Kings Bringing Back California Classic Summer League For 2021
The Kings will host the third annual California Classic Summer League at Golden 1 Center on August 3-4 this year, the team announced today in a press release. The event, which had to be canceled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, was launched in 2018 and was held for a second time in 2019.
The Warriors, Lakers, and Heat will join the Kings for the four-team event, according to today’s announcement. Those are the same four teams that participate in the California Classic in 2018 and 2019 as well.
Like the Utah Summer League, which will be taking place at the same time as the Kings’ event, the California Classic is something of an opening act for the Las Vegas Summer League.
The Vegas Summer League, which is scheduled for August 8-17, will feature all 30 NBA teams. The Kings, Warriors, Lakers, and Heat will take advantage of the earlier California event to take a longer look at their rookies, young players, and undrafted free agents.
A schedule for the California Classic has yet to be announced, but each of the event’s two days will feature a doubleheader, meaning each team involved in the mini-tournament will only face two of the other three participating clubs.
Olympic Notes: Nigeria, Morris, Nnaji, Team USA
The Nigerian national team, having originally invited more than 40 players to its training camp, has trimmed its roster to 15 players, according to an announcement earlier in the week (Twitter link).
Three more cuts will be required to set the official roster for the Tokyo Olympics, but it appears there will be no shortage of NBA players on the 12-man squad. Precious Achiuwa, KZ Okpala, Miye Oni, Josh Okogie, Jordan Nwora, Chimezie Metu, Jahlil Okafor, and Gabe Vincent remain in the mix for the final roster.
One notable player missing from that list is Monte Morris. According to Mike Singer of The Denver Post (Twitter link), the Nuggets guard has been bothered by a nagging knee injury and wants to focus on getting fully healthy for the 2021/22 season. He’s sitting out of the Olympics for precautionary reasons.
Nuggets forward Zeke Nnaji received consideration for Team Nigeria as well, according to Singer (Twitter link), but the 2020 first-rounder decided to focus on individual development this season. Nnaji has interest in representing Nigeria in future international competitions, Singer notes.
Here’s more on the Tokyo games:
- Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich said on Wednesday that he has yet to decide on a captain for the U.S. squad (Twitter link via Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press). Given his résumé, his veteran status, and his previous international experience, Kevin Durant seems like the most obvious choice, though Draymond Green and Damian Lillard could also be candidates.
- Asked how likely it is that members of the U.S. Olympic squad will talk during the next month about teaming up in the NBA, Bradley Beal acknowledged that “probably a lot” of those conversations will take place. “Depends on who’s a free agent or not,” Beal said (Twitter link via Fred Katz of The Athletic). “But for the most part, we can’t mix that in right now. We’re focused on one goal at hand, and that’s bringing back a gold medal. Granted, we all have our respective, individual goals and talents once this is done. We can address those issues then.”
- Organizers confirmed on Thursday that the Tokyo Olympics will be held without spectators due to a recent increase in coronavirus cases in the area. Ayano Shimizu of Kyodo News has the full story.
Atlantic Notes: Toppin, Sixers, Knicks, Raptors, Baxter
Knicks forward Obi Toppin had an underwhelming rookie season after being selected with the No. 8 pick in last year’s draft. The former Dayton standout played just 11.0 minutes per game, averaging 4.1 PPG and 2.2 RPG on 49.8% shooting.
However, Toppin is determined to take a major step forward in his second NBA season, and views participating in the pre-Olympics training camp as part of the U.S. Select Team as an important part of that process, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post.
“The message, (the coaches) told me coming here is just be a sponge,” Toppin said on Wednesday from Las Vegas. “There’s great coaches and players out here and just get better and develop my game. I’m working really hard in this offseason to be better for my second season coming up. It’s going be a lot different than the first season.
“I was super excited to have opportunity to come out here work out with these guys,” Toppin added. “It’s the best players in the world on this Olympic team. Having the opportunity to learn under the coaches here and playing with these players, I’m learning a lot and I’m going to translate it into my game for the upcoming season.”
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- Over at The Athletic, Derek Bodner and Rich Hofmann provide an in-depth primer for the Sixers‘ offseason, Mike Vorkunov and John Hollinger preview what’s ahead this summer for the Knicks, and Blake Murphy identifies six guards the Raptors could consider selecting with one of their two second-round picks (Nos. 46 and 47).
- Speaking of those two Raptors second-rounders, Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca suggests (via Twitter) that most of the prospects Toronto has worked out so far in the pre-draft process are either candidates for those picks or potential UDFA targets. The lottery prospects who could be in play at No. 4 figure to start coming through next week, per Lewenberg.
- Morgan State forward Troy Baxter Jr. is drawing interest from a handful of Atlantic clubs. He has already worked out for the Celtics and Nets and is auditioning for the Knicks later this week, he said on Wednesday (Twitter link via Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington).
Pacific Notes: Bagley, Kings, Lakers, Wiggins
During an episode of the Halfway Decent Pod, Kings forward/center Marvin Bagley III expressed no regrets about causing a stir on Twitter by liking a tweet that read “we gotta get @MB3FIVE outta Sac” and removing mentions of the Kings from his social media profiles, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.
“First of all, it’s my Twitter, bro,” Bagley said. “It’s my Twitter. It has my name on it. I can like whatever I choose and please, and whatever I feel like liking.”
According to Anderson, Bagley explained that he liked the aforementioned tweet out of frustration after watching Trae Young – who was selected three spots after Bagley in the 2018 draft – score 48 points against Milwaukee in the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals.
“As a competitor, that just makes me want to get to that and I need to be there. I want to be there bad,” Bagley said. “… For me, my personal goals and where I’m trying to get to in my career, I’ve got to make it happen. I’ve got to do everything I’ve got to do to make it happen.
“I think liking that tweet, that’s where that came from and it is what it is. People (are) going to take it and run with it. It is what it is. I did it. It’s my Twitter. I can like and do whatever I want on my account. I’m not hurting nobody. I’m not harming nobody, but you already know how the fans take stuff and want to run with something.”
Bagley, who is extension-eligible this offseason, has one year left on his rookie contract with Sacramento.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- Senegalese big man Biram Faye, who has been playing professionally in Spain, will participate in a pre-draft workout with the Kings on Thursday, tweets Jason Jones of The Athletic. Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee takes a more in-depth look at some of the prospects Sacramento has either interviewed or worked out so far in the pre-draft process.
- The Lakers hosted a group workout on Wednesday, auditioning Jason Preston, Cody Riley, Alan Griffin, LJ Figueroa, Matt Coleman III, and Giorgi Bezhanishvili, tweets ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. Los Angeles has just one pick in this year’s draft, at No. 22.
- Andrew Wiggins‘ name frequently pops up in Warriors-related trade rumors, but the forward’s strong showing for Canada at the recent Olympic qualifying tournament will give the franchise more to consider as it weighs Wiggins’ future, writes Kendra Andrews of NBC Sports Bay Area.
Hoops Rumors Glossary: Bi-Annual Exception
The most common tool that over-the-cap teams use to sign free agents from other teams is the mid-level exception, but that’s not the only exception those clubs have to squeeze an extra player onto the payroll. The bi-annual exception is a way for a team to sign a player who may command more than the minimum salary, but less than the mid-level.
As its name suggests, the bi-annual exception can only be used every other season. Even if a team uses only a portion of the exception, it’s off-limits during the following league year.
During the 2020/21 league year, four teams – the Mavericks, Pistons, Grizzlies, and Raptors – were ineligible to use the bi-annual exception at all, since they used it in 2019/20.
Three teams used the BAE in ’20/21, with the Bucks signing Bobby Portis, the Nuggets signing Facundo Campazzo, and the Lakers signing Wesley Matthews. Those three clubs won’t have the exception at their disposal during the 2021/22 league year.
The bi-annual exception is available only to a limited number of clubs, even among those that didn’t use the exception during the previous season. Teams that create and use cap space forfeit the BAE, along with all but the smallest version of the mid-level (the room exception). Additionally, teams lose access to the bi-annual exception when they go over the “tax apron,” a figure approximately $6MM+ above the tax line. So, only teams over the cap and under the tax apron can use the BAE.
If a team uses all or part of the bi-annual exception, the tax apron becomes the club’s hard cap for that season. Teams that sign a player using the BAE can later go under the cap, but can’t go over the tax apron at any time during the season once the contract is signed.
[RELATED: NBA Teams With Hard Caps In 2020/21]
The bi-annual exception allowed for a starting salary of up to $3,623,000 in 2020/21. The starting salary for the BAE in 2021/22 projects to be worth $3,732,000.
Under the NBA’s previous Collective Bargaining Agreement, the value of each season’s bi-annual exception was determined in advance. However, under the current CBA, the value of the BAE in future league years is tied to salary cap increases or decreases. If the cap goes up by 5%, the value of the bi-annual exception will also increase by 5%.
A player who signs a contract using the bi-annual exception is eligible for a one- or two-year deal, with a 5% raise for the second season. For players who signed using the BAE in 2020/21, the maximum value of a two-year contract was $7,427,150.
Teams also have the option of splitting the bi-annual exception among multiple players, though that happens much less frequently than it does with the mid-level exception, since a split bi-annual deal may not even be worth more than a veteran’s minimum salary.
In a typical league year, the bi-annual exception starts to prorate on January 10, decreasing in value by 1/177th each day until the end of the regular season. Those numbers looked a little different in 2020/21 due to the revamped schedule, but should return to normal for ’21/22.
Note: This is a Hoops Rumors Glossary entry. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to trades, free agency, or other aspects of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ was used in the creation of this post.
Earlier versions of this post were published in previous years by Luke Adams and Chuck Myron.
Draft Notes: Juzang, Abmas, Last-Minute Decisions
After leading UCLA to the Final Four, Johnny Juzang will withdraw from the NBA draft and return for his junior season. Juzang announced his decision on Twitter about an hour before the NCAA’s Wednesday deadline of midnight Eastern Time for early entrants to pull out of the draft and retain their eligibility.
“Going through the draft process has been an amazing experience,” he wrote. “I was blessed to connect with great people, learn and grow, and get a feel for life at the next level. I want to thank everyone who has helped me in this process including my family, trainers, school and especially my dad who helped me for countless hours!”
There was talk that Juzang might be a first-round pick after an outstanding performance in the NCAA tournament, but a disappointing showing at the combine hurt his status, according to Chad Ford (Twitter link), who speculates that he could be back in first-round consideration next year.
There’s more on last-minute draft decisions:
- Oral Roberts guard Max Abmas is also returning to school, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Abmas posted a statement on Instagram calling the draft process “a great learning experience,” but he thinks he would benefit from another year of college. Abmas, ranked 48th on ESPN’s big board, led the nation in scoring at 24.5 PPG and was named Summit League Player of the Year. Givony notes that he had a poor showing at the combine, shooting 3 of 18 from the field in scrimmages, which may have influenced his choice.
- Most of the players who announced their decisions Wednesday opted to withdraw from the draft. Some exceptions are Georgia Tech’s Jose Alvarado (Twitter link from Jeff Goodman of Stadium), Howard’s Makur Maker (Twitter link from Jon Rothstein of CBS) and Saint Louis’ Jordan Goodwin (Twitter link).
- Among those returning to school for another season will be Central Florida’s C.J. Walker (Twitter link), Texas Tech’s Terrence Shannon Jr. (Twitter link), Wichita State’s Tyson Etienne (Twitter link), SMU’s Kendric Davis (Twitter link), Rutgers’ Ron Harper Jr. (Twitter link), UCLA’s Cody Riley (Twitter link), USC’s Isaiah Mobley (Twitter link), Vanderbilt’s Scotty Pippen Jr. (Twitter link) and Kevin Obanor, who will transfer from Oral Roberts (Twitter link).
Del Negro, Brooks, Hollins Candidates To Be Lead Assistant In Portland
Three names have emerged as candidates to be the lead assistant to new Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. They are former Bulls and Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro, former Wizards and Thunder head coach Scott Brooks, and Lakers assistant Lionel Hollins.
Del Negro, 54, is an analyst with NBA TV and hasn’t coached in the league since the 2012/13 season. He served as director of the draft combine in 2019.
Brooks, 55, has been head coach of the Wizards for the past five years, but the team decided last month not to extend his contract. He also spent seven years as the head coach in Oklahoma City.
Hollins, 67, is a former head coach with the Grizzlies and Nets and has been with the Lakers since Frank Vogel took over as head coach in 2019. He started his playing career in Portland and was part of the team’s only NBA championship in 1977.
Billups is a first-time head coach, so it makes sense that the Blazers would be looking to pair him with experienced assistants. Del Negro, Brooks, and Hollins all certainly fit the bill.
Olympics Notes: Booker, Tatum, Durant, Edwards
Despite his extended playoff run with the Suns, Devin Booker isn’t having any second thoughts about his Olympic commitment, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Booker told reporters today that even if the NBA Finals go to a seventh game, which would be played July 22, he plans to be in Japan for Team USA’s opener against France three days later.
“Next (plane) smoking. I’ll be there,” he said. “I’ll be there. But obviously not my main focus right now. I’ve reached out to Coach Pop (Gregg Popovich), I reached out to (Jerry) Colangelo just recently and then I told them I saw all the guys reported to Vegas, and any other place I would rather be is the Finals, but I would love to be there with the guys and I’ll be there soon.”
Booker may miss all of Team USA’s 13-day training camp, which began today at UNLV. The Americans, who are also without Bucks guards Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton, will play exhibition games against Nigeria, Australia, Argentina and Spain before heading to Tokyo.
“Very important. Life goal of mine,” Booker said. “I’ve always said, I think it’s the most prestigious event that basketball can find. So to be a part of representing your country I think brings you to another stratosphere. Just thinking of the guys that have come before us and represented our country, and I don’t think there’s anything better than winning a gold medal.”
There’s more Olympics news to pass along:
- Wearing No. 10 has been a tradition for Celtics forward Jayson Tatum in international basketball and it has taken on added significance following Kobe Bryant‘s death last year, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. Bryant wore the number while winning gold medals in 2008 and 2012, and Tatum recognizes the importance behind it. “With this being the first Olympics since we lost him, it holds that much more value,” he said. “It’s not something I take lightly.”
- Many were pleasantly surprised that Nets star Kevin Durant opted to play in the Olympics, and Popovich was especially delighted, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Popovich joked that he would have begged and cried to convince Durant to join the team, then said it shows the forward’s commitment to the game. Durant won gold medals in 2012 and 2016 and is 39-0 in FIBA competition.
- Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards of the U.S. Select Team sprained his ankle today in a scrimmage with Team USA, writes Brian Windhorst of ESPN. The injury, which happened when Edwards stepped on Draymond Green‘s foot, isn’t viewed as serious, but Edwards will be sidelined for the rest of camp.
Bucks Notes: Giannis, Budenholzer, Holiday, Free Throws
Giannis Antetokounmpo gave an encouraging answer when asked how his knee felt the day after Game 1 of the NBA Finals, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
“I feel good,” he told reporters at today’s media session. “I was out there, so I felt good. I tried to help my team in any way possible.” When someone asked again about the knee, he responded, “I feel good. I feel good … my body feels good.”
The Bucks‘ star was originally listed as doubtful for Tuesday’s opener with a hyperextended left knee, but he was upgraded to questionable after a morning workout, then was cleared to play following pregame warmups. He wound up logging 35 minutes with 20 points and 17 rebounds. He isn’t listed on Milwaukee’s injury report for Game 2, Nehm adds (via Twitter).
There’s more on the Bucks:
- Head coach Mike Budenholzer is optimistic about Antetokounmpo’s prospects for the rest of the Finals, Nehm writes in a full story. Budenholzer was happy about what Giannis was able to contribute Tuesday night and said he’s likely to get better as the series moves on. “I think it usually takes him playing — he’s a rhythm guy,” Budenholzer said. “So, I’m excited about how he’ll improve from Game 1 to Game 2. We’ll see how he feels. But I think play-wise, he always gets better when he plays.”
- Milwaukee will need a bigger contribution from Jrue Holiday to have a chance at the title, Nehm adds. Holiday has upgraded the Bucks’ offense after being acquired in an offseason trade, but his shot was off in Game 1 as he hit just 4-of-14 from the field and missed all four of his 3-point attempts. “I think I had a bad shooting night,” Holiday said. “I had a lot of opportunities to make layups and shots, and they weren’t falling. Again, I think I do a little bit more than scoring, just getting people plays and 3s and driving to the basket, but me personally, I didn’t shoot well tonight.”
- Budenholzer didn’t directly blame the officials for the free throw disparity in Game 1, but he said his team needs to do a better job of keeping Phoenix off the foul line, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. The Suns made 25-of-26 free throws in the 13-point victory, while the Bucks were 9-of-16.“I can’t remember the last time a team got 25 free throws in a game against the Bucks,” Budenholzer said. “And then conversely, the way Giannis attacks, the way Khris (Middleton) attacks, as many opportunities as Khris has with the ball … it’s frustrating, but it’s part of the sport. It’s part of the game.”
Kenny Atkinson To Join Warriors As Assistant Coach
Former Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson has reached an agreement to become one of Steve Kerr‘s lead assistants with the Warriors, according to Anthony Slater and Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Atkinson, who spent this season as a lead assistant with the Clippers, would join Mike Brown in the role, giving Golden State two ex-head coaches as Kerr’s top assistants, sources tell the authors. Atkinson would replace Jarron Collins, who parted ways with the team last month.
The 54-year-old Atkinson was considered as a possible candidate for the head coaching vacancy in Orlando. He served as head coach in Brooklyn from 2016 to 2020 and has previous experience as an assistant with the Knicks and Hawks.
Although he was dismissed after clashing with Nets stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Atkinson did an admirable job of making the franchise competitive again and helped develop young players such as Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen and D’Angelo Russell.
Along with Atkinson, the Warriors will also add Dejan Milojević and Jama Mahlalela to their coaching staff, according to The Athletic’s sources. Milojević specializes in working with big men, while Mahlalela has been part of the Raptors‘ development staff since 2013.