New York Notes: Allen, Nets, Hampton, Nesmith, Knicks
While Joe Harris will be the Nets‘ top priority in free agency this fall, the team will also have to consider the possibility of a new deal for Jarrett Allen, who will become a restricted free agent in 2021 if he’s not extended before the start of the season.
As NetsDaily relays, ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Brian Windhorst discussed Allen on a recent episode of Windhorst’s Hoop Collective podcast, with Marks suggesting that the big man will be looking for “Clint Capela-type” money. The five-year contract Capela signed with Houston in 2018 had a base value of $80MM, with an extra $10MM in incentives, for an average annual value of $16-18MM.
If Allen is really seeking that kind of deal, Marks is skeptical he and the Nets will get anything done this year. An extension in the range of $12-14MM annually would be more palatable for Brooklyn, in Marks’ view.
Of course, it’s also worth noting that Allen would be a prime trade candidate if the Nets pursue a third star to complement Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, so it’s possible they won’t even have to worry about the young center’s next contract.
Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York teams:
- The Nets worked out combo guard RJ Hampton in Memphis within the last two weeks, reports Marc Berman of The New York Post. Berman previously said Brooklyn would be “extremely interested” in Hampton if he’s still available at No. 19.
- In a separate story for The Post, Berman examines Aaron Nesmith‘s potential fit with the Knicks, weighing whether the Vanderbilt marksman would be an option for the team at No. 8 or if he’d only receive serious consideration in a trade-down scenario. Nesmith is the 13th-ranked prospect on ESPN’s big board.
- After waiting for months for the NBA’s offseason to begin in earnest, the Knicks are now in position to significantly overhaul their roster in the span of a couple weeks, writes Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.
Davis Bertans Expected To Draw Sign-And-Trade Interest
Wizards forward Davis Bertans is expected to have plenty of options in free agency this fall. Washington considers re-signing Bertans its top priority, and a previous report suggested that the Knicks, Hawks, and Suns are expected to have interest in the sharpshooting big man.
In addition to those teams with cap space, at least three over-the-cap clubs are preparing to make sign-and-trade offers for Bertans, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. While the identity of those teams isn’t known, Hughes’ source says there are two in the Eastern Conference and one in the West.
Bertans, who turns 28 this Thursday, opted out of the NBA’s restart due to his history of ACL injuries and a desire to preserve his value for his upcoming free agency. Before that, he had enjoyed a career year in 2019/20 during his first season as a Wizard, averaging a career-best 15.4 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 1.7 APG in 54 games (29.3 MPG).
Bertans also had his best shooting season, making an impressive 42.4% of 8.7 three-point attempts per game. His rare combination of size and shot-making ability will make him an intriguing target for teams seeking a big man who can stretch the floor, and he’s widely expected to command a contract that exceeds the mid-level exception. That means over-the-cap teams that want to land him would have no choice but to pursue a sign-and-trade deal.
According to Hughes, Washington will get the first meeting with Bertans later this month and will have the first shot to lock him up. While the Wizards don’t project to have any cap room, they’ll hold Bertans’ Bird rights, meaning they can go over the cap to re-sign him. They turned down offers for him at the trade deadline, so they’ll be motivated to get something done.
If Bertans decides he wants to leave D.C., a team with cap room would be able to sign him outright, in which case the Wizards would lose him for nothing. In a sign-and-trade scenario, both Bertans and Washington would have to sign off on the deal, which would give the Wizards a little leverage to recoup some value.
It’s also worth noting that any team acquiring a player via sign-and-trade would be hard-capped at the tax apron (approximately $139MM) for the rest of the 2020/21 league year. For a team like Boston – which had interest in Bertans at last season’s trade deadline – that could be a real obstacle, as the Celtics already project to be a taxpayer next year.
Givony’s Latest: Ball, Edwards, Hornets, Williams, More
Barring a surprise trade that shakes up the top of the draft, LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, and James Wiseman still look like the three players who will come off the board first on November 18, writes Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link). Givony, who has had conversations with multiple team executives, scouts, and agents, says most teams’ front offices are operating under the assumption that Ball will be the No. 1 pick.
Of course, it remains to be seen whether the Timberwolves will be the team making and keeping that top pick in the 2020 draft. According to Givony, executives view the Bulls, Pistons, and Thunder as some of the most realistic candidates to trade up to No. 1 for Ball. Oklahoma City has the No. 25 pick, which would make trading up more difficult, but the Thunder do have a massive collection of future first-rounders they could dangle if they’re genuinely interested in moving up.
Here are several more draft-related tidbits from Givony’s latest roundup:
- According to Givony, some front offices were underwhelmed by Edwards’ Pro Day performance. Tyrese Maxey, who was in great shape and shot the ball very well, may have made Edwards look a little worse by comparison, some executives told ESPN.
- Despite reports that they’re eyeing Onyeka Okongwu, the Hornets haven’t seriously considered picking any prospects outside the top tier of Ball, Wiseman, and Edwards, sources tell Givony.
- After the top three, the next tier of prospects is made up of Deni Avdija, Obi Toppin, Isaac Okoro, Tyrese Haliburton, Patrick Williams, and Okongwu, according to Givony, who says those players all seem likely to be selected in the 4-9 range. Givony adds that Williams has boosted his stock in recent months and is receiving consideration as high as No. 4. Givony also confirms that the Pistons have legit interest in Williams at No. 7, which was previously reported.
- Picks belonging to the Kings (No. 12), Celtics (14), Timberwolves (17), Mavericks (18), Nets (19), and Heat (20) have popped up frequently in recent trade talks, sources tell ESPN.
- Upperclassmen like Malachi Flynn, Desmond Bane, Jordan Nwora, and Xavier Tillman are candidates to come off the board late in the first round, since contending teams with late first-round picks may be prioritizing “plug-and-play” prospects who will be best equipped to handle the quick turnaround between the draft and the start of the NBA season, says Givony.
Western Notes: Silas, Clippers, Caruso, Jazz
New Rockets coach Stephen Silas applauded the team’s diverse approach in hiring a new head coach and general manager this offseason, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes.
Silas is one of seven black head coaches in the NBA, joining Doc Rivers, Tyronn Lue, Lloyd Pierce, J.B. Bickerstaff, Monty Williams and Dwane Casey. Rafael Stone is one of 11 black general managers or heads of basketball operations, including the first black GM in Rockets franchise history (53 years).
“It’s gratifying to be in this situation with Rafael and the organization,” Silas said. “The organization, it starts with [owner] Tilman [Fertitta]. For Tilman to, I wouldn’t say think outside the box, but to have that commitment to the best man for the job is great. That’s how it needs to be around the league as a whole.
“We don’t want to have a leg up. We just want to be on an even playing field. In this organization, that’s what it is.”
There’s more out of the Western Conference tonight:
- Jovan Buha of The Athletic examines a number of topics related to the Clippers in his latest mailbag, including the team’s upcoming free agency and various trade options. Los Angeles disappointed its fanbase by losing a seven-game series to the Nuggets in the second round of the playoffs this year, failing to reach the conference finals despite having stars such as Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
- Lakers swingman Alex Caruso considered playing in Europe after going undrafted in 2016, he said on the JJ Redick Podcast (as relayed by Sportando). Caruso would wind up joining the Sixers for summer league, later playing for the Oklahoma City Blue — G League affiliate of the Thunder. He played an integral role in helping the Lakers win their first championship since 2010 last month.
- Sarah Todd of The Deseret News explores what the Jazz are looking for this offseason. Utah played without Bojan Bogdanovic during the Orlando restart, losing 4-3 to the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. “Going from good to great is hard,” general manager Justin Zanik admitted at the time, as relayed by Todd.
And-Ones: G League, Acy, Mack, COVID-19
The NBA G League is discussing a number of options with its 28 teams for the 2020/21 season, one of which includes playing in a bubble environment, according to Harrison Feigen of SB Nation.
Teams were notified that the goal remains to play out a full season, Feigen reports, though exact details of the campaign remain unknown. The bubble environment could also exist in ‘regional bubbles’, rather than the Disney format used to finish the 2019/20 NBA season.
Besides the importance of developing young talent, another major push for the G League season to happen is the newly introduced Select Team, league sources told Hoops Rumors. The team acts as a one-year development program for NBA prospects fresh out of high school, with five-star recruits such as Jalen Green and Isaiah Todd set to play if a season is held.
Despite much about the G League campaign being unknown, the NBA and its players’ union have agreed to a start date for their season: December 22. The draft remains scheduled to be held on November 18, with free agency expected to commence shortly thereafter.
Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Veteran forward Quincy Acy is in discussions on a new deal with Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel, according to Roi Cohen (as relayed by Sportando). Acy holds several years of NBA experience with the Raptors, Kings, Knicks, Mavericks, Nets and Suns, getting drafted No. 37 in 2012.
- Free agent Shelvin Mack has signed in Greece with Panathinaikos, the team announced on social media. Mack, 30, also holds several years of NBA experience, making past stops with the Wizards, Sixers, Hawks, Jazz, Magic, Grizzlies and Hornets. He most recently played with Hapoel Jerusalem in Israel.
- Patrick Reusse of The Star Tribune grades how different sports leagues adapted to COVID-19 this year. The NBA ranked in the “A” category, as the league successfully kept the virus away from its players in the Disney campus restart format.
Atlantic Notes: Paul, Fizdale, Knicks, Raptors
Former Knicks coach David Fizdale believes the team wouldn’t be a good fit for Chris Paul in a potential trade, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes.
Fizdale, who coached the team for 104 games over two seasons, argued the fit would be better for the Knicks than it would be for Paul — especially with Paul still being without a championship entering his 16th NBA season.
“I think the Knicks have to be open to a lot of different things,’’ Fizdale said. “Would he be a great fit for them? Absolutely. I think he would fit those kids — Mitchell Robinson going to the rim, they get more spacing, more shooting. Absolutely, he would fit. The big stage. He doesn’t get sick [with COVID-19].”
“[But] for him, where he is at his career, I don’t think it’s a good fit for him and what he’s trying to do.’’
Paul is coming off his first All-Star season since the 2015/16 campaign, averaging 17.6 points, 6.7 assists and 31.5 minutes per game with the Thunder. For the Knicks, the team must decide between pursuing a star player and continuing to slowly build their young core — a decision that’ll be made by general manager Scott Perry and president Leon Rose.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News examines how the Knicks could improve their roster before next season, listing four ideas for potential trades. New York accrued just a 21-45 record last year (fourth-worst in the Eastern Conference).
- The Raptors have a number of questions to answer this offseason, including where the team will play during the 2020/21 season, Damien Cox of The Toronto Star writes. Toronto also has a number of key players set to reach free agency later this month, including Fred VanVleet and Serge Ibaka.
- Raptors officials visited Nashville, Tennessee last week to investigate another potential home for the team next season, Adam Vingan of The Athletic writes. With Canada closing the border except for essential travel, Toronto likely needs to find a temporary arena located in the United States for most or all of the upcoming campaign. Kansas City, Missouri and Tampa Bay, Florida are also in the running to host the team, Vingan relays. Despite conducting due-diligence, the club is reportedly holding out hope that it will be able to play in Toronto next season.
Clippers Finalizing Deals With Billups, Drew
The Clippers are finalizing deals with Chauncey Billups and Larry Drew to have them join head coach Tyronn Lue‘s staff as assistants, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Both Billups and Drew have long been expected to join the Clippers, who fired longtime head coach Doc Rivers in September after seven seasons. Along with Billups and Drew, former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson and Heat assistant Dan Craig are also expected to join the team for next season.
Billups, a 17-year NBA veteran, worked for the Clippers as a broadcaster during the 2019/20 season and shares a close relationship with Lue. This will be his first coaching job since retiring back in 2014.
Drew, a well-respected assistant with the Cavaliers, spent the past six years in Cleveland. He was part of the 2016 Cavs’ championship team led by LeBron James, previously serving in assistant coaching roles with the Lakers, Pistons, Wizards, Nets and Hawks from 1992-2013. He also served as head coach of the Bucks during the 2013/14 season.
The Clippers finished with a 49-23 record last year and were eliminated by the Nuggets in the second round of the playoffs after a seven-game duel.
Lakers Expected To Target Serge Ibaka
The Lakers are expected to target veteran forward Serge Ibaka in free agency this year, Sean Deveney of Heavy.com reports, citing league executives.
Ibaka, 31, averaged 15.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 27 minutes per game for the Raptors last season, proving his worth as a frontcourt option off the bench or as a starter. He holds 11 seasons of NBA experience, making stops with Oklahoma City and Orlando before reaching Toronto via trade in 2017.
Deveney suggests that the Raptors are still probably the favorites to sign Ibaka this fall, but that the big man may be willing to leave for a chance to compete for a championship elsewhere. The Celtics, Clippers, Heat, Mavericks, and Trail Blazers are among the other clubs expected to have interest, per Deveney, though the defending champions could probably give Ibaka the best chance to play for a title.
“From a personnel standpoint, he is exactly the kind of combo big guy that team (the Lakers) needs,” one general manager said. “They have had interest in him before and they will again. When he is healthy he is an excellent spot starter at the 5 (center) and the 4 (power forward). He is as good a bench big guy as there is in the league. He was a really credible 3-point threat last year. If he is willing to accept what the Lakers can afford to give him, I know they would want him.”
The Lakers own a mid-level exception worth $9.3MM, though it’s unclear whether the team prefers to spend it on one player or split it among multiple free agents. L.A. is coming off its first title since 2010 and has several players set to reach free agency, including Dwight Howard and Markieff Morris.
Anthony Davis ($28.75MM), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($8.49MM), Avery Bradley ($5MM), JaVale McGee ($4.2MM) and Rajon Rondo ($2.69MM) also have player options, with Davis expected to re-sign after opting out and Rondo and Caldwell-Pope both likely to decline their options.
The NBA plans to start free agency shortly after the Nov. 18 draft, though exact details remain unknown.
Southeast Notes: Beal, Heat, Olynyk, Wizards
Wizards general manager Tommy Shepphard has reaffirmed his confidence that All-Star Bradley Beal will remain with the franchise next season, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes.
Several teams have expressed interest in trading for Beal, 27, but Washington has rebuffed all offers to this point. The team seems intent on keeping Beal and placing him alongside John Wall in the backcourt next season. Wall hasn’t played since December of 2018 due to various injuries.
“Brad absolutely has been committed to us. Last summer, he signed an extension with us. I think we’re absolutely committed to him. The biggest thing we ask for each other is ‘Hey, let’s go win,'” Sheppard said.
“He and I have been a straight line of communication throughout the offseason. He’s really excited for next season. He hasn’t given any indication whatsoever on that and I wouldn’t expect to hear about it from anybody but him. He and I have always been straight-line. And I think he’s as committed to D.C. as he always has been.”
Beal is owed $28.7MM next season and $34.5MM in 2021/22 with the Wizards, with a player option worth $37.2MM in the following season. He averaged a career-high 30.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game last season, good for the second-highest scoring average in the NBA.
There’s more from the Southeast Division tonight:
- Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel explores whether the Heat have any untouchable players entering the draft and free agency. Miami acquired its best player, Jimmy Butler, through the trade market in 2019, one way for the franchise to upgrade its roster to push for contention.
- Winderman examines in a separate story how Kelly Olynyk‘s $13.2MM player option holds the key to the Heat’s offseason and cap space. If he exercises his option, Miami could use Olynk’s deal in a potential trade between now and the start of the season — or even during the campaign. Should Olynyk opt out, however, the Heat would benefit from receiving additional cap space for free agency. The team could also choose to keep Olynyk as a backup center if he exercises the option.
- Tyler Byrum of NBC Sports Washington explores potential Wizards draft targets that may fit the model of last year’s Rui Hachimura pick. Washington drafted Hachimura with the No. 9 pick in 2019, seeing the 22-year-old average 13.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game in his rookie season. The team once again owns the ninth selection in this year’s draft.
Central Notes: Weaver, Bulls Draft, Avdija, J. Holiday
The Pistons hired general manager Troy Weaver because of his reputation for evaluating young talent, so Omar Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press looked into Weaver’s track record with the Thunder to get clues for this year’s draft. Detroit holds the No. 7 pick in a draft that appears unpredictable after the first two or three choices.
Weaver has a history of taking athletic players with long wingspans, Sankofa notes. His standout selection was Russell Westbrook with the fourth pick in 2008, and the pattern extends with first-rounders such as Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson, Steven Adams, Andre Roberson, Josh Huestis, Terrance Ferguson and Darius Bazley. Weaver also signed Luguentz Dort, a similar player, after he went undrafted last year.
Sankofa believes former Memphis center James Wiseman and Georgia guard Anthony Edwards are the best fits for Weaver’s philosophy, but both are expected to be taken well before the Pistons’ turn. Auburn’s Isaac Okoro, possibly the draft’s best wing defender, could be an alternative, along with guard RJ Hampton and Florida State forward Patrick Williams.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- With the Bulls holding the No. 4 pick, Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times looks at four potential selections and their possible impact on the organization. LaMelo Ball would challenge Coby White for the starting point guard job right away and could open the door for a Zach LaVine trade that would create cap room to add a free agent next summer. Edwards could be the future shooting guard, which would also make LaVine expendable, while Wiseman would give the team a true center and leave Wendell Carter and Lauri Markkanen battling to become the starting power forward. Deni Avdija fills the greatest need for Chicago and would eventually take over for Otto Porter Jr.
- At least one draft expert believes Avdija would be a perfect fit for the Bulls, relays Rob Schaffer of NBC Sports Chicago. Appearing on the Bulls Talk podcast, Spencer Pearlman, a former draft consultant with the Suns, says Avdija is versatile enough to handle either forward slot and plays bigger than his 6’9″ size.
- Although the Knicks have interest in free agent guard Justin Holiday, returning to the Pacers is his first option, tweets J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star. Michael also states that assistant coach Bill Bayno will remain with Indiana under new coach Nate Bjorkgren (Twitter link) and the organization has hired Ted Wu as a capologist (Twitter link).