Possible Fits For Jonny Flynn
It was just three years ago that the Timberwolves selected Jonny Flynn sixth overall in the 2009 NBA draft, one spot after the team nabbed Ricky Rubio. At the time, the Rubio choice raised some eyebrows, as the Spaniard point guard decided to continue his career overseas, expressing a reluctance to play in Minnesota. This past season, however, Rubio arrived in Minnesota and provided the type of production the T-Wolves had hoped for, averaging 10.6 points and 8.2 assists per game before going down with an ACL injury.
As Rubio emerged as the point guard of the future in Minnesota, Flynn spent the season playing for the Rockets and Trail Blazers. With the Rockets having declined his fourth-year option, Flynn was essentially in a contract year, and didn't do a whole lot to raise his stock, recording career-lows in FG% (.351), PPG (4.5), and a handful of other categories, while averaging just 14.3 MPG in 29 contests.
On the surface, Flynn looks like a bust. It's not clear whether he'll even receive an NBA contract this year. But even in his disappointing 2011/12 season, there were a few indications that he could be worth a flier. His 8.3 assists per 36 minutes were a career-high, and was by far the best assist rate of any free agent still on the market. Additionally, his numbers became more respectable after his move to Portland, where he played 18 games, averaging 5.2 points, 3.8 assists, and a 12.3 PER in 15.6 minutes per contest for the Blazers.
Those numbers aren't fantastic by any means, but for a player that's still just 23 years old and could have a good deal of upside, they should intrigue teams still in need of a third point guard. At this point, most contracts being signed are non-guaranteed or partially-guaranteed minimum salary deals, a price that would make it worthwhile to roll the dice on Flynn. So what teams could be a fit for him? Here are a few ideas:
- Bucks: Milwaukee's roster is forward-heavy, with only Brandon Jennings, Monta Ellis, Beno Udrih, and Doron Lamb in the backcourt. A trade may be more likely than a free agent signing, but Flynn could be one target for depth.
- Cavaliers: The Cavs reportedly had interest in Flynn and worked him out in July. They've picked up Jeremy Pargo since then, but both Pargo and Donald Sloan, who is on a non-guaranteed deal, made their NBA debuts within the last year. It remains to be seen whether either player is ready to assume the role of Kyrie Irving's backup.
- Hawks: Atlanta is another team that worked out Flynn earlier in the offseason, and could still use him. The Hawks have Jeff Teague and Devin Harris at the point, but may need a third option, particularly if that duo spends time on the court together.
- Heat: While Miami continues to focus on finding a big man, the team's point guard duo of Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole doesn't give them much depth in case of an injury.
- Hornets: If Austin Rivers and Greivis Vasquez can capably handle the point, New Orleans may not have a need there, especially if Brian Roberts makes the team. But none of those guys are sure things, so further insurance may be required.
- Magic: Jameer Nelson is locked in as the starter in Orlando, but he only has Ish Smith backing him up. Even if the Magic are confident in Smith as Nelson's backup, I'd be surprised if they didn't bring at least one more point guard to training camp.
- Pistons: Like the Bucks, the Pistons are loaded with frontcourt players, making a trade the preferred route for acquiring backcourt help. If they can't find a trade partner, the Pistons could look to free agency to bolster a point guard spot that features only Brandon Knight and Will Bynum. But with 15 guaranteed contracts already on the books, it's a long shot.
Hawks Speaking To David Blatt
8:02pm: Drew is not visiting Blatt with any interest of having the coach join his staff in Atlanta, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Michael Cunningham. (Twitter)
7:53pm: According to Sportando.net, Hawks head coach Larry Drew is in Israel to speak with Maccabi Tel-Aviv head coach David Blatt, presumably about joining Atlanta's coaching staff in the near future. Blatt has spent the past five years as coach of the Russian national team, and is open to working in the NBA.
Blatt just signed a three-year contract with the Israeli club, but is rumored to have a contentious relationship with team management. As of this moment, he's expected to stay with Maccabi Tel-Aviv for at least the upcoming season.
Amick On Martin, Fisher, Fesenko, Williams
In addition to reporting that Matt Barnes is closing in on a deal with the Clippers, SI.com's Sam Amick shared updates on a handful of other free agents in his latest piece. Let's dive in and round up a few highlights from the SI.com scribe:
- Most, if not all, of the teams interested in Kenyon Martin only have interest at the veteran's minimum. The Lakers and Celtics were among the teams in play earlier in the offseason, but now Amick wonders if Martin will wait until midseason or even retire if he doesn't find a situation he likes.
- Derek Fisher may be in the same boat as Martin, with retirement or signing halfway through the season both potentially in play. Fisher turned down an offer from the Bulls before Chicago signed Nate Robinson, and the chances of the veteran point guard returning to the Thunder are "remote."
- Kyrylo Fesenko is scheduled to work out with the Spurs next week, and may work out for the Cavaliers after that. The Hawks and Heat have also been in touch with the big man.
- The Pistons will work out Terrence Williams this week. The Mavericks and Celtics are also believed to have interest in Williams.
Odds & Ends: Anderson, Mbenga, Heat, Harden
It's been a busier day than we've had for a while around the NBA, and with training camps opening as soon as September 29th, expect the faster pace of news to continue. Let's dive right into some of the latest from around the league:
- James Anderson's deal with the Hawks is a one-year, non-guaranteed pact, Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
- D.J. Mbenga, who agreed to terms with the Mavericks earlier today, has already agreed to join the team's D-League affiliate if he doesn't make the NBA club out of training camp, reports Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News.
- An agent tells Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that the Heat are only offering contracts without a guarantee, which makes sense, since they already have agreements with 18 players. Winderman also speculates that Raja Bell could be a fit for the Heat whenever he finalizes the buyout he continues to negotiate with the Jazz (Sulia link).
- Ken Berger of CBSSports.com delves deep into Thunder GM Sam Presti's comments about a possible extension for James Harden, and says that while Isiah Thomas is unlikely to return in a formal capacity to the Knicks soon, he looms as a potential candidate to join an NBA team as a coach or executive down the road.
- Zach Lowe of SI.com runs down several players for whom 2012/13 will be an especially important season.
- After looking at 10 overpaid players earlier today, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News also shares his list of the 10 most underpaid players in the league.
Hawks, Damion James Agree To Terms
4:28pm: James' deal will be non-guaranteed, tweets Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
1:43pm: The Hawks have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with Damion James, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). We had heard in late August that James was close to making a decision on where to sign, and it appears he has chosen Atlanta.
The 24th overall pick in 2010, James only appeared in 32 games for the Nets in his first two seasons due to foot injuries. Based on his performance and health history to date, it seems likely he'd command no more than a non-guaranteed, minimum-salary deal.
When James and the Hawks finalize their agreement, the 6'7" wing will become the 15th player under contract for the club. If Atlanta eventually agrees to terms with restricted free agent Ivan Johnson, James could find himself battling for the team's final roster spot with training camp invitee James Anderson.
Hawks Sign Mike Scott
3:26pm: GM Danny Ferry says Scott's contract includes some guarantees and that the rookie big man "will be on the team this year," tweets Cunningham.
3:00pm: The Hawks have officially signed Scott, according to a team press release. The two-year contract is for the minimum salary and includes "few, if any, guarantees," according to Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
12:27pm: The Hawks have agreed to terms on a two-year deal with second-round pick Mike Scott, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Scott, the 43th overall pick in June, was one of a handful of second-rounders who were not yet under contract for the coming season.
As we noted earlier today when we discussed Quincy Miller's contract offer from the Nuggets, today represents a deadline of sorts for second-round picks. If teams don't submit a required tender to their second-rounders, the players become free agents. Rather than tendering Scott a one-year offer, the Hawks agreed to terms on a multiyear contract, though I imagine it's only partially guaranteed.
Scott, 24, racked up 18.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while shooting 56.3% from the floor in his final year at the University of Virginia. The 6'9" forward will be the 14th player under contract for Atlanta.
The Remaining Restricted Free Agents
Most of this offseason's restricted free agents saw their contract statuses resolved fairly quickly, either agreeing to offer sheets with a new team or re-signing with their original clubs. A handful of free agents that started the summer as restricted also became unrestricted, after their teams decided to withdraw qualifying offers. But two players remain restricted free agents, unable so far to sign an offer sheet with a rival team or work out a deal with their own teams.
The deadline for rescinding qualifying offers had passed, so neither the Cavaliers or Hawks are unable to withdraw their QOs to Alonzo Gee or Ivan Johnson, respectively. As such, Gee could accept his one-year, $2,695,391 offer any day now, and Johnson could do the same with his one-year, $962,195 offer.
Presumably, both players are still trying to negotiate larger, multiyear deals with their respective clubs or land an offer sheet from another team, viewing the qualifying offers as fallback options. While there's no sense of urgency from a player's perspective yet, that could change later this month — under the new CBA, October 1st is typically the date by which a player has to accept his qualifying offer, unless the two sides agree to extend that deadline. The deadline could be pushed back as late as March 1st, though presumably neither the team or player would want to put off contract talks that long.
So what are the most likely scenarios for the two restricted free agents still left on the market? At this point, it's unlikely either player secures an offer sheet. Teams don't have the money to spend that they did earlier in the offseason, and if there was significant interest for either Gee or Johnson, you'd have to think they'd have signed something long before September.
It appears very likely that Gee and the Cavs will eventually agree to a multiyear deal — a couple weeks back, we heard that the two sides could be nearing a three-year agreement, but that it may not be finalized until closer to training camp. Presumably, negotiations about guaranteed years and money are still ongoing, but it doesn't seem like Gee will be forced to accept his one-year QO.
Johnson's contract situation isn't quite as clear. We've heard next to nothing on the Hawks forward this summer, but the fact that Atlanta appears to have left its qualifying offer on the table means the team has at least some interest in bringing him back. I'd guess Danny Ferry and the Hawks don't view the 28-year-old as a crucial long-term piece, so they may be reluctant to sign him for more than his qualifying offer, since it would mean dipping into their bi-annual exception. Johnson's representatives could point out that using the BAE this summer shouldn't be a problem for the Hawks, since Atlanta will be well below the cap next offseason and will likely forfeit the BAE for 2013/14 anyway. We'll see which side cracks first, but I wouldn't be surprised if Johnson accepted his QO later this month.
Bulls Remain In Mix For Anthony Tolliver
When we got our last update on Anthony Tolliver last Monday, the free agent forward was said to be in "constant contact" with four teams: the Hawks, Wizards, Pacers, and Timberwolves. Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida reports (via Twitter) that those four clubs are still in play for Tolliver, and adds the Bulls to the mix as well.
The Bulls were previously linked to Tolliver this offseason, but it appeared the team had essentially removed itself from consideration as it approached the hard cap of $74.3MM. If they're still in on Tolliver, as Tomasson suggests, the Bulls would not only have to clear a little salary from their books to make room for him; they'd also have to sign the the 27-year-old to a minimum-salary deal, since they used most of their mid-level exception on Kirk Hinrich and their bi-annual exception on Marco Belinelli.
Since agent Larry Fox has indicated that his client isn't "in the minimum game," and the Bulls have no obvious way of clearing salary, it seems like a long shot that Chicago lands Tolliver. The T-Wolves would also have to move salary to sign Tolliver for more than the minimum, so the Hawks, Pacers, and Wizards would appear to be better bets. The Hawks have their $1.957MM BAE to work with, the Pacers have their $2.575MM room exception, and the Wizards still have over $3MM of their mid-level left.
Teams With Access To Full MLE In 2012/13
This morning, we looked at the 12 NBA teams that dipped below the cap this summer and used space under the cap to sign or trade for players. Because those teams used cap room this year, they lost access to the full $5MM mid-level exception, along with the $1.957MM bi-annual exception.
Teams that remain over the cap, however, have the option to use their full $5MM mid-level. While this exception is available to any over-the-cap team, using more than $3.09MM of the MLE means the club's payroll can't exceed the tax line by more than $4MM at any point during the season. Because the tax threshold is $70,307,000, the "hard cap" for teams spending the full mid-level is $74,307,000.
The Bulls are one notable example of a team up against that hard cap. Because the team spent nearly $4MM of its mid-level on Kirk Hinrich, payroll can't exceed that $74.3MM cut-off at any point before next July. With over $73.5MM currently committed to player salaries, the Bulls don't have a whole lot of wiggle room.
Chicago is one of 13 clubs that should have access to their full $5MM mid-level exception this season. Here's a look at the franchises that fall into this category:
- Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks used their entire mid-level on Lou Williams, but aren't in danger of approaching the hard cap, as their payroll sits around $65MM.
- Boston Celtics: Taking into account their non-guaranteed players, the Celtics are approaching that hard cap, with a cap hit at approximately $71.9MM. They still have room to use their bi-annual exception though, if they so choose.
- Chicago Bulls: As I mentioned above, the Bulls don't even have the flexibility to sign a minimum-salary player, unless he's a rookie.
- Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets only used a small portion of their mid-level to sign Anthony Randolph, so they aren't hard-capped. Still, with $63.5MM in salaries, they're not about to approach that threshold anyway.
- Detroit Pistons: The Pistons have used just $2.5MM of their mid-level, and have the flexibility to use the rest without approaching the hard cap.
- Golden State Warriors: Like the Celtics, the Warriors are slightly over the tax line, but have some breathing room before they hit the hard cap, and could still use their BAE if they want to.
- Los Angeles Clippers: Sitting about $1MM below the tax line, it's unlikely the Clippers add much more salary and risk becoming a taxpayer.
- Milwaukee Bucks: With $4.35MM of their MLE remaining, and a payroll barely over the cap, the Bucks are a decent candidate to add a free agent for more than the minimum salary. A player like Leandro Barbosa could potentially be a fit.
- Oklahoma City Thunder: I expect the Thunder won't be eager to spend the $3MM+ left on their MLE, preferring to play it safe now and open up the checkbooks later, when extensions kick in for Serge Ibaka and perhaps James Harden.
- Orlando Magic: Orlando still has over $4MM remaining on its mid-level, but will likely be trying to shed salary over the course of the year, rather than adding more.
- San Antonio Spurs: Having signed Diaw for $4.5MM of their MLE, the Spurs will be hard-capped, but still have $5MM+ of breathing room, which should be more than enough.
- Utah Jazz: Randy Foye received $2.5MM of the Jazz's mid-level, bringing the team's total payroll to about $66.6MM.
- Washington Wizards: With only about $55.4MM on their books before signing Martell Webster, the Wizards could have claimed a little cap space by renouncing their MLE and BAE. However, it makes more sense to hang on to those exceptions, meaning Webster's $1.75MM salary should come out of the mid-level.
Derrick Brown To Work Out For Spurs, Hawks
Unrestricted free agent Derrick Brown will work out for the Spurs next week and the Hawks the week after, in search of an NBA job, reports Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. According to Haynes, Brown is also hoping to schedule a workout with the Nets, who appear to be back in the market for a small forward after Donte Greene suffered an ankle fracture.
Haynes adds that Brown, a three-year veteran, had been entertaining offers from teams overseas, but has shifted his focus back to landing an NBA contract. The 6'7" wing spent the 2011/12 season with the Bobcats, playing in all but one game and earning 17 starts. In 22.2 minutes per contest, Brown averaged 8.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and a 14.7 PER, shooting 51.8% from the field. Based on his solid production and his age (24), it's a little surprising he hasn't drawn more interest this offseason.
Brown started the summer as a restricted free agent, but the Bobcats decided to pull their $1.1MM qualifying offer in mid-July. Having drafted a pair of small forwards in Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Jeffrey Taylor, the Bobcats didn't figure to have Brown in their long-term plans.