Pacific Notes: Clippers, Lin, Warriors, Staples
The Clippers‘ front office, piloted by president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, will face some important choices once the offseason kicks off in earnest next week, writes Mirjam Swanson of the Orange County Register. Forwards Montrezl Harrell, Marcus Morris, and JaMychal Green, as well as reserve point guard Reggie Jackson, are all unrestricted free agents.
The Clippers may look to make an upgrade from Jackson. Lakers reserve point guard Rajon Rondo, who is expected to opt-out of his $2.7MM player option this summer, has been discussed as a candidate. The team might also make a bigger move, as Rockets All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook, a Long Beach native and former teammate of Clippers star forward Paul George, has recently sought a trade out of Houston.
There’s more out of the NBA’s Pacific Division:
- Jeremy Lin was spotted working out on an indoor court on the University of San Francisco campus with Warriors players Stephen Curry, Eric Paschall, Kevon Looney, Marquese Chriss and Alen Smailagic, fueling speculation that the free agent point guard might get a look in Golden State, according to Marcus White of NBC Sports Bay Area. Lin most recently suited up for the Beijing Ducks of the CBA during the 2019/20 season. Originally from Palo Alto in Northern California, Lin averaged 22.3 PPG, 5.7 APG and 5.6 RPG for the Ducks.
- In a recent conversation with reporters, Warriors GM Bob Myers commented that league interest in the club’s No. 2 pick this year was “fluctuating,” per Mark Medina of USA Today (Twitter link). The team still has a $17.2MM traded player exception left over from its Andre Iguodala deal in the summer of 2019. “I haven’t been told I can’t use it,” Myers said of the TPE, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. “I haven’t been told I have to use it.”
- Both the Lakers and the Clippers will kick off the 2020/21 NBA season without any fans at their home arena, the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, due to current COVID-19 restrictions on indoor gatherings in LA County, according to Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register.
Atlantic Notes: Raptors, VanVleet, Poirier, Toppin
Though the Raptors prefer to host their home games for the 2020/21 season in Toronto, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca notes that the decision will ultimately be made by the Canadian government. The federal officials at the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Ottawa Citizenship, who oversee travel regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic, may hesitate to make a special exemption on extant 14-day quarantine requirements for new arrivals into the country just to accommodate visiting U.S.-based NBA personnel.
With the draft and free agency scheduled for next week, plus an expected lift on the current pause on trades, time is running out for Raptors ownership to keep Toronto in Toronto.
Nashville, Tampa, Kansas City, Buffalo and Newark have all been floated as stateside alternative options for Toronto set up shop this season, per Grange and Eric Koreen of The Athletic. “Our focus is on playing in Toronto,” a team spokesperson said yesterday, per Koreen.
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, one of the top free agents during the 2020 offseason, stated on J.J. Redick and Tommy Alter’s podcast The Old Man And The Three that money will be important in his offseason decision-making. He elaborated on the matter, per Joshua Howe of Sportsnet.ca. “I’m trying to get paid, man,” VanVleet said. “I won a championship and now it’s time to cash out.”
- Celtics center Vincent Poirier is hoping for a larger role in Boston this season. Keith P Smith of Celtics Blog breaks down a conversation between Poirier and French outlet We Sport. “I don’t know where I’ll be,” Poirier said, “but in my head it’s obvious that I’m not doing one more season at the end of the bench to applaud.”
- Brooklyn native Obi Toppin has worked out for four squads: the Timberwolves, the Hornets, the Cavaliers, and his hometown Knicks. Though New York has the lowest draft pick among these squads, the club is apparently hopeful to add the 6’9″ forward on November 18, per Steve Popper of Newsday. “They have a great organization,” Toppin commented during a Zoom chat today. “It would be great to go home. But there’s a lot of teams that are in front of them that would be great, too.”
Russell Westbrook Hoping For Trade
All-Star Rockets point guard Russell Westbrook wants to be traded following his first season with the club, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Westbrook has expressed to team officials that he has been “uneasy about the team’s accountability and culture,” according to Charania, who adds that the former MVP would like to join a team where he can have a role similar to the one had in Oklahoma City up until 2019.
This is a significant development, following the news revealed earlier today that Westbrook and his fellow All-Star guard James Harden have relayed to the Houston front office and to their own representatives that they were concerned about the direction of the franchise.
The team finished the 2019/20 season with a 44-28 record, good for the fourth seed in the Western Conference. Houston lost 4-1 to the eventual champion Lakers in the second round of the 2020 playoffs. Since then, both head coach Mike D’Antoni and front office architect Daryl Morey have departed the franchise.
Westbrook, who turns 32 tomorrow, has $132MM remaining on his contract over the next three seasons, including a $47MM player option during his age-34 season in 2022/23.
Finding a trade partner to take on Westbrook’s contract without attaching additional assets may prove difficult for the Rockets’ new-look front office, led by GM Rafael Stone, as the team surrendered several draft picks to acquire and then accommodate him.
Harden, meanwhile, apparently wants to remain with the Rockets, team sources inform Charania and Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link). The team reportedly remains committed to building a title contender around Harden.
Ahead of the 2019/20 season, the Rockets sent All-Star point guard Chris Paul, their first-round picks in 2024 and 2026 (top-four protected), plus 2021 and 2025 pick swap rights, to the Thunder in exchange for Westbrook.
Looking to further account for the fit of Westbrook – a limited shooter – on the floor, the Rockets sent center Clint Capela and their 2020 first-round pick to the Hawks in a four-team deadline deal that brought back three-and-D forward Robert Covington, a second-round pick, and forward Jordan Bell (who was flipped for Bruno Caboclo).
Assuming the Rockets look to accommodate Westbrook’s apparent trade request, he’ll become one of the most notable players on the trade block this offseason, joining fellow guards Paul and Jrue Holiday. A previous report from Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer indicated that the Clippers and Knicks are among the teams with interest in Westbrook.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Atlantic Notes: Raptors, I. Stewart, Durant
The Raptors might be well-served to consider using either their No. 29 or No. 59 pick during the 2020 draft as a “draft-and-stash” option, selecting a player they know won’t arrive in the NBA until at least the 2021/22 season, writes Blake Murphy of The Athletic.
Limited rotation space for unproven players, the expected development of current Toronto youth, and the compressed offseason are all factors that could point to the draft-and-stash route, Murphy notes. The Raptors face some interesting offseason options, with key role players Fred VanVleet and Serge Ibaka entering free agency.
There’s more out of the NBA’s Atlantic Division:
- Athletic 6’9″ University of Washington big man Isaiah Stewart, a Rochester, NY native, appears to be a viable candidate for the Knicks to draft with the No. 27 pick in the 2020 draft, per Marc Berman of the New York Post. “The big thing about Isaiah is he’s a culture changer — he’s all about the right stuff,’’ his Washington head coach Mike Hopkins said. New York’s roster, of course, is already loaded with an array of power forwards, though many can become free agents this fall. Hopkins compared Stewart to All-Star Heat center Bam Adebayo and Clippers power forward/center Montrezl Harrell.
- Nets forward Kevin Durant has been practicing at the Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, CA, as he continues to rehabilitate from an Achilles tear suffered during the 2019 NBA Finals. Durant has logged court time with fellow Nets Kyrie Irving, Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, DeAndre Jordan, Taurean Prince and Jaylen Hands, plus other pros, and is receiving rave reviews, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post.
- Legendary Hall of Fame Celtics power forward and broadcast Tommy Heinsohn passed away this week. The six-time All-Star and eight-time champ was 86.
Team Owners Vote To Approve New CBA
This afternoon, NBA team owners unanimously voted to ratify the amended Collective Bargaining Agreement agreed upon late last night by the league and the NBPA, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
The NBA’s Board of Governors, which is comprised of the 30 NBA team owners and their reps plus league commissioner Adam Silver, held a conference call this afternoon, and the agreement will now allow the 2020/21 season to kick off on December 22.
As we detailed earlier today, the updated CBA will contain the same $109,140,000 salary cap and $132,627,000 luxury tax line as the 2019/20 season. The ’20/21 season will last for 72 games, and free agency will kick off next Friday, November 20.
Currently, there is still a moratorium on trades, but that is expected to be lifted two or three days ahead of the November 18 draft. Luxury tax penalties will be reduced for taxpaying teams if the league’s basketball related income declines.
And-Ones: Offseason, Free Agent Centers, 2021 FA, Restart Safety
During Thursday night’s NBPA call to vote on the start of the 2020/21 season, some players discussed the possibility of free agency commencing before the draft, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. Though Wojnarowski cautions that will not be an option this season due to the compressed timeline to negotiate new free agency dates and deadlines, the league and NBPA may revisit the concept in years to come.
There’s more from around the NBA:
- John Hollinger of The Athletic used his new metric, the BORD$ formula, to evaluate the value of this offseason’s crop of free agent centers. Applying this formula, Blazers backup center Hassan Whiteside and Pistons starting center Christian Wood appear to be the top available big men.
- Though the 2021 free agent class has been much-ballyhooed, especially in comparison to this year’s free agent class, Danny Leroux of The Athletic wonders whether next year’s class is really worth the hype.
- Unlike the 2019/20 season restart on the Disney World campus, the 2020/21 season will not employ a single, contained location to keep its players safe during the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated explores the risks associated with teams now traveling to all the league’s markets.
Florida Notes: Magic, Heat Draft, Free Agency
Magic assistant general manager Matt Lloyd spoke with Josh Robbins of The Athletic about his team’s 2020 NBA draft planning, addressing the challenges of limited in-person player evaluations, psychological assessments, and Zoom interviews.
“We’re not allowed to bring any of the players to Orlando this year,” Lloyd noted of the Magic’s limitations this offseason. “The NBA has said that each of the teams can make the decision to go to a draft prospect or go see a draft prospect work out. We’ve been in the advantageous position of having a couple (of prospects who) were within driving distance, and we took advantage of that.”
There’s more out of the Sunshine State:
- Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald examines what the Heat might gain by trading their 2020 first round draft pick, N0. 20, either for multiple future picks or for immediate veteran help. Jackson notes that a move for future draft equity could save the Heat $3MM, which could help clear the team’s coffers ahead of a loaded 2021 free agency window.
- After playing in the NBA Finals as recently as October 11, the Heat face an action-packed November ahead of the league’s December 22 restart, according to The Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang and Barry Jackson. The 71-day gap between seasons is the briefest in the history of the NBA, MLB, NFL, or NHL. The Heat will have to deal with six upcoming unrestricted free agents and a potential big extension for new All-Star Bam Adebayo.
- As we recently relayed, the Magic will need to assess all options for offseason roster improvement, from the draft to a litany of potential trades.
Central Notes: Winston, Pistons, McConnell, Avdija
Pistons general manager Troy Weaver is bullish on the NBA potential of second-round 2020 draft prospect Cassius Winston, a Michigan State guard, per Rod Beard of The Detroit News. “I’ve watched him throughout his career and I’ve been a big fan and hoping for the best,” Weaver said. “I think he has the spirit, that he’ll fight his way in, whether he gets drafted or not. I think he will give himself a great chance.”
Beard notes that Winston does not project to be a lottery pick, but could be drafted late in the first round on November 18. The Pistons currently own the No. 7 pick, but are among the several teams that could benefit from trading back.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press assesses five bargain free agents the Pistons could target using their room exception, including Kings center Harry Giles, Pacers shooting guard Justin Holiday, and veteran Magic point guard D.J. Augustin.
- Pacers backup point guard T.J. McConnell is on a $3.5MM non-guaranteed contract for the 2020/21 season. J Michael of the Indy Star posits that McConnell could remain a useful, cost-effective role player on what could be a feisty Indiana team. Alternately, the Pacers could buy McConnell out for $1MM to open up his spot on the roster.
- As we relayed earlier, 6’7″ swingman Deni Avdija is rumored to be a potential draft target for the Bulls with the fourth pick in this year’s draft.
Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Knicks, Wood, Nets
Ahead of the NBA draft, many top Raptors front office executives have temporarily relocated to Los Angeles, which is a fairly central locale for prospects and their agents, Josh Lewenberg of TSN reports. Because agents, many of whom are located on the West Coast generally and in L.A. specifically, are holding individual workouts for their player clients ahead of the draft, an L.A. residency made the most sense to Toronto brass.
The Raptors brain trust gathered in L.A. includes team president Masai Ujiri, GM Bobby Webster, assistant GM Dan Tolzman, and director of global scouting Patrick Engelbrecht. “You are just focusing more on skill set and conditioning and their level of preparation for that moment [in an individual workout,” Engelbrecht said. “But in terms of competitive nature, who is going to push through a drill, who is going to out-compete somebody else, yeah, those are things you are just not going to have a chance to see and you are going to have to rely more on your past scouting and in-game scouting you have done throughout the year.”
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- Engelbrecht highlighted the fact that he logged significant time assessing international prospects before the pandemic, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet. “I spent the entire month of January and half of February out of the U.S.,” Engelbrecht said during a Monday conference call. “It seems like right when the basketball world or the world shut down, I just had a fresh look at all those targets, all those prospects.”
- After a breakout season with the Pistons, free agent power forward Christian Wood is expected to be a top free agent target for the Knicks, per Ian Begley of SNY. When he became a full-time starter following the trade of Andre Drummond to the Cavaliers, Wood sported a stat line of 23 PPG and 10 RPG, while connecting on 40% of his attempts from behind the three-point line.
- As we relayed in a prior story, the Nets have officially announced their revamped coaching staff. Assistant coaches Mike D’Antoni and Ime Udoka and player development coach Amar’e Stoudemire are new hires for first-time head coach Steve Nash. They will be joined by 2019/20 holdovers Jacque Vaughn, Adam Harrington, Jordan Ott, and Tiago Splitter as assistant coaches, plus player development coordinator Ryan Forehan-Kelly.
Southeast Notes: Magic, Hornets, Wizards, Heat
The Magic have plenty of decisions to make this offseason as the team continues to build its roster. In a new mailbag, The Athletic’s Josh Robbins reflects on how the team may look to improve its personnel.
Robbins notes that finding shooters has not been a priority in the draft for Magic president of basketball Operations Jeff Weltman and general manager John Hammond, who in recent drafts have focused instead on adding athletic, lengthy prospects.
If the Magic plan to build around point guard Markelle Fultz, Robbins opines that it would behoove the team to at least look for a shooter in 2020 free agency. Robbins also stresses the import of trades to the Magic’s offseason.
There’s more out of the Southeast Division:
- As the Hornets look to grab a blue-chip prospect in this month’s NBA draft, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer considers what sort of trade package could enable Charlotte to move up from the third pick in the draft.
- With the ninth pick in the 2020 draft, the Wizards will have plenty of options at point guard. Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington and other Wizards analysts wonder if, with former All-Star John Wall on the roster, Washington should consider a player at that position, or if it would be better served looking to shore up its roster elsewhere. Wall has not played in an NBA game since December 26, 2018.
- As we previously relayed, the Heat are doing their due diligence ahead of the November draft. The team has the No. 20 pick this year, and has extended in-person workout invitations to Texas Tech guard Jahmi’us Ramsey and Kentucky guard Immanuel Quickley.