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Author: Eddie Scarito

Hoops Rumors Weekly Mailbag 11/29/15-12/5/15

By | at December 5, 2015 2:01 pm

In addition to our weekly chat, which Chuck Myron facilitates every Wednesday, we have a second opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap, or the NBA draft? Drop me a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com or @EddieScarito on Twitter. This week, in a continued effort to change things up a bit, I’ve once again invited some of the other staff members to join in on the fun. Now for this week’s inquiries:

“Any news on the Cavs $12 million trade exception? I heard they’re looking for a backup SG/SF or PF, a couple rumored names have been Markieff Morris and Rudy Gay, any chance those are true and will Ray Allen return?” — Dan

Chuck Myron: I haven’t come across anything about that exception in a while, and with the Cavs sitting atop the Eastern Conference, I don’t think they’re in any hurry to use it. Also, I should point out, the exception is only worth $10,522,500. They have another worth $2,854,940, and while they’re free to use them both, they can’t combine them to acquire a $12MM or $13MM player. The Cavs are in line to pay more than $170MM in payroll and taxes, the second highest total of all-time. They could break the record if they used their exceptions. I think they’d be willing to do that if they became convinced they can’t win the title, but if you have a team that’s good enough to win as it is, why pay an extra $70MM or so, which is what it could run, just to trade for a couple of backups? It doesn’t make sense. You could argue that the Warriors are just that much better than anybody, but the Cavs, of all people, should know what injuries in the playoffs can do to a team. The exceptions don’t expire until the end of July 2016, and it makes a lot more sense for the Cavs to use them then, when the tax threshold will be much higher, thanks to the rising salary cap. And, I wouldn’t count on Ray Allen returning. If he does, I’m not sure what he could really give anybody, having been away from the game for so long.
“What sort of market do you see for Harrison Barnes this offseason? If he doesn’t return to Golden State, then what teams look like realistic fits?” — Kurt
Will Sammon: It’s interesting that Warriors players have recently been so outspoken about “helping” Barnes on the court because he is set to be a restricted free agent. The market suggests he will receive an offer between $15-20MM per year. I really think Golden State will match it, especially if they do not land a different big-name free agent. The only way I see Barnes playing elsewhere is if he is involved in a sign-and-trade with the Thunder. I think that is a long shot, too.
“With Rajon Rondo playing so well is there any chance the Kings trade Darren Collison? What team(s) could be potential trading partners?” — Silvio
Charlie Adams: There’s no doubt that Rondo has been playing well, but it’s tough to move Collison when Sacramento is so thin at the point. It sure doesn’t look like the team is going to contend this year, but moving one of the best reserve floor generals in the league for a likely less-than-stellar return just doesn’t seem like a move Vlade Divac would make, given the Kings’ resistance to traditional rebuilding. Of course, it’s tough to predict the Sacramento’s next move, and there would almost certainly be a number of teams interested in taking on Collison, who has a team-friendly deal, but for now it seems like he’s staying put in the purple-and-black.

“Will the league ever get around to doing anything to discourage teams like the Sixers from tanking and putting D-League teams on the court for NBA games?” — Chris

Eddie Scarito: That’s a tough one to predict. Adam Silver’s proposal to even the lottery odds was voted down by the owners,  so it would appear that there isn’t much impetus to actually enact a change at this time. The fact that tanking hasn’t proven to be an effective means to win a title, or in Philly’s case, to put a respectable product on the floor nightly, doesn’t help the cause of those who desire some sort of reform. I think the issue will come up during the next collective bargaining negotiations, though even then I don’t think much will change. But I do see there being a conflict regarding the salary floor for teams. With the cap set to jump, the negotiations could get contentious regarding certain issues, and I think the NBPA will place an emphasis on upping the minimum payroll that teams are required to have. With the cap potentially jumping to $95MM next season, an adjustment will certainly be in order, though how much of a bump will occur will be a hot button issue I believe.
One solution I can throw out there regarding the salary floor is to change the date when payroll numbers are calculated. Zach Lowe of ESPN.com mentioned this idea in a story Friday. Currently the league looks at a franchise’s payroll at the end of the season, which gives teams like the Sixers far more leeway to tank for the bulk of the campaign before potentially taking on a number of expiring contracts just to get themselves above that minimum, or at least somewhere close to it. I say it would be a wise move to change the cutoff date to coincide with the February trade deadline. Setting it prior to that date could potentially impact the robustness of the trade market, which no one wants to have happen. Lining up the two dates would not only force teams to buff up their payroll earlier in the season, which would please the NBPA, it could also serve to make the final hours leading up to the deadline even more dramatic since teams would be scrambling to comply with the rules. I’d also impose harsher penalties on offending teams. Perhaps the loss of a second round pick would be sufficient motivation to beef up payrolls.
“Which players will be on the move as Dec 15 rapidly approaching?” — Solomon
Will Sammon: December 15th is the first day that most of the players who signed new contracts over the summer can be traded. It’s when the unofficial trade season begins. O.J. Mayo, who is making $8MM in the final year of his contract, is a name to keep an eye on if the Bucks continue to surprisingly plummet further in the Eastern Conference. The same could be said about Jerryd Bayless. Both could be rental-type veteran pieces for contending teams. Brandon Bass signed a two-year deal with the Lakers in July, but since the Lakers are already out of the playoff picture (plus Kobe Bryant announced he will retire after the season), it would make sense to cut ties with the veteran and ship him for a younger player. Sooner or later, the expectation is that the Clippers will make a splashy move.
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Eastern Notes: Redick, Patterson, Monroe

By | at December 5, 2015 12:46 pm

The Cavaliers have been hit hard by injuries to begin the season and have struggled a bit as a result, but the team would be remiss to believe that the return to health of Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert will cure all that ails them, Chris Haynes of The Northeast Ohio Media Group writes. LeBron James apparently shares Haynes’ opinion, saying, “I hope we don’t think that way. It’s never that way. When you get your guys back, you prepare just as you prepare before. There’s only one guy ever in the world that everything will be all right when he comes back and that’s Jesus Christ. Other than that, you can’t bank on nobody being OK.”

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

  • Clippers shooting guard J.J. Redick was shocked when the Magic dealt him away to the Bucks in 2013, and though he is happy playing in Los Angeles he still has fond memories of his time in Orlando, writes Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. “If you have a family, if you have a wife, it’s just a great place to play,” Redick said. “L.A. can be a little more stressful in that regard. My wife and I joke all the time, like, ‘Man, life was simple in Orlando. The rent was so low. We didn’t have to deal with traffic or state income tax.’ There’s all these other things out here. But playing in Los Angeles, playing in a big market, playing for a high-profile team — those are things that I wanted in free agency. I wanted the chance to win. So I’m happy, man.“
  • The Hawks have assigned Lamar Patterson to the D-League, and he will report to the Spurs’ affiliate in Austin as part of the flexible assignment rule, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution relays (via Twitter).
  • Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy appreciated the abilities of Greg Monroe, who departed as a free agent and inked a deal with the Bucks this past offseason, but he couldn’t justify tying up a large chunk of the franchise’s cap space between Monroe and Andre Drummond, Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel writes. “I think Greg played some at the four obviously and was good, but his best position is at center,” Van Gundy said. “He knew that. We knew that. What of your resources are you going to tie up at basically one position? Or were you willing to play with two centers in a league that’s going the other way? It didn’t have anything to do with the person, really. It was the situation where we had to make a decision. I miss Greg, I do…. He’s a great rebounder, and a great competitor and teammate.“
0 comments Atlanta Hawks Cleveland Cavaliers Detroit Pistons NBA G League Orlando Magic

Hoops Rumors Originals 11/29/15-12/5/15

By | at December 5, 2015 11:32 am

Here’s a look back at the original analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this past week…

  • If you missed the week’s live chat, you can view the transcript here.
  • As a part of our continuing series, “The Beat,” Chuck Myron interviewed Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times.
  • Zach Links highlighted some of the better basketball blogs around in his weekly installment of Hoops Links.
  • Chuck broke down the first-round pick exchange scenarios for the 2106 NBA draft.
  • As part of our Offseason In Review series, Arthur Hill looked at the Rockets, Chris Crouse broke down the Jazz, while I examined the Kings. You can view the complete series here.
  • If you missed any of our daily reader-driven discussions, be sure to check out the Community Shootaround archives.
  • We looked at the top six most important December trades of the last five years.
  • Chuck ran down every top 10 pick chosen since 2005 who’s no longer playing in the NBA.
  • Here’s how you can follow Hoops Rumors on social media and RSS feeds.
  • I looked at the 2016/17 projected salary cap numbers for the Hornets, Bulls, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Nuggets, Pistons, Warriors and Rockets.
  • We answered reader questions in our Weekly Mailbag.
  • Chuck looked at where a number of 2014/15 starters who are now out of the NBA are playing.
  • You can keep track of where your favorite team currently stands in relation to the 2016 NBA Draft lottery with our reverse standings tracker.
  • We reviewed our commenting policy. Play nice everyone.
  • Here’s how you can follow specific players on Hoops Rumors.
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2016/17 Salary Cap Projection: Indiana Pacers

By | at December 5, 2015 10:13 am

The NBA’s salary cap for 2015/16 has been set at $70MM, which is an 11% increase from last season, and the luxury tax line is fixed at $84.74MM. The last cap projection from the league prior to the official numbers being announced had been $67.1MM, and the projection for the tax line had been $81.6MM. Many league executives and agents believe that the salary cap will escalate to a whopping $95MM for 2016/17, a higher figure than the league’s last projection of $89MM. This significant bump is a result of the league’s new $24 billion TV deal that kicks in just in time for next season.

The increase in the salary cap will almost assuredly set off a flurry of activity in the free agent market next summer, and it will also make it easier than ever for teams to deal away their higher-priced stars. Prudent executives are acutely aware of exactly how much cap room they have to play with, not just for the current campaign, but for next season and beyond as well. While the exact amount of 2016/17’s salary cap won’t be announced until next summer, it always pays to know just how much salary is on the books for each franchise. With this in mind, we at Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the projected 2016/17 financial commitments for each franchise, and we’ll continue onward with a look at the Indiana Pacers:

  • Fully Guaranteed Salary Commitments: $57,230,006
  • Partially Guaranteed Salary Commitments: $0
  • Non Guaranteed Salary Commitments: $2,030,931
  • Total Projected Salary Cap Commitments: $59,260,937

If the salary cap were to fall in line with the projection of $89MM, Indiana would have approximately $29,739,063 in cap space, or $35,739,063 if the cap were to be set at the higher mark of $95MM. Again, these are merely predictions until the exact cap amounts are announced, and they are not meant to illustrate the exact amount that the team will have available to spend this coming offseason.

Trades and long-term free agent signings made during the season will also have a significant impact on the figures above, and we’ll be updating these posts to reflect the new numbers after any signings and trades have been made official.

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

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Week In Review 11/29/15-12/5/15

By | at December 5, 2015 8:50 am

Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant announced that this will be his final season in a letter he published in The Players’ Tribune. “This season is all I have left to give,” Bryant wrote. “My heart can take the pounding. My mind can handle the grind. But my body knows it’s time to say goodbye.” Bryant, 37, is undoubtedly one of the greatest players of all time, but injuries in recent seasons have taken a toll on the superstar’s body, as he alluded to in his letter. Bryant has spent his entire 20-year career with the Lakers, and he’s currently third on the NBA’s all-time scoring list behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone. He has won five NBA championships and earned MVP honors in 2008. Bryant was drafted out of high school by the Hornets with the 13th overall pick way back in 1996 but was subsequently traded to the Lakers.  He is in the final season of a two-year deal that will pay him $25MM for the 2015/16 campaign.

Here’s more from the week that was:

Siginings

Waivers

D-League News

You can stay up to date on all the D-League assignments and recalls for the season here.

Miscellaneous News

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Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 12/4/15

By | at December 4, 2015 11:00 pm

Rajon Rondo‘s stock plummeted last season after his trade to Dallas didn’t turn out well for either party, but according to a report by Sean Deveney of The Sporting News, Rondo’s performance thus far for Sacramento has edged his value back into maximum-salary territory. The point guard accepted a one-year, $9.5MM deal from the Kings this past summer, a figure roughly $10MM less than the $19.689MM maximum salary for which he was eligible this season. His projected maximum salary for next season, when he’ll be a 10-year veteran, is $29.3MM.

The Kings are the only team able to ink Rondo for more than four years, and he said earlier this week that he finds the team a fit and that playing with his new teammates has helped his game. He also appears to have formed a strong bond with center DeMarcus Cousins, who told Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports recently that he’ll do whatever he can to keep Rondo in Sacramento for the long-term.

So here’s the topic for today: Should the Kings look to re-sign Rajon Rondo, and is he worth a maximum salary deal?

Rondo has been a triple-double machine thus far this season, turning back the clock and channeling his prime years with the Celtics. The 29-year-old’s game is certainly not without its flaws, namely his defense and outside shooting. But in the right environment and with the proper teammates surrounding him, Rondo can be quite an effective floor general. The salary cap is set to increase dramatically next season, which means that a number of players will likely sign deals that would have turned heads if they had been agreed upon this past offseason, and Rondo could certainly be one who falls into that category.

But what say you? Is Rondo remaining in Sacramento past this season a good fit for both the player and the team? If so, then should the Kings pony up whatever it takes to keep in in the fold? Or are you on the other side of the fence and believe that Sacramento would be better served to draw the line salary-wise, and allow Rondo to depart if he receives an outlandish contract offer? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.

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And-Ones: Gasol, D-League, Terry, Cousins

By | at December 4, 2015 10:21 pm

Bulls big man Pau Gasol, who possesses a player option worth $7,769,520 for 2016/17, has said that he’s leaning toward opting out, but he did note that he would like to remain in Chicago beyond this season, Nick Friedell of ESPN.com relays. Responding to whether or not he’d like to stay with the Bulls, Gasol said, “Yes, of course. But when the time comes we’ll evaluate it. I’ll see how the season went. Where are the team’s interests, where are my interests, what options do I have? But most important is for me and the team to focus on what we have this season to make the best out of it and give ourselves a chance to win the title.”

Gasol was also asked if he missed anything about former head coach Tom Thibodeau and told Friedell, “I appreciated a lot of things that Thibs brought to the table. I think his intensity. Sometimes it could be a little bit overwhelming. I think [I miss most] his intensity and his passion and dedication for the game.” The veteran also noted that he appreciates the freedom and versatility of coach Fred Hoiberg‘s system, the ESPN scribe adds.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • Jason Terry, who re-signed with the Rockets this past offseason, said he planned to join the Mavericks along with DeAndre Jordan, but Terry’s plans changed when Jordan decided to return to the Clippers, Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News relays. “For me it was like a package deal,” Terry said. “If he [Jordan] came, I definitely was coming. Because that automatically made us a contender.” Terry also noted that he was shocked when Jordan reversed course and backed out of his verbal agreement with Dallas, Townsend adds. “When that happened, I kind of pushed the reset button,” Terry said. “Because I didn’t want to start over. I don’t want to be in a rebuilding phase. I don’t know if Dallas, at the time, knew if they were rebuilding or were they retooling. They were trying to see what was out there.“
  • The Spurs have sent Boban Marjanovic and Ray McCallum to their D-League Affiliate in Austin, the team announced. This is the first D-League assignment of the season for both players.
  • The Rockets have assigned swingman K.J. McDaniels to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This is the second D-League trip of the season for McDaniels, as our assignments and recalls tracker illustrates.
  • Kings coach George Karl believes that despite the rumored difficulties between he and center DeMarcus Cousins, the big man wants to remain in Sacramento, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com tweets.
  • James Ennis has been assigned by the Grizzlies to their D-League affiliate in Iowa, the team announced.
  • The Clippers have assigned Branden Dawson to the D-League, and since the team does not have its own affiliate, Dawson will report to the Pistons’ squad in Grand Rapids, Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times tweets.
0 comments Chicago Bulls Dallas Mavericks Houston Rockets Los Angeles Clippers Memphis Grizzlies NBA G League Sacramento Kings San Antonio Spurs

2016/17 Salary Cap Projection: Houston Rockets

By | at December 4, 2015 9:20 pm

The NBA’s salary cap for 2015/16 has been set at $70MM, which is an 11% increase from last season, and the luxury tax line is fixed at $84.74MM. The last cap projection from the league prior to the official numbers being announced had been $67.1MM, and the projection for the tax line had been $81.6MM. Many league executives and agents believe that the salary cap will escalate to a whopping $95MM for 2016/17, a higher figure than the league’s last projection of $89MM. This significant bump is a result of the league’s new $24 billion TV deal that kicks in just in time for next season.

The increase in the salary cap will almost assuredly set off a flurry of activity in the free agent market next summer, and it will also make it easier than ever for teams to deal away their higher-priced stars. Prudent executives are acutely aware of exactly how much cap room they have to play with, not just for the current campaign, but for next season and beyond as well. While the exact amount of 2016/17’s salary cap won’t be announced until next summer, it always pays to know just how much salary is on the books for each franchise. With this in mind, we at Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the projected 2016/17 financial commitments for each franchise, and we’ll continue onward with a look at the Houston Rockets:

  • Fully Guaranteed Salary Commitments: $68,880,765*
  • Partially Guaranteed Salary Commitments: $0
  • Non Guaranteed Salary Commitments: $13,213,482
  • Total Projected Salary Cap Commitments: $82,094,247

*Note: This amount includes Dwight Howard‘s player option worth $23,282,457

If the salary cap were to fall in line with the projection of $89MM, Houston would have approximately $6,905,753 in cap space, or $12,905,753 if the cap were to be set at the higher mark of $95MM. Again, these are merely predictions until the exact cap amounts are announced, and they are not meant to illustrate the exact amount that the team will have available to spend this coming offseason.

Houston will also need to make decisions regarding Terrence Jones and Donatas Motiejunas, both of whom are eligible to become restricted free agents next summer. If the Rockets wish to retain the right to match any offer sheets these players were to receive the team would need to submit qualifying offers, with Jones’ being worth $3,532,643 and $3,278,998 for Motiejunas. This would increase the team’s projected cap commitments by a total of $6,811,641, though that number would merely be a place holder until the players either inked new deals or signed their qualifying offers, which would then set them up for unrestricted free agency the following offseason.

Trades and long-term free agent signings made during the season will also have a significant impact on the figures above, and we’ll be updating these posts to reflect the new numbers after any signings and trades have been made official.

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

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Atlantic Notes: Johnson, Porzingis, D-League

By | at December 4, 2015 8:20 pm

A five person ESPN.com panel was asked to speculate on where Nets small forward Joe Johnson would play in 2016/17, and some members posited that the Warriors, Kings or Grizzlies could be possibilities in 2016/17, while others noted that Johnson is a prime candidate to reach a buyout arrangement with Brooklyn this season if the team were unable to trade him before the February deadline. While the panel members may not have agreed upon the specific franchise Johnson would end up with, the consensus opinion was that he most certainly would not return to Brooklyn next season.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • With the Nets franchise in disarray, the Knicks, thanks to the growing popularity of rookie Kristaps Porzingis, have a secure foothold as the No. 1 team in New York, Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News writes. Porzingis has adapted remarkably well to living and playing in the U.S., and the big man credits his brother Janis for helping prepare him, Bondy adds. “[Janis] was always thinking 10 steps ahead. When I was younger I took extra English classes just to make sure I have good English if I had the chance to play professionally. Things like that,” Porzingis said. “When I was young I was doing a lot of extra stuff for my body. Now that makes sense, all the stuff I did. At that time, I was like, ‘Why do you make me do all this stuff?’ But that just showed me how much they were preparing me for what’s coming.”
  • The Raptors have assigned Bruno Caboclo and Delon Wright to their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This is Caboclo’s second trip of the season to the Raptors 905 and Wright’s third.
  • Celtics swingman James Young was assigned to and recalled from the Maine Red Claws, Boston’s D-League affiliate, the team announced (Twitter links). This was the sixth trek to Maine of the 2015/16 season for Young.
0 comments Boston Celtics Brooklyn Nets Golden State Warriors Memphis Grizzlies NBA G League New York Knicks Sacramento Kings Toronto Raptors

2016/17 Salary Cap Projection: Warriors

By | at December 4, 2015 5:45 pm

The NBA’s salary cap for 2015/16 has been set at $70MM, which is an 11% increase from last season, and the luxury tax line is fixed at $84.74MM. The last cap projection from the league prior to the official numbers being announced had been $67.1MM, and the projection for the tax line had been $81.6MM. Many league executives and agents believe that the salary cap will escalate to a whopping $95MM for 2016/17, a higher figure than the league’s last projection of $89MM. This significant bump is a result of the league’s new $24 billion TV deal that kicks in just in time for next season.

The increase in the salary cap will almost assuredly set off a flurry of activity in the free agent market next summer, and it will also make it easier than ever for teams to deal away their higher-priced stars. Prudent executives are acutely aware of exactly how much cap room they have to play with, not just for the current campaign, but for next season and beyond as well. While the exact amount of 2016/17’s salary cap won’t be announced until next summer, it always pays to know just how much salary is on the books for each franchise. With this in mind, we at Hoops Rumors will be breaking down the projected 2016/17 financial commitments for each franchise, and we’ll continue onward with a look at the Golden State Warriors:

  • Fully Guaranteed Salary Commitments: $69,101,658
  • Partially Guaranteed Salary Commitments: $5,650,000
  • Non Guaranteed Salary Commitments: $7,142,828
  • Total Projected Salary Cap Commitments: $81,894,486

If the salary cap were to fall in line with the projection of $89MM, Golden State would have approximately $7,105,514 in cap space, or $13,105,514 if the cap were to be set at the higher mark of $95MM. Again, these are merely predictions until the exact cap amounts are announced, and they are not meant to illustrate the exact amount that the team will have available to spend this coming offseason.

Golden State will also need to make decisions regarding Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli, Ian Clark and James McAdoo, all of whom are eligible to become restricted free agents next summer. If the Warriors wish to retain the right to match any offer sheets these players were to receive, the team would need to submit qualifying offers, with Barnes’ being worth $5,194,227, $3,013,123 for Ezeli, $1,215,696 for Clark and $1,180,431 for McAdoo. This would increase the team’s projected cap commitments by a total of $10,603,477, though that number would merely be a place holder until the players either inked new deals or signed their qualifying offers, which would then set them up for unrestricted free agency the following offseason.

Trades and long-term free agent signings made during the season will also have a significant impact on the figures above, and we’ll be updating these posts to reflect the new numbers after any signings and trades have been made official.

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

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