Sasha Vujacic Won’t Return To NBA This Year
The NBA escape clause in Sasha Vujacic's contract overseas has expired, meaning the former Lakers and Nets guard won't be coming back to the NBA this season, reports Rigas Dardalis of Eurohoops.net (hat tip to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). The deal with Anadolu Efes of Turkey allowed Vujacic to explore NBA opportunities until July 31st.
This spring, the 28-year-old Vujacic expressed interest in a return to the NBA after having spent 2011/12 overseas, but found no takers. He'll have at least one familiar face around this season in Turkey, since he'll again be teaming with Jordan Farmar. The pair were also teammates in New Jersey and L.A.
Vujacic averaged career highs of 9.8 points, 2.0 assists and 24.6 minutes per game in 2010/11, his last NBA season.
Paul Millsap Unlikely To Sign Extension With Jazz
SUNDAY, 9:33am: Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld suggests the Jazz may be better off keeping Millsap for the long term and trading Favors instead. The move would allow the Jazz to retain an established player to help the continued development of young talent like Gordon Hayward and Kanter.
SATURDAY, 3:34pm: The Jazz and power forward Paul Millsap engaged in initial talks this week about an extension, and the Jazz made the maximum allowable offer of three additional years and $25MM, according to Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune. While talks were positive and there's mutual interest in keeping Millsap in Utah, Smith reports, he's likely to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Millsap will make $8,603,633 this year in the final season of a four-year, $32MM contract he originally signed in 2009 as an offer sheet from the Blazers that the Jazz matched. Under the new CBA, veterans can only receive contract extensions for four seasons, which includes the final season of their current deal. Raises are limited to 7.5% each season. By my calculations, he's eligible for an extension closer to $30MM, but his 2012/13 salary may be lower than what's been widely assumed. Either way, it's not surprising Millsap is looking ahead to free agency next summer, when he can sign for significantly more. Smith identifies Gerald Wallace, Andrei Kirilenko, Nicolas Batum and Ryan Anderson as forwards with comparable skill. All of them signed deals for average annual salaries of at least $9MM this summer.
Millsap averaged 16.6 points and a career-high 8.8 rebounds this past season. He took 13.5 shots a game, but his shooting percentage of 49.5% was below 50% for the first time in his six seasons in the NBA. His 21.8 PER was a career best, however, and Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld surmises he'll be one of the most sought-after free agents next summer, when he'll be 28 years old (Sulia link). The presence of Al Jefferson, along with Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter, both recent third overall picks, could make Millsap expendable in Utah. The team has experimented with Millsap at small forward at times the last two seasons to fit their wealth of frontcourt talent on the floor.
Smith says the Jazz could explore trading Millsap, and adds that Millsap will have to compete in training camp for the starting power forward position (Twitter links).
Daniel Orton Signs With Thunder
The Thunder have announced the signing of center Daniel Orton, reports Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. The deal is non-guaranteed, and he's not assured of a spot on the opening night roster, meaning the move is little more than an invitation to training camp, as Mayberry writes. The contract is probably for the minimum salary. If Orton, the 29th overall pick by the Magic in 2010, doesn't make the team, he'll likely be assigned to the Tulsa 66ers, the Thunder's D-League affiliate.
Orton missed his entire rookie season after undergoing arthoscopic surgery on his left knee, and appeared in just 16 regular season games last year, averaging 2.8 points and 2.4 rebounds in 11.7 minutes of play. The Magic didn't pick up his option for a third season on his rookie deal, making him an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Thunder already have the maximum 15 players on the roster, so Orton faces an uphill climb if he is to start the season in Oklahoma City. If he were to make it, the likely casualty would be Hollis Thompson, the only player on the roster whose contract isn't fully guaranteed for 2012/13.
The Thunder have kept an eye on the 6'10" Oklahoma City native, as we heard more than a month ago that he was possible target for the team.
The Going Rate For 10+ RPG Players
Last night we took a look at what players who averaged 20 or more points per game last season are making, so let's shift the focus to rebounding, another sought-after skill. While rebounding doesn't have quite the same cachet as scoring, you can't score if you don't have the ball, and rebounding is one of the primary ways to take and keep possession. Only eight players grabbed 10 or more rebounds per game last season, and though they possess an elite skill, only three of them made more than $8MM. That changes thanks to Kevin Love's four-year maximum-salary extension, which kicks in this year, and Kris Humphries' new contract, but the top rebounders are still paid less than their scoring counterparts. In 2012/13, returning 20+ PPG scorers will make an average of $15,952,250, while players coming off 10+ RPG seasons will pull in an average of $12,339,276.
Here's the list, with the players, teams, rebounds per game from 2011/12, their salaries for last year and this year. The last two columns tell you what they made and what they will make for each rebound on their averages.
Some observations:
- Kevin Love and Blake Griffin were the only players to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds per game last season, and both did so on their rookie deals.
- DeMarcus Cousins, for all his supposed petulance and immaturity, is a tremendous on-court value to the Kings. After this coming season, he'll have one more year on his rookie deal, at $4,916,974 in 2013/14, so Sacramento has a bargain for a while.
- Pau Gasol, at age 32, is the only player on the list older than 30. Only two of the 12 20+ PPG scorers are older than 30, suggesting that even though many of today's players are experiencing extended primes, elite performance is still reserved for the young.
Storytellers Contracts was used in the creation of this post.
Extension Candidate: Serge Ibaka
The Thunder have made rapid progress toward an NBA championship in recent years, and are held up as a model franchise around the league. Yet the cloud hanging over the team after its trip to the NBA Finals this past June concerns the futures of James Harden and Serge Ibaka, two young cornerstones in line for significant raises soon. As Luke Adams pointed out when he looked at the prospect of an extension for Harden, the Thunder would be committing more than $60MM for four players if they gave maximum extensions to both Harden and Ibaka, since Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are also signed to maximum deals. The volume of chatter about Harden seems to indicate GM Rob Hennigan and company are giving him priority, but clearly they'd like to find a way to keep them both.
The contribution Ibaka makes to the team isn't as readily apparent in box scores as what Harden does, though Ibaka was far and away the league leader in blocks per game last year. His average of 3.7 BPG was 68% better than the 2.2 submitted by JaVale McGee, the league's second-best shot blocker in 2011/12. No active player has ever blocked more shots per game in a season than Ibaka did last year. All those rejections led to a first-team All-Defensive selection, and helped him to the league's 11th best defensive rating, according to Basketball-Reference. Perhaps most remarkable about his blocks is that he got them in just 27.2 minutes a game, much less court time than what most key contributors see. Even though Harden comes off the bench, he averaged 31.4 MPG, significantly more than Ibaka, who starts.
Ibaka might be pressed into longer minutes if the team unloads Kendrick Perkins and the $17.63MM he's owed between 2013/14 and 2014/15. Doing so would make it easier for the Thunder to squeeze in both Harden and Ibaka, though it's worth asking why the Thunder would be so anxious to get rid of someone who plays a role similar to Ibaka's. Both are Perkins and Ibaka are defensively oriented, offensively challenged post players. Perkins is five years older and doesn't possess nearly the athleticism of Ibaka, but he's sturdier and able to protect the basket, as evidenced by his 2.0 blocks per game for the Celtics in 2008/09. Factor in the presence of Nick Collison, who's signed to a team-friendly contract through 2015 and is another big man who specializes in the game's subtleties, and it seems the Thunder have an inside player to spare.
Ibaka is likely to receive a maximum offer sheet as a restricted free agent next summer if the Thunder don't extend him by the October 31st deadline, if for no other reason than his potential. Ibaka arrived in the NBA with underdeveloped skills but has quickly picked up the nuances of the game during his three-year career, his PER rising from 15.2 as a rookie, to 17.7 in 2010/11, and to 19.0 last season. At 22, he still has the capacity for marked improvement. Just how much farther he can go is a mystery, and last season there was even evidence of regression. Ibaka's scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and free throw percentage were all down last season, and his turnovers were up.
The Thunder, who've nurtured and monitored his development every day for the last three years, probably have as much of an idea about what he can do as anyone. There's motivation for the team to try to save a few million dollars with an extension this summer, since Ibaka might want to take the guaranteed money on the table and hedge against injury, poor play and other uncertainty. Yet if the Thunder have any inkling that Ibaka's growth as a player is about to level off, they might want to let him play out the season and take their chances with him as a free agent. If they can extend Harden for less than the maximum this summer, they'd already have a little money saved, and if Ibaka has an outstanding 2012/13, they'll have time to decide what to do with Perkins and make other moves to clear room in preparation to re-sign Ibaka for the max. If Ibaka falters or levels off, their patience would go down as yet another shrewd move by one of the league's most well-regarded front offices.
Odds & Ends: Ginobili, Pierce, Gee, Warriors, D12
While others, notably Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, decry the use of NBA players in the Olympics, Spurs GM R.C. Buford and coach Gregg Popovich believe they've reaped benefits from the pressure situations and team building Manu Ginobili has experienced while routinely playing for Argentina's national team, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports writes. Ginobili is adding to his Hall of Fame resume during the London Games, and his success this summer is further evidence he can still produce at a high level for the Spurs in 2012/13. Here's what's going on stateside this evening:
- Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe has more from Paul Pierce, who also spoke at length with the Celtics team website. Pierce, whose current deal includes a team option for 2013/14, said he wants to "see what it feels like to be a free agent for once in my life" when his contract is up.
- Earlier today when Luke Adams looked at wing players who might be candidates to join the Lakers, restricted free agent Alonzo Gee wasn't on the list. Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio says that's with good reason, since the Cavs are likely to match any offer the Lakers would make (Twitter link).
- There's been plenty of optimism from the Warriors this week, but Andrew Bogut acknowledges the team still has work to do if it's going to make the playoffs, notes Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group (Sulia link).
- Baseball crowds don't always mix with basketball fans, but if there's anything that can be gleaned from the boos Dwight Howard got at the Dodgers game tonight, as noted by Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com, L.A. might take a while to warm to D12 if he winds up with the Lakers (Twitter link).
Northwest Rumors: Miles, Lillard, Canales, Stotts
A pair of decisions involving the Trail Blazers are looming tonight. Owner Paul Allen has completed final interviews with coaching candidates Kaleb Canales and Terry Stotts, and the team is expected to make its choice shortly. Free agent center Joel Przybilla is reportedly making his pick between the Blazers, Bucks and Mavericks tonight, though if his drawn-out midseason decision on where to sign is any indication, it could be a few more days. Here's what we're hearing from Portland and other Northwest Division cities in the meantime:
- With C.J. Miles on his way to the Cavs, Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune looks back at the seven years Miles spent with the Jazz after the team drafted him out of high school in 2005.
- Smith also catches up with Damian Lillard, the sixth overall pick this June by the Blazers. Lillard dishes about his success in the Las Vegas Summer League, where he was co-MVP, and his recent conversations with LaMarcus Aldridge, in which both players have set making the playoffs as the goal for this season.
- Dwight Jaynes of CSNNW.com says he thinks Canales will coach the Blazers next season, and theorizes that Stotts remains in the running in part so that he'll be seen more favorably the next time an NBA head coaching job opens. Stotts is represented by Warren LeGarie, who's also the agent for Canales and GM Neil Olshey. Being perceived as a legitimate candidate for the Blazers' job will help Stotts get another head coaching job someday, Jaynes says.
Which Free Agent Signee Is The Most Overpaid?
Each time it negotiates a new CBA, the league seems to prioritize finding ways to limit ways for teams to overpay players. Yet as the first offseason under the latest CBA demonstrates, there's really no way to completely eliminate deals that seem regrettable from the start.
Of course, many of the players listed below could exceed expectations and live up to their contracts, but it seems likely they all owe thank-you cards to their agents. Some, like Omer Asik, Landry Fields and Jeremy Lin, benefitted from the Gilbert Arenas Provision in an unprecedented fashion. Others, like Gerald Wallace, Jameer Nelson and Jason Thompson re-signed with their own teams for amounts of money and lengths of time that raised eyebrows. Feel free to use our Free Agent Tracker to compare these signings with others and see if there's another player out there who seems even more overpaid to you.
Which Free Agent Signee Is The Most Overpaid?
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Omer Asik (Three Years, $25.124MM) 45% (757)
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Jeremy Lin (Three Years, $25.124MM) 19% (322)
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Gerald Wallace (Four Years, $40MM) 10% (175)
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Landry Fields (Three Years, $18.725MM) 9% (149)
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Jameer Nelson (Three Years, $25.2MM) 9% (149)
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Jason Thompson (Five Years, $30.188MM) 7% (121)
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None of the above 1% (17)
Total votes: 1,690
Zwerling On Andersen, Blatche, Amundson, White
Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork passed along news yesterday that Kenyon Martin isn't interested in signing for the minimum, and he's got more on a few power forwards today. Let's run down the highlights:
- Zwerling updates his story after hearing from Chris Andersen's high school coach, who told him the Birdman would love an opportunity with the Knicks, where he could reunite with former Nuggets teammates Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith. Anderson is in talks with a few teams and will be ready come training camp after arthroscopic surgery on his right knee about a month ago, Zwerling adds.
Earlier updates:
- Chris Andersen is open to signing for the veteran's minimum, after the Nuggets used the amnesty clause to waive the Birdman last month, Zwerling hears. That means the Knicks, who are limited to handing out minimum-salary deals, could be in play, though there's no word that Andersen is interested in heading to New York, Zwerling writes. Andersen is a client of CAA, the agency that represents coach Mike Woodson and several Knicks players.
- A source close to Andray Blatche tells Zwerling that several teams are after the 6'11" free agent power forward. Blatche, like Andersen, was an amnesty casualty last month, when the Wizards let him go, and Zwerling says some "insiders" predict Blatche will sign a one-year deal with an up-and-coming team where he can be a starter, rehabilitate his image and command an eight-figure salary next summer. Blatche would likely have to make quite an impression this season to make that kind of money, however. Agent Andy Miller told Michael Lee of the Washington Post that teams have not yet made Blatche a significant offer this summer.
- Zwerling also hears Louis Amundson and D.J. White are in the market for mini mid-level deals that would be close to what they made last season. Amundson drew $2.763MM from the Pacers in 2011/12, while White cleared just over $2MM from the Bobcats.
The Going Rate For 20+ PPG Scorers
There were only a dozen players who averaged at least 20 points per game in 2011/12, making them among the most valuable commodities in the league. There's a lot more than scoring when it comes to determining a player's value, but point production often wins the hearts of fans, coaches and general managers alike. In short, top scorers usually command top salaries, and scoring ability will weigh heavily in the decisions on players eligible for extensions this summer.
Below we've listed the 20+ PPG scorers from 2011/12, their salaries for last year and this coming season, and what they made last year for each point of their scoring average. The final column is a measure of what they're getting paid this year for each point of their 2011/12 scoring average.
Some observations:
- The best values are, of course, young players on their rookie contracts. Next year, Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook won't be the bargains they were this past season. The Clippers get one more season of Griffin at seven figures before he gets a significant raise when his maximum extension kicks in for 2013/14.
- Since the CBA allows escalating salaries based on years in the league, it makes sense that Kobe Bryant, who's consistently played an elite level for 16 seasons, is by far the most expensive player on the list. He and Dirk Nowitzki are the only 20+ PPG players older than 30.
- There's a dropoff, it seems, for the last two players on the list. Monta Ellis and David Lee are both making salaries significantly below the other players who aren't on rookie contracts. It might be easy to dismiss this as an inflation of their scoring averages based on their time with the up-tempo Warriors, especially since Ellis averaged only 17.6 PPG after his midseason trade to the Bucks. Yet the Warriors finished tied for 11th in team scoring average this past season under new coach Mark Jackson, suggesting Ellis and Lee came by their points without significant help from a high-octane offense.
Storytellers Contracts was used in the creation of this post.