Pistons Sign Josh Smith To Four-Year Deal
JULY 10TH, 12:11pm: The Pistons have officially signed Smith, the team announced today (Twitter link).
JULY 6TH, 3:47pm: Smith's deal includes $54MM in base salary, but the value could rise to $56MM if he reaches performance incentives, writes Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News.
2:54pm: No sign-and-trade is planned at the moment between the Pistons and Hawks, so the Smith acquisition figures to be an outright signing, notes Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Windhorst also says the Rockets never engaged in sign-and-trade discussions about Smith with the Hawks.
2:34pm: Vincent Ellis of the Detroit Free Press hears the deal totals just $54MM (Twitter links).
2:01pm: Josh Smith and the Pistons have agreed to terms on a four-year, $56MM deal, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Detroit lands perhaps the most enticing name on the free agent market now that Dwight Howard and Chris Paul are locked up, using its cap space to reel in the athletic forward. The Rockets appeared to be pursuing a sign-and-trade for Smith as recently as last night, but couldn't get any traction on a move that would have reunited Howard with his AAU teammate.
The deal falls short of the maximum contract Smith was looking for, and gives him just a slight bump from the $13.2MM he made last season with the Hawks. The Warriors and Hawks also had interest, and the Celtics reportedly were set to target Smith in the wake of having traded Paul Pierce, but no team pursued him with as much vigor as Detroit, as Wojnarowski writes. The Pistons met with the client of Wallace Prather and Brian Dyke in the first hours of free agency, and though an offer didn't come out of that encounter, it was clear the team regarded him as more than the "Plan B" he appeared to be for other suitors who were waiting to hear from Howard.
The Pistons also had their sights on Andre Iguodala, and would like to have re-signed Jose Calderon, but with both of them agreeing on deals with other teams, it looks like president of basketball operations Joe Dumars and company circled back to their No. 1 option. The team should still have close to $10MM in cap room to complement an impressive front line of Smith, Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond.
The 27-year-old Smith saw his numbers dip a bit from his career year in 2011/12, averaging 17.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists this past season. Though Smith is multitalented, the hole in his game is three-point shooting. He took more shots from behind the arc than ever in 2012/13, but he connected on just 30.3% of his 2.6 long-range attempts per game.
Monta Ellis Parts Ways With Agent
One of the top free agents remaining on the open market, Monta Ellis, had parted ways with longtime agent Jeff Fried of Peake Management Group, reports ESPN.com's Chris Broussard. According to Broussard, Ellis is frustrated that he has yet to receive a viable and lucrative long-term contract offer.
"I only wish Monta and his family the very best," Fried said. "He is a superstar on the court and a character individual with tremendous integrity off the court."
While Ellis had been hoping to reach a decision on a team in the next day or two, the change in agents may push that timetable back. The Hawks, Kings, and Mavericks are reportedly still in the running for the 27-year-old guard, while other teams have shown interest, but may not have the financial means to make a competitive offer. Few teams have substantial cap space remaining, so Ellis may prefer a sign-and-trade to get the destination of his choice.
Broussard's sources expect Ellis to sign with Dan Fegan of Relativity Sports. However, it's my understanding that after firing an agent, a player must wait 15 days before hiring a new one. Unless that rule has changed or there's a technicality I don't know about, Ellis may have to be represented by the NBPA in the short-term.
Hawks Sign Paul Millsap To Two-Year Deal
JULY 10TH: The Hawks have officially signed Millsap, the team announced today in a press release.
JULY 5TH: The Hawks have agreed to a deal with power forward Paul Millsap, tweets Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It's a two-year deal, Vivlamore adds via Twitter. Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld first reported the two sides were in serious discussions. The pact will total $19MM, according to Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link).
Millsap, a client of agent DeAngelo Simmons, gets a slight bump from his $8.6MM salary this past season, and presumably will be playing power forward next to Al Horford in Atlanta. Horford is one of just three returning Hawks players who entered the summer with guaranteed contracts, though Atlanta re-signed Kyle Korver earlier this week. The Hawks, armed with plenty of cap space, figure to be active now that Dwight Howard is heading to Houston instead of his hometown, and the team has already been linked to a possible sign-and-trade involving Josh Smith and Omer Asik.
The Jazz renounced their rights to Millsap earlier today after absorbing the expiring contracts of Richard Jefferson, Andris Biedrins and Brandon Rush. That rendered Utah unable to make a competitive bid to retain Millsap, since the Jazz are up against the cap.
Bucks Readying Offer Sheet For Jeff Teague
There are strong indications that the Bucks are preparing an offer sheet for restricted free agent Jeff Teague, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter). Stein adds (via Twitter) that the threat of an offer sheet could lead the Hawks and Bucks to ramp up talks on a potential sign-and-trade.
Throughout free agency, Milwaukee has been said to covet Teague, and the Hawks have been linked to both Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings, making a sign-and-trade deal a realistic possibility. However, it appears the Bucks' interest in Teague may be stronger than Atlanta's interest in either Ellis or Jennings. The Hawks also don't seem all that enthused by the possibility of re-signing Teague and are have shown some interest in Mo Williams as an alternative, according to Stein (via Twitter), so it will be interesting to see what the team decides to do in this situation.
There are a few points worth mentioning on a potential offer sheet for Teague from Milwaukee. First, if Teague officially signs an offer sheet from the Bucks, the teams will no longer have the option of working out a sign-and-trade — the Hawks would have three days to either match the offer or let Teague walk to the Bucks. Additionally, as Zach Lowe of Grantland points out (via Twitter), Milwaukee would likely have to make at least one corresponding roster move to clear space for a competitive offer for Teague. That could mean amnestying Drew Gooden, or renouncing their rights to Jennings and Ellis.
In other words, there's some incentive for both sides to negotiate a sign-and-trade here, so the rumblings that the Bucks are readying an offer sheet may be just a tactic to move those negotiations forward.
Hawks, Mavs, Kings Finalists For Monta Ellis?
3:44pm: The Bulls made a run at Ellis in hopes of acquiring him via sign-and-trade, but couldn't make the other roster moves necessary to complete a deal, according to Shams Charania of RealGM.com. Charania writes that the Kings appear to be in the lead for Ellis, with the Hawks and Mavs also in play. Whatever team Ellis decides on will likely have to make at least one roster move to create room for him.
2:46pm: A source tells TNT's David Aldridge that Ellis' decision may come down to the Hawks and Mavericks (Twitter link). Aldridge adds that Ellis remains interested in Sacramento, but the Kings' acquisition of Luc Mbah a Moute may take them out of the mix.
Meanwhile, in his full story on Ellis, Broussard goes into detail on each suitor's pursuit of Ellis, noting that the Mavs are hoping to land both Ellis and Andrew Bynum, and are shopping Shawn Marion in an effort to make room. The Hawks are considering a sign-and-trade involving Jeff Teague, the Bobcats are waiting to see what happens with Gerald Henderson, and the Kings are exploring trading Marcus Thornton, though again, the Mbah a Moute deal could reduce Sacramento's chances.
2:00pm: Among the free agents still on the board, none had a higher scoring average last season than Monta Ellis. But the top scorer on the market may not be available for long. According to ESPN.com's Chris Broussard (via Twitter), Ellis hopes to make a decision on his destination within the next 48 hours, choosing from a group of suitors that includes the Hawks, Kings, Bobcats, and Mavericks.
The Hawks and Kings have been the teams most often linked to Ellis in the last several days, though the Mavs were also identified as a potential destination for him earlier in the free agent period. I believe this is the first we've heard of the Bobcats' interest, though it's probably not "serious," according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter). Depending on what other moves are made, and how big a starting salary Ellis receives, some of those teams may need to negotiate a sign-and-trade with the Bucks rather than signing him outright.
Ellis, 27, declined an $11MM player option to hit free agency, and also reportedly turned down a three-year, $36MM extension offer from the Bucks last season, so he'll likely be seeking a starting salary in that $10-12MM neighborhood.
2013 Amnesty Primer
Today is the last day of the July moratorium, which means NBA teams can officially resume full activity beginning tomorrow. In addition to signaling the end of the moratorium, July 10th also marks the first day that teams are eligible to amnesty players. This year's amnesty period will run from the 10th until the 16th — after that, teams that still haven't used their amnesty clause won't get another chance to do so until next July.
With amnesty week upon us, here's a refresher on how the process works, which teams still have the amnesty option available, and which players remain amnesty-eligible….
How does it work?
The amnesty provision provides a team an opportunity to clear a bad contract from its books for salary cap and luxury tax purposes. Although a team still has to pay the remainder of the amnestied player's salary, as it would for any released player, the player's salary no longer counts against the team's cap (except for minimum payroll purposes) when the amnesty clause is used. For instance, if and when the Lakers amnesty Metta World Peace, they'll still pay him his full $7,727,280 salary for 2013/14, but will remove that figure from the cap, significantly reducing the team's tax bill.
The amnesty provision can be used on any player, as long as the following rules are observed:
- A team can only amnesty one player — not one player per season.
- The amnesty provision can only be used on a player who signed his contract prior to July 1st, 2011. If a contract was signed, extended, or renegotiated after that date, the player cannot be amnestied.
- A team can only use its amnesty provision on a player who was on its roster on July 1st, 2011. If a player was traded after that date, he cannot be amnestied.
- The amnesty clause can only be used during the seven days following the July moratorium. If a team doesn't amnesty a player during that week, it won't get another chance to do so until the following July.
- A team that has yet to use its amnesty clause can do so in any of the next three years. The 2015/16 season is the last year in which a player can be amnestied under the current CBA.
Amnestied players are placed on waivers, but the waiver rules are slightly different than usual. An under-the-cap team can still place a full waiver claim on an amnestied player, if it doesn't mind being on the hook for the rest of the player's contract. However, clubs also have the option to submit partial waiver claims, in what essentially amounts to an auction for the player's services. If no team places a full claim, the team with the highest partial claim is awarded the player. If two teams bid the same amount, the club with the worse record wins out. If neither a full or partial claim is submitted, the player becomes an unrestricted free agent.
For a few more details on the amnesty process, check out our complete explanation in the Hoops Rumors glossary.
Which teams still have the amnesty provision available?
Exactly half of the NBA's 30 teams have used the amnesty provision in the last two offseasons, leaving 15 clubs with the option of amnesty still at their disposal. These are the teams still in play, per our amnesty provision tracker:
- Atlanta Hawks
- Boston Celtics
- Charlotte Bobcats
- Chicago Bulls
- Detroit Pistons
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Miami Heat
- Milwaukee Bucks
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Sacramento Kings
- San Antonio Spurs
- Toronto Raptors
- Utah Jazz
The Pelicans no longer have any amnesty-eligible players left on their roster, and reports have suggested the Bobcats will amnesty Tyrus Thomas, while the Lakers will amnesty World Peace. That would leave just 12 teams with the amnesty option available.
Which players are still eligible to be amnestied?
While there are 35 players still eligible to be amnestied, some are likelier candidates than others. I examined a few of this summer's potential amnesty candidates back in March, but here's the complete list of players that technically remain amnesty-eligible, along with the total money left on their deals:
- Atlanta Hawks: Al Horford ($36MM)
- Boston Celtics: Rajon Rondo ($24.86MM), Avery Bradley ($2.51MM)
- Charlotte Bobcats: Tyrus Thomas ($18.08MM)
- Chicago Bulls: Joakim Noah ($36.7MM), Carlos Boozer ($32.1MM), Luol Deng ($14.28MM)
- Detroit Pistons: Charlie Villanueva ($8.58MM), Greg Monroe ($4.09MM)
- Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant ($30.45MM), Pau Gasol ($19.29MM), Metta World Peace ($7.73MM), Steve Blake ($4MM)
- Memphis Grizzlies: Zach Randolph ($34.3MM), Mike Conley ($26.08MM)
- Miami Heat: LeBron James ($61.77MM), Chris Bosh ($61.77MM), Dwyane Wade ($60.49MM), Mike Miller ($12.8MM), Udonis Haslem ($8.96MM), Joel Anthony ($7.6MM)
- Milwaukee Bucks: Drew Gooden ($13.37MM), Larry Sanders ($3.05MM)
- New Orleans Pelicans: No players eligible
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Kevin Durant ($56.99MM), Kendrick Perkins ($18.63MM), Nick Collison ($4.83MM), Thabo Sefolosha ($3.9MM)
- Sacramento Kings: John Salmons ($14.58MM), DeMarcus Cousins ($4.92MM)
- San Antonio Spurs: Tony Parker ($25MM), Matt Bonner ($3.95MM)
- Toronto Raptors: Amir Johnson ($13.6MM), Linas Kleiza ($4.6MM)
- Utah Jazz: Derrick Favors ($6.01MM), Gordon Hayward ($3.45MM)
FA Updates: Brewer, Teague, Hawks, Knicks, Lucas
With the July moratorium scheduled to be lifted tomorrow, free agent contracts can finally become official, and tomorrow should be a busy day, as teams and players formally finalize their agreements from the last nine days. However, there are still plenty of players on the market in search of a new team, or a deal with their old team. Here's the latest on a few of them:
- Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities tweets that the Timberwolves have spoken to Corey Brewer's reps, and Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune hears from a source close to Brewer that the Wolves "would love him" (Twitter link).
- The Bucks' interest in Jeff Teague is "undeniable," but it's not clear if the Hawks are ready to take back Brandon Jennings or Monta Ellis in a sign-and-trade, says ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter).
- After passing along a handful of Knicks updates this morning, Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com provides a couple more. According to Zwerling, there's still mutual interest between the Knicks and Aaron Brooks, and the team also has some interest in Shawne Williams, though there's "nothing firm" there (Twitter links).
- Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reports that John Lucas III met with the Jazz in Orlando yesterday, and hears from agent Bernie Lee that Lucas will meet with another team today in his hometown of Houston. According to Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune (via Twitter), four teams, including the Jazz, are interested in the free agent point guard.
- Before he agreed to sign with the Pistons, Italian forward Gigi Datome drew interest from the Celtics, Bucks, Rockets, Suns, Spurs, and Grizzlies, tweets Vincent Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
Andrew Bynum Decision Coming Today?
9:28am: In spite of rumors that Bynum could make his decision today, the Mavs still expect him to visit tomorrow, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter). Meanwhile, the Cavs are hammering out the specific terms of their offer to Bynum, according to the Plain Dealer (via Twitter).
9:05am: After sitting down with the Cavaliers on Monday, Andrew Bynum will meet with Hawks officials today, and could have a contract agreement in place within the next 24 hours, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Berger hears from a source that there "should be a deal today."
When the Cavs met with Bynum yesterday, they reportedly made him a two-year offer worth $24MM, with a team option on the second year. Despite Cleveland's serious interest, the free agent big man planned to proceed as scheduled to meetings with the Hawks and Mavericks, as ESPN.com's Marc Stein tweeted late last night.
Presumably, Bynum's meeting with Dallas isn't also scheduled for today, so if he makes a decision tonight, that may rule out the Mavericks. Berger's report seems to be somewhat at odds with Stein's, as the ESPN.com scribe also tweeted that he thought the Cavs viewed Dallas as a much more serious threat than Atlanta.
In any case, it seems Bynum will end up committing to either the Cavs, Hawks, or the Mavs at some point this week, perhaps as soon as today. All three clubs figure to be interested in the 25-year-old on a short-term, incentive-laden contract. As Stein tweeted last night, the Cavs' interest in Bynum stems from the fact that he's a potential All-Star center whose lost 2012/13 season makes him very attainable, and I'd imagine the Hawks and Mavs are thinking along the same lines.
Lowe On Howard, Wizards, Teague, Pelicans
The surprise of the summer might not have been Dwight Howard's departure from the Lakers, but the quickness with which he decided to join up with the Rockets. We're just a week into the free agency period, but executives are already taking the time to survey the entire landscape outside of their own milieu. Zach Lowe of Grantland checked in with basketball people to get their take on things and unearthed some very interesting tidbits..
- Lowe wonders why more clubs didn't put their toe in the water for Dwight Howard. His educated guess after poking around is that the Wizards gave it a go while the Bulls, who were once a rumored trade destination, did not. The Bulls have a stern culture, very good talent already on hand, and a tax complication, so Howard would have been a longshot and maybe not the best idea anyway.
- The Jazz could have used their cap space this summer to sign Jeff Teague, who sources say is nearly unwanted in the Hawks organization. We've heard previously that the point guard was upset with the lack of communication he's had with Atlanta this summer.
- Pelicans owner Tom Benson has told the front office that the team needs to take a significant step forward this season, according to several sources around the league. That would help to explain their sizable commitment to Tyreke Evans this summer.
- Other execs have pointed out that the Rockets tend to be sort of annoying, especially around draft day. Daryl Morey & Co. make many, many phone calls, poking the market and chasing tiny deals that move them two spots up in the draft or add an extra second-round pick. People knocked Morey for burning up the phone lines to chase the No. 9 seed a year ago and didn't seem long for Houston, but he has turned a roster with zero top-50 talent into a roster with two top-15 players.
- As much as Houston says they want to hang on to center Omer Asik, Lowe would be surprised to see him finish the year with the Rockets.
Andrew Bynum Meeting With Cavs, Hawks, Mavs
1:58pm: Bynum has also lined up face-to-face meetings with the Hawks and Mavericks this week, tweets Stein. According to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio, the big man would like to have a contract agreement in place within the next few days.
MONDAY, 11:30am: Bynum is scheduled to be in Cleveland today for a face-to-face meeting with the Cavs, according to Stein (via Twitter).
SUNDAY, 10:48pm: The Cavaliers have joined the Mavericks as a team to watch in the race to sign free-agent center Andrew Bynum. Sources close to the process told Marc Stein of ESPN.com that the Cavs are legitimate contenders to sign Bynum, who now finds himself as the top available center on the market despite not playing a minute in 2012/13.
Indications are that Cleveland won't offer more than a one-year deal to Bynum so that they can make a free agent splash in the summer of 2014, a class that includes LeBron James. But the Cavs have ~$15MM in available right now and sources say they have legitimate interest in the former All-Star.
The Mavs have serious interest in Bynum as well but they have begun an "exhaustive" evaluation process regarding his problematic knees and want to know that everything checks out before they think about a multi-year pact. The Hawks also like Bynum, but Monta Ellis is a bigger priority for them right now.