Wesley Matthews To Decline Player Option
Bucks swingman Wesley Matthews plans to decline his $2.7MM player option for the 2020/21 season and enter unrestricted free agency, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Matthews averaged 7.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 24.4 minutes per game with Milwaukee last season, seeing an average of 24.4 minutes per contest. He’s expected to be one of the more sought-after three-and-D wings on the open market, with multiple contenders likely to express interest. As such, it makes sense for him to turn down an option worth the veteran’s minimum.
Among the teams with an early interest in the 34-year-old is the Lakers, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times (Twitter link). Los Angeles is expected to trade Danny Green as part of the team’s deal to acquire Dennis Schroder from Oklahoma City and reportedly view Matthews as a potential replacement for Green next season.
Matthews has played 11 NBA seasons in his career, making past stops with Utah, Portland, Dallas, New York, Indiana and Milwaukee. He went undrafted back in 2009 after spending four seasons at Marquette.
Pistons’ Tony Snell To Pick Up 2020/21 Option
Pistons swingman Tony Snell is exercising his player option for the 2020/21 season, sources tell James Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link). The move comes as no surprise, since Snell was extremely unlikely to match his $12.2MM option salary on the open market.
Snell, who turned 29 last Tuesday, appeared in 59 games for the Pistons in 2019/20, averaging 8.0 PPG, 2.2 APG, and 1.9 RPG in 57 starts (27.8 MPG). He also made over 40% of his three-point attempts for the third time in four seasons, finishing with a .402 3PT%.
The move will keep Snell under contract with the Pistons for the time being, though the team may consider shopping his expiring deal in trade talks this fall. Assuming he plays out the season on his current contract, he’ll reach the unrestricted free agent market in 2021.
Since Snell had always been expected to opt in, his decision doesn’t affect the Pistons’ cap projections. The team should have at least $25-30MM available to work with this offseason.
Nicolas Batum Exercising Player Option
Hornets forward Nicolas Batum plans to exercise his $27.13MM player option for the 2020/21 season and return to Charlotte, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Batum appeared in just 22 games last season and holds career-averages of 11.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per contest. The 31-year-old has been with the Hornets since the 2015/16 season, having been acquired in a trade during the summer of 2015. He inked a five-year, $120MM deal with the team in 2016.
Batum’s option decision was one of the most obvious of 2020, as there was no chance of him matching or exceeding his $27MM salary on the open market. He’ll reach free agency in 2021.
Meanwhile, Charlotte has players such as Bismack Biyombo and Willy Hernangomez set to enter unrestricted free agency this fall. The team could extend a qualifying offer to guard Dwayne Bacon to make him a restricted free agent.
The Hornets finished with a 23-42 record this past season and last made the playoffs during the 2015/16 campaign.
Evan Fournier To Exercise Player Option
Magic guard Evan Fournier is exercising his $17MM player option for the 2020/21 season, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Fournier, 28, will return to Orlando and bypass free agency. He’s spent the past six seasons with the Magic, averaging 18.5 points and 3.2 assists per game last year.
The Magic are still waiting for James Ennis‘ official decision on his player option, worth $2.1MM, and also have D.J. Augustin and Michael Carter-Williams set to become unrestricted free agents. In addition, the team could extend qualifying offers to Wesley Iwundu ($2MM) and Gary Clark ($1.8MM) in order to make them restricted free agents.
Orlando finished with the eighth-best record in the Eastern Conference last season at 33-40. The club sports a talented young core consisting of Aaron Gordon, Mohamed Bamba, Jonathan Isaac, Markelle Fultz and others.
Fournier’s option decision pushes the Magic’s total guaranteed salaries up to approximately $113MM, all but guaranteeing that the club will operate over the cap in 2020/21.
Southwest Notes: Holiday, Brewer, Spurs, Guthrie
Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday has continued to register league-wide interest, with several teams looking to acquire a top-10 draft pick in hopes of flipping it in a deal for the 30-year-old, according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link).
Several rival executives have mentioned the Nuggets as a strong threat to acquire Holiday, Mannix adds. Denver has a unique combination of veterans and young talent that could be used in a potential deal, with Holiday holding a $27.1MM player option in his contract after next season.
Holiday, an 11-year NBA veteran, is known for being one of the league’s most accomplished defenders. In addition to his impressive defensive play, he averaged 19.1 points, 6.7 assists and 4.8 rebounds last season, shooting a respectable 45.5% from the floor.
Here are some other notes from the Southwest Division:
- Veteran forward Corey Brewer is joining the Pelicans in a player development role, according to Mark Berman of Fox 26 (Twitter link). Assuming this is it for Brewer’s playing career, the 34-year-old spent 13 seasons with eight different teams, most recently with the Kings. Brewer held career-averages of 8.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 22.9 minutes per game, appearing in a total of 819 contests.
- A potential shake-up would make sense for the Spurs, a team that last won an NBA championship during the 2013/14 season, Mike Finger of The San Antonio Express-News writes. The Spurs have fielded interest for both DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge in recent weeks after finishing with a 32-39 record last season.
- The Mavericks have hired Jazz assistant Zach Guthrie as part of Rick Carlisle‘s staff, replacing Stephen Silas, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. Silas recently left Dallas to accept a head coaching position with the Rockets, the first of his professional career. Guthrie had been an assistant with the Jazz since 2015, previously serving as an assistant video coordinator with the Spurs and advanced scouting manager with the Magic.
Atlantic Notes: Ujiri, Raptors, Lewis Jr., Sixers
The Raptors have provided proposals for how they – and visiting teams – could safely play in Toronto this season, president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri wrote in an article for The Toronto Star.
The organization has explored temporary homes in the United States due to the border being closed to non-essential travel as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Raptors’ strong preference is to play its games in Toronto if permitted.
“We’ve provided detailed proposals to governments about how we, and the teams that visit us, could play safely in Toronto,” Ujiri wrote. “Our plan builds on things we learned in the bubble, such as daily testing, limiting contact, and safe travel. It’s constructed to keep our players, staff, their families and Canadians healthy, because that has to be the starting point and the end point.”
The Raptors are considering a number of options in America, with a recent report indicating that Tampa Bay, Florida would be a frontrunner to host the team this season.
“We have to look at other options, because the preseason is coming up fast — Dec. 1,” Ujiri explained. “We are proud to represent our city and our country, and we hope to be able to do that while playing in Toronto. Cities in the United States have been very kind to us — they’ve offered us a home away from home. To them I say: Thank you. To you, I say that I hope we get to tell them we won’t be able to take them up on their generous offer.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division tonight:
- Despite Ujiri and the Raptors presenting a good plan to host games in Toronto this season, concerns remain over cross-border travel amid the coronavirus pandemic, Canada’s deputy chief of public health Dr. Howard Njoo said, as relayed by ESPN. The team remains without a finalized home despite training camps beginning in roughly two weeks.
- The speed of Alabama point guard Kira Lewis Jr. has attracted the interest of the Knicks, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Lewis, who’s largely considered to be the fastest player in the draft, worked out for the team last month. “Getting to the rim, finishing over length and showing my shot as well,” Lewis said of what he tried to show the team. “I try to bring every aspect I can whether it’s ball handing, passing, shooting, defense, rebounding,. Anything I can do to help the team. I’m trying to get better [in] being more physical with my size and handling bigger defenders, cutting to the basket and making great reads.”
- Daryl Morey‘s rebuilding of the Sixers could ultimately start with the draft, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. The Sixers own the No. 21, No. 34, No. 36, No. 49 and No. 58 picks in the draft, which is set to commence on Wednesday.
James Harden Intrigued By Potential Move To Nets
The Nets have emerged as a possible trade destination for Rockets superstar James Harden, though it remains unclear if Houston is ultimately willing to part ways with the former Most Valuable Player, according to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Ramona Shelburne and Zach Lowe.
The idea of joining Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn has started to resonate with Harden, the trio adds. The Athletic recently reported that Harden remains committed to the Rockets despite a Russell Westbrook trade request.
Harden has also discussed the possibility with Durant (teammates from 2009-12) and has increasingly grown uneasy about Houston’s competitive future, leading him to consider other options, ESPN reports.
Brooklyn has a bevy of assets that could be included in a deal, including Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie and the No. 19 pick in Wednesday’s draft. Despite Harden’s apparent interest in the team, the Nets and Rockets have yet to engage in trade discussions, according to Wojnarowski, who adds that Houston has continuously stated its interest in retaining Harden for another season.
The Rockets have privately made it clear that if they did eventually entertain the idea of moving Harden, they’d need a “monstrous return of players, draft picks, and pick swaps,” per ESPN. While the Nets are believed to be weighing the viability of pursuing Harden, it’s not clear how willing they’d be to meet that asking price.
Harden is coming off a season that saw him average 34.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists in 68 games. He shot 44% from the floor and 36% from deep during those contests, further cementing his status as one of the league’s top offensive players.
Lakers Explored Trade For Eric Bledsoe
The Lakers looked into a trade for Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe prior to their agreed-upon deal for Dennis Schroder, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated tweets.
The Lakers are giving up the 28th pick in Wednesday’s draft and guard Danny Green to the Thunder in return for Schroder, who could be the defending champions’ lead point guard or sixth man.
Bledsoe could have filled the same role for the Lakers but he’s coming off a disappointing season and has multiple years left on his deal. Bledsoe will make nearly $17MM next season and $18.1MM in 2021/22. He has a non-guaranteed $19.4MM salary for the 2022/23 season, the final year of his extension.
Milwaukee has reportedly been trying to shed Bledsoe’s contract in order to upgrade its roster after its disappointing playoff performance. Bledsoe averaged 14.9 PPG, his lowest since the 2012/13 campaign, and 5.4 APG in 61 regular-season starts. He was then held to 11.7 PPG on 38.8% shooting during the playoffs.
And-Ones: G League, Mitchell, Magnay, GM Moves, Jones
The G League plans to have its elite Ignite team, which includes top 2021 draft prospects Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga and Isaiah Todd, face G League alumni in closed-door scrimmages in Walnut Creek, California this week, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. They will also hold two streamed scrimmages next month, Charania adds. The Ignite team, which is based in Walnut Creek, was formed as a part of the league’s development program for top prospects.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- Donovan Mitchell, Lonzo Ball and John Collins are some of the high-profile rookie scale extension candidates who might not be worth a full max, according to The Athletic’s John Hollinger. Hollinger anticipates Mitchell will get a max extension but the Jazz might be wise to go four years rather than five. Hollinger takes a closer look at the value of all extension-eligible candidates from the class of 2017.
- Australian big man Will Magnay is drawing interest from NBA clubs, ESPN’s Olgun Uluc tweets. His current club, the Brisbane Bullets, is preparing to play without him this season, Uluc adds. Magnay, 22, was named the NBL’s Most Improved Player last season.
- What are the best and worst moves that top NBA executives have made with their current teams? ESPN’s Bobby Marks takes a closer look at all the GMs who haven’t been recently hired by their current organizations.
- Former NBA player Jalen Jones may have suffered a torn Achilles playing in Italy, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando tweets. Jones was playing his first game this season for Pallacanestro Varese. The prognosis was first reported by La Prealpina. He last appeared in the NBA during the 2018/19 season during a 16-game stint with Cleveland.
Latest On NBA’s Updated Dates, Deadlines, Details
Virtually all of the NBA’s usual annual deadlines will have to be adjusted for the 2020/21 league year. In addition to the handful of new dates that we passed along this morning, many more adjustments have been reported over the course of the day. Here are several of the key ones:
- The deadline for teams to issue qualifying offers to players who are eligible for restricted free agency will be November 19, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report (Twitter link).
- Virtually every traded player exception that had initially been set to expire in July will now expire on November 23 or November 24, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. That includes the Warriors‘ $17.2MM TPE, which expires on Nov. 23, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).
- The deadline to waive a player and stretch his 2020/21 salary will be December 9, per Pincus (Twitter link). After that date (which is normally August 31), players who are waived can still have guaranteed salaries in 2021/22 and beyond stretched, but their ’20/21 cap figures will remain unchanged.
- The deadline for teams to exercise third- and fourth-year 2021/22 options for players on rookie scale contracts will be December 29, tweets Pincus. This deadline usually falls at the end of October.
- Free agents signed this offseason can’t be traded before February 6, while players who meet certain criteria (re-signed with their own over-the-cap team via Bird or Early Bird rights and got a raise of at least 20%) can’t be traded until March 3, per Pincus (Twitter link). These dates are typically December 15 and January 15.
- February 23 will be the first day that teams can sign players to 10-day contracts, according to Blake Murphy of The Athletic (Twitter link).
- The leaguewide salary guarantee date – normally January 10 – will be February 27 this season, tweets Pincus. A team that wants to avoid being on the hook for a guarantee will have to cut the player by February 24 so he clears waivers before the deadline.
- Players will have to be waived on or before April 9 (not March 1) in order to retain playoff eligibility for a new team, tweets Pincus.
- The 2020/21 league year will conclude on August 1 (instead of June 30), tweets Pincus. The 2021/22 league year will begin on August 2.
Here are a few more details on newly-announced adjustments for the 2020/21 season:
- For initial waiver claim priority, the NBA will use the standings as of March 11, 2020, tweets Pincus. That means if a player hits waivers next week, the Warriors will have top claiming priority and the Bucks will be last on the list.
- Instead of the usual 177 days, the NBA’s 2020/21 season will be 146 days, tweets Pincus. That means, for instance, that a player who signs a 10-day contract will receive 10/146ths of the minimum salary instead of 10/177ths.
- Two-way players won’t be limited to 45 days on their NBA teams’ rosters this season, but they won’t be able to be activated for more than 50 games. They’ll receive salaries worth $449,155, per Pincus (Twitter link).