Mitch Kupchak Signs Multiyear Extension With Hornets
MAY 20: The Hornets have officially announced Kupchak’s extension.
“Mitch has done a great job leading our organization,” team owner Michael Jordan said in a statement. “He and his staff have assembled a talented, young team, and I’m excited about our future. I look forward to continuing to work with Mitch in the years ahead as our team continues to improve.”
MAY 19: President of basketball operations and general manager Mitch Kupchak told reporters that he has signed a multiyear extension with the Hornets, as Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer relays (via Twitter). It was previously reported that Kupchak was in the final year of his contract.
“For better or for worse, I will be here for the next couple of years,” Kupchak said Thursday, according to Steve Reed of The Associated Press. The executive declined to say when the contract will expire.
Kupchak has been with Charlotte since April of 2018. He was previously the long-time GM of the Lakers, having worked for the team for three decades after he retired as a player. Kupchak has won a total of 10 NBA championships in his lengthy career, three as a player and seven as an executive.
Kupchak has acquired an impressive array of talented players since he became the head of the Hornets’ basketball operations, including Miles Bridges, Devonte’ Graham (now on the Pelicans), Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward, P.J. Washington, Cody Martin, Kelly Oubre, and All-Star LaMelo Ball, among others. However, the team has missed out on the playoffs in his four years at the helm, having been eliminated in the play-in tournament the past two seasons, which led to former head coach James Borrego being fired.
When asked about the contract status of Bridges, who’ll be a restricted free agent this summer, Kupchak said the team plans to re-sign him.
“Our intention is to keep Miles long-term, yes. He’s a big part of our future,” he said, per Boone (Twitter link).
Kupchak, who turns 68 next week, also said Charlotte has interviewed eight candidates for the team’s head coaching vacancy thus far (which aligns with our tracker), and he’s “hopeful of having someone in place within two weeks.” He added that he’s hoping to find a coach to take the team “to that next level” (Twitter link via Boone).
Bucks assistant Darvin Ham and Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson have reportedly received second interviews for the position, and former Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni is considered a serious candidate as well.
2022 NBA Offseason Preview: Los Angeles Lakers
No team had a more disappointing 2021/22 season than the Lakers, who entered the year as the favorites to come out of the Western Conference. After an underwhelming but respectable 21-19 start, the Lakers improbably won just 10 of their next 40 games, missing out on not just the playoffs but the play-in tournament.
Injuries to superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis played a part in the Lakers’ struggles, but it’s not like the team was dominant when James, Davis, and Russell Westbrook were all available. A lack of reliable role players and an inability to maximize Westbrook’s strengths contributed to a letdown of a season in Los Angeles, and head coach Frank Vogel became the fall guy, losing his job at the end of the regular season.
While the Lakers would presumably like to make significant roster changes this offseason, reshaping the roster around James and Davis, their ability to do so will be limited, since they project to be a taxpaying team even with just a handful of players under contract, and don’t have any picks in this year’s draft.
The Lakers’ Offseason Plan:
A year after trading away Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, and their first-round pick for Westbrook, the Lakers would be thrilled to pull off the inverse of that deal, sending out Westbrook’s expiring contract for a handful of less expensive rotation players and a draft pick.
Unfortunately, Westbrook’s stock has cratered in the last 12 months and it’s unlikely the Lakers will be able to get anything decent back for him unless they’re willing to include their 2027 and/or 2029 first-round picks (the only two they can currently move, due to the Stepien Rule) or unless they’re open to taking on a significant chunk of unwanted multiyear salary.
With the Lakers focused on maximizing their title window for as long as the 37-year-old James is still playing at an All-NBA level, it’s not out of the question that they’d further mortgage their future by attaching a couple first-rounders to Westbrook to get immediate help.
However, the front office has projected patience in recent months, and the team has reportedly asked its head coaching candidates how they would use the 33-year-old point guard. That’s a sign that the Lakers are leaning toward hanging onto Westbrook – at least for now – and perhaps revisiting a trade at the 2023 deadline or letting his $47MM+ salary come off the cap next summer.
If James, Davis, and Westbrook are staying, the Lakers will have about $130MM on their books for just three players, eliminating any possibility of cap space and almost certainly preventing the club from using its full, non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Even just filling out the rest of the roster with minimum-salary players would take team salary above the projected luxury tax line.
That leaves a small handful of assets for the Lakers to use for potential roster upgrades. A trade package that includes Talen Horton-Tucker and/or Kendrick Nunn is one option. Neither player’s value is especially high right now, but Horton-Tucker is still young enough (21) to have some upside and Nunn, whose $5.25MM expiring contract isn’t onerous, is a bounce-back candidate if he’s healthy. Adding a future first-round pick to that duo would further sweeten the pot.
It’s also worth noting that the Lakers still have about $4.4MM available to send out in trades before the 2022/23 league year begins in July. That money could be used to grease the wheels on a Horton-Tucker/Nunn deal or to trade back into the second round of the draft.
With the full mid-level exception, the bi-annual exception, and sign-and-trade acquisitions likely off the table for the Lakers due to their proximity to the tax line, they’ll probably be limited to the taxpayer mid-level exception and minimum-salary contracts in free agency.
Last year’s free agent haul showed the dangers of leaning on those limited assets — the team used its taxpayer MLE on Nunn, who didn’t play a single game due to a leg injury, and many of its minimum-salary signings were busts, including DeAndre Jordan, Trevor Ariza, and Kent Bazemore.
However, minimum-salary additions like Malik Monk, Avery Bradley, and Stanley Johnson worked out well, as did the signing of undrafted rookie Austin Reaves. It’ll be easier said than done, but the front office will be looking to improve its hit rate on its low-cost signings in 2022/23, finding more Monks and fewer Jordans.
The Lakers’ head coaching search also shouldn’t be overlooked as one of the most important decisions of the team’s offseason. Identifying a candidate who is capable of managing superstar personalities, getting more out of Westbrook, handling the Los Angeles spotlight, and guiding the team back to contention will be a challenge.
Salary Cap Situation
Note: Our salary cap figures are based on the league’s latest projection ($122MM) for 2022/23.
Guaranteed Salary
- LeBron James ($44,474,988)
- Anthony Davis ($37,980,720)
- Talen Horton-Tucker ($10,260,000)
- Total: $92,715,708
Player Options
Russell Westbrook ($47,063,478): Bird rights- Kendrick Nunn ($5,250,000): Non-Bird rights
- Total: $52,313,478
Team Options
- Stanley Johnson ($2,351,521): Non-Bird rights
- Wenyen Gabriel ($1,878,720): Non-Bird rights 1
- Total: $4,230,241
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Austin Reaves ($1,563,518)
- Total: $1,563,518
Restricted Free Agents
- None
Two-Way Free Agents
- Mason Jones ($1,616,044 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Mac McClung ($1,616,044 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Total: $3,232,088
Draft Picks
- None
Extension-Eligible Players
Note: These are players who are either already eligible for an extension or will become eligible before the 2022/23 season begins.
- LeBron James (veteran)
- Russell Westbrook (veteran) 2
Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds
- Carmelo Anthony ($1,811,516 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- D.J. Augustin ($1,811,516 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Kent Bazemore ($1,811,516 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Avery Bradley ($1,811,516 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Jared Dudley ($1,811,516 cap hold): Early Bird rights 3
- Wayne Ellington ($1,811,516 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Dwight Howard ($1,811,516 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Malik Monk ($1,811,516 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Dion Waiters ($1,811,516 cap hold): Non-Bird rights 3
- Kostas Antetokounmpo ($1,616,044 cap hold): Early Bird rights 3
- Total: $17,919,688
Offseason Cap Outlook
Even if the Lakers do find a taker for Westbrook, who is a lock to pick up his option, they’ll likely have to take back upwards of $40MM in salary to make the deal work financially — dumping his $47MM+ contract onto another team without taking much, or any, salary back just isn’t realistic.
As a result, it’s a pretty safe bet that the Lakers will once again find themselves above the luxury tax line in 2022/23. Right now, that tax line projects to be set at $149MM.
Due to their cap situation and their lack of any real Bird rights on their free agents, it’ll be difficult for the Lakers to give any of those veterans much of a raise on their 2021/22 salary. That will be a problem if they want to re-sign Monk — they’ll be limited to an offer worth about $2.5MM unless they use their taxpayer mid-level exception on him.
Cap Exceptions Available
- Taxpayer mid-level exception: $6,392,000 4
- Trade exception: $2,692,991
- Trade exception: $1,669,178
Footnotes
- Gabriel’s salary will remain non-guaranteed even if his option is exercised.
- Westbrook would only be eligible if his option is exercised, which is expected.
- The cap holds for these players remain on the Lakers’ books from prior seasons because they haven’t been renounced. They can’t be used in a sign-and-trade deal.
- This is a projected value.
Salary and cap information from Basketball Insiders and RealGM was used in the creation of this post.
Central Notes: Murray, Sharpe, Pistons, Bulls, Irving
The Pistons fell from the No. 3 slot to No. 5 in the draft lottery. If Iowa’s Keegan Murray drops to that spot, the Pistons could take him, James Edwards III of The Athletic writes. The Hawkeyes forward is a player that intrigues Detroit.
As Edwards details, Arizona swingman Bennedict Mathurin is another player that has caught the Pistons’ attention and Kentucky’s Shaedon Sharpe, who didn’t play college basketball this past season, could slot in well next to Cade Cunningham in the backcourt.
We have more from the Central Division:
- It’s doubtful that the Pistons will trade out of the No. 5 spot, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com opines in his latest mailbag. Moving up from that spot would be costly and trading down or out of the lottery for an established player is unlikely for a team building around younger pieces. However, it’s conceivable they could add another lottery selection at No. 7 in a deal with Portland involving Jerami Grant.
- The Bulls hold the No. 18 pick and Sam Smith of Bulls.com takes a look at five wing players that might be available at that spot, including Kansas’ Ochai Agbaji and Ohio State’s Malaki Branham.
- Kyrie Irving admits his immaturity earlier in his career may have cost the Cavaliers additional titles, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. Irving made his comments on an I Am Athlete episode. “If I was in the same maturity line and understanding of who I am, and I look back, we definitely, definitely would’ve won more championships, because there would’ve been a better man-to-man understanding about what I’m going through,” he said. “I didn’t know how to share my emotions. I didn’t know how to do that. So instead of sharing, I isolated myself.”
Draft Notes: Jackson-Davis, Washington, Delph, Williamson
Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis tested positive for COVID-19 and did not attend the Draft Combine this week in Chicago, James Boyd of the Indianapolis Star reports.
Jackson-Davis declared for the draft in April while maintaining his college eligibility. He averaged 18.3 PPG, 8.1 RPG and 2.3 BPG last season. Jackson-Davis is currently listed at No. 66 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
We have more draft-related notes:
- Kentucky’s TyTy Washington, who is participating at the combine, says he’ll work out for the Spurs and Pelicans, Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com tweets. The point guard is a potential lottery pick — he’s at No. 16 on ESPN’s list. San Antonio owns picks at No. 9, 20 and 25; the Pelicans have the No. 8 pick.
- Appalachian State guard Adrian Delph will remain in the draft and has hired an agent, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports tweets. Delph averaged 17.7 PPG and 5.4 RPG while making 39.8% of his 3-point tries last season.
- Wake Forest Daivien Williamson has withdrawn from the draft and will return to the Demon Deacons, according to another Rothstein tweet. Williamson averaged 11.8 PPG last season.
Southwest Notes: Pelicans Pick, Kidd, Rockets Draft, Dinwiddie
The Pelicans already have the look of perennial playoff contender and now they’re armed with the No. 8 pick. Who will they take? Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune takes a closer look at five potential targets, including Arizona’s Bennedict Mathurin, Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis and Baylor’s Jeremy Sochan.
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- The Mavericks were fined $50K by the league for bench decorum violations during Game 7 at Phoenix, which baffled coach Jason Kidd, Tim MacMahon of ESPN tweets. “I know about the fine. Just trying to figure out what we did wrong to get the fine,’ he said. “Who complained? It was a blowout, so I don’t think the fans complained.”
- Who will the Rockets target with the No. 3 pick? GM Rafael Stone is more concerned about what a player can’t do than what he can do, as he told Kelly Iko of The Athletic. “You can only play five guys, and the league is moving towards less positionality. It’s fine to have players with redundant strengths,” Stone said. “I do think it’s hard if they have redundant weaknesses. And players aren’t perfect, you know, so you’re definitely going to have players with weaknesses. I think that is something that you have to be careful with.”
- One of the reasons why the Mavericks have reached the Western Conference Finals is the mid-season acquisition of guard Spencer Dinwiddie in the Kristaps Porzingis deal with Washington. Luka Doncic doesn’t downplay its significance, Marc J. Spears of Andscape writes. “He is amazing with the ball,” Dončić said. “He can do a lot of things. He’s a baller. That’s the best way to describe him. We’re glad to have him.”
Northwest Notes: Cronin, Blazers Pick, Gobert, Bogdanovic, Presti
Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin didn’t hide his disappointment over the lack of luck in the draft lottery, according to Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. Cronin called it a “mini-gut punch” when Portland wound up with the No. 7 pick.
“Then you say, ‘OK, we’ve got work to do,” said Cronin, who is unsure whether he’ll retain the pick or look to deal it. Cronin is now at the draft combine.
“We’ll get through this week and get through the interviews and see the guys play, and get the medicals,” he said.
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- Given that the Trail Blazers‘ stated intention of returning to playoff contention next season, dealing their lottery pick is the most likely scenario, Jason Quick of The Athletic opines. If they don’t make a trade, Shaedon Sharpe — who practiced but didn’t play for Kentucky this past season — could be the pick if he’s still on the board. It’s also a probability they’ll restart talks with the Pistons regarding a potential Jerami Grant deal, Quick says.
- There are no untouchables on the Jazz roster, but league sources indicate that if they deal one of the All-Stars, it would more likely be Rudy Gobert than Donovan Mitchell, Sarah Todd of the Deseret News writes. Outside of that duo, Bojan Bogdanovic is the biggest trade asset the team possesses despite his age, Todd adds.
- The Thunder wound up with the No. 2 and No. 12 picks in the first round. GM Sam Presti said it could come down to the wire what they’ll do with those selections, according to Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. “We don’t really even finalize those (ratings) until a little bit before the draft, to be honest with you,” Presti said. “They’re always changing.”
Southeast Notes: Magic Pick, Wizards Pick, Ball, Hawks
The Magic probably won’t stray from conventional wisdom when it comes to the top overall pick, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (hat tip to RealGM). They’ll either select Chet Holmgren or Jabari Smith Jr.
“This is the draft lottery of the power forwards and three very different players,” Wojnarowski said. “We’ll see how this shakes out, but certainly I think Chet Holmgren of Gonzaga and Jabari Smith of Auburn… I think the consensus right now is those are really the two players competing for No. 1 with the Magic.”
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- The Wizards are unlikely to trade up in the lottery, due to the high cost of doing so, but they could use the No. 10 pick to facilitate a trade for a veteran point guard, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. However, they have a history of holding onto their first-rounders in recent drafts.
- With top exec Mitch Kupchak signing an extension, the Hornets‘ biggest task will be hiring a head coach who can get more out of LaMelo Ball, Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer opines. Ball must get much better on defense and cut down on his habit of committing unnecessary fouls.
- Rudy Gobert would be the kind of impact player that could lift the Hawks to new heights. What would the cost be? A package of Clint Capela, De’Andre Hunter, Jalen Johnson and their first-rounder this June would be the bare minimum, according to The Athletic’s John Hollinger. Utah would also likely ask for multiple future first-rounders. Hollinger and Chris Kirschner explore the Hawks’ potential trade, free agent and draft targets.
Deveney’s Latest: Thybulle, Horton-Tucker, Nunn, Draft
The Bulls have strong interest in young Sixers forward Matisse Thybulle, sources told Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney.
Bulls GM Marc Eversley, a former Philadelphia executive, was instrumental in pushing the Sixers to acquire him in the 2019 draft, Deveney notes.
While Thybulle’s vaccination status stirred some angst within the Sixers organization during the postseason, it was his spotty 3-point shooting that rendered him a non-factor, despite his defensive reputation.
The Sixers could try to create some wiggle room under the luxury tax but that type of trade would likely require a third team.
Here’s more from Deveney:
- The Lakers tried to package Talen Horton-Tucker and Kendrick Nunn in trades this past season but didn’t get an enticing offer. They could revisit that scenario, even though they’re reluctant to attach their next available first-rounder in 2027. One league exec tossed out the names of Duncan Robinson, Malik Beasley and Christian Wood as the type of player they could get in return.
- The Magic won’t trade the top pick unless they get the No. 2 or 3 pick as part of the package, but the Thunder and Rockets are open for business regarding the other top three selections.
Knicks Notes: Daniels, Draft Prospects, Pacers, Hardaway
Australian guard/forward Dyson Daniels, who played with the G League Ignite this past season as team’s de facto point guard, is on the Knicks‘ radar with the No. 11 pick, reports Marc Berman of The New York Post. Daniels is a defensive-minded initiator who’s a strong rebounder and passer, and the Knicks have been looking for a lead guard for a long time.
“I wanted to show NBA people he was a point guard,” Ignite head coach Jason Hart told The Post during Wednesday’s workouts. “So now when he gets drafted, they can put him at another position, but I think he’s a point guard because he can guard them. And he’s a natural pass-first type guy. So I played him at point guard. That’s what he looked to me. I was a point guard. And he had the same qualities point guards have. He just happened to be 6’7″ [Daniels measured 6’7.5″ in shoes Wednesday].”
Hart added that Daniels brings intangible qualities and wisdom that belie his young age (he turned 19 in March).
“He’s a young player with a lot of wisdom and know-how,” Hart said, per Berman. “That’s why a lot of NBA teams are intrigued by him. He knows how to do a lot of things to make a successful team. With his size, skill set and being an elite defender, he has the upside where his offense will catch up.”
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- The Knicks are keeping tabs on several players who might land at the back end of the lottery if they keep their first-round pick, including Daniels, Baylor forward Jeremy Sochan, Memphis center Jalen Duren, and Duke center Mark Williams, writes Steve Popper of Newsday.
- Fred Katz of The Athletic lists 10 prospects who might be a good fit in New York, including the aforementioned players and some new ones, such as Ohio State guard Malaki Branham and Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis.
- In a separate story for the Post, Berman speculates that the Knicks may revisit trade talks with the Pacers centered around Myles Turner and/or Malcolm Brogdon, both of whom the Knicks are reportedly interested in. Brogdon might be considered more expendable after Indiana acquired Tyrese Haliburton in February, while Turner seems less likely to be moved following this season’s Domantas Sabonis deal.
- The team never made an official announcement about it, but the Knicks have hired Tim Hardaway Sr. to serve as a scout, and he’s been interviewing draft prospects at the combine this week, sources tell Berman (Twitter link). The elder Hardaway was recently elected to the Hall of Fame.
Celtics’ Al Horford Available For Game 2
1:56pm: Horford has cleared the health and safety protocols and is now listed as available for Game 2, the Celtics announced in a tweet.
12:09pm: Celtics big man Al Horford has been upgraded to questionable after previously being listed as doubtful for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Heat, Boston announced (via Twitter).
Horford entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Tuesday, causing him to miss Game 1’s loss to Miami. Head coach Ime Udoka told reporters, including Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link), that Horford didn’t feel sick when he evidently tested positive for COVID-19.
“He’s feeling fine, he’s feeling ok since that day. Just tests and protocols he has to pass,” Udoka said.
If Horford registered a positive COVID-19 test, he would have to remain in the protocols for at least five days unless he records two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart. Considering he was upgraded to questionable, it seems like he may have returned at least one negative result.
The 35-year-old had a nice season for Boston, averaging 10.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.3 blocks on .467/.336/.842 shooting in 69 regular season games. He’s upped those averages in the postseason, averaging 13 points, 9.4 boards, 3.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.4 blocks on .524/.451/.833 shooting in 11 games.
Game 2 of the ECF takes place tonight in Miami at 7:30 pm CT. If Horford tests out of the protocols, he figures to return to the starting lineup and provide much-needed frontcourt depth to the Celtics, who trail the series 1-0.