Five Key Offseason Questions: Los Angeles Clippers
“What if” is a question we often ask in sports. What if the Blazers had drafted Michael Jordan? What if Amar’e Stoudemire and Boris Diaw had been available for Game 5 of the 2007 Western Conference Finals? What if the Wolves hadn’t passed on Stephen Curry (twice!)? What if the Lakers had officially acquired Chris Paul? One can easily wander down one of the many “what if” roads throughout NBA history.
The Paul-era Clippers represent another “what if” avenue. What if the club hadn’t been plagued with such bad injury luck? Would this team have a title? Would it be blasphemous to talk about breaking up the Clippers’ core when Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan remain very much in their primes? Perhaps we’re watching Griffin in awe, debating where he ranks among the all-time great big men in league history. Yet, as with all of the NBA’s “what if” quandaries, they simply are not reality.
The 2016/17 season provided another gruesome chapter in the Lob City era. Another injury to Griffin crushed any hope the club had of stealing a title from the Warriors or Cavs. The organization faces an inflection point this summer and it must determine whether or not its collection of talent can compete at the highest level.
Here are five questions facing the Clippers as they enter the offseason…
1. Can the Clippers re-sign Chris Paul?
The Clippers have a massive advantage over rival teams when it comes to re-signing Paul. The CBA will allow the franchise to give Paul a five-year, max deal, something that wasn’t always available for players in his age bracket. In the previous CBA, players could not sign max contracts that ran past their 36th birthday. That threshold has been extended to 38, which gives the Los Angeles the ability give the 32-year-old a five-year, deal worth a projected $205MM+. The most any other team can offer is four years and an estimated $152MM.
While Paul may take meetings with other clubs, it’s unlikely he plays for any team besides the Clippers. Reports of a verbal agreement in place have been swirling since mid-season and a source told Mitch Lawrence of Forbes prior to the postseason that the deal is “all done, with a wink and a nod.”
Team president Doc Rivers‘ top priority this offseason will be bringing back the chronically underrated point guard. It appears that task is already in hand, which will allow the front office to determine the next steps this offseason.
Hawks Made Strong Push For Paul George At Trade Deadline
The Hawks presented the Pacers with an offer that included four first-round picks in exchange for Paul George at this season’s trade deadline, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com reports. The scribe adds that multiple teams reached out to Indiana in an attempt to add the four-time All-Star.
Earlier today, the NBA announced it All-NBA teams and since George did not earn the honor of being named to one, he will not be eligible to sign a designated player extension this summer. He has two seasons left on his current deal, though he can opt to become a free agent next offseason.
The Lakers are confident they can sign George next summer, though the chances of him coming to L.A. could decrease if he’s dealt to a winning team. George told Indiana’s new team president Kevin Pritchard that he could see himself having a long-term future with the Pacers, but only if they are contenders. A team like Atlanta is arguably closer to contending than Indiana is.
The Hawks have all their future draft picks and they own Cleveland’s 2019 first-round selection as a result of the Kyle Korver deal and Minnesota’s 2018 selection via the Adreian Payne trade. With those extra picks in hand, Atlanta could’ve offered various combinations while still adhering to the Ted Stepien rule, which prevents teams from shedding consecutive future first-round picks.
Celtics To Prioritize Gordon Hayward In Free Agency
The Celtics have the assets to pull off a trade for a star this summer, though the team is focusing its attention on the free agent market with the hopes landing Gordon Hayward, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports (video link). Wojnarowski notes that Boston could have a better idea of where it stands with Hayward leading up to the draft.
Hayward didn’t make an All-NBA team, which means he won’t be eligible for the new designated player extension. That marginalizes the advantage that the Jazz have in re-signing the 27-year-old and it could open the door for another team to pry him from Utah. Celtics coach Brad Stevens recruited and coached Hayward at Butler University prior to making the jump to the professional ranks.
Boston has just under $62MM in guaranteed salary on the books next season against a projected $101MM salary cap. However, that total doesn’t include a $7MM+ cap hold for the No. 1 overall pick or a $7.7MM+ cap hold for restricted free agent Kelly Olynyk, so the team may have to get creative to open up space for a maximum salary contract.
Draft Notes: Smith Jr., Kapita, Motley
Dennis Smith Jr. is drawing interest from several lottery teams, Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog reports. The Knicks, Sixers, Wolves, and Kings have all reached out to the point guard to set up a workout. Smith is projected to be one of the top point guards taken on June 22 with Draft Express’ Jonathan Givony ranking him as the fourth-best player at the position and seventh-best player overall.
Here’s more on the upcoming draft:
- Ted Kapita will likely sign an agent and remain in the draft, according to Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The big man scored just 4.3 points in 12.6 minutes per game during his lone season at North Carolina State.
- Johnathan Motley has signed an agent and will remain in the draft, John Werner of the Waco Tribune-Herald relays. Givony has Motley as the 40th best prospect in the draft.
- Christian Wilson has withdrawn from the draft, Jon Rothstein of Fan Rag passes along. Wilson did not play at all last season for the University of Texas at San Antonio due to an arrest.
- Jaaron Simmons, who graduated from the University of Ohio, will withdraw from the draft and play for Michigan, Brendan F. Quinn of Mlive.com reports Simmons will attempt to increase his stock with another collegiate season and Quinn notes that turnovers could be an area that the guard will look to improve. Simmons has 4.0 turnovers per contest last season.
- Oregon State’s Stephen Thompson Jr. has withdrawn his name from the draft, according to Danny Moran of The Oregonian. The guard averaged 16.3 points per game as a sophomore last season.
Community Shootaround: All-NBA Teams
The league announced the All-NBA teams for the 2016/17 season and we broke down the financial ramifications of the honors earlier today. Here are the players deemed worthy of being named All-NBA:
All-NBA First Team
- Guard: Russell Westbrook (Thunder)
- Guard: James Harden (Rockets)
- Forward: LeBron James (Cavaliers)
- Forward: Kawhi Leonard (Spurs)
- Center: Anthony Davis (Pelicans)
All-NBA Second Team
- Guard: Stephen Curry (Warriors)
- Guard: Isaiah Thomas (Celtics)
- Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
- Forward: Kevin Durant (Warriors)
- Center: Rudy Gobert (Jazz)
All-NBA Third Team
- Guard: John Wall (Wizards)
- Guard: DeMar DeRozan (Raptors)
- Forward: Jimmy Butler (Bulls)
- Forward: Draymond Green (Warriors)
- Center: DeAndre Jordan (Clippers)
Tonight’s topic is simple: Do you believe the voters got all 15 selections correct? If not, what is your biggest issue with the list?
DeMar DeRozan was not among the players on my All-NBA teams; I had Chris Paul as my sixth guard. The 32-year-old point guard put together one of his most effective seasons as a pro, leading the league in ESPN’s Real Plus/Minus. He made 47.6% of his shots from the field, including 41.1% of his 302 attempts from behind the arc. He sported a player efficiency rating of 26.2 and record 118 steals. He topped DeRozan in all those categories and despite playing 13 fewer games, he edged Toronto’s shooting guard in win shares as well as NBAMath’s Total Points Added metric.
DeRozan certainly had a great season and while his inclusion is not egregious, when talking about the best of the best, we must nitpick and split hairs to sort talent. Out of all the players who missed the cut, Paul probably has the biggest gripe (although, Draymond Green will tell you that Klay Thompson holds that distinction).
Tell us what you think. Did the voters get it right or should Paul, Thompson or someone else be on one of the All-NBA teams? Let us know in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!
Mavericks Notes: Holiday, Draft, Isaac
Dallas will reportedly pursue Jrue Holiday in free agency this summer, though, as Luke Adams of Hoop Rumors noted earlier today, fitting in a max-salary contract will require the front office to make some changes. The Mavericks have nearly $60MM in guaranteed salaries on the books, a figure which does not include Dirk Nowitzki‘s $25MM team option.
Nowitzki has previously taken a discount to help the club, though it’s unclear if he’s willing to make a similar sacrifice this offseason. Dallas could simply opt not to pick up the future Hall of Famer’s option, but it’s likely that the power forward is involved in any decision that the team makes. Adding Holiday wouldn’t make the team a title contender, but it would certainly increase the team’s chances at making the postseason and perhaps Nowitzki strives for that reachable goal.
The UCLA product is just two years older than Harrison Barnes and building around those two players, along with 23-year-old Nerlens Noel and their 2017 first-round draft pick, makes for a sound strategy. It’s worth noting that Noel will be a restricted free agent in July. However, I suspect that the team will come to a verbal agreement with the center, use its available cap space to bring in talent, and then circle back to signing Noel akin to how Detroit handled Andre Drummond‘s restricted free agency last summer. That’s merely speculation, yet it’s the route that would allow the Mavericks to maximize their resources.
As we wait to see what additions the team will make, check out some notes from Dallas:
- The Mavericks believe Barnes can be the team’s power forward once Nowitzki retires, so the team should look to avoid drafting a four, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News argues. Sefko notes that there are not many power forwards ranked high enough to take at No. 9, so it may not be an issue for the team.
- Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News believes the Mavericks can’t pass up on Jonathan Isaac should he slide to No. 9 in the draft. The scribe notes while Dallas needs point guard help, it could use talent anywhere and it should simply take the best player available.
- The Mavericks tanked late in the season and it didn’t work out as well as they planned, Sefko writes in a separate piece writes. Sefko notes that the team won its final regular season game, something that cost the team at least one spot in the draft.
Lakers Confident They Can Sign Paul George?
The Lakers landed the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s lottery and it brought speculation that the team could send it to Indiana for Paul George. However, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (video link) hears that George would prefer the Lakers to keep their assets since it would allow them to be a better team come next summer when George can be a free agent.
Wojnarowski added that the Lakers are confident that they can sign George and the team is being encouraged not to make a trade for him. It’s unclear exactly who is feeding Los Angeles this information, but it sounds as if someone from George’s camp reached out to the team.
George did not make an All-NBA team this season, meaning he is not eligible for the new designated player extension. He could earn that super max deal with the Pacers should he make an All-NBA team next year, something that would give Indiana an advantage in keeping him on the squad. The awards aren’t announced until after the season, which would leave the team with less than two months to negotiate a new deal since George is likely to opt out of his current deal next July.
New team president Kevin Pritchard may not want to wait and risk losing the organization’s best player for nothing, so a trade with the Lakers or another team remains a possibility. The franchise still has the ability to offer George more years and money than any rival team, though the advantage isn’t as significant as it would be with the designated player extension as an option.
Draft Notes: Fall, Jones, Haas
Tacko Fall had a workout with the Magic today. He will work out for the Jazz and he may schedule one with the Rockets as well, according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter links). The University of Central Florida center has previously worked out for the Celtics.
Fall is testing the draft waters but has until May 24 to make a final decision. The 7’6″ big man is the 92nd best prospect in the upcoming draft, according to Jonathan Givony of Draft Express.
Here’s more on upcoming draft:
- Andrew Jones is leaning toward staying at Texas for another season, sources tell Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Givony has Jones as his 54th best prospect.
- Isaac Haas will return to Purdue for his senior season, the university announced on its website. “After going through the NBA evaluations and workouts with multiple teams, I have had many long discussions with my family and the Purdue coaching staff. We came to the decision that it’s best that I come back to Purdue and help bring Purdue to a better place than last year for my senior year,” Haas said.
- BYU’s Eric Mika will sign an agent and remain in the draft, according to the school’s Twitter feed. Givony has Mika as 79th best prospect in the field.
Latest On Hawks’ Front Office Search
The Hawks placed former team president Mike Budenholzer and former GM Wes Wilcox into new roles earlier this month and it appears the team’s search for new front office members is progressing out of its “infancy stage.”
Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link) hears that Sacramento’s Scott Perry is being considered for the open GM position. The Kings hired Perry as their executive VP of basketball operations less than four weeks ago.
Earlier today, we learned that the Knicks have granted the team permission to interview their Director of Player Personnel Mark Hughes for the Hawks’ open GM position. Like New York, Houston will allow Atlanta to interview a member of its front office. The Hawks have their eye on Rockets VP of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas.
Atlanta is reportedly also considering Cavs GM David Griffin and Joe Dumars. The team also plans on discussing the position with TV analysts Chauncey Billups and Brent Barry.
Five Key Offseason Questions: Oklahoma City Thunder
Russell Westbrook received an opportunity to be the clear leader of a team for the first time in his career this past season and he delivered one of the greatest statistical seasons in recent memory. He averaged a triple-double, something that hasn’t been done since Oscar Robinson accomplished the feat in 1962, and he’s likely to take home the MVP award as a result.
The Thunder remained a major story this season because of the milestone, but they were clearly not legitimate title contenders; Kevin Durant‘s departure removed them from that elite class. Westbrook was able to put up numbers post-Durant, but he was unable to elevate the team beyond the first round of the NBA playoffs. His season ended at the hands of the Rockets in a series that highlighted team play over individualism.
Here are five questions facing the Thunder as they enter the offseason…
1. How will the front office upgrade the roster around Westbrook?
A lack of flexibility plagues GM Sam Presti, and the roster is filled with over-priced ancillary parts.
Extensions for Steven Adams and Victor Oladipo kick in this summer and for the next four years, the team will pay on average $46MM per season for two players who are unlikely to ever make an All-Star team. Enes Kanter, who saw a total of 45 minutes of playing time this postseason, will take home nearly $18MM during the 2017/18 campaign and Kyle Singler, who owned a paltry 5.9 player efficiency rating this season, will eat up nearly $4.7MM.
In all, the Thunder have roughly $110MM in guaranteed salaries on the books for the 2017/18 season against an estimated $101MM salary cap. The team owns the No. 21 overall pick in the upcoming draft and it will have the mid-level and bi-annual exceptions, as well as a trade exception worth approximately $4.9MM, available for use. Those tools don’t inspire much hope for an improved roster and with the team’s lack of flexibility, making substantial changes will require Presti to perform some wizardry.
2. Which of their own free agents will the Thunder retain?