Rajon Rondo Suffers Sports Hernia
The Pelicans could be without Rajon Rondo to start the 2017/18 campaign. As William Guillory of The Times-Picayune writes, on Sunday it was announced that the veteran guard has suffered a sports hernia.
While Guillory says that the Pelicans won’t know whether their point guard needs surgery before he meets with a specialist on Monday, Scott Kushner of the New Orleans Advocate tweets that his sources say the initial expectation is that Rondo will miss about a month.
The Pelicans signed Rondo to a one-year deal in July, he is expected to serve as the club’s starting point guard with incumbent Jrue Holiday sliding over to the shooting guard position.
2017 Offseason In Review: Memphis Grizzlies
Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2017 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s moves from the last several months and look ahead to what the 2017/18 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Memphis Grizzlies.
Signings:
- JaMychal Green: Two years, $16.4MM.
- Ben McLemore: Two years, $10.66MM.
- Tyreke Evans: One year, $3.29MM.
- Wayne Selden: Two years, minimum salary. Second year partially guaranteed ($772K).
- Kobi Simmons: Two-way contract. Two years. $50K guaranteed in each season.
- Vince Hunter: Two-way contract. Two years. $50K guaranteed.
Camp invitees:
- Mario Chalmers: One year, minimum salary. Partially guaranteed ($25K).
- Jeremy Morgan: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract. (Waived)
- Durand Scott: One year, minimum salary. Exact details not yet known.
Trades:
- Acquired the draft rights to Ivan Rabb (No. 35 pick) from the Magic in exchange for the Nets’ 2019 second-round pick.
- Acquired the draft rights to Dillon Brooks (No. 45 pick) from the Rockets in exchange for a 2018 second-round pick.
- Note: 2018 second-rounder will be the least favorable of the Grizzlies’, Hornets’, and Heat’s picks.
- Acquired the Suns’ 2018 second-round pick (top-55 protected) from the Suns in exchange for Troy Daniels and a 2018 second-round pick.
- Note: 2018 second-rounder will be second-most favorable of the Grizzlies’, Hornets’, and Heat’s picks.
Draft picks:
- 2-35: Ivan Rabb — Signed to three-year, $3.947MM contract. Third-year team option.
- 2-45: Dillon Brooks — Signed to three-year, minimum salary contract. Third year non-guaranteed.
Draft-and-stash signings:
- Rade Zagorac (2016; No. 35) — Signed to three-year, $3.947MM contract. Third-year team option.
Departing players:
- Tony Allen
- Vince Carter
- Troy Daniels
- Zach Randolph
Other offseason news:
- Hired Tayshaun Prince as special assistant to GM Chris Wallace.
- Ben McLemore expected to be out until November with foot injury.
- Introduced new G League expansion team, the Memphis Hustle.
- Changes to ownership structure are possible.
Salary cap situation:
- Operating over the cap, but under the tax. Hard-capped. Carrying approximately $110.5MM in guaranteed salaries. Approximately $490K of mid-level exception still available. Otherwise, only minimum salary exception available.
Check out the Memphis Grizzlies’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.
Story of the summer:
The Grizzlies faced a few difficult questions this summer and made the rational decision to let some of their most beloved veterans walk. It wouldn’t have been financially prudent to chase Zach Randolph or Vince Carter, and even bringing back Tony Allen would have limited the club’s flexibility heading forward.
If that means that the Grizzlies have come to grips with their reality as a good-but-not-great team in the West, then they can start trying other things to get over the hump.
The Grizzlies didn’t just sit idly by as their veterans signed contracts elsewhere — they strung together a series of investments in players that could use a fresh start. Considering that Memphis’ de facto calling card has been bringing out the best in underrated players, additions like those of Tyreke Evans and even Ben McLemore could end up looking particularly savvy once they’ve been exposed to the franchise’s successful system.
Hawks Waive John Jenkins, Jordan Mathews
The Hawks have requested waivers on John Jenkins and Jordan Mathews, Marc Spears of ESPN tweets. The moves will bring Atlanta’s current roster count down to 18.
Neither player got a particularly long look with the franchise but they had their work cut out for them navigating the club’s backcourt depth chart either way.
While Jenkins has bounced around in the NBA over the past few seasons, Mathews was auditioning for the club as an undrafted rookie out of Gonzaga.
The brief tenure with the Hawks was actually Jenkins’ second, the guard having been drafted by Atlanta back in 2012. Unfortunately for the Tennessee native, he won’t stick with the squad this time around. In 145 career games in the NBA, Jenkins has averaged 5.1 points per game.
Trail Blazers Notes: Turner, Morrow, McCollum
If preseason is any indication thus far, the Trail Blazers may benefit more from Evan Turner‘s versatility this year, Mike Richman of The Oregonian writes.. The point forward brought the ball up the court off the jump in the club’s first exhibition game of the year.
“One of the things is to take advantage of his ball handling and make it a little less taxing for Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum,” head coach Terry Stotts said. “That’s something we want to do better this year than we did last year.”
Turner was heralded for his versatility and ability to handle the ball coming out of Ohio State but has settled into a role as an NBA swingman. If he can get comfortable initiating the team’s offense as a playmaker, it frees the club’s star backcourt up to work off the ball.
“When it comes down to it you got two sharpshooters,” Turner said. “When I have to run the offense I’m passing to two of the better shooters in the world. So, of course, it makes it a tad bit easier and opens things up.”
There’s more Trail Blazers news:
- It seems likely that Anthony Morrow will make the team, Jason Quick of NBC Sports Northwest writes. The 32-year-old has demonstrated his ability to fill the net from beyond the arc through preseason, a coveted skill for any franchise.
- The Blazers were happy to rid themselves of Allen Crabbe‘s contract but the forward was one of their third best three-point shooters. Reserve point guards Pat Connaughton and Shabazz Napier are first in line to inherit Crabbe’s previous role, Joe Freeman of The Oregonian writes.
- Guard C.J. McCollum has announced a partnership with Chinese shoe company Li-Ning, the 26-year-old announced on Instagram. The company has previously had partnerships with Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal.
And-Ones: Pay Cuts, Rookies, Returning Rights
The idea of an NBA player taking a pay cut in order to help a franchise save funds for other players is a noble one but it doesn’t always work out for the individuals who sign at a discount, Steve Kyler or Basketball Insiders writes.
Most recently, Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson was asked if he would consider taking less pay when he hits free agency in the summer of 2019, like his teammate Kevin Durant did this summer.
“I probably could, yeah. That much? I don’t know. I don’t make as much as Kevin off the court,” Thompson told The Athletic. “If it’s a few million… It’s a blessing whatever contract I sign. I would definitely consider it cause I don’t want to lose anybody.”
Kyler discusses several cases of players who took pay cuts to play for a winner only to see that shot at a title quickly fade. Back in 2015, David West left eight digits on the table in order to chase a ring with the Spurs but ultimately came up short. The following summer he had to sign on with the Warriors instead, in order to take home a championship.
Jameer Nelson is another striking example of what can go wrong for a player. Nelson was bought out by the Magic in the summer of 2014 and turned around to sign at a discount with the Mavs. Dallas, however, shipped the veteran guard off less than two months into the 2014/15 campaign in the deal that landed them Rajon Rondo.
Of course there are success stories and Kyler references both Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade taking pay cuts to appease franchises that have supported them over the course of their careers. Tim Duncan is another example of a superstar that happily left money on the table in order to preserve the Spurs‘ financial flexibility.
There’s more from around the NBA:
- While it’s only natural to get excited about the potential of the point guards at the top of the 2017 NBA Draft, don’t expect them to steamroll their way through the league right away. Kevin Pelton of ESPN (Insider) took a deep dive into the statistical projections of players like Lonzo Ball, Markelle Fultz and Dennis Smith Jr. only to conclude that genuinely performing as a Top 100 player in the NBA is exceedingly difficult for a first-year guard.
- The NBA’s age limit has been a common talking point ever since it was implemented last decade but change could be inevitable, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders writes. The scribe writes that the prohibition of traditional high school seniors in the NBA draft isn’t about skill but rather about maturity. He also highlights the fact that many of the eligibility rules related to the NCAA-to-NBA pipeline come from the NCAA and not from the big league, itself.
- Ever wonder what G League writers like Chris Reichert of 2 Ways, 10 Days are talking about when they refer to players’ returning rights? Consider the following an introduction to the contract mechanism and a crash course in who the most valuable players to whom returning rights apply currently are.
Pacific Notes: Clippers, Mason, Warren
The Clippers will rely more heavily on DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin than usual this season, the long-tenured frontcourt pairing will assume extra leadership duties in the wake of the trade that sent Chris Paul to the Rockets, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes.
“The roles absolutely changed out of necessity,” Griffin, who has already logged eight seasons with the Clippers, said. “Anytime you lose somebody like CP, everybody has to step up. I know DJ and I have talked about it all summer and we’re excited about that challenge.”
The forthcoming 2017/18 campaign will be a particularly important one for Jordan. This season, the center will become the longest tenured players in Clippers franchise history, having suited up in blue and red for 10 seasons. Jordan slides past former Clips guard Eric Piatkowski who played for the team from 1994-2003.
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- He may not be the most talked about Kings rookie at the point guard position but Frank Mason is ready to produce in his first season in the NBA, Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee writes. The 23-year-old played four seasons at Kansas and is ready to bring his fast, aggressive style of play to the next level.
- According to Basketball Insiders, the base value of T.J. Warren‘s four-year contract extension with the Suns is worth $47MM (as opposed to the $50MM that was initially reported). The difference could be comprised of contract incentives, although that’s merely our speculation.
- The Warriors‘ new arena in San Francisco is schedule to open in time for the 2019/20 season. The franchise has recently submitted a bid to hold an All-Star Game there, Chris Haynes and Marc Spears of ESPN write. Sources tell them that the earliest the bid could be for is the 2021 All-Star Game.
Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Knicks, McKinnie
Healthy and, in his mind, ready to play in actual game situations, Sixers star Joel Embiid is itching to suit up for a preseason contest, Sarah Todd and Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer write. That may not necessarily happen soon, however.
“I would like to play preseason because last year it helped me get in a groove,” Embiid said.
The 23-year-old big man has been held out of the Sixers’ first two preseason games despite the fact that he’s been cleared for full-court, 5-on-5 action. The team has expressed a desire to work slowly with the center who played just 31 games last season and isn’t ready to pinpoint an exact return date yet.
In scrimmages through training camp, the 2016/17 Rookie of the Year candidate has shown what he’s capable of as a fearsome interior defender and sharp-shooting big man.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- With the Carmelo Anthony trade now in the rearview mirror, the Knicks are embarking on their own version of The Process, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. “You try to not sacrifice what you’re trying to do to build just to win some games. Obviously you want to win, but you have to find that balance,” head coach Jeff Hornacek said. “You can’t get frustrated. You got to keep the team going, and when teams are going through that process, it’s hard, but you got to stay positive.”
- There are several big name additions to the Celtics but one of the team’s wildcards this year could be backup point guard Terry Rozier, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston writes. The reserve will see an opportunity to shine in light of the trade that sent Avery Bradley to the Pistons.
- A solid preseason has helped Alfonzo McKinnie make a case for staying with the Raptors through the regular season, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun writes. The forward has looked far more advanced than perennial project Bruno Caboclo and will be able to be locked up at an affordable rate.
And-Ones: International Expansion, Season Length, Seeding
The limitations of existing air travel technology will prevent any major international expansion, Sam Amick of USA Today writes. While the league has enjoyed success hosting the occasional event in China, there’s just no logical way to incorporate such an ambitious expansion considering how long it would take, and how taxing it would be to send teams back and forth between North America and Asia.
Of course that hasn’t ruled out league commissioner Adam Silver from at least being open to the idea if, or perhaps when, existing airline technology changes. Currently a flight from the West Coast to China takes 14 hours. Entrepreneurs like Elon Musk are hard at work trying to innovate feasible ways of moving people across the globe quicker and more efficiently.
“We can play games in China and Europe, or occasional preseason games as a one-off,” Silver said. “But under existing airline technology, the planes aren’t fast enough to at least play in the current frame work of our regular season.”
A more realistic option for international expansion would involve Mexico City. Travelling to Mexico is far more practical, although political and financial hurdles remain. Silver cites the success of the league’s international expansion north into Canada as proof that such change is at least possible.
There’s more from around the league:
- In the same article, Sam Amick of USA Today writes that NBA commissioner Adam Silver doesn’t necessarily consider the 82-game season to be set in stone. “There’s nothing magical about 82 games,” Silver said. “It’s been in place for 50 years, but for the long-term planning of the league, as we learn more about the human body and the wear and tear of travel and the competitive landscape … invariably we’ll look at the regular season.“
- With the first season in the books, the Big3 has turned its attention to next year, bringing back a number of players from the inaugural campaign. A press release on the league’s official site mentions that a batch of players, including league MVP Rashard Lewis, have already signed on to return in 2018.
- The NBA’s willingness to shake up the All-Star Game format could imply that they’d consider changing how seeding in the playoffs works, Nick Friedell of ESPN writes, although there’s no indication that any change is imminent.
2017 Offseason In Review: Atlanta Hawks
Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2017 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s moves from the last several months and look ahead to what the 2017/18 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Atlanta Hawks.
Signings:
- Dewayne Dedmon: Two years, $12.3MM. Second-year player option.
- Mike Muscala: Two years, $10MM. Second-year player option.
- Ersan Ilyasova: One year, $6MM.
- Luke Babbitt: One year, minimum salary. Partially guaranteed ($987K).
- Josh Magette: Two-way contract. One year. $50K guaranteed.
Camp invitees:
- Quinn Cook: Two years, minimum salary. First year partially guaranteed ($100K).
- Tyler Cavanaugh: One year, minimum salary. Partially guaranteed ($50K).
- Jeremy Evans: One year, minimum salary. Partially guaranteed ($50K).
- Jordan Mathews: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10.
- John Jenkins: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract with exhibit nine.
Waiver claims:
- Claimed Nicolas Brussino off waivers from the Mavericks.
Trades:
- Acquired Miles Plumlee, Marco Belinelli and the No. 41 overall pick from the Hornets in exchange for Dwight Howard and the No. 31 overall pick.
- Acquired cash ($75K) from the Rockets in exchange for Ryan Kelly.
- Acquired Jamal Crawford, Diamond Stone, the Rockets’ 2018 first-round pick (top-three protected), and cash ($1.3MM) in a three-way trade with the Clippers and Nuggets in exchange for the Wizards’ 2019 second-round pick.
- Notes: Wizards’ 2019 second-round pick sent to Nuggets; Crawford and Stone later waived.
- Acquired DeAndre Liggins and cash ($100K) from the Clippers in exchange for the Hawks’ own 2018 second-round pick (top-55 protected).
- Note: Liggins later waived.
Draft picks:
- 1-19: John Collins — Signed to rookie contract.
- 2-41: Tyler Dorsey — Signed to two-year, minimum salary contract.
- 2-60: Alpha Kaba — Stashed overseas.
Departing players:
- Jose Calderon
- Mike Dunleavy (waived)
- Tim Hardaway Jr.
- Dwight Howard
- Kris Humphries
- Ryan Kelly
- Paul Millsap
- Thabo Sefolosha
Other offseason news:
- Restructured front office, removing president of basketball operations title from Mike Budenholzer and re-assigning GM Wes Wilcox to special advisor role.
- Hired Warriors executive Travis Schlenk to be new general manager.
- Introduced new G League expansion team, the Erie BayHawks.
- Dennis Schroder arrested on battery charge.
Salary cap situation:
- Operating under the cap, but over the salary floor. Can create $4MM+ in cap room. Carrying approximately $94.2MM in guaranteed salaries. Room exception ($4.328MM) still available.
Check out the Atlanta Hawks’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.
Story of the summer:
After waffling on the idea of a full-on rebuild for at least a season, the Hawks finally dove in and accepted their fate. The franchise also shook up their front office, relieving head coach Mike Budenholzer of his executive duties and appointing Travis Schlenk the new general manager of the squad.
The fresh slate could serve the organization well as it had become abundantly clear that the lingering remnants of the Hawks team that won 60 games in 2014/15 just weren’t going to cut it as a contender in the current NBA landscape.
Put simply, the Hawks managed to get through the first summer of transition unscathed, with Schlenk’s staff wisely letting veterans Paul Millsap and Tim Hardaway Jr. pursue monster deals elsewhere. It’ll be a long road back to the top, sure, but they have to start somewhere.
Grizz Sign Durand Scott, Waive Jeremy Morgan
The Grizzlies have signed guard Durand Scott, the club announced in a press release on Thursday night. They’ve also waived guard Jeremy Morgan, who they originally signed back in July.
Scott went undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft and has been playing international ball ever since. Just last year, the 27-year-old posted 14.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game for Enel Brindisi of the Italian League.
Morgan, an undrafted signee from the 2017 NBA Draft class, exits having been used sparingly in Memphis’ two preseason games thus far.