramento and Las Vegas. He cashed in a $50K guarantee on his $1.4MM salary on July 1 and will have that guaranteed bumped to $150K on Thursday, then to $450K if he makes the opening-night roster.
Maten has already received a $100K guarantee and is due for another $50K on Thursday ($150K in total). Because he is already guaranteed more than $50K, he is ineligible for two-way status, and a shaky Summer League performance may make him expendable.
There’s more this morning from South Florida:
- The Heat are one of just two teams that haven’t filled any two-way slots yet, and Winderman suggests they could go to two of the three players who will come to camp on Exhibit 10 contracts — Chris Silva, Jeremiah Martin and Kyle Alexander. All three were signed at the end of Summer League.
- Even if the Heat had increased their offer for Russell Westbrook, it may not have been enough, Winderman observes in a separate story. The Thunder were willing to give Westbrook his first choice, which was to play alongside his long-time friend James Harden in Houston. Also, the Rockets parted with a generous package of draft picks that was better than what Miami had available.
- The invitation to Team USA’s World Cup camp gives more exposure to Bam Adebayo, which should boost his trade value at least slightly, Winderman writes in another story. Adebayo and Kelly Olynyk will both have the chance to improve through this summer’s international competition.