Draft Notes: Magic, Sochan, Hardy, Daniels
While such comments typically produce eye rolls, president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman insists the Magic haven’t decided who they’ll take with the top overall pick, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.
Weltman says “it’s still early in the process,” even though draft night is Thursday. “Dialogue is always ongoing,” Weltman said. “But, most importantly, we get to do what we want. That’s the real benefit of having the No. 1 pick.”
Orlando is expected to draft either Jabari Smith or Chet Holmgren.
We have more draft-related info:
- Baylor’s Jeremy Sochan attended the Wizards’ pre-draft workout on Monday but didn’t participate due to an injury, Josh Robbins of The Athletic tweets. Sochan sat out with a mild hamstring strain. Washington owns the No. 1o pick. Sochan is ranked No. 15 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
- G League Ignite guard Jaden Hardy, ranked No. 22 by ESPN, worked out for the Sixers on Monday, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. St. Joseph’s forward Jordan Hall, Delaware guard Kevin Anderson, Alabama guard Keon Ellis, Baylor wing Kendall Brown and UNLV shooting guard Bryce Hamilton joined him, Pompey adds in another tweet. Philadelphia owns the No. 23 pick.
- G League Ignite guard Dyson Daniels cancelled a visit with the Kings after receiving a green room invitation, Sean Cunningham of KTXL tweets. Daniels is ranked No. 6 by ESPN. Daniels is the second-ranked point guard behind Jaden Ivey, who revealed that he hasn’t had contact with the team holding the No. 4 pick.
Suns Hire Morgan Cato As Assistant GM
6:42pm: The team has officially hired Cato, according to a press release.
5:07pm: The Suns will hire Morgan Cato as an assistant GM and VP of basketball operations, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.
Cato will become the first woman of color in the league’s history to hold the title of assistant GM. She will report to GM James Jones and work with coach Monty Williams in a variety of ways. Those duties will include leadership and strategy related to coaching development, player engagement and front-office personnel operation.
Cato has been working the league office as an associate vice president. She spent the past decade working under president of league operations Byron Spruell. Her responsibilities included developing strategies to grow the game throughout the NBA and around the world, including the launch of the Basketball Africa League.
P.J. Tucker To Become Unrestricted Free Agent
Heat forward P.J. Tucker will decline his $7.35MM option for next season, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. Tucker will be an unrestricted free agent and several contending teams are expected to compete for his services.
It’s still possible Miami could re-sign him on a longer deal and/or more money. Miami president Pat Riley declared in his postseason press conference that bringing back the defensive ace was a high priority.
“P.J. is a cornerstone,” Riley said. “I would love to have Tuck back next year. He’s part of our core. He’s special.”
Non-taxpayer teams could pursue Tucker using their mid-level exception, worth a projected $10.349MM in the first year.
Miami holds Tucker’s Non-Bird rights and could offer him up to four years on a salary starting at 120% of his previous cap hit ($7MM this past season).
Tucker had been planning to opt out in search of a raise, but Miami is optimistic about retaining his services, Hoops Rumors’ JD Shaw tweets.
Tucker averaged 7.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG and 2.1 APG while making 41.7% of his 3-point attempts with Miami this past season while starting in 70 of 71 regular season games. He averaged 7.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 1.8 APG in 18 playoff games.
Tucker won a championship with the Bucks in 2021, starting 19 of Milwaukee’s 23 postseason games during its run.
2022 NBA Offseason Preview: Boston Celtics
The 2021 offseason was one of change for the Celtics, who saw Danny Ainge step away from his longtime role as the team’s president of basketball operations and Brad Stevens move from the sidelines to the front office to replace Ainge in that role. First-time head coach Ime Udoka was hired as Stevens’ replacement, and Stevens’ first major roster move was to end the Kemba Walker era in Boston, sending him to Oklahoma City with a first-round pick for Al Horford.
If you watched the Celtics during the first half of the season, you could be forgiven for questioning the wisdom of those offseason maneuvers. Boston was still below .500 halfway through the regular season, as observers second-guessed the hiring of Udoka and speculated about the possibility of breaking up star wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Shortly after the season’s halfway point, however, everything began to click into place. From January 22 onward, the Celtics had the best record (28-7), best offensive rating (120.2), and best defensive rating (104.8) in the NBA, storming up the Eastern Conference standings to claim the No. 2 seed.
Some roster changes at the trade deadline – including essentially replacing Dennis Schröder, Josh Richardson, and Enes Freedom with Derrick White and Daniel Theis – helped matters, but the Celtics’ starters also made major strides over the course of the year, working hard to build chemistry and find the right roles for each player after Marcus Smart publicly called out Tatum and Brown for their play during the first month of the season.
Impressive series wins over Brooklyn, Milwaukee, and Miami earned the Celtics a spot in the NBA Finals, but after taking a 2-1 lead, the C’s ultimately came up short, falling to the Warriors in six games. While missing out on a championship was a bitter pill to swallow, the season in Boston has to be considered a huge success, given where things stood in January.
The Celtics’ Offseason Plan:
Of the 15 players who finished the season on standard contracts with the Celtics, 12 are under contract for 2022/23. Two – Sam Hauser and Juwan Morgan – have team options on their deals, while just one – Luke Kornet – is facing unrestricted free agency. Given that those three players logged a total of 247 minutes for Boston this past season, they’re unlikely to be major offseason priorities — perhaps one or two return, but not for more than the veteran’s minimum.
With no key players headed for free agency and no first-round pick, the Celtics’ list of pressing offseason tasks won’t be as long as it was a year ago, but the team will still have some roster decisions to make.
To start, three of those 12 players under contract for next season have non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed salaries. It will be an easy call to guarantee the remaining $7MM on Horford’s $26.5MM expiring deal, but Nik Stauskas and Malik Fitts, whose minimum-salary contracts are non-guaranteed, aren’t locks to return.
If the Celtics were to let Kornet, Morgan, and Hauser walk in free agency and waive Stauskas and Fitts before their salaries guarantee, they’d have up to five openings on their 15-man roster, opening the door for the front office to scour the market for veterans looking to compete for a title on minimum-salary deals.
With virtually all of their playoff rotation pieces set to return, Boston may not be able to offer a significant role to any free agent targets. Still, the opportunity to join a title contender has appeal, and the team will have the taxpayer mid-level exception at its disposal if it’s willing to use it — that could be a difference-maker for a veteran free agent who wouldn’t have interest in a minimum deal.
Exploring the trade market in search of a rotation upgrade is one path the Celtics could go down, especially since Stevens has shown a real willingness to wheel and deal since taking the reins in the front office. Boston has made nine trades since his promotion. However, given how well the current group jelled down the stretch and in the postseason, Stevens will likely be more cautious about shaking things up this offseason.
Even if their roster for 2022/23 doesn’t change much, the Celtics will have to begin considering what the team will look like beyond next season. Grant Williams is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason after proving in this year’s playoffs that he can play a key role in big games.
A year ago, Boston signed Robert Williams to a four-year, $48MM extension (plus incentives) that looked like a roll of the dice based on Williams’ injury history and track record at the time. If the Celtics are bullish on Grant Williams’ developmental path and can sign him at a similarly team-friendly rate, it would make sense to once again move early to avoid the risk of him getting significantly more expensive a year from now.
Brown and Horford are also extension-eligible this offseason, but there’s probably no rush to lock up either player. Brown is still two years away from free agency, while Horford just turned 36 years old. Extending a player at that age is generally an unnecessary risk, since you never know when he’ll lose a step and see his value sharply drop off.
Salary Cap Situation
Note: Our salary cap figures are based on the league’s latest projection ($122MM) for 2022/23.
Guaranteed Salary
Jayson Tatum ($30,351,780)- Jaylen Brown ($28,741,071)
- Al Horford ($19,500,000) — Partial guarantee. Non-guaranteed portion noted below.
- Marcus Smart ($17,207,142)
- Derrick White ($16,892,857)
- Robert Williams ($10,937,502)
- Daniel Theis ($8,694,369)
- Grant Williams ($4,306,281)
- Aaron Nesmith ($3,804,360)
- Payton Pritchard ($2,239,200)
- Demetrius Jackson ($92,857) — Waived via stretch provision.
- Total: $142,767,419
Player Options
- None
Team Options
- Juwan Morgan ($1,815,677): Non-Bird rights 1
- Sam Hauser ($1,563,518): Non-Bird rights 2
- Total: $3,379,195
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Al Horford ($7,000,000)
- Nik Stauskas ($2,193,920) 3
- Malik Fitts ($1,752,638) 4
- Total: $10,946,558
Restricted Free Agents
- None
Two-Way Free Agents
- Matt Ryan ($1,616,044 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Brodric Thomas ($1,616,044 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Total: $3,232,088
Draft Picks
- No. 53 overall pick (no cap hold)
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.
- Jaylen Brown (veteran)
- Al Horford (veteran)
- Grant Williams (rookie scale)
Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds
- Luke Kornet ($1,811,516 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Total: $1,811,516
Offseason Cap Outlook
After narrowly avoiding the luxury tax in 2021/22, the Celtics could theoretically try to do it again next season, but I’d be surprised if it’s a major priority after the club reaped the financial benefits of an extended postseason run.
Once Horford’s salary becomes guaranteed, Boston will already be at the projected tax line of $149MM for just 10 players. Even filling out the roster with minimum-salary players would put team salary well into tax territory, so ducking the tax would require at least one or two cost-cutting trades.
Cap Exceptions Available
- Taxpayer mid-level exception: $6,392,000 5
- Trade exception: $17,142,857
- Trade exception: $6,907,815
- Trade exception: $5,890,000
- Trade exception: $3,804,360
- Trade exception: $2,161,152
- Trade exception: $1,910,860
- Trade exception: $1,782,621
- Trade exception: $1,669,178
- Trade exception: $1,440,549
- Trade exception: $500,000
Footnotes
- Morgan’s salary will remain non-guaranteed even if his option is exercised.
- Hauser’s salary will become partially guaranteed ($300K) if his option is exercised.
- Stauskas’ salary will become fully guaranteed after July 15.
- Fitts’ salary will become partially guaranteed ($50K) after September 1.
- This is a projected value. The Celtics could instead have access to the full mid-level exception ($10,349,000) and bi-annual exception ($4,050,000) if they remain below the tax apron.
Salary and cap information from Basketball Insiders and RealGM was used in the creation of this post.
Draft Notes: Ivey, Griffin, Eason, Holmgren
Amid rumors that Sacramento isn’t his preferred landing spot, Purdue guard Jaden Ivey was asked directly during a Monday media session about the prospect of joining the Kings and confirmed that he hasn’t worked out for the team or had any contact with them. Although he didn’t say outright that he doesn’t want to play for the Kings, Ivey wasn’t exactly brimming with enthusiasm when discussing the possibility.
“If I got drafted there, it wouldn’t be the worst option,” he said, per Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman (Twitter link).
As James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star tweets, Ivey said the only teams he has worked out for are the Magic and the Pistons, who hold the first and fifth overall picks, respectively. The Kings draft fourth overall.
Interestingly, while Ivey is expected to come off the board long before the Knicks are on the clock at No. 11, the Purdue standout said unprompted that he believes there “could be situations where I can land in New York,” as Zach Braziller of The New York Post writes. The Knicks would likely have to trade up to No. 4 to make that happen.
Here are a few more of Monday’s draft-related notes:
- Speaking to reporters on Monday, Duke forward AJ Griffin confirmed his previously announced workouts with Indiana and Portland and said he also auditioned for the Pelicans, Spurs, and Knicks, per Jason Sacramento Bee of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link). The teams Griffin worked out for range from No. 6 to No. 11 in Thursday’s draft.
- The Hawks, Rockets, and Timberwolves are among the teams LSU forward Tari Eason has worked out for during the pre-draft process, according to Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman (Twitter link). Those three clubs pick between Nos. 16 and 19.
- In an in-depth profile, Tim Keown of ESPN takes a look at how Chet Holmgren became one of the nation’s top basketball prospects and explores what’s next for the seven-foot “unicorn.”
Hoops Rumors’ 2022 NBA Offseason Preview Series
In advance of the NBA’s 2022 draft and free agent period, Hoops Rumors is previewing the coming offseason for all 30 teams, looking at their salary cap situations and the roster decisions they’ll have to make this summer
Our Offseason Preview articles are linked below, sorted by conference and division. This list, which can be found under the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on the right sidebar on our desktop site, or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu, will continue to be updated as we complete our previews for all 30 teams.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic
Central
Southeast
Western Conference
Northwest
Pacific
Southwest
Stein’s Latest: Grizzlies, Mavs, Pistons, Schröder, Bagley
After reporting over the weekend that the Grizzlies, who hold the 22nd and 29th overall picks in this Thursday’s draft, are “trying hard” to move up, Marc Stein says in his latest Substack report that Memphis is among the teams that has explored the possibility of acquiring the No. 4 overall pick from the Kings.
It would be a challenge for the Grizzlies to entice the Kings to move that fourth overall pick without a lottery selection of their own to offer in return. As Stein observes, Memphis would probably have to offer up at least one member of its veteran core to pique Sacramento’s interest — Stein mentions Dillon Brooks and Brandon Clarke as possibilities.
Jeremy Woo of SI.com, who confirms that the Grizzlies are trying to trade up from No. 22, suggests that the team has proposed package that includes various veterans, including De’Anthony Melton. However, Woo says Memphis has been trying to move “into the teens,” which is a more realistic goal than getting all the way up to No. 4.
Here are a few more items of interest from Stein:
- Having agreed to acquire Christian Wood from Houston, the Mavericks are “far less likely” to make use of their $10.9MM trade exception, a source tells Stein. That exception, which will expire after June 27, would allow Dallas to acquire nearly $11MM in salary without sending out any salary of their own, but the Mavs already project to be well over the luxury tax line, especially if they re-sign Jalen Brunson, so they’ll be wary about continuing to spend.
- While the Pistons have been cited as a potential suitor for Brunson, Stein hears from sources that they’ve been considering targeting Dennis Schröder as a more cost-effective option in the backcourt.
- Stein also confirms that the Pistons continue to be linked to free agent center Mitchell Robinson and have “very strong interest” in re-signing former No. 2 overall pick Marvin Bagley III.
- In case you missed it, Stein also passed along several Hawks-related tidbits, which we round up right here.
Hawks Rumors: Collins, Capela, Grant, Bogdanovic
A John Collins trade appears more likely to happen this offseason than it ever has in the past, according to Marc Stein, who writes in his latest Substack article that a deal involving the Hawks big man seems to be “pretty much expected.”
Both Stein and Jeremy Woo of SI.com continue to link Collins to the Trail Blazers, with Woo suggesting that Atlanta is “eyeing” Portland’s No. 7 overall pick and Stein agreeing that a Collins deal structured around that No. 7 pick seems plausible.
Stein adds that Suns general manager James Jones has “rated Collins highly in the past,” so if Atlanta does pursue a sign-and-trade deal for Phoenix center Deandre Ayton, there could be a fit there.
Here’s more on the Hawks:
- Clint Capela‘s name continues to pop up in trade rumors, with Shams Charania of The Athletic reporting earlier today that the Timberwolves have talked to Atlanta about the veteran center. However, Stein notes that Capela is close with Trae Young and has been described as a “true Young favorite,” so if the Hawks move the big man, they’d have to be pretty confident the deal upgraded the roster.
- After writing a couple weeks ago that the Hawks continued to exhibit interest in Pistons forward Jerami Grant, Stein clarifies that it was actually Detroit that showed more interest in a hypothetical deal that would involve Grant, the Hawks’ No. 16 overall pick, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, while Atlanta was less enthusiastic about the idea. It’s not clear how Bogdanovic’s recent knee surgery might affect the Pistons’ interest in such a trade or the Hawks’ ability to move him, Stein writes.
- Despite Travis Schlenk‘s insistence that the Hawks won’t undergo a “major overhaul” this summer, rival teams still believe they’re looking to make significant changes, with Young, De’Andre Hunter, and Onyeka Okongwu widely believed to be the only players who are probably off limits, according to Stein.
Rockets Rumors: Martin, Banchero, Porter, Tate, Schröder, Hollins
Rockets forward Kenyon Martin Jr. recently spoke to team management about the possibility of a trade, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Iko describes the conversation as a “candid” one and stresses that there’s no bad blood between Martin and the team. However, with Martin’s place in Houston’s long-term plans uncertain, he may prefer to be sent to a club that can give him a clearer path to rotation minutes.
A second-round pick in 2020, Martin has appeared in 124 games across two seasons with the Rockets, averaging 9.0 PPG and 4.3 RPG on .524/.360/.667 shooting in 22.0 minutes per contest.
Sources tell Iko that a number of teams – including some playoff contenders – have expressed interest in Martin in the past. He’s still just 21 years old, and his athleticism and possible untapped potential make him an intriguing target for potential suitors, Iko adds.
Here’s more on the Rockets:
- All signs continue to point to Paolo Banchero being the most likely pick for the Rockets at No. 3, per Iko. While Houston has received some inquiries on that pick, any talks have been exploratory at best, and the Rockets aren’t looking to trade down from No. 3, sources tell The Athletic.
- The Rockets’ other two first-round picks (No. 17 and No. 26) are viewed as more available, with No. 17 in particular drawing interest from some teams that don’t have a first-rounder, Iko writes. While either pick – or both – could be traded, Iko isn’t necessarily counting on anything happening until draft night, as teams see how the draft plays out and get a better idea of which players will still be on the board at those spots.
- Kevin Porter Jr. and Jae’Sean Tate will be eligible for extensions this offseason, and representatives for both players have already been in touch with the Rockets to inquire about beginning those discussions, according to Iko. The deadline for Porter’s rookie scale extension is the last day of the 2022 offseason, whereas Tate could sign a veteran extension during the 2022/23 season. Houston would like to retain both players beyond their current contracts, says Iko.
- Although Dennis Schröder is well-liked in Houston, he’s expected to end up with a new team for 2022/23, sources tell Iko. Schröder is an unrestricted free agent this summer.
- Lionel Hollins is among the veteran coaches who has emerged as a candidate to join Stephen Silas‘ staff as an assistant, Iko reports.
Charania’s Latest: Kings, Collins, Capela, Wolves, Bridges, Pacers, More
The Kings are becoming “increasingly comfortable” with the idea of hanging onto the No. 4 pick and drafting a prospect there, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports in his latest Inside Pass column. Although Sacramento has entertained the idea of moving back or trading out of the lottery, the team’s asking price is said to be significant.
[RELATED: Kings’ No. 4 Overall Pick Drawing Serious Interest]
Charania adds that Kings general manager Monte McNair has had conversations with the Hawks about a possible John Collins trade, but says the No. 4 pick isn’t believed to be part of those discussions.
Here’s more from Charania’s latest round-up of rumors from across the NBA:
- Collins isn’t the only Atlanta big man drawing trade interest. Charania reports that the Timberwolves – who are exploring the market for veteran centers – have discussed Clint Capela with the Hawks.
- Rival executives believe restricted free agent Miles Bridges will command a maximum-salary contract or something close to it, and Charania’s sources believe the Hornets may be hesitant to match an offer sheet worth the max.
- The Pacers continue to seriously consider trade possibilities involving Myles Turner and Malcolm Brogdon, according to Charania, who says the the Hornets have shown interest in Turner and the Wizards and Knicks are interested in Brogdon. Even if they move one or both players, the Pacers may opt to simply retool their “veteran core” rather than engaging in an all-out rebuild, Charania notes.
- After spending the last season-and-a-half with the Hawks, veteran guard Lou Williams isn’t ready to call it a career. “(Williams) is not pursuing retirement, and I’ll be proactive in talking to teams during free agency,” agent Wallace Prather tells Charania.
- It doesn’t appear the Jazz are on the verge of hiring a new head coach. According to Charania, the team is scheduling second interviews with nearly all of their 15 head coaching candidates as the next step in the process. Those 15 candidates are listed right here.