2020/21 Salary Cap Preview: Boston Celtics
Hoops Rumors is looking ahead at the 2020/21 salary cap situations for all 30 NBA teams. Due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the NBA, it’s impossible to know yet where the cap for 2020/21 will land. Given the league’s lost revenue, we’re assuming for now that it will stay the same as the ’19/20 cap, but it’s entirely possible it will end up higher or lower than that.
After a disappointing 2018/19 season, the Celtics bounced back in ’19/20, with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown taking major steps forward and Kemba Walker providing the veteran stability that Kyrie Irving hadn’t. Prior to the NBA’s hiatus, Boston was 43-21 – third in the Eastern Conference – and looked like one of the only teams capable of seriously challenging Milwaukee for a spot in the NBA Finals.
Armed with three first-round picks in 2020, the Celtics are in position to continue adding intriguing young talent, even if the club no longer has the cap flexibility that it has in recent years.
Here’s where things stand for the Celtics financially in 2020/21, as we continue our Salary Cap Preview series:
Guaranteed Salary
- Kemba Walker ($34,379,100)
- Jaylen Brown ($23,883,929)
- Marcus Smart ($13,446,428)
- Jayson Tatum ($9,897,120)
- Romeo Langford ($3,631,200)
- Vincent Poirier ($2,619,207)
- Grant Williams ($2,498,760)
- Robert Williams ($2,029,920)
- Carsen Edwards ($1,517,981)
- Guerschon Yabusele ($1,039,080) — Waived via stretch provision.
- Demetrius Jackson ($92,857) — Waived via stretch provision.
- Total: $95,035,582
Player Options
- Gordon Hayward ($34,187,085)
- Enes Kanter ($5,005,350)
- Total: $39,192,435
Team Options
- Semi Ojeleye ($1,752,950) 1
- Total: $1,752,950
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Daniel Theis ($5,000,000) 2
- Javonte Green ($1,517,981)
- Total: $6,517,981
Restricted Free Agents
- Brad Wanamaker ($1,820,564 qualifying offer / $1,820,564 cap hold): Early Bird rights
- Tacko Fall (two-way qualifying offer / $1,445,697 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Tremont Waters (two-way qualifying offer / $1,445,697 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Total (cap holds): $4,711,958
Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds
- No. 14 overall pick ($3,458,400)
- No. 26 overall pick ($2,035,800)
- No. 30 overall pick ($1,936,440)
- Total: $7,430,640
Offseason Cap Outlook
Assuming Hayward exercises his lucrative player option for 2020/21 and Theis is brought back on his modest team option, the Celtics will have committed nearly $135MM in guaranteed money to 11 players.
The NBA’s most recent luxury-tax projection, based on an estimated $115MM cap, was $139MM. Once Boston fills out its roster, it figures to surpass that threshold, making the C’s a taxpaying team whether or not the cap ultimately falls short of that projection. Barring some cost-cutting moves or a surprise Hayward opt-out, that means the club won’t have the full mid-level exception or bi-annual exception available in the offseason.
Cap Exceptions Available
- Taxpayer mid-level exception: $5,718,000 3
Footnotes
- If Ojelye’s team option is exercised, his salary becomes fully guaranteed after October 19.
- Theis’ salary becomes fully guaranteed after October 21.
- This is a projected value.
Note: Minimum-salary and rookie-scale cap holds are based on the salary cap and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders and Early Bird Rights was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Bulls’ Front Office Search
The Bulls have received permission to interview Nuggets general manager Arturas Karnisovas, sources tell K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
Karnisovas was one of four men said to be on Chicago’s initial wish list for a top front office executive who will have full authority on basketball decisions. It’s not clear if the Bulls will get a chance to talk to any of those four potential candidates besides Karnisovas.
Pacers GM Chad Buchanan reportedly rebuffed the Bulls’ interest, opting to remain in Indiana. And there’s plenty of speculation around the NBA that the Heat will make an effort to retain assistant GM Adam Simon, according to Johnson (Twitter link).
As for the fourth candidate, Toronto’s Bobby Webster, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca writes that the Raptors may not grant the Bulls permission to speak to their general manager, who is under contract through 2021. With president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri and head coach Nick Nurse also set to have their contracts expire after next season, and many of their players coming off the books in the coming months, the Raptors face some long-term uncertainty and might not want to risk losing a rising young executive. There’s a sense they’ll tell Chicago that “this is not a good time,” according to Grange.
Even if they’re only able to speak to one of their initial four targets, the Bulls have a longer list of candidates, per Johnson (Twitter link), who names Clippers GM Michael Winger, Clippers assistant GM Trent Redden, Magic assistant GM Matt Lloyd, and Jazz GM Justin Zanik as possibilities.
Chicago has received permission to talk to Zanik, Johnson reports, so the Utah GM will join Karnisovas in taking part in the first round of Bulls interviews.
The Bulls will conduct those meetings electronically due to the coronavirus pandemic and reportedly want to make a hire prior to the draft and free agency.
Louisville’s Jordan Nwora Enters 2020 NBA Draft
Junior Louisville forward Jordan Nwora has elected to add his name to the 2020 NBA draft pool, he confirmed today in a Twitter announcement. Nwora intends to go pro rather than testing the waters while maintaining his college eligibility, as he tells Evan Daniels of 247Sports.
“I really just think and feel that now is the best time for me to reach my dreams and I got to go for it,” Nwora said. “Now is the best time for me. I think I did enough at Louisville and now is the best time for me to go.”
A two-time All-ACC player, Nwora averaged 18.0 PPG and 7.7 RPG in 31 games (33.1 MPG) as a junior, with a solid shooting line of .440/.402/.813. He ranks 39th overall on ESPN’s big board of 2020’s draft prospects, including ninth among power forwards.
Nwora, who tested the draft waters a year ago and participated in the combine before withdrawing his name, is optimistic that he can be a first-round pick in 2020, as he tells Daniels.
“I think I can go anywhere after 20, between 20 and 30 probably if I had to guess,” Nwora said. “With what I do, I think that depending on what teams need, especially with shooting there’s a chance I could go higher, it all depends. … At the end of the day I have confidence in my work ethic and my game. I don’t think there’s anyone else at my position that shoots better than me.”
Knicks Notes: DSJ, Trier, Free Agent Targets
Last year’s Kristaps Porzingis trade was ultimately the “undoing” for Steve Mills in New York, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post, who notes that Dennis Smith Jr.‘s inconsistent play for the Knicks didn’t help keep Mills off the hot seat leading up to his February ouster.
As Berman writes, former head coach David Fizdale and assistant Keith Smart were among Smith’s “key allies” within the franchise, and their departures – along with Mills’ – significantly reduce the odds that DSJ has a long-term future with the Knicks. Berman suggests Smith will be a trade candidate during the 2020 offseason, with the Magic among the teams that could have interest. Some teams still believe the former lottery pick can evolve into a solid pro, per Berman.
“He thinks too much about his shot and trying to score the ball,” one NBA scout said of Smith. “He needs to be more of lead pass-first guard and score second. Dennis also need a coach who shows him love and gives him confidence. The quickness and ability to dribble-drive is always there, but he wants to always be the highlight play with traffic dunks.”
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- While Fizdale was fond of Allonzo Trier, interim head coach Mike Miller preferred to play stronger defenders with more experience, Berman writes in a separate New York Post story. Given Trier’s lack of a regular role in 2019/20, he seems unlikely to stick with the Knicks as a restricted free agent this offseason, according to Berman.
- Mike Vorkunov and John Hollinger of The Athletic take an in-depth look at the Knicks’ future, breaking down the upcoming head coaching search, identifying possible free agent targets, and discussing which of the club’s current players are long-term keepers. Fred VanVleet is one free-agent-to-be singled out by Holliner as a potentially nice fit for the Knicks.
- 2020’s free agent class isn’t a particularly strong one, but there will be some intriguing players available if the Knicks want to try to make a splash, writes Steve Popper of Newsday.
- Rafael Canton of SNY.tv explores whether the Knicks’ financial flexibility could give them a chance to be in better position that the Nets three years from now.
Draft Decisions: S. Lewis, Armstrong, Camper, Santos-Silva, More
Florida freshman shooting guard Scottie Lewis had been considered a strong candidate to be drafted this spring, ranking 38th overall on ESPN’s big board. However, Lewis has opted not to declare for the draft, as he confirms to Jeff Goodman of Stadium.
“I was so stuck on going to the NBA when I got home, but then I thought long and hard about it and with all the uncertainty about the draft process, and if there will even be a combine and team workouts, I felt like it was the right move to go back to school,” Lewis told Stadium.
As Goodman details, Lewis got feedback from the NBA’s advisory committee, and while he was confident he’d be selected if he entered, he received a wide range of opinions on when exactly he might come off the board. With few opportunities during this year’s pre-draft process to boost his stock, Lewis has opted to play at least one more college season in the hopes of showing individual improvement and enjoying more team success.
“There’s so much more I think I can show, that we can show as a team,” Lewis said. “I want to leave a legacy at Florida. … I’m an optimistic person and no matter where I get drafted, I’m going to work my butt off. But with all this uncertainty, it was best for me to play it safe and put myself in a better position a year from now.”
Although Lewis isn’t entering his name in the 2020 NBA draft pool, several NCAA underclassmen are doing so. In addition to Kentucky guards Tyrese Maxey and Ashton Hagans, whose decisions we covered earlier today, here are some of the recent prospects who will at least test the draft waters:
- Terry Armstrong, G, Australia (born 2000) (Twitter link)
- Manny Camper, G/F, Siena (junior) (press release)
- Joel Ekamba, G, France (born 2001) (link via Emiliano Carchia of Sportando)
- Mason Faulkner, G, Western Carolina (junior) (Twitter link via Jeff Goodman of Stadium)
- Blake Francis, G, Richmond (junior) (Twitter link via Jeff Goodman of Stadium)
- Javon Freeman-Liberty, G, Valparaiso (sophomore) (Twitter link)
- Jacob Gilyard, G, Richmond (junior) (Twitter link via Jeff Goodman of Stadium)
- Grant Golden, F, Richmond (junior) (Twitter link via Jeff Goodman of Stadium)
- Nate Hinton, G/F, Houston (sophomore) (Twitter link)
- Darius Quisenberry, G, Youngstown State (sophomore) (Twitter link)
- Marcus Santos-Silva, F, VCU (junior) (Instagram link)
Potential Lottery Pick Tyrese Maxey Declares For Draft
Kentucky guard Tyrese Maxey has declared for the NBA draft, per ESPN’s Malika Andrews. The freshman joins fellow Wildcats guard Ashton Hagans, who has also entered the 2020 draft class. Maxey tells Evan Daniels of 247Sports.com that he intends to forgo his remaining eligibility and keep his name in the draft.
“I felt like now that I’ve gone through the process of college and played for a great coach (John Calipari) and I feel like he has prepared me to declare the Draft and move on to the next level,” Maxey said to Daniels.
Maxey was Kentucky’s third-leading scorer in 2019/20, averaging 14.0 PPG in 31 games (34.5 MPG), to go along with 4.3 RPG and 3.2 APG. He recorded a shooting line of .427/.292/.833.
ESPN has Maxey ranked eighth overall on its big board, projecting him to be a versatile two-way combo guard at the NBA level. According to Jonathan Givony, Maxey is an “instinctive scorer who excels in transition” and is very physical defensively, though his shot selection and decision-makers are considered “works in progress.”
Kentucky’s Ashton Hagans Enters 2020 NBA Draft
Kentucky guard Ashton Hagans is entering the 2020 NBA draft, he announced on Twitter on Sunday. Although the sophomore could test the waters while retaining his college eligibility, the wording of his statement suggests he’s ready to go pro.
“I just wanted to let you all know that even though I love Kentucky with all of my heart and really wish I could have played for a (championship), it’s time for me to live out my life-long dream and declare for the NBA draft,” he wrote. “It’s been my No. 1 goal since I first picked up a ball to take this step and I know my time is now. It’s so hard for me to say goodbye to the best fans in the world, because these last two years have been some of the best of my life.”
In 2019/20, Hagans averaged 11.5 PPG, 6.4 APG, 3.9 RPG, and 1.9 SPG in 30 games (33.1 MPG) as the Wildcats’ starting point guard.
Although Hagans is a strong candidate to be drafted, ranking 49th on ESPN’s big board, his inconsistent shooting may give some NBA teams pause. As a sophomore, he made just 40.4% of his attempts from the field, including 25.8% from beyond the arc.
Eastern Notes: Bulls, Simon, Brown, Draft
The Bulls are entering an offseason of change, as the franchise is looking to revamp its basketball operations department. The Athletic’s John Hollinger hears that Miami’s VP of basketball operations Adam Simon is a leading candidate for the team’s top front office job (confirming an earlier report) and adds that the chatter about Indiana’s Chad Buchanan was rather loud before the Pacers‘ GM took himself out of the running. Denver’s Arturas Karnisovas and Toronto’s Bobby Webster have also been linked to the Bulls’ opening.
Hollinger wonders if Chicago will also search for a new head coach during the NBA’s hiatus. Jim Boylen‘s future with the club is uncertain and the Bulls won’t be the only team looking for a new head coach this offseason.
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Many insiders believe that Sixers coach Brett Brown is on the hot seat, though it’s unlikely that the team makes a move while the league is on hiatus, Hollinger adds in the same piece. Firing Brown and having the Sixers proceed to the playoffs with a new coach wouldn’t be an ideal scenario.
- The Cavaliers don’t have enough intel on their top young talent to rule out selecting a player at any position in the 2020 draft, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes. Darius Garland and Kevin Porter Jr. both appear to be long-term building blocks, yet neither is certain to be an All-Star, so the Cavs should select the best available player regardless of position with their top pick.
- Keith Langlois of NBA.com examines Khyri Thomas‘ progress since the Pistons‘ drafted him with the No. 38 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Injuries have stunted Thomas’ growth and while the franchise doesn’t have major talent on the wing, he’ll need to show more if he’s going to stay with Detroit beyond his current contract, which is non-guaranteed for next season.
Heat Notes: Bosh, Simon, Leonard, Front Office
Chris Bosh will not be inducted into the Basketball Hall 0f Fame in 2020, but Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel believes Bosh will be elected in 2021. This year’s crop includes Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, and Tim Duncan, so it’s not as if there aren’t deserving candidates ahead of Bosh. Still, the former No. 4 overall pick, who won two titles with the Heat, had the résumé to be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer.
Here’s more from Miami:
- In a separate piece, Winderman wonders if any Heat executive besides VP of basketball operations Adam Simon will be coveted by Chicago as the Bulls make front office changes. As Winderman notes, Miami has given Simon promotions every time an opposing franchise attempted to pry him away from South Beach, so it’s unlikely that the organization won’t at least attempt to keep the executive in town.
- Heat big man Meyers Leonard, who was nursing a severe ankle sprain heading into the NBA’s hiatus, said he would have likely been ready to return by the postseason if it had proceeded as scheduled, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald relays. Leonard is rehabbing in his home with the assistance of the Heat’s medical team.
- Erik Spoelstra can’t envision himself coaching anywhere but with the Heat, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald relays. “Micky and Pat created this culture,” Spoelstra said of owner Micky Arison and president Pat Riley. “Some people might think they need to venture out on their own to create their own image. I do not have any of those kind of feelings. I feel a sense of purpose by carrying this culture on and this legacy to future teams. It’s what I enjoy. It’s what fills my cup up. I want to keep this going as long as I can. It doesn’t feel like a job.”
Theo Maledon Declares For Draft
Potential lottery pick Theo Maledon has submitted paperwork to become eligible for the NBA draft, writes Jonathan Givony of ESPN.
Ranked as the 15th best prospect in ESPN’s Top 100, Maledon, 18, plays in the EuroLeague and the French LNB for ASVEL. He is averaging 7.1 points and 2.3 assists in 17 minutes per game and is considered a top candidate for the EuroLeague Rising Star award. Givony notes that Luka Doncic is the only other 18-year-old in the past decade to start the majority of his team’s games in the EuroLeague.
Maledon already has an impressive resume that includes winning a gold medal in the U16 European Championship and serving as captain of the French junior national team that captured a silver medal at the FIBA U17 World Cup. Like the rest of the world, his season is on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, but he had ASVEL on top of the league at 21-4 when the shutdown began.
“Before COVID-19 stopped basketball, I was looking forward to finishing the EuroLeague season and hopefully winning the LNB Championship,” Maledon said. “Normally, the championship would have run until the second week of June so I would not have much time to train in the U.S. before the draft. Now the landscape has changed, but I have to wait like everyone else to see when and what we are able to do.
“Right now I am doing everything possible at my house to maintain my conditioning. Really all I can do is listen to the experts, the officials, and my team and stay at home. I know this is not what I expected, but knowing I will be in the NBA next year is what I am focused on. One day I will shake Commissioner Silver’s hand.”
Givony notes that Maledon’s assets include exceptional size for at point guard at 6’5″ with a 6’9″ wingspan. He’s considered a good shooter and versatile defender and may have more experience playing against top-level competition than anyone else in the draft.