Pistons Notes: Cunningham, Hayes, Coaching Staff
Figuring out how to maximize the backcourt of lottery picks Killian Hayes and Cade Cunningham may be most important element of Cunningham’s integration into the league, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. That process will start in training camp and Pistons head coach Dwane Casey is known for preferring multiple ballhandlers on the court. Cunningham’s versatility makes it both easier and more challenging to find the right balance between the two young backcourt partners, Langlois adds.
We have more on the Pistons:
- The team has officially named Rex Kalamian, Jerome Allen, Jim Moran and Bill Bayno as assistant coaches, and Andrew Jones as a player development coach in a press release. The news that the club was hiring Kalamian, Allen and Bayno was reported in June. Allen was on Brad Stevens’ Celtics staff, while Bayno had been on Indiana’s staff. Kalamian worked the Kings last season. A report surfaced in July that Moran, a former Portland assistant, would be joining Casey’s staff. Jordan Brink and Austin Dufault have been promoted to player development coaches, the release adds.
- Hayes may not be a legitimate building block, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic opines in a Q&A session with colleague James Edwards III. His struggles to gain separation make it very difficult for him to create anything as a lead guard and he’s always been turnover-prone, according to Vecenie, though it would unfair to give up on him too quickly. Vecenie does believe the club is being built the right way, though it needs a couple more elite players to be a true contender.
- In case you missed it, there’s been speculation that second-round rookie Luka Garza, who has signed a two-way deal, could be promoted to a standard contract. Get the details here.
Klay Thompson, James Wiseman Making “Good Progress”
Injured Warriors Klay Thompson and James Wiseman have made “good progress” and are “on pace to return for the 2021/22 season,” the team’s PR department tweets.
Thompson, who underwent surgery on his torn right Achilles on November 25, is expected to participate in various controlled drills during training camp. His return to full practices will be determined at a later date.
There has been speculation that Thompson will return to action around Christmas if all goes well.
Wiseman, who underwent surgery for a right meniscal tear in mid-April, is expected to participate in individual shooting and other individual on-court activities during camp. His return to full practices will be determined after October 15, when he’s expected to begin full jumping on the surgically repaired knee.
Wiseman, the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft, has seen his name thrown into trade rumors this offseason, particularly involving disgruntled Sixers star Ben Simmons.
Sixers Still Hope To Get Ben Simmons In Camp
The Sixers remain determined to convince Ben Simmons to report to training camp, Marc Stein of Substack tweets. It’s still expected that Simmons will not show up, Stein adds.
The Simmons saga has been one of the bigger storylines during the offseason. Reports surfaced three weeks ago that Simmons informed the team he wanted to be dealt and wouldn’t report to camp. He made his feelings known to team owner Josh Harris, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, general manager Elton Brand, and head coach Doc Rivers in a meeting in Los Angeles.
Simmons has four years and nearly $147MM remaining on his contract. Philadelphia has reportedly engaged in talks with several potential suitors, including the Timberwolves, Raptors, Cavaliers, Pacers, Kings, Spurs, and Warriors. However, the Sixers have a high asking price and Simmons’ value has been diminished by his shooting woes, particularly on the perimeter and at the foul line.
Simmons, the top pick in the 2016 draft, posted career lows in scoring (14.3), rebounding (7.2), assists (6.9) and shot attempts (10.1) last season. Philadelphia is willing to work with Simmons to improve his offensive game but Simmons seems intent on a fresh start.
Timberwolves Sign Bowen, Silva, Lewis, Miller
The Timberwolves have signed forwards Brian Bowen II and Chris Silva and guards Matt Lewis and Isaiah Miller, according to a team press release.
The signings give Minnesota a full 20-man camp roster. Terms were not disclosed, but they’re all training camp deals.
Bowen started all five games for the Timberwolves in the Las Vegas summer league, averaging 8.4 PPG and 4.2 RPG in 24.5 MPG. He has played 12 games for the Pacers.
Silva saw action in 15 total games last season for the Heat and Kings, where he averaged 2.1 PPG and 1.8 RPG. Silva was dealt to the Kings at the trade deadline and waived in late April.
Lewis went undrafted out of James Madison University. He was named the CAA Player of the Year last season.
A report that the club was signing Miller to an Exhibit 10 contract came to light in late July. He also played in all five games of the summer league games, averaging 7.4 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 2.0 APG in 16.2 MPG.
Nets Sign Devontae Cacok
SEPTEMBER 20: The Nets have officially signed Cacok, the team confirmed today in a press release.
SEPTEMBER 17: The Nets are signing free agent forward Devontae Cacok to their 20-man preseason roster, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Charania, Cacok will attend training camp with the team and compete for a two-way contract.
Cacok, who went undrafted out of UNC Wilmington in 2019, spent his first two professional seasons on a two-way contract with the Lakers. He barely played at the NBA level as a rookie, but appeared in 20 regular season games in 2020/21, albeit primarily in garbage time. The 24-year-old averaged 2.0 PPG and 1.6 RPG in 4.9 minutes per contest.
While his NBA impact has been limited, Cacok excelled in the G League in 2019/20, putting up 19.3 PPG and 11.9 RPG with a .660 FG% in 33 games for the South Bay Lakers. He recorded a double-double and earned a spot on the All-NBAGL First Team while averaging just 23.9 minutes per game and coming off the bench in all but two contests.
The Nets have two open spots on their 20-man roster, so Cacok will fill one of them. Kessler Edwards holds one of Brooklyn’s two-way contract slots, but the other is up for grabs. Camp invitee David Duke figures to be in the mix for that opening, along with Cacok and perhaps one or both of the Nets’ unsigned second-round picks (Marcus Zegarowski and RaiQuan Gray).
Like Duke, Cacok is likely receiving an Exhibit 10 contract, which can be converted into a two-way deal before the start of the regular season without having to pass the player through waivers.
Hornets Sign Xavier Sneed
The Hornets have officially signed free agent swingman Xavier Sneed to a contract, the team announced today in a press release.
Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but it seems likely to be a non-guaranteed pact that includes Exhibit 10 language. That would allow the Hornets to give Sneed a bonus worth up to $50K if he’s waived before the regular season begins and then spends at least 60 days with their G League team.
Sneed, who went undrafted out of Kansas State in 2020, signed a training camp contract with Charlotte last offseason and then was waived at the end of the preseason. He played in 13 games (23.3 MPG) for the Greensboro Swarm, the Hornets’ G League affiliate, averaging 8.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.8 APG, and 1.8 SPG with a .360/.279/.875 shooting line.
With the signing, Charlotte now has a full 20-man offseason roster, including 16 players with guaranteed salaries, two on Exhibit 10 deals (Sneed and D.J. Carton) and a pair on two-way contracts (Scottie Lewis and Arnoldas Kulboka).
In order to set their roster for the regular season, the Hornets will have to trade or release at least one player with a guaranteed salary, but that move doesn’t need to be completed until mid-October. However, the club also reportedly agreed to sign Cameron McGriff to an Exhibit 10 deal, so more transactions could be coming during the preseason.
NBA Players With Trade Kickers In 2021/22
A trade kicker is a contractual clause that pays an NBA player a bonus when he’s traded. They’re one of the tools teams have at their disposal to differentiate their free agent offers from the ones put on the table by competing clubs.
Sometimes the kicker is worth a fixed amount, but usually it’s based on a percentage of the remaining value of the contract. So, a player who has a 10% trade kicker is eligible for a bonus worth 10% of the amount of money he has yet to collect on his deal.
Regardless of whether a trade kicker is set at a fixed amount or a percentage, the bonus can’t exceed 15% of the remaining value of the contract. Most trade kickers are worth 15%, the highest percentage allowed.
A trade bonus must be paid by the team that trades the player, rather than the team acquiring him. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement also allows a player to waive his trade kicker as part of a deal, if he so chooses.
If you want a more detailed explanation of how trade kickers work, check out the Hoops Rumors Glossary entry on the subject.
With the help of contract information from Basketball Insiders, here’s a list of the NBA players who have active trade kickers for 2021/22, listed alphabetically, along with the details of those trade bonuses:
- Kyle Anderson, Grizzlies (15%)
- Bogdan Bogdanovic, Hawks (15%)
- Reggie Bullock, Mavericks (5%)
- Trey Burke, Mavericks (7.5%)
- Jimmy Butler, Heat (15%)
- Draymond Green, Warriors (15%)
- Tobias Harris, Sixers (5% or $5MM, whichever is lesser)
- Gordon Hayward, Hornets (15%)
- Richaun Holmes, Kings (15%)
- Serge Ibaka, Clippers (15%): Waived kicker as part of trade to Bucks
- Kyrie Irving, Nets (15%)
- Reggie Jackson, Clippers (15%)
- Daniel Theis, Rockets (15%): Waived kicker as part of trade to Celtics
- Klay Thompson, Warriors (15%)
The following players have trade bonuses on their contracts, but those bonuses would be voided if they were to be traded during the 2021/22 league year, since they’re already earning this season’s maximum salary:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks (15%)
- Bradley Beal, Wizards (15%)
- Stephen Curry, Warriors (15%)
- Anthony Davis, Lakers (15%)
- Kevin Durant, Nets (15%)
- Brandon Ingram, Pelicans (15%)
- LeBron James, Lakers (15%)
- Kawhi Leonard, Clippers (15%)
- Donovan Mitchell, Jazz (15%)
- Kristaps Porzingis, Mavericks (5%)
- Ben Simmons, Sixers (15%)
- Jayson Tatum, Celtics (15%)
- Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves (5%)
The following players have signed contract extensions that will include trade kickers, but those extensions won’t go into effect until at least the 2022/23 season:
- Luka Doncic, Mavericks (15%)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder (15%)
- Julius Randle, Knicks (15%)
- Marcus Smart, Celtics (15% or $1MM, whichever is lesser)
- Jonas Valanciunas, Pelicans (15% or $1MM, whichever is lesser)
- Trae Young, Hawks (15%)
Avery Bradley, Quinn Cook Working Out For Warriors
The Warriors continue to work out free agent guards, according to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, who reports (via Twitter) that Avery Bradley and Quinn Cook are among the veterans getting a look from the team this week.
Isaiah Thomas, whose workout with the team was reported last Thursday, will also be among the players auditioning for Golden State this week, and Spears says (via Twitter) the Warriors’ interest in Thomas is “sincere.” Spears adds that the sessions this week will include 5-on-5 games, with other free agents in attendance.
According to Spears, the Warriors – who currently have three openings on their 20-man roster – would ideally like to add one big man and two guards to their roster for training camp.
Golden State has 13 players on fully guaranteed contracts, with Damion Lee also expected to make the regular season roster. Barring additional roster moves, that would leave just one opening on the 15-man squad, with Gary Payton II and Mychal Mulder among the players vying for that spot.
The Warriors are well over the luxury tax line and could theoretically keep the 15th spot open to save some money, but they aren’t particularly deep at point guard and aren’t acting like a team that plans to carrying just 14 players. Darren Collison and Ryan Arcidiacono are among the other guards who have worked out for the club.
Bradley, considered a three-and-D guard, appeared in a total of 27 games for the Heat and Rockets in 2020/21. His scoring average dipped to 6.4 PPG on .374/.327/.800 shooting, his worst numbers since his rookie season.
A two-time champion with the Warriors and Lakers, Cook appeared in 107 games for the Warriors from 2017-19. He played in 23 games last season for the Lakers and Cavs, and has career averages of 6.4 PPG and 1.6 APG on .461/.408/.795 shooting.
Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Sixers, Simmons, Horford
Having already received clearance to play their home games in Toronto in 2021/22 after spending last season in Tampa, the Raptors are now waiting to see whether the Ontario provincial goverment will allow them to play in front of full-capacity crowds at Scotiabank Arena, writes Kevin McGran of The Toronto Star.
Both the Raptors and the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs – who share Scotiabank Arena – intend to only allow fully vaccinated individuals to attend games. They’re expecting to get an answer from government officials this week, per McGran.
“With a fully vaccinated venue, it is our belief that we can safely host a full capacity event,” MLSE spokesperson Dave Haggith said. “With tickets on sale, we are planning for eventual full capacity in 2021 and our ticketing rollout has built-in flexibility so we are ready for potential scenarios.”
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- With the Ben Simmons situation still unresolved, Rich Hofmann of The Athletic examines what the Sixers‘ rotation might look like in 2021/22 both with Simmons and without him. Tyrese Maxey, Shake Milton, and Furkan Korkmaz would receive the biggest minutes boosts if Simmons holds out and hasn’t yet been traded.
- Jared Dubin of FiveThirtyEight considers what past trades of All-Stars can tell us about the Simmons situation. As Dubin outlines, pieces-and-picks packages are typically the most common returns for All-Star players, while the Sixers are seeking a star-for-star deal, increasing the degree of difficulty.
- Al Horford‘s return to the Celtics means the team will be able to comfortably run out lineups featuring two big men again. Jared Weiss of The Athletic explains why that’s a good thing for Boston.
Key 2021 NBA Preseason Dates, Deadlines
The most notable dates of the 2021 NBA offseason are behind us now that we’re well clear of the draft and the free agent period. However, there are still a number of dates and deadlines to keep an eye on in the coming weeks and months before teams take the court for the 2021/22 regular season.
Here’s the breakdown:
September 27:
- NBA media day. With teams and players reporting to training camp, many coaches and general managers will speak to reporters on this date for the first time in months.
September 28:
- Training camps begin.
October 3:
- Preseason begins.
October 15:
- Preseason ends.
October 16:
- Last day for players on fully non-guaranteed contracts to be waived and not count at all against a team’s 2021/22 cap. They must clear waivers before the first day of the regular season.
October 18:
- Last day of the 2021 offseason.
- Roster limits decrease from 20 players to 17 (4:00pm CT). Teams will be limited to carrying 15 players on standard contracts and two on two-way deals as of this deadline.
- Last day for teams to sign a player to a rookie scale extension (5:00pm CT).
[RELATED: Players eligible for rookie scale extensions] - Last day for teams to sign an extension-eligible veteran player with multiple seasons left on his contract (ie. Harrison Barnes) to an extension. An extension-eligible veteran player on an expiring deal (ie. Zach LaVine) can still be extended after October 18.
- Last day for teams to complete sign-and-trade deals.
- Last day for teams to convert an Exhibit 10 contract into a two-way contract.
October 19:
- Regular season begins.
[RELATED: 2021/22 schedules by team]
Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ and NBA.com were used in the creation of this post.