Lakers Interested In Jazz Vets, Hope To Preserve 2023 Cap Room
The Lakers have “some interest” in Jazz veterans Bojan Bogdanovic, Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson, but are still trying to maintain their cap room for 2023, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today Sports (Twitter links). The Lakers currently project to have about $30MM in cap room next summer.
As Zillgitt observes, Conley’s $24.36MM salary for 2023/24 is partially guaranteed at $14.32MM, while Clarkson has a player option worth $14.26MM, which may affect how much interest L.A. has in the two guards.
Bogdanovic is on a $19.55MM expiring contract, and several teams are reportedly pursuing the 33-year-old forward, a talented scorer and shooter who has converted at least 38.7% of his three-point tries in each of the last five seasons.
In order to match salaries, Russell Westbrook‘s $47.1MM expiring deal would have to be sent to Utah, because the Lakers don’t have any tradable mid-sized contracts. If they don’t want to take on money beyond next season, a package of Bogdanovic, Malik Beasley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker theoretically works for salary-matching purposes, and all are on expiring or pseudo-expiring deals (there’s a ’23/24 team option for Beasley at $16.52MM).
However, it’s unclear if the Lakers would be interested in that scenario, considering the Jazz might ask for both of the Lakers’ available first-round picks (2027 and 2029). Utah is in the middle of a roster teardown, with a particular emphasis on accumulating unprotected first-rounders.
In other Lakers-related news, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reassesses the team’s depth chart and rotation after acquiring Patrick Beverley from Utah in exchange for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson. Sources tell Buha that Thomas Bryant and Austin Reaves have been “standout performers” in offseason workouts, and Buha currently has both players slotted in the starting lineup at center and shooting guard, respectively.
Heat Notes: Herro, Crowder, Mitchell
With Donovan Mitchell heading to Cleveland, the odds of the Heat giving Tyler Herro a rookie scale extension have seemingly increased, according to Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
As Jackson and Chiang write, the Heat were keeping their options open, but with Kevin Durant agreeing to stick with the Nets, at least for now, and Mitchell off the table, there aren’t any obvious star players to target in a trade.
The reason Herro likely hasn’t received an extension to this point is due to the “poison pill provision,” and our Luke Adams actually used Herro as an example of why extending him would make trading him extremely difficult in our updated glossary entry.
If he theoretically received a four-year, $120MM extension, then Herro’s 2022/23 salary of $5,722,116 would count as the Heat’s outgoing salary figure in a trade, but any team acquiring Herro would have to view his incoming value as $25,144,423 — that’s the annual average of the five years and $125,722,116 he has left when accounting for both his current contract and his (hypothetical) new extension.
The Heat have given extensions to players on rookie contracts in the past, including Bam Adebayo, Josh Richardson and Justise Winslow, Jackson and Chiang note.
Here’s more from Miami:
- Jae Crowder remains a possible trade target to upgrade the power forward spot after losing P.J. Tucker in free agency, per Jackson and Chiang, who note Crowder “holds some appeal” to Miami. However, the Suns haven’t indicated they want to move him, and acquiring him would be complicated and require multiple players because the Heat don’t have anyone who is currently trade-eligible to cleanly match Crowder’s $10.18MM expiring salary in a one-for-one deal.
- According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix (Twitter link), the Heat never made a formal offer for Mitchell. It’s worth noting that Gambadoro was the first to report that the Cavaliers, who ultimately acquired Mitchell, were pursuing him, so he seemed to have pretty good connections on the situation.
- Meeting Utah’s high asking price for Mitchell reeks of a team “desperate to be relevant,” argues Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun-Sentinel, who says the Heat didn’t need to acquire the star guard because they’re already relevant. According to Winderman, Durant was worthy of pushing all the chips in the center for because he’s a “generational talent,” but that isn’t the case for Mitchell.
Lonzo Ball Expected To Miss Camp, Doubtful For Start Of Season
Bulls guard Lonzo Ball continues to experience pain and discomfort in his surgically repaired left knee and is expected to miss training camp, sources tell Jamal Collier and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. According to ESPN’s duo, he’s also considered doubtful for the start of the 2022/23 regular season, which begins on October 18.
Ball had surgery in January for a torn meniscus and was originally expected to return before the end of last season. However, a bone bruise interfered with his rehab process, and unfortunately it appears as though it might still be impacting his recovery.
According to ESPN’s duo, Ball has seen “multiple specialists” in an effort to determine the cause of the lingering pain and discomfort, and to seek possible treatments. A source tells Collier and Shelburne that Ball’s knee is “structurally sound,” but he continued to struggle with the knee this summer while rehabbing in Los Angeles.
Ball will be evaluated by team doctors in Chicago next week, per ESPN.
The Bulls have been vague regarding Ball’s status throughout the offseason, with coach Billy Donovan and executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas saying that he was “progressing” back in July, but they did concede that his recovery was going slower than they’d hoped, and evidently that’s still the case.
K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago recently said on the Bulls Talk podcast that the team appeared to be a bit more optimistic about the 24-year-old lately, though he cautioned that the situation remained fluid.
“I’m not saying that means he’s out there opening night. I’m not saying he’s playing all 82,” Johnson said. “What I’m saying is the skepticism that was earlier in the offseason has moved a little bit toward the optimism side.”
It sounds as though Johnson’s report is right on the money, with Ball’s status for the season opener very much in jeopardy.
Ball had a major impact on the Bulls when he was healthy last season, averaging 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting 42.3% from three-point range and playing strong defense in 35 games (34.6 minutes).
As Collier and Shelburne note, the Bulls were 27-13 when Ball played his last game on January 14, but faltered down the stretch, going just 19-23 the rest of the way before losing their first-round playoff series against Milwaukee.
Celtics Notes: Gallinari, G. Williams, Hauser, Trade Exceptions
NBA players who sustain ACL tears often take a full calendar year to return to action, but Celtics forward Danilo Gallinari isn’t giving up on playing in 2022/23 after learning of his diagnosis, according to Tim Bontemps and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. A source tells Wojnarowski that Gallinari is determined to try to play before before the end of the season.
“This has been a tough week for me as I have learned the extent of my injury,” Gallinari wrote today in a statement on Twitter. “This game means everything to me and not being able to be on the court with my Celtics teammates hurts. I plan to give everything I can to the Celtics organization and my teammates as we hunt for a title.”
Even if the Celtics make another deep playoff run and play into May or June, Gallinari would need to make it back onto the court approximately eight or nine months after tearing his ACL in order to contribute in the postseason. That’s a tall order for any player, let alone a 34-year-old who tore the same ACL in 2013.
Here’s more out of Boston:
- Gallinari is expected to undergo surgery on his left knee after the swelling goes down, a league source tells Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. According to Himmelsbach, Grant Williams will likely play an increased role with Gallinari out, while Sam Hauser will have a chance to earn a spot in the regular rotation.
- Jared Weiss of The Athletic takes a look at what’s next for the Celtics with Gallinari sidelined, noting that Boston still has a pair of trade exceptions worth $6.9MM and $5.9MM that could be useful if the team wants to try to add some reliable veteran depth via trade.
- In another article for The Athletic, Weiss examines how the Cavaliers’ acquisition of Donovan Mitchell affects the Celtics’ place in the Eastern Conference hierarchy and considers whether Collin Sexton‘s new four-year, $72MM deal will be a reference point when Boston discusses a potential rookie scale extension with Grant Williams.
More Mitchell Trade Notes: Draft Picks, Knicks, Reactions
Discussing the Donovan Mitchell trade on the latest episode of his Please Don’t Aggregate This podcast, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report notes that the far-off nature of the unprotected first-round picks in the Cavaliers‘ offer (2025, 2027, and 2029) was one reason why the Jazz preferred that package to New York’s. While the Knicks were offering a pair of unprotected first-rounders, those picks would have conveyed earlier, per Fischer.
The further down the road a draft pick is, the more volatile its potential position is, since it’s far easier to forecast how a team will perform during the next year or two than six or seven years from now. In other words, the Jazz have a better chance of striking gold on a first-round pick in 2027 or 2029 than they would have on a 2023 or 2024 pick.
Here’s more on the Mitchell blockbuster:
- Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype takes a closer look at a few specific details of the Mitchell trade, explaining how the “base year compensation” rule affects Collin Sexton, examining Utah’s proximity to the luxury tax line, and breaking down the Jazz’s new 2023 cap room projection.
- Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post doesn’t blame the Knicks for not going all-in for Mitchell, but he suggests the pressure is building on team president Leon Rose to make good use of all the extra draft assets he has acquired in recent years. Dan Devine of The Ringer, meanwhile, says Knicks fans will have to hope that Rose’s patience and willingness to stick to his plan is eventually rewarded.
- Although he acknowledges it’s possible that the Knicks, Cavaliers, and Jazz might regret the decisions they made this week a few years from now, John Hollinger of The Athletic says he likes what all three teams did. As Hollinger outlines, the difference between the Cavs’ and Knicks’ current states made it more palatable for Cleveland to meet Utah’s asking price than it would’ve been for New York.
- Chris Mannix of SI.com makes a similar case to Hollinger’s, arguing that Knicks fans should be just as happy about not acquiring Mitchell as Cavaliers fans should be about landing him. Cleveland is closer to championship contention than New York, according to Mannix, who writes that paying an extravagant price for Mitchell might’ve ultimately set the Knicks back.
- Gordon Monson of The Salt Lake Tribune pens a farewell to Mitchell on behalf of Utah, where the young guard evolved into a star during the first five years of his career.
Jazz Continue To Engage In Trade Discussions
The Jazz have traded three starters from last year’s roster so far this offseason, but even after moving Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, and Royce O’Neale for a boatload of draft picks, the team isn’t necessarily done with its offseason work.
According to Tony Jones of The Athletic, the Jazz continue to engage in trade conversations about a number of their remaining veterans, including Bojan Bogdanovic, Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson.
In the latest episode of his Please Don’t Aggregate This podcast, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report confirms that Bogdanovic, Conley, and Clarkson are “definitely on the trade block.” Fischer says he has also gotten the impression that the Jazz would “love to move off” Rudy Gay and has heard Leandro Bolmaro‘s name come up in some trade rumors.
Even beyond those five players, Utah would likely be willing to listen to inquiries on many others members of their roster, including Malik Beasley, according to Fischer. Jarred Vanderbilt is another player the club could theoretically move, though Fischer says a team might have to “knock Utah’s socks off” to acquire the young forward.
Based on the deals they’ve made so far this summer, it’s safe to assume the Jazz would be prioritizing draft assets as they continue to gauge the trade market.
Among Utah’s veterans, Bogdanovic might be the one with the most trade value. He’s on a reasonable $19.55MM expiring contract and is a talented frontcourt scorer, having averaged 18.4 PPG over the last three seasons (204 games) with the Jazz. The 33-year-old forward is also a major threat from beyond the arc — he has made at least 38.7% of his three-point tries in each of the last five seasons.
John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 reported on Thursday that the Suns had inquired on Bogdanovic, but Phoenix is hardly the only team with interest. Gambadoro tweeted late last night that several teams, including the Lakers, are eyeing Bogdanovic.
Any trade sending Bogdanovic to the Lakers would have to involve Russell Westbrook for salary-matching purposes, and would require at least one or two other players to go to Los Angeles — the Jazz would likely try to pry away the Lakers’ 2027 and 2029 first-round picks in that scenario, though L.A. has been reluctant to attach more than one first-rounder to Westbrook.
Bogdanovic’s cap hit of nearly $20MM will make it tricky for certain teams to seriously pursue him. For instance, while he might be a good fit in Boston following Danilo Gallinari‘s injury, the Celtics probably can’t make a viable offer for him that doesn’t include at least one key rotation player whose value matches or exceeds Bogdanovic’s.
Knicks Notes: Reddish, Barrett, Mitchell
Following up on a Marc Berman report from Thursday, Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News confirms that Knicks forward Cam Reddish would like a change of scenery.
“It’s clear Cam has no place (with the Knicks),” Bondy’s source said, adding that the former lottery pick would prefer to be relocated.
After Berman published his report on Thursday, Reddish responded to an Instagram comment claiming that he requested a trade and seemingly disputed that notion: “When I do that? Y’all be trippin.”
Still, as Bondy observes (via Twitter), wanting a change of scenery and formally requesting a trade are two different things. Even if Reddish hasn’t done the latter, we now have multiple reports suggesting he’s hoping for the former.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- RJ Barrett‘s new four-year extension with New York has a standard rising structure, starting at about $23.9MM in 2023/24 and increasing to $29.6MM by the fourth year, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. According to Marks, Barrett will have $3MM in annual incentives — $1MM apiece for making an All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defensive team.
- On his latest Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst claimed that the Knicks’ decision to halt Mitchell trade talks earlier this week and sign Barrett to an extension “created an incredible amount of animus” between the Knicks and Jazz (hat tip to RealGM). Barrett’s new deal complicated the salary-matching possibilities between the Knicks and Jazz due to the poison pill provision, and would’ve forced the two teams to reset their negotiations.
- The Knicks planned to continue pursuing Donovan Mitchell after agreeing on Monday to extend Barrett, but the Jazz began on Tuesday to focus on their discussions with the Cavaliers and never circled back to the Knicks before agreeing to a deal with Cleveland, says ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
- Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report argues that the Knicks were wise to resist meeting Utah’s asking price for Mitchell, calling it a “disciplined” decision not to push so many of their chips into the middle of the table. Not everyone was as enthusiastic about New York’s decision though. “Who are they saving their picks for?” one player agent said to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. “(The Knicks) don’t really have the patience to build through the draft. Are they getting someone better than Donovan?”
- In case you missed it, we passed along several reports earlier today on what the Knicks had been offering for Mitchell.
Danilo Gallinari Diagnosed With Torn Left ACL
The news for Danilo Gallinari and the Celtics has gone from bad to worse, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that Gallinari underwent further evaluation on his injured left knee and has now been diagnosed with an ACL tear.
After Gallinari injured his knee playing for Italy in a World Cup qualifying game last week, reports indicated that the Italian national team’s medical staff determined the ACL was intact. The veteran forward was later diagnosed with a torn meniscus, but additional examinations have revealed a more serious injury.
It’s a brutal turn of events for Gallinari and the Celtics. A torn meniscus is a significant enough injury on its own, but there was a chance that the 34-year-old could return from that ailment in a matter of weeks, or at least at some point during the 2022/23 season. An ACL tear is likely to keep Gallinari on the shelf for the entire year.
A 13-year NBA veteran, Gallinari spent the last two seasons with the Hawks, averaging 12.4 PPG and 4.4 RPG on .434/.392/.915 shooting in 117 games (24.7 MPG) during that time. He was traded to San Antonio this summer in the Dejounte Murray blockbuster, then was waived by the Spurs before his salary for 2022/23 became fully guaranteed.
Once he reached free agency, Gallinari signed a two-year, $13.3MM deal with the Celtics, who used their full taxpayer mid-level exception to bring him aboard. He was expected to provide some scoring punch in Boston’s frontcourt, but now seems unlikely to contribute until 2023/24.
The second year on Gallinari’s deal is a player option — it looks like a safe bet he’ll end up exercising it, since he’s unlikely to do well on the free agent market next summer as a 35-year-old coming off a torn ACL. He tore the same ACL in 2013 as a member of the Nuggets.
With Gallinari likely to miss all of ’22/23, the Celtics will have the ability to apply for a disabled player exception, which would be worth 50% of his salary (about $3.2MM), notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).
A disabled player exception can be used to sign a free agent, to claim a player off waivers, or to acquire a player in a trade, as long as the team has an available roster spot to accommodate the addition. The exception can only be used on a single player and can only accommodate a player on a one-year deal. A free agent signee can’t get a multiyear contract, and any trade or waiver target must be in the final year of his contract.
Cavaliers Notes: Mitchell Trade, Mobley, Roster
The Cavaliers began talking to the Jazz about a possible Donovan Mitchell trade around the time of the Las Vegas Summer League, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber-only link). Fedor classifies those initial discussions as “unproductive,” noting that the Cavs felt Utah’s asking price was too high. However, he says the two teams reengaged about two weeks ago, then reached another impasse last week before general manager Koby Altman reconnected with Jazz GM Justin Zanik on Tuesday morning.
Multiple members of the Cavaliers’ front office believed that New York or another team rich on draft assets was capable of making stronger offer than Cleveland could, says Fedor. But those offers didn’t come, and the Jazz opted to accept the Cavs’ proposal.
While there are minor concerns about Mitchell’s “score-first mentality” and the size of Cleveland’s new-look backcourt, the three-time All-Star represents a major upgrade in talent for the Cavaliers, Fedor writes, adding that Mitchell – who will be 26 next Wednesday – also perfectly fits the club’s timeline. The Cavs ultimately decided to risk taking a big swing, feeling as if the opportunity was too good to pass up.
Here’s more out of Cleveland:
- The Cavaliers weren’t one of the teams reported to be on Mitchell’s list of preferred landing spots, but ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on the Hoop Collective podcast that the longtime Jazz star was “very excited” when he found out he was headed to Cleveland and that the Cavs weren’t giving up any of their stars in the deal.
- Also in that same Hoop Collective podcast, Windhorst noted that the acquisition of Mitchell will likely make Evan Mobley ineligible for a five-year maximum-salary extension during the 2024 offseason. Teams are only allowed to have two of those “designated rookie” extensions on their books at once, and Mitchell and Darius Garland (both of whom signed designated rookie extensions) will still be under contract when Mobley becomes extension-eligible. Mobley would still be eligible to sign a four-year maximum-salary extension in 2024, or he could wait until restricted free agency in 2025 and sign a five-year max deal at that time.
- One “prominent” Eastern Conference coach told Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports that he believes the addition of Mitchell will help the Cavs unlock Mobley’s offensive upside. “You’re not throwing the ball down to him much anyways,” the coach said. “But a two-man game with either guard in the middle or side (pick-and-roll) will be tough.”
- Even with Mobley, Garland, and Jarrett Allen still improving, some members of the Cavs organization were worried that the roster wasn’t strong enough to evolve into a legitimate contender in a tough Eastern Conference, which helped pave the way for the acquisition of Mitchell, writes Jason Lloyd of The Athletic.
- Cleveland’s trade for Mitchell is a statement deal, according to Kelsey Russo of The Athletic, who says it shows the Cavs are no longer content with being plucky young upstarts.
- A panel of ESPN insiders breaks down the Mitchell trade, debating where the Mitchell/Garland backcourt duo ranks in the East and evaluating Cleveland’s ceiling following the deal.
Pre-Camp Roster Snapshot: Atlantic Division
Hoops Rumors is in the process of taking a closer look at each NBA team’s current roster situation, evaluating which clubs still have some moves to make and which ones seem most prepared for training camp to begin.
This series is meant to provide a snapshot of each team’s roster at this time, so these articles won’t be updated in the coming weeks as more signings, trades, and cuts are made. You can follow our roster counts page to keep tabs on teams’ open spots as opening night nears.
We’re continuing our pre-camp Roster Snapshot series today with the Atlantic Division. Let’s dive in…
Boston Celtics
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 10
- Players on non-guaranteed standard contracts: 2
- Al Horford (partial guarantee), Luke Kornet (partial guarantee)
- Players on Exhibit 10 contracts: 1
- Players on two-way contracts: 2
- Restricted free agents: 1
- Brodric Thomas (two-way)
- Players who have reportedly reached contract agreements: 2
Horford is a lock to be on the Celtics’ 15-man regular season roster and Kornet’s partial guarantee gives him an inside path. If we assume Boston will start the season with a roster spot open in order to maintain roster flexibility and reduce the team’s tax bill, that leaves two spots up for grabs.
Caboclo, Valentine, Vonleh, and Thomas will all likely be in the mix for those openings, and the C’s have the spots necessary on their 20-man offseason roster to bring in a couple more camp invitees to take part in that competition.
Brooklyn Nets
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 12
- Players on non-guaranteed standard contracts: 2
- Edmond Sumner (partial guarantee), Yuta Watanabe
- Players on two-way contracts: 1
- Restricted free agents: 1
- David Duke (two-way)
- Players who have reportedly reached contract agreements: 2
- Markieff Morris, Donovan Williams (Exhibit 10)
After hanging onto Durant and Irving, the Nets are still working on filling out their roster. It’s possible some combination of Sumner, Watanabe, and Morris will fill the remaining two or three spots on the 15-man squad, but it wouldn’t be shocking if Duke works himself into that mix or if Brooklyn brings in another veteran free agent or two to compete for a roster spot.
If Duke doesn’t get a promotion to the Nets’ 15-man roster, he’s the best bet to fill the open two-way slot next to Williams.
New York Knicks
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 13
- Players on two-way contracts: 2
- Players who have reportedly reached contract agreements: 2
- Garrison Brooks (Exhibit 10), Jean Montero (Exhibit 10)
Up until Thursday, it looked like the Knicks’ roster may still undergo a major overhaul, with the possibility of a Donovan Mitchell trade threatening to shake things up. Now that Mitchell is headed to Cleveland, New York’s offseason to-do list appears nearly done.
The Knicks do still have two openings on their 15-man roster and aren’t in any danger of going into tax territory, so they could comfortably fill both of those remaining spots. A veteran free agent signing or two is one possibility — New York could also look to make a minor trade, or could wait until the preseason to see which players currently on rosters might shake loose as teams make cuts.
Philadelphia 76ers
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 12
- Players on non-guaranteed standard contracts: 4
- Charles Bassey (partial guarantee), Isaiah Joe, Trevelin Queen (partial guarantee), Paul Reed
- Players on Exhibit 10 contracts: 1
- Players on two-way contracts: 2
- Players who have reportedly reached contract agreements: 1
- Aminu Mohammed (Exhibit 10)
With 12 players on guaranteed contracts and four on partially guaranteed or non-guaranteed deals, the Sixers will have to trade or release at least one player before opening night.
Given how close they are to the hard cap, the 76ers seem more likely to cut a player who doesn’t have a full guarantee in order to create a little extra flexibility, so Queen and Joe are among those who could be in danger. A trade involving a player like Korkmaz also shouldn’t be ruled out, though it will be trickier to pull off.
Toronto Raptors
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 13
- Players on non-guaranteed standard contracts: 4
- Dalano Banton (partial guarantee), Justin Champagnie (partial guarantee), Josh Jackson (exact details TBD), D.J. Wilson (partial guarantee)
- Players on Exhibit 10 contracts: 1
- Players on two-way contracts: 2
- Restricted free agents: 2
- Jalen Harris (two-way), David Johnson (two-way)
Even after waiving Svi Mykhailiuk, the Raptors have a crowded roster. It seems likely that all 13 players on guaranteed contracts will open the season on the 15-man squad — Hernangomez may not be a lock, but Toronto wouldn’t have given him a fully guaranteed salary if he wasn’t part of the team’s plans.
If we pencil in those 13, it leaves two open spots for Banton, Champagnie, Jackson, Wilson, and possibly two-way RFAs Harris and Johnson. The latter two are wild cards, since they could also factor into the two-way picture if Toronto is willing to carry one or both of them over Dowtin and/or Harper. There’s plenty still to be sorted out here.
Previously: