Knicks Re-Sign Kenyon Martin
TUESDAY, 11:10am: The Knicks have officially signed Martin to a second 10-day contract, according to the team (Twitter link). The deal will expire next Thursday night, at which point the Knicks would have to sign Martin for the season if they want to keep him around.
SUNDAY, 10:46am: The Knicks will re-sign Kenyon Martin to another 10-day contract after his current deal expires tomorrow night, coach Mike Woodson told reporters today, including Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link). It's likely Martin will remain with the team for the rest of the season, as Woodson indicated earlier. The 35-year-old big man joined the Knicks on February 23rd, after the team had opened up a roster spot by trading Ronnie Brewer to the Thunder.
Martin was perhaps the most prominent free agent not to sign with a team in the offseason, as he held out for an offer of better than the minimum salary. The Knicks showed interest at various points before the two sides finally agreed to terms. Martin is the first former No. 1 overall pick to sign a 10-day contract, and though the short-term, minimum-salary pact is far from what he envisioned, Martin has spoken about his gratitude for the opportunity to dispel critics who've questioned his ability to get along in a locker room.
Differences between Martin and Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro reportedly dissuaded L.A. from bringing him back this year. Last season with the Clippers, his numbers bottomed out virtually across the board, and he failed to make a start for the first time in his career. Martin has seen action in just one game for the Knicks so far, totaling five minutes.
Cavaliers Waive Josh Selby
The Cavs have waived Josh Selby, the team announced on its website. The swingman had yet to appear in a game for Cleveland after coming over as part of a three-for-one deal with the Grizzlies in January. Instead, he spent time with the Cavs' D-League affiliate, notching 15.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 32.9 minutes per game over 11 contests with the Canton Charge.
The move leaves the Cavs with a 14-man roster, enabling them to bring in players on 10-day contracts. Last year Cleveland brought in Ben Uzoh, Lester Hudson and Manny Harris on 10-day deals, eventually signing Harris for the rest of the season. Cleveland could also use its open spot to bring in a bigger name, as they've been linked to Greg Oden and Donte Greene of late.
The 6'2" Selby, a second-round pick by Memphis in 2011, has seen little playing time in his two NBA seasons. He's appeared in 38 career games, all of them for the Grizzlies, averaging 2.2 PPG and 7.8 MPG. Still, the Kansas product has shown flashes of his promise, sharing Las Vegas Summer League MVP honors with Damian Lillard this past offseason.
Selby had been making the one-year veteran's minimum salary of $762,195, a figure that will remain on Cleveland's books unless he's claimed off waivers. In the unlikely event he signs elsewhere for more money this season, the Cavs will get to subtract a portion of his salary using set-off rights. Selby's contract includes a minimum-salary team option for next season, but that will disappear unless another team submits a waiver claim.
Odds & Ends: Davis, Cavs, Gibson, Heat, Saunders
It looked like we might have had an early commitment for the NBA draft yesterday, when UCLA coach Ben Howland said there was no doubt shooting guard Shabazz Muhammad would leave the Bruins after his freshman year. But Muhammad said he isn't ready to commit one way or another, as Peter Yoon of ESPNLosAngeles notes, leaving open the possibility, however slim, that the DraftExpress.com No. 3 prospect for 2013 won't be available until next year. While we wait for more definitive word from Muhammad, here's more from around the Association:
- Power forward Josh Davis, who appeared in 15 games last season for the Grizzlies, has signed for the rest of the season with the Spanish club Assignia Manresa, Sportando's Emiliano Carchia reports. Davis had been playing in Venezuela, for Gaiqueries de Margarita.
- Dion Waiters' ability to take over at point guard lately for the injured Kyrie Irving means the Cavaliers don't have to go looking for a backup at the position, observes Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer.
- Whatever the Cavs do, don't expect them to bring back Daniel Gibson as a free agent this summer, as the veteran guard is no longer in the team's plans, according to Bob Finnan of The News-Herald.
- Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel argues the Heat would have been better off signing a point guard instead of Juwan Howard, but coach Erik Spoelstra is comfortable relying upon his wing players to shift to the point should the need arise, as Winderman notes.
- Yesterday, Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune mentioned Flip Saunders' name in connection with the Wolves, and Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities notes the close relationship between Saunders and Wolves owner Glen Taylor (Twitter link).
- Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside has a primer on Henry Sims, who signed a 10-day contract with the Hornets today.
- Ronnie Brewer is glad to be with the Thunder, and the team appears pleased with its trade deadline acquisition, having placed a priority on bringing in defense, as HoopsWorld's Susan Bible documents.
Hornets Sign Henry Sims To 10-Day Contract
The Hornets have signed Henry Sims to a 10-day contract, the team announced in a press release. John Reid of The Times-Picayune reported yesterday that the move was expected. The 7-footer was with the Knicks in training camp this past fall, and before the Hornets got in the mix a source told Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com that the Knicks might entertain the idea of bringing him back this season.
The 22-year-old went undrafted this past June after four years at Georgetown. Sims has seen extensive time with the Erie BayHawks of the D-League this year, starting all 36 of the team's games and averaging 17.1 points and 9.0 rebounds per contest. When Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune reported Friday that the Hornets were looking for a center, I speculated that Sims might be someone they consider.
New Orleans made liberal use of 10-day contracts last season, and with big man Jason Smith out for the season with a torn labrum, Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors wrote that more short-term deals might be coming. The addition of Sims gives the Hornets 14 players on their roster, leaving one more spot open should they decide to pursue more depth.
Cavs Recall Kevin Jones From D-League
We'll keep track of today's D-League assignments and recalls here, with any additional moves added to the top:
- The Cavs have recalled Kevin Jones from the D-League after a one-day stint, the team announced on its website. Jones has bounced back and forth between the Cavs and the Canton Charge this week, as it's the fourth straight day the team has either assigned or recalled the power forward. Jones put up 17 points and 12 rebounds in 27 minutes for Canton last night, and is averaging 22.4 PPG and 12.1 RPG in nine games for the Charge this season. The Cavs, sole owners of the Charge, have taken advantage of the geographic proximity of their affiliate, sending Jones down on five occasions this season after signing him November 29th.
Maggette, Pistons Have Mutual Interest In Return
Corey Maggette dropped hints about retirement earlier this season, but now he's certain he wants to play next year, and he's entertaining the idea of re-signing with the Pistons as a free agent in the summer, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. The Pistons haven't found much use for Maggette on the floor this year, but the team is open to bringing him back, according to Ellis.
Maggette said he didn't want a buyout last week, a stance Ellis believes is surprising, since Pistons officials believe other teams would have interest in bringing the 33-year-old swingman aboard. That Maggette wouldn't entertain a buyout may have more to do with his unwillingness to forfeit any of his $10.9MM salary for this season than a lack of desire to play elsewhere. "I'm not a firm believer in giving up money anyway," Maggette said.
Wherever he signs his next contract, the money won't come close to his current deal, but the Duke product seems intrigued by the idea of continuing to provide a veteran influence for his younger Piston teammates. His leadership is what the team is most interested in Maggette providing, Ellis notes.
The 14th year veteran, who entered the league as the No. 13 pick in the 1999 draft, is averaging career lows in points (5.3), field goal percentage (35.5%) and minutes (14.3) per game this season. Still, he's only one year removed from notching 15.0 PPG in 27.5 MPG for the Bobcats in 2011/12, numbers just slightly below his career averages.
Magic To Pursue Glen Davis Trades
The Magic will shop Glen Davis in the offseason or before next year's trade deadline, according to Brian K. Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link). The 27-year-old big man still has two years and $13MM remaining on his contract after this season. He's likely out for the rest of 2012/13 with a broken left foot, though as fellow Sentinel scribe Josh Robbins points out, Magic team officials haven't ruled out his return before the end of the season.
Big Baby was enjoying a career year before suffering the injury on January 30th in a game against the Knicks. The 6'9" LSU product was putting up 15.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in his first season as a full-time starter. His PER of 15.1 this year tabs him as an average NBA player this year, the first time in his six NBA seasons that he's had a PER of more than 13.2.
Before the broken foot, Davis missed almost a month with a shoulder injury. Since Davis went down the first time, the Magic are 4-30, as Robbins points out, with Davis appearing in just nine of those games.
Davis' name appeared in a few trade rumors earlier this season, so it's no surprise to hear the team will continue to see what it can get in return for him, particularly given his contract. Still, Orlando may have a tough time finding takers for a player set to make $6.4MM next year, despite spending most of his career as a reserve.
Davis, for his part, seems focused on returning next year and blending in with the Magic's younger players.
"When I look at the game, I want to see bumps and bruises," Davis said to Robbins."I want to see guys who are going through the grit of the NBA and are understanding what it takes to win, and that's what these guys are doing now. This time right here for them is unbelievable because next year you can't sit here and tell me with the way we worked and the way we played, we won't be a better team because of these guys and their approach."
Set-Off Rights
When the Rockets so quickly reached an agreement to sign Aaron Brooks after the point guard was bought out by the Kings yesterday, cost-conscious management in Sacramento may have let out a sigh of relief. Unless another team snatches Brooks up by claiming him off waivers before the Rockets can sign him, the Kings will still be on the hook for whatever remaining portion of Brooks' contract they consented to pay as part of the buyout. But, if he signs with the Rockets, Sacramento may not have to pay out quite as much.
That's because of a provision in the collective bargaining agreement known as set-off rights. If a player signs with another team after he's been waived, his original team gets to reduce the amount of money it still owes him. A team may reduce the salary it owes a player by half the difference between the salary the player earns under a contract with a new team and the minimum salary for a one-year veteran. If the player is a rookie, the rookie minimum is used instead.
We don't yet know the financial details of Brooks' buyout with the Kings or his pending contract with the Rockets. The Rockets could sign Brooks for more than a prorated portion of the minimum salary, since they're under the cap, but let's say they sign him only for that amount. If they finalize the deal Monday, he would be on the team for 45 of the regular season's 170 days, so he'd receive $234,296, or 45/170 of the $885,120 minimum for a three-year veteran. The minimum salary for a player with just one year of experience is $762,195. The prorated amount of that figure is $201,758. The difference between $234,296 and $201,758 is $32,538, and half of that is $16,296 — the number the Kings could subtract from their cap and their payout to Brooks. That's a tiny amount in the world of NBA salaries, but to owners who count every penny, it's not insignificant. That figure would only increase if Brooks signed with Houston for more than the minimum.
Brooks would still benefit from signing with Houston, even if it's for the minimum, since he'd be giving back only a small portion of his new salary. Teams and players can waive the right to set-off as part of their buyout agreements, so perhaps that's what the Kings and Brooks have done in this case — though given the Kings' thriftiness of late, I wouldn't bet on it.
Interestingly, set off applies if a waived player signs a deal with a professional team in any league while his last team is still paying off his old contract. It doesn't have to be an NBA team — it can be a D-League squad or an overseas club. In many cases, though, a player's non-NBA contract is for less than the one-year veteran's NBA minimum salary, making the set-off provision moot.
Note: This is a Hoops Rumors Glossary entry. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to trades, free agency, or other aspects of the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement. Larry Coon's Salary Cap FAQ was used in the creation of this post.
Texas Rumors: Parker, Mavs, D-Will, Popovich
The Spurs announced today that Tony Parker will miss approximately four weeks with a grade-two left ankle sprain, injecting some drama into the race for the top playoff seed in the Western Conference. San Antonio has taken the No. 1 spot the past two seasons and has a three-game lead on the Thunder this time around, but without their All-Star point guard, the Spurs could be in danger of falling behind even the third-place Clippers, who are just three and a half games back. We haven't heard any serious rumors that the Spurs are looking for a replacement, and with a full 15-man roster, they'd have to waive someone to bring another point guard aboard. While we wait to see what happens in the wake of Parker's injury, here's more from the Lone Star State:
- Dirk Nowitzki and Rick Carlisle aren't dwelling on Deron Williams decision to spurn the Mavs and re-sign with the Nets this past summer, as Tim Bontemps of the New York Post chronicles.
- Mavs owner Mark Cuban hasn't shown much regret about missing out on Williams, but he's having a hard time dealing with his team's losing ways this season, notes Benjamin Hoffman of The New York Times. "It’s the most painful thing that I’ve been through," Cuban said. "It’s like having a company that’s going out of business."
- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich hopes he lands the Team USA head coaching job, a position he's coveted for years, according to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.
Trade Deadline Costs And Savings
Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors recently examined the financial details of this year's deadline deals, looking at how each trade played out under CBA rules. We can also gain insight from breaking down the commitments each team took on and relinquished in their swaps. For instance, of the 29 players changing hands, not one of them has any guaranteed money beyond next season.
No team saved more money than the Kings, who took $4,195,533 off their payroll for this year and next, though their six-player deal with the Rockets only saved them $521,138 in guaranteed money for next season. The team that took the next highest amount off their books is the Bucks, even though they acquired J.J. Redick, the biggest name to change teams at the deadline. Perhaps the ability to cut costs was the key to small-market Milwaukee's willingness to do the deal. The Suns bit into their ample cap space to absorb an extra $3,825,180, the most any team took on at the deadline.
The list that follows shows the guaranteed salary each team relinquished and brought in at the deadline. Players who have already been waived after they were traded are included here, since their acquiring teams are still on the hook for the guaranteed portions of their contracts.
Rockets add $302,853
Departing
- Marcus Morris: two years, $3,892,680
- Patrick Patterson: two years, $5,202,062
- Cole Aldrich one year, $2,445,480
- Toney Douglas: one year, $2,067,880
Acquiring
- Francisco Garcia: one year, $6,100,000
- Thomas Robinson: two years, $6,901,080
- Tyler Honeycutt: two years, $909,875