Lakers Granted Disabled Player Exception
The NBA has granted the Lakers a disabled player exception in response to the season-ending injury suffered by rookie Julius Randle on opening night, league sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The exception will be valued at half of Randle’s 2014/15 salary, meaning it will be worth $1,498,680, a figure worth slightly more than the minimum salary for a player with 10 or more years of experience. Los Angeles will have until March 10th to acquire a player whose pricetag fits into that allotment, whether it be through free agency or trade, but Stein hears that the organization isn’t in any rush to bring aboard a new player.
Of course, the Lakers will also be without Steve Nash for the remainder of the year, as we learned prior to opening night, and reports indicated that the club would be filing for a disabled player exception in wake of the 40-year-old’s injury as well. Stein passes along that the club is planning to explore the trade market for Nash’s $9.7MM expiring contract, but it’s unclear whether or not this means the Lakers have chosen to refrain from applying for a disabled player exception in wake of Nash’s injury. Before the NBA grants Los Angeles another disabled player exception for Nash, a league-approved doctor would need to verify the team’s prognosis that the guard will be sidelined for the entirety of the season.
Although Los Angeles’ roster currently stands at the league maximum of 15 players, they could waive the non-guaranteed deals of Wayne Ellington and Ronnie Price to make room for anyone they might sign as a result of their one or possibly two disabled player exceptions. Nick Young has yet to see the hardwood this season as a result of a thumb injury, but he’s set to make a return within a couple of weeks, so the team won’t be able to apply for a hardship provision which would allow them bring in a 16th player.
Knicks Notes: Shumpert, Free Agency, ‘Melo
Earlier tonight we took a look at the latest out of the Nets organization, so it only makes sense to round up what’s happening with the other team in New York. We’ll examine some notes on the 2-1 Knicks below:
- As expected, the Knicks and Iman Shumpert failed to reach an agreement on a rookie scale extension before the October 31st deadline passed, but the fourth-year guard is focused on helping New York win in the present rather than looking toward free agency next summer, as Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com transcribes. “I can’t think about [free agency]. We make the playoffs and I do what I’m supposed to do, things will happen,” said Shumpert. “I’m worried about winning games. Like I’ve said, that was the worst year of my life last year and I don’t ever want to feel that again.“
- After a tough 2013/14 campaign of his own, Carmelo Anthony has sympathy for Kobe Bryant‘s situation as stud player surrounded by a lackluster supporting cast, writes Fred Kerber of the New York Post. “It’s tough. Nobody wants to go through situations like that,” Anthony said. “I know Kobe. He’s going to do what he has to do to compete and win basketball games. Is it going to be hard? Yeah, it’s going to be hard. But in his eyes, I don’t think anything is impossible.“
- ‘Melo had positive remarks for the directions that the Knicks organization is heading, notes Scott Cacciola of the New York Times. Although the All-Star forward wouldn’t specifically identify any personnel changes he was particularly fond of, he has a sense that this season will end better than last year’s disastrous campaign. “From Day 1 last year, the energy was just not right,” Anthony said, “We looked at that, and the organization looked at that, and made some great changes in that direction… I’m not talking about no players, man. I’m just talking about as a whole.”
Mikhail Prokhorov On Nets Sale, Spending, Pierce
Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov spoke to reporters on Monday before Brooklyn’s matchup versus Oklahoma City, touching on a number of topics ranging from the most recent offseason to the future ownership of the Nets franchise. We’ll round up the highlights from the outspoken billionaire owner below (all links lead to Twitter):
- Rumors have indicated Prokhorov is interested in selling his majority stake of the Nets, but he insisted he wasn’t open to the idea of giving up control of the organization, reports Tim Bontemps of the New York Post. Despite his insistence, Prokhorov still said “it’s not bad to listen” to offers for the team, notes Bontemps.
- Rather than holding an angry disposition toward Jason Kidd, who pushed for a job with the Bucks in June, Prokhorov says he’s more interested in “getting even” with his team’s former head coach, passes along Andy Vasquez of The Record.
- The Nets lost a reported $144MM last season after spending an exorbitant amount of money on the luxury tax, but Prokhorov didn’t seem fazed by the total, observe Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman and Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. “It’s no big deal,” said Prokhorov in reference to his team’s 2013/14 deficit. “I’m ready to spend. We need success now but we also need to be building for the future.“
- Prokhorov doesn’t regret the acquisition of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, despite the latter’s departure in free agency this summer, as Vasquez relays. The reason the Nets decided to let Pierce walk, according to Prokhorov, was because the team wanted its young players to get more time on the floor, notes Mannix.
Poll: Which Extension Is Most Team-Friendly?
Teams around the NBA combined to hand out more than $450MM in rookie scale extensions this year, as Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors recently noted. Such a high figure isn’t overly surprising given the number of eligible candidates that there were, and the total would have been much higher if young talents like Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, and Tristan Thompson could have worked out deals with their respective clubs. Two players who inked extensions earned maximum salary pacts in Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving, with the former scoring a four-year deal and the latter receiving a five-year pact. Ricky Rubio put pen to paper on a four-year, $55MM contract with the Wolves just before the deadline after initially holding out for max money.
Some extensions were more surprising than others, like the four-year one Alec Burks worked out with the Jazz, which will net him about $10.5MM per year even though he’s never started more than 12 games in a given season. That dollar figure is much higher than the one Chuck predicted Burks would land, and so was the four-year, $48MM contract Kemba Walker signed with Hornets. Kenneth Faried agreed to a four-year, $50MM deal with the Nuggets, but big men often find a way to get paid handsomely, so neither his deal nor the four-year, $48MM one inked by Nikola Vucevic come as a total shock.
Not every new contract is worth such an lucrative amount, however, as Markieff and Marcus Morris reached four-year agreements with the Suns that will pay them average annual values of $8MM and $5MM, respectively. Smaller rookie-scale extensions aren’t typically the norm, but with the deals signed by the Morris twins, a total of three rookie scale extensions with average annual values of less then $10MM have been signed in the last two years (Quincy Pondexter is the other recipient of such a contract; he inked a four-year, $14MM extension with the Grizzlies in 2013).
Which of these rookie scale extensions do you think will end up being the best deal in the long term? Any one of these contracts could end up being unquestionably team-friendly, but just as easily, any of them could end up looking like poor decisions a few years down the road. It’s hard to predict how guys will develop as players, which is the deciding factor on how these extensions will eventually be judged, but we want to hear your thoughts. Vote below and share your reasoning in the comments section as to why you made your selection!
Mavs Release Eric Griffin
TUESDAY, 11:07am: The move is official, the team announced via press release.
MONDAY, 11:29pm: The Mavs have waived swingman Eric Griffin, reports Shams Charania of Real GM (on Twitter). Griffin was on a partially guaranteed, thee-year deal worth $150K, so he won’t be walking away from Dallas completely empty handed. The 24-year-old has yet to appear in an NBA game after going undrafted out of Campbell in 2012.
Griffin appeared to be a long-shot to make the Mavs out of camp, given that the team has 15 guaranteed deals on their books as well as an apparent fondness for Charlie Villanueva, who’s with Dallas on a partially guaranteed arrangement.
Once the Mavs officially cut ties with Griffin, their roster will feature four players with partially or non-guaranteed pacts. As the October 27th deadline to trim rosters down to 15 players continues to approach, it seems unlikely any of them stick around for opening night.
Atlantic Notes: Garnett, Knicks, Sixers, Wallace
Kevin Garnett, who’s gearing up for his 20th NBA season, is entering the final year of a deal that will pay him $12MM, and Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders lists the Nets big man as one of ten players he thinks will be retiring sooner rather than later. Taylor thinks that Garnett’s age and expiring contract more than likely mean this is last season The Big Ticket will play in the league. Here’s more from the Atlantic..
- Knicks second-rounder Thanasis Antetokounmpo turned down lucrative offers from overseas in order to display his skills stateside with New York’s D-League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks. His younger brother, Giannis Antetokounmpo, originally thought heading to Europe might have been the more sensible decision, as Marc Berman of the New York Post details. “I was the first one to tell him: ‘Maybe it’s better for you to go overseas and get some money,’” Giannis said. “He said no. His dream is to play in the NBA, stay here. I’m happy with that.’’
- Sixers coach Brett Brown mentioned the possibility of the D-League when asked about Ronald Roberts Jr., tweets Tom Moore of Calkins Media. Roberts is with Philly on a partially guaranteed pact, so Brown’s comments might indicate the team is interested in waiving the injured 23-year-old before the season begins to preserve his D-League rights.
- At 32 years old, it’s safe to say Gerald Wallace is past his prime, but he’s interested in playing whatever role the Celtics need him to, observes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. “Whatever the team needs me to do,” Wallace said. “Whatever coach (Brad Stevens) needs me to do. We’ve already talked about it. I’m in a position where I’m comfortable with it.” Boston was rumored to have been shopping Wallace last season around the trade deadline, but he’s reportedly happy to be hanging around in green.
Southwest Notes: Pelicans, Togashi, Mavs, Asik
With Tyreke Evans‘ spot as a starter for the Pelicans all but assured, Darius Miller, Luke Babbitt, and John Salmons are all essentially competing to make the roster and land the reserve small forward role, observes Jimmy Smith of the Times-Picayune. Given that Salmons is the only member of the trio with a fully guaranteed deal, he might be the early favorite to secure the backup spot. Still, it’s too early dismiss Miller and Babbitt’s chances to make the team, since both players have contracts featuring partial guarantees on a New Orleans roster carrying just 12 completely guaranteed pacts. It wouldn’t be surprising if all three of the wings in question find themselves on the club past opening night. As we wait to see how the Pelicans’ roster shapes up, let’s look at more from the Southwest:
- The Mavs will officially sign Yuki Togashi after he passes his physical today, reveals Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News, who adds that Togashi will be waived before the regular season begins, allowing Dallas to retain his D-League rights going forward. We passed along that the two sides were set on a deal last week and suspected that Togashi was a long-shot to make the opening night roster.
- Charlie Villanueva‘s strong play in camp means one of the 15 guaranteed contracts on the Mavs’ roster might be waived in order to make room for the big man. Sefko takes a look at the players who seemingly have the greatest chance of being cut before opening night rolls around.
- The Pelicans and Rockets squared off in a preseason matchup tonight, marking the first time Omer Asik faced his old team since being traded away in July. Although the big man was involved in trade rumors for much of the season and summer, Rockets coach Kevin McHale confessed he’ll miss having big man around this season, tweets Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
- Nate Duncan of Basketball Insiders examines the pros and cons of locking up Kawhi Leonard to a rookie scale extension versus waiting until restricted free agency to work out a new deal. The Basketball Insiders scribe concludes that it would be the in San Antonio’s best interest to wait until the summer of 2015 to re-sign the reigning Finals MVP.
Eastern Notes: Allen, Stevens, Celtics, Magic
Here’s tonight’s look at the latest from the Eastern Conference, where we’ve rounded up a bit from each division out east:
- Jason Kidd indicated that the team had sincere interest in bringing free agent Ray Allen to the Bucks, writes Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel. “We did contact Ray,” Kidd admitted. “He’s weighing his options to see where he wants to go. But we did have interest.” Allen started his career in Milwaukee before getting traded for Gary Payton during his seventh season as a Buck.
- Brad Stevens is making a conscious effort to more closely align the playbooks of the Celtics and their the D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, as the second-year coach explains to ESPNBoston.com’s Chris Forsberg. “We’re trying to make [the playbook synergy] even more of a priority this year,” Stevens said. “I didn’t do a great job of that as I was balancing everything [last season]. [Red Claws coach Morrison Scott] has been here now for, really, the better part of [two months]. He’s been able to learn what we’re doing and they’ll play very similar to us.”
- The Magic‘s decision to trade away a pair of first-rounders just to move up two spots in June’s draft looked questionable at the time, but early returns from Elfrid Payton, the player Orlando selected with that pick, are making GM Rob Hennigan look brilliant, opines Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel.
Chris Crouse contributed to this post.
Atlantic Notes: Calderon, Williams, Nets, Jack
Over 50% of Hoops Rumors readers think that Raptors have the best shot at winning the Atlantic Division this season, and Toronto certainly looked impressive tonight as they bested the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. We’ll round up the latest on the Knicks, Raptors, and Nets below in tonight’s look at the Atlantic..
- Jose Calderon spent his first seven-and-a-half seasons in the NBA as a member of the Raptors, but after a spending a year in Dallas, he’s happy to return to the Atlantic Division and kick off his tenure with the Knicks. “It’s been great,” Calderon told Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun, “(Derek Fisher projects the) confidence that he’s been coaching for years now, I like that, I think everybody’s comfortable with him, but now it’s going to be about timing. New (Triangle) system, new game, new players, new coaching staff, so you need some time, but we’re on the right path we’ve got to keep going.”
- David Aldridge of TNT complies a list of 10 under-the-radar players who might be poised for breakout seasons. Among those on the list is recently acquired Raptors guard Lou Williams. The 27-year-old is looking for a bounce back year after struggling to recover from a torn ACL in Atlanta last season.
- Joe Johnson is excited about the Nets’ offseason acquisition of Jarrett Jack, as Robert Windrem of Nets Daily transcribes. “I think Jarrett’s probably going to be one of the biggest X-factors for this team,” said Johnson. “I think he’s very underrated, a guy that can do multiple things, as far as catch and shoot, shooting off the dribble, create, defending, another ball handler who can break down the defense. So I think it’s only a plus for us, man. I was excited when we got him.“
Western Notes: Mozgov, Spurs, Calathes, Scott
Teams asked the Nuggets about potential trades for Timofey Mozgov last winter and throughout the summer, writes Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post, indicating that the Cavs aren’t the only opposing club interested in the 7-footer. While Mozgov remains in Denver for the time being, the Nuggets’ frontcourt depth might mean the club is willing to ship him away for a lucrative enough return. As we wait and see if Mozgov remains in blue and gold, let’s round up the latest from out west:
- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich indicated that camp invitees Bryce Cotton, Josh Davis, and JaMychal Green are likely to remain with the team through the preseason, tweets Jeff McDonald of the Express-News.
- Chris Herrington of The Commercial Appeal doesn’t necessarily see the Grizzlies signing a fourth point guard for depth while Nick Calathes is out with a 13 game suspension. If Memphis does decide to carry a 15th player into the season, however, a one-guard would be the most likely choice. Herrington adds that he’d like to see what Jon Leuer and Jarnell Stokes can do with Kosta Koufos headed towards free agency.
- Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report chronicles the events that culminated in the Lakers’ decision to hire new coach Byron Scott. Ding opines that the extensive history Scott has with the franchise will mesh well with Los Angeles’ young cast of players, making him an exceptional hire for the Lakers.
Chuck Myron and Zach Links contributed to this post.