Nets Notes: Simmons, Curry, Irving
As expected, Ben Simmons faced plenty of invective from the Philadelphia faithful in his return to Wells Fargo Center, but it was the Nets who had the last laugh on Thursday night, blowing out the Sixers by a score of 129-100 in their first matchup since February’s blockbuster Simmons/James Harden trade.
Simmons, who has yet to make his Nets debut, was on the bench for the game and had no tangible impact on the outcome, but his teammates said they used the boos and insults aimed in his direction as motivation, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
“Most definitely,” star forward Kevin Durant said. “We look at Ben as our brother, so we knew that this was a hostile environment and we knew he didn’t have an opportunity to play, so we wanted to come out there and have them focus on the court more so than just always focusing on him. So they focused on the court tonight, and it’s hard for you chant at Ben Simmons when you’re losing by that much.”
It’s a safe bet that Simmons will face more vitriol during future visits to Wells Fargo Center, especially once he’s actually on the court. But head coach Steve Nash said it was good for the three-time All-Star to get through his first experience as a visitor in Philadelphia.
“He looked good to me. He looked happy to be here,” Nash said, per Lewis. “I think he was happy to get it out of the way.”
Here are a few more Nets-related notes:
- Nash said on Thursday night that Simmons won’t be a full participant or play any 5-on-5 during Saturday’s practice (Twitter link via Alex Schiffer of The Athletic). There has been speculation that Simmons will return to action before the end of the month, but there’s still no set timeline for his Nets debut.
- Although Simmons was the focus on Thursday, another player who came along with him in last month’s trade played a key role in Brooklyn’s victory over Philadelphia. As Peter Botte of The New York Post details, Seth Curry‘s 24 points (on 10-of-14 shooting) against his former team were the most he had scored in a game since becoming a Net. “You could tell that he was really up for the game and up for the environment in returning to (face) his old team,” Nash said.
- The Nets’ home-heavy schedule in the season’s final month means that Kyrie Irving is now eligible to play in just four more regular season games due to his COVID-19 vaccination status, Adam Zagoria of NJ.com observes. Irving also wouldn’t be able to participate in a play-in game if it takes place in Toronto or Brooklyn. If the season ended today, the Nets would visit the Raptors to battle for the No. 7 seed — if they lost that play-in game, they’d host Charlotte or Atlanta for the No. 8 seed.
- While that outlook for Irving may sound ominous, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said on Wednesday that the team still believes the point guard’s status will change in the not-too-distant future (hat tip to NetsDaily). “I think around the Nets there’s still a confidence – maybe even more than an optimism – that they’re going to get Kyrie Irving on a full-time basis at some point,” Wojnarowski said.
Hoops Rumors Glossary: Proration
The concept of proration is one used in variety of fields and professions, and isn’t specific to the NBA. The term, which shows up frequently in the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, refers to the practice of calculating a figure proportionately.
In the NBA, the most common examples of proration apply to players on non-guaranteed contracts who are waived before their salaries become guaranteed, or players who sign minimum-salary contracts partway through the season. In each instance, the player would receive a prorated portion of his salary based on the number of days he was under contract during the season.
For example, when DeMarcus Cousins signed with the Nuggets on February 25, he received a minimum-salary contract. For the 2021/22 season, the minimum salary for a player with Cousins’ years of NBA service (10+) is $2,641,691, though such a deal would only count against his team’s cap for $1,669,178, as we explain here. However, since Cousins wasn’t with the Nuggets since the start of the season, he wasn’t entitled to that full minimum salary from the team.
The ’21/22 NBA season is 174 days long and Cousins signed his contract on the 130th day of the season, meaning his “one-year” contract will span 45 days. Due to proration, his minimum salary will be worth 45/174th of a full minimum salary. So instead of earning $2,641,691, he’ll make $683,196. And instead of counting for $1,669,178 on the Nuggets’ books, Cousins’ cap charge is 45/174th of that amount: $431,684.
If the Nuggets had signed Cousins using cap space or a cap exception, his salary wouldn’t necessarily have been prorated, but the minimum salary exception begins to prorate after the first day of the regular season.
The same principle of proration applied to an earlier deal that Cousins signed this season, with the Bucks. Cousins finalized a non-guaranteed minimum-salary contract with Milwaukee on November 30, the 43rd day of the regular season. That deal was initially worth $2,004,041 (132/174ths of $2,641,691), but Cousins was waived on January 6 before it became fully guaranteed.
Cousins was officially under contract with the Bucks for 38 days, and the NBA also pays players for the two days they spend on waivers, so the veteran center was credited with 40 days of service. That means, due to proration, he was entitled to 40/174th of a minimum salary — that amount worked out to $607,285.
Situations like Cousins’ in Denver and Milwaukee are the most frequent examples of proration’s impact on NBA finances, but there are many more instances where it pops up.
Here’s a quick breakdown of several of those other instances of proration:
- Mid-level and bi-annual exceptions: These exceptions begin to prorate on January 10, declining in value by 1/174th each day until the end of the regular season.
- Trade kickers: If a player with a trade kicker in his contract is traded during the season, the kicker only applies to his remaining salary. Let’s say a player has a 15% trade kicker and an $8MM salary in his contract year and is dealt halfway through the season. His 15% trade kicker would only apply to the $4MM left on his deal, giving him a $600K bonus.
- 10-day contracts: A 10-day salary is prorated based on a full-season salary. Most players on 10-day contracts earn 10/174th of their minimum salary.
- Signing bonuses: If a teams gives a player a signing bonus in a free agent contract, that bonus is prorated equally over the guaranteed seasons of the contract for cap purposes. For example, a $4MM signing bonus on a four-year contract would add $1MM to the player’s cap charge for each of the four seasons.
- Salary floor calculations: When calculating a team’s payroll in relation to the league’s minimum salary floor, we count the salary that a team actually pays to a player, rather than the player’s cap hit. For instance, if a team traded for a player on a $12MM contract halfway through the season and kept him the rest of the way, he would count for $6MM toward that team’s salary floor, rather than $12MM.
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.
A previous version of this glossary entry was published in 2018.
Pacific Notes: Booker, Bridges, Sabonis, Vogel, Kidd
Suns guard Devin Booker didn’t experience any symptoms after testing positive for COVID-19, he told Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. The Suns star was frustrated he had to sit out four games despite not feeling sick.
“That’s the tough part about it,” he said. “Not feeling anything and not being able to play. I don’t even know why people are getting tested that much anymore.”
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Mikal Bridges believes this Suns team is superior to the one that made the Finals last season, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “I felt like that early in the season, like I was looking around and this team I feel like is better, and then (we kept) adding guys,” he said. “It made me realize like, yeah, this is team is better than last year.”
- Domantas Sabonis has two years left on his contract and he’s hoping he can help the Kings end their playoff drought during the next two seasons, he told Sam Amick of The Athletic in a wide-ranging interview. “It sucks that we have that drought, but the fact that we can be part of something that can turn it around, you know, that’s the goal. Come in and change the perspective of this organization and what people think,” he said. “We’re excited that we can be part of that and build it, you know? So I want to stay as long as I can. Everything has to go well, (but) I’m happy here.”
- The Lakers likely would have fired Frank Vogel by now if Jason Kidd was still on the staff to take over in the interim, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Dave McMenamin said on The Woj Pod (hat tip to NBC Sports’ Dan Feldman). “I think we both agree, if Jason Kidd, was still on this staff, they would’ve made a coaching change,” Wojnarowski said.
Nuggets Notes: Jokic, Cousins, Morris
Kings coach Alvin Gentry believes Nikola Jokic deserves to win back-to-back MVP awards, Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports tweets. Jokic carried Denver past Sacramento on Wednesday with 38 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists. “He’s just a different beast. He doesn’t get shaken,” Gentry said. “He just does what they need to do to win the game…Watching him play, it’s hard to believe that he won’t be the MVP again.”
We have more on the Nuggets:
- Despite winning the MVP last season, Jokic still doesn’t get the same recognition as some other NBA stars. Jokic says it doesn’t bother him that he’s not one of “faces” of the NBA, as he told Rohan Nadarni of Sports Illustrated. “I don’t think about it. It would be a really nice thing, yes,” Jokic said. “I don’t want that or need that. I’m fine with where I am right now with my status in the NBA.”
- DeMarcus Cousins has given the team another dimension, Mark Schindler of Basketball News writes. The Nuggets are 13-1 in games in which Cousins has played. He has bolstered their bench and developed chemistry with Bones Hyland on pick-and-roll situations. Cousins was signed for the remainder of the season late last month.
- Monte Morris has been an unheralded reason for the Nuggets’ 12-2 record over the past 14 games, Mike Singer of the Denver Post notes. He’s averaging 13.5 PPG, 4.9 APG and 2.8 RPG during that span. “Him and Nikola have the same kind of impact,” coach Michael Malone said. “We take our time, we get set, we space the floor, we read the defense. He knows that Nikola’s going to garner so much attention, he’s got to keep the defense honest.”
Atlantic Notes: Bullock, Brown, Nesmith, VanVleet, Nets
Losing Reggie Bullock in free agency last summer is yet another what-if for the Knicks, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Bullock received a three-year deal worth a little over $30MM from Dallas.
New York’s front office chose to utilize the team’s extensive cap space by signing veterans Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier. The Knicks also re-signed Derrick Rose, Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel to pricey deals.
Bullock was close with Julius Randle, and Bondy wonders if Bullock’s presence might have helped uplift Randle during his struggles this season. Coach Tom Thibodeau says Bullock’s skill set is valuable to any team in the league.
“Reggie’s gonna help any team,” Thibodeau said. “That’s who he is. He’s got a skill in shooting; he spaces the floor for your best players. He’s a great defender, and he’s got length. He’s a long wing. Wherever he’s been, he’s always helped the team. He’s a team-first guy, so he’s a good player. He’s been a good player for a long time in this league.”
It’s been reported multiple times that Thibodeau urged the front office to retain Bullock, but he denies being upset that the veteran wing wasn’t re-signed.
“I love Reggie. He’s a good player. When a guy earns the right to free agency, he has to do what he thinks is best for him and his family,” Thibodeau said, per Bondy. “I got great respect for him, so I wasn’t disappointed. I know that’s part of the business. For a guy who conducts himself the way he does, you’re always happy when they get good situations.
“So, I think he was a big part of what happened last year and a byproduct of when something good happens like that, everyone’s value goes up, so that’s the case. And then you have to decide what’s best for your organization. He’s gotta decide what’s best for him and his family. And hopefully, you can find something, but it doesn’t always work out that way. It’s part of the league.”
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Celtics coach Ime Udoka said Jaylen Brown has no more limitations relating to his sprained right ankle, but Aaron Nesmith will be out “a while” longer as he deals with his own ankle sprain, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link). The second-year swingman is listed as day-to-day.
- Fred VanVleet‘s shooting is much needed for the Raptors, but his value extends beyond that, Eric Koreen of the Athletic writes. “(VanVleet) makes it easier,” Scottie Barnes said. “It opens up a lot more space. He’s a general out there on the floor. So it helps us all when he’s out there on the floor with driving lanes being more open. When he’s there, his presence is just really big for our team.”
- Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post wonders if the Big Two is all the Nets really need after the team’s 132-121 victory over Charlotte on Tuesday. “That,” coach Steve Nash said, “was about as well as we’ve played all year, both sides of the ball.” Kyrie Irving dominated the game, finishing with 50 points on just 19 shots. Brooklyn is currently 34-34, the No. 8 seed in the East.
Central Notes: Diallo, McGruder, Bagley, LeVert, Brown
The Pistons won in Boston just before the All-Star break but they’ll be shorthanded when they visit for the second time on Friday. The team has ruled out starting center Isaiah Stewart and key reserves Killian Hayes, Hamidou Diallo, Rodney McGruder and Frank Jackson due to an assortment of injuries, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press tweets. Diallo (finger sprain) and McGruder (hamstring strain) were injured during the loss to the Bulls on Wednesday.
We have more from the Central Division:
- Marvin Bagley III‘s athleticism has given the Pistons a new dimension, Rod Beard of the Detroit News writes. Bagley, who will enter either restricted or unrestricted free agency this summer, provides a major lob threat that the team was sorely lacking. “We’re really happy with the way he’s playing, the way he’s fitting in, and he’s creating a lot of options offensively, and defensively, he’s giving us another rebounder,” coach Dwane Casey said.
- Caris LeVert won’t play against Miami on Friday but he’s making some progress from the right foot sprain he suffered last month. He went through a portion of the Cavaliers’ practice in Miami on Thursday and took some shots on the court afterward, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets.
- Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff believes Moses Brown can help the team with his interior presence, Kelsey Russo of The Athletic tweets. Brown was signed to a 10-day contract on Thursday. “He’s long. He’s rangy. He has good athleticism,” Bickerstaff said. “He knows how to patrol the paint at both ends of the floor. Really good rim roller and lob threat, so he’s a similar build to what we have and what we value.”
Southeast Notes: Porzingis, Gafford, Hachimura, Ball, Martin
The combination of Kristaps Porzingis and Daniel Gafford at center could produce big results for the Wizards, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. They combined for 33 points against the Clippers on Wednesday. They also give the team a consistent shot-blocker presence on defense.
“I think it’s a different feel,” Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. “K.P.’s able to stretch the defense and Gaff obviously puts a lot of pressure on the rim as a roller. Both have good length and size up front. But just the ability to mix and match, kind of give offenses and our offense a different feel, the defense a different look.”
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- Rui Hachimura has shown expanded range offensively, Ava Wallace of the Washington Post writes. Known for his midrange game, Hachimura has made half of his 3-point attempts this season. “For me, it’s more confidence,” the Wizards forward said. “I’m more confident shooting threes.” Hachimura, who has appeared in 24 games after sitting out for personal reasons, is extension-eligible this summer and the improved perimeter shooting should pump up his value.
- LaMelo Ball‘s slump will doom the Hornets if he doesn’t snap out of it soon, Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer opines. Ball’s inconsistent play has been a big reason why Charlotte has lost 13 of its last 17. He had six first-half turnovers against Boston on Wednesday. “I’m not playing my game,” he said. “Trying to do other stuff. Pretty much letting people get in my head.”
- Heat reserve Caleb Martin injured his left knee on Wednesday but it doesn’t appear to be serious. The Heat decided an MRI was not required on his hyperextended knee, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel tweets. He’s questionable to play on Friday, Winderman adds in another tweet.
Pelicans Place CJ McCollum In Protocols, Will Sign Ty Wallace To 10-Day
Tyrone Wallace plans to sign a 10-day deal with the Pelicans, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.
Wallace has averaged 27 PPG, 6.3 RPG and 5.9 APG in his last 11 games with the G League’s Long Island Nets.
It’s been a long road back to the NBA for Wallace, the 60th pick of the 2016 draft. He appeared in 92 games for the Clippers from 2017-19 and 14 more for the Hawks during the 2019/20 season. The shooting guard averaged 5.2 PPG in 15.5 MPG during those 106 career appearances.
The news coincides with New Orleans’ announcement on Thursday that CJ McCollum has been placed in the league’s health and safety protocols and will miss at least Friday’s game against Charlotte (Twitter link). Brandon Ingram is out at least seven-to-10 days due to a hamstring strain.
Alize Johnson‘s 10-day contract is set to expire on Friday. However, Wallace could be added under the hardship exception due to McCollum’s status, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Cam Reddish Out For Season With Separated Shoulder
4:25pm: The Knicks have confirmed Reddish will miss the rest of the season due to a right shoulder AC joint injury, the team’s PR department tweets.
3:57pm: Knicks swingman Cam Reddish is out for the remainder of the season after suffering a right shoulder separation, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Reddish is expected to be sidelined around six weeks, Woj adds, so he should be recovered in time for a full offseason.
Reddish, 22, was the 10th overall pick of the 2019 draft after a single season at Duke. He spent his first two-plus seasons with Atlanta prior to being traded to New York in January. The timing is very unfortunate for Reddish, as he’s only recently been able to crack coach Tom Thibodeau‘s rotation.
In 15 games (14.3 MPG) with the Knicks, Reddish put up modest totals of 6.1 PPG and 1.4 RPG on .415/.258/.906 shooting. For the season, he averaged 10.1 PPG, 2.1 RPG and 1.0 SPG on a .404/.359/.902 shooting line in 49 games (20.7 MPG).
As a third-year former first-round pick, Reddish is eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer. There were reports ahead of the trade deadline that the Knicks might be open to trading Reddish even though they’d just acquired him for a protected first-round pick, but ultimately they decided to keep him.
Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News reported earlier today that he thinks an extension for Reddish is unlikely, but he does think the forward will stick with the Knicks for next season.
The MLB Lockout Is Over
The MLB lockout is finally over! That means we’re about to experience an unprecedented free agent and trade frenzy leading up to Opening Day on April 7. Head on over to MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors on Twitter) to keep up with all of the action!
There are still many big-name free agents who will have to sign new contracts soon, from Carlos Correa to Freddie Freeman to Kris Bryant and many more.
The trade market will be active too! Matt Olson of the A’s is the top name expected to be on the move. The A’s, Reds, and Mets will likely be in the thick of it.
Check out MLB Trade Rumors for all of the latest hot stove action! Just before the lockout began, it was one of the wildest flurries of offseason activity in recent memory, and the post-lockout frenzy might take it up a notch! Follow the action on Facebook and Twitter.