Eastern Conference Salary Rankings: Small Forwards
Hoops Rumors is in the process of ranking the salaries, separated by conference, for each NBA player by position. We’ve already looked at the point guards, shooting guards, small forwards, power forwards and centers of the Western Conference and we’ve now turned our attention toward the East, by running down the conference’s point guards and shooting guards. Next up — the small forwards.
All told, the teams in the east have committed a total of $233,723,311 in cap hits this season to the men who man the three spot. The average conference salary for small forwards this season is currently $4,674,466, with LeBron James topping the list with $30,963,450 to account for on his year-end W-2 form.
It should be noted that teams won’t necessarily pay out every dollar listed here. There are quite a few players who have non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed contracts. Some of those players won’t make it out of the preseason, while others will be sweating it out until January 10th. That’s when teams must waive players with no specific guarantee date written into their contracts to avoid having to guarantee their salaries for the rest of the season. In addition, incentive clauses that a player either triggers or fails to meet can leave a player with more or less money than his cap hit reflects. Still, the purpose of this list is to show the relative pay scale by position, which is why all contracts are included in this post.
I should also add that not every player listed below will play at small forward this season, as some will likely see some time at power forward or shooting guard. To maintain uniformity, I used their positions listed on the teams’ official rosters to determine which list to include them on. So if you see a player who isn’t expected to play the three for his team this season listed below, that’s why.
The Eastern Conference’s small forwards are listed below, in descending order of salary:
- LeBron James [Cavs] —$30,963,450
- Carmelo Anthony [Knicks] —$24,559,380
- Paul George [Pacers] — $18,314,532
- Tobias Harris [Pistons] — $17,200,000
- Jeff Green [Magic] —$15,000,000
- DeMarre Carroll [Raptors] —$14,200,000
- Michael Kidd-Gilchrist [Hornets] — $13,000,000
- Terrence Ross [Raptors] —$10,000,000
- Jae Crowder [Celtics] —$6,286,408
- Lance Thomas [Knicks] —$6,191,000
- Ben Simmons [Sixers] —$5,903,160
- Otto Porter [Wizards] —$5,893,981
- Kyle Korver [Hawks] — $5,239,437
- Mike Dunleavy [Cavs] —$4,837,500
- Jaylen Brown [Celtics] — $4,743,000
- C.J. Miles [Pacers] — $4,583,450
- Giannis Antetokounmpo [Bucks] —$2,995,421
- Stanley Johnson [Pistons] — $2,969,880
- Justise Winslow [Heat] —$2,593,440
- Richard Jefferson [Cavs] —$2,500,000
- Doug McDermott [Bulls] — $2,483,040
- Taurean Prince [Hawks] — $2,318,280
- Dario Saric [Sixers] —$2,318,280
- Reggie Bullock [Pistons]— $2,255,644
- Kelly Oubre [Wizards] —$2,006,640
- Bruno Caboclo [Raptors] —$1,589,640
- Steve Novak [Bucks] — $1,551,659
- DeAndre’ Bembry [Hawks] — $1,499,760
- Michael Beasley [Bucks] —$1,403,611
- Rondae Hollis-Jefferson [Nets] — $1,395,600
- Chase Budinger [Nets] — $1,315,448
- Luke Babbitt [Heat] —$1,227,286
- Jeremy Evans [Pacers] — $1,227,286
- Pascal Siakam [Raptors] —$1,196,040
- Glenn Robinson III [Pacers] — $1,050,500
- Robert Covington [Sixers] —$1,015,696
- Jarell Eddie [Wizards] —$980,431
- Jerami Grant [Sixers] —$980,431
- Damjan Rudez [Magic] — $980,431
- Branden Dawson [Magic] — $874,636
- J.J. O’Brien [Bucks] — $874,636
- Paul Zipser [Bulls] — $750,000
- Georges Niang [Pacers] — $650,000
- Beau Beech [Nets] — $543,471
- Danuel House [Wizards] —$543,471
- Jalen Jones [Celtics] — $543,471
- Maurice Ndour [Knicks] —$543,471
- E.J. Singler [Raptors] —$543,471
- James Webb [Sixers] —$543,471
- Okaro White [Heat] —$543,471
Submit Your Questions For Hoops Rumors Mailbag
We at Hoops Rumors love interacting with our readers. This is why we provide an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in our weekly mailbag feature, which is posted each Sunday.
Have a question regarding player movement, free agent rumors, the salary cap, the NBA draft, or the top storylines of the week? You can e-mail them here: hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com. Feel free to send emails throughout the week, but please be mindful that we may receive a sizable number of questions and might not get to all of them.
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Western Notes: Durant. Westbrook, Grant
Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook never got along when both were members of the Thunder, a one-time teammate of both told Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net, also adding that the reports of animosity between the pair since Durant signed with the Warriors are real, not a product of the media. “It’s real, and [since Durant left] the relationship has gotten worse,” the ex-teammate told the scribe. “They got along before because they sort of had to. There is no relationship now, and what is there is all bad.”
Westbrook believes KD joining Golden State “exposed Durant as a big chicken,” the ex-teammate told the scribe. Responding to Durant’s comments to reporters that the Warriors are an unselfish bunch that treats each other like family, which many believe was a slight at his former teammate, Westbrook told reporters, “That’s cute. My job is to worry about what’s going on here. We’re going to worry about all the selfish guys we’ve got over here, apparently.”
For those wondering, the first time Westbrook and Durant will square off against one another on the court is November 3rd in Oakland. Here’s more from out West:
- The Spurs have hired former Cavs GM Chris Grant as a team scout, Chris Haynes of ESPN.com reports. During his time in Cleveland, Grant was responsible for drafting Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson, as well as selecting Anthony Bennett with the No. 1 overall pick.
- The Nuggets‘ impressive depth at multiple positions could end up being problematic, given the lack of minutes and numerous players deserving of playing time whose development may be stunted as a result, Keith P. Smith of RealGM.com opines in his analysis of the team. The scribe notes that Denver desperately needs to make a trade to consolidate that depth and land a star player to build around, which is also something that I noted previously in my look back at the Nuggets’ offseason.
- The Spurs made another addition to their staff, hiring former NBA player Pops Mensah-Bonsu as an advance pro scout, international journalist David Pick relays (on Twitter).
Cavs Re-Sign J.R. Smith, Waive Douglas
SATURDAY, 11:37am: The Cavs officially announced the signing, as well as that guard Toney Douglas has been waived to clear a spot for Smith.
FRIDAY, 9:14pm: The fourth year of Smith’s deal is non-guaranteed, Stein relays (Twitter links). However, a full guarantee will kick in if he remains on the roster after the 2018/19 campaign comes to a close, the scribe adds. The guard will earn $45MM during the first three years of the pact, according to Stein.
8:18pm: According to Stein (Twitter link), a hard push from Sixers GM Bryan Colangelo to ink Smith is was spurred Cleveland to up its offer to the guard.
7:29pm: The Cavs and unrestricted free agent J.R. Smith have finally ended their stalemate, with the shooting guard agreeing to a new contract with the team, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter). It will be a four-year, $57MM arrangement, according to the scribe. There is no word yet if the agreement includes any options (player or team), nor if the entire pact is fully guaranteed.
Smith had been reportedly seeking an annual salary of $15MM, while the Cavs reportedly preferred to sign him to a contract in the $10MM to $12MM range. In the end, Smith will receive an average annual salary of $14MM, per the terms Stein relayed.
It was surprising that negotiations lasted this long between the two sides given their mutual desire to keep the relationship going. The Celtics reportedly had serious interest in signing Smith, though Boston wouldn’t have been able to offer Smith a salary starting more than $9MM unless they made a trade to clear cap space. The possibility of Smith signing elsewhere, which likely would have upset superstar LeBron James, may have played a factor in Cleveland upping its offer. Though, that is merely speculation on my part.
The 31-year-old started a career-high 77 games for the Cavs during the 2015/16 season, and also started all 21 of the team’s playoff games. During the season, he averaged 12.4 PPG and shot 40.0% from long distance, making 2.6 threes per game.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Nuggets Waive Kennedy, Sampson, Toupane
The Nuggets have officially waived guard D.J. Kennedy, forward JaKarr Sampson and forward Axel Toupane, the team announced via press release. The moves pare down the team’s preseason roster to 17 players, which is two above the regular season maximum. The only one of the trio with any guaranteed salary is Kennedy ($50K), and that amount will remain on Denver’s cap for the season unless he is claimed off waivers by another team.
Kennedy appeared in one preseason game for the Nuggets, posting four points, two rebounds, three assists and three steals in 12 minutes of play. His NBA regular season experience consists of two games with the Cavaliers during the 2011/12 campaign where he averaged 6.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 29.5 minutes per outing. Kennedy has split the remainder of his playing career thus far between the NBA D-League and overseas. He spent the 2015/16 campaign with the Russian club Enisey Krasnoyarsk, appearing in 40 games and averaging 14.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Kennedy’s shooting line on the year was .451/.287/.809.
Sampson was originally inked by Denver this past February and played in the final 26 games (22 starts) of the 2015/16 season, averaging 5.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 18.0 minutes. He has appeared in one preseason contest this year, notching 10 points, three rebounds, one steal and one block in 20 minutes.
Toupane signed with the Nuggets in March of this year and averaged 3.6 points, 1.5 rebounds and 14.5 minutes over the final 21 games of the 2015/16 campaign. He has appeared in one game this preseason, scoring 11 points, snagging seven rebounds and dishing out three assists in 19 total minutes.
Ian Mahinmi Out 4-6 Weeks With Knee Injury
The Wizards frontcourt depth has taken a hit to start the season with the news that Ian Mahinmi has suffered a partially torn medial meniscus in his left knee, according to a press release from the team. An MRI revealed the partial tear and Mahinmi underwent successful surgery on Friday evening, according to the report. He is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks as a result.
After starting just 21 of his 367 career NBA games before last season, Mahinmi received a more significant role from the Pacers, and started all 71 of the games he played for the team in 2015/16. Mahinmi parlayed his solid year in Indiana into one of the more impressive free agent contracts of the summer, agreeing to a four-year, $64MM deal with the team in July.
The 29-year-old was slotted as the primary backup to center Marcin Gortat, with the Wizards reportedly expecting big things this season from Mahinmi. With Jason Smith, Johnny O’Bryant and Andrew Nicholson the only current options on the roster to absorb Mahinmi’s minutes, none of whom are true centers, Washington may need to consider adding another big man to the roster for insurance.
In three preseason games for the team, Mahinmi shot 55.6% from the field and averaged 4.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.0 steal in 13.6 minutes per outing.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 10/9/16-10/15/16
Here’s a look back at the original content and analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this past week.
- As part of our Offseason In Review Series, we looked at the following teams:
- Will Joseph highlighted some of the better basketball blogs around in his weekly installment of Hoops Links.
- Luke Adams examined how restricted free agents fared contract-wise this offseason.
- Arthur Hill answered reader questions in our Weekly Mailbag. Here’s how you can submit your own questions for our mailbag feature.
- We ran down the salary rankings of point guards and shooting guards the of the Eastern Conference.
- We ran down what traded players exceptions remained around the league.
- In our Community Shootarounds this week we discussed:
- Who will be the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2016/17?
- Our Free Agent Tracker continues to have up-to-date data on this summer’s contract agreements and signings from around the NBA.
- You can stay up to date on any contract extensions agreed to this season with our tracker.
- If you haven’t already, be sure to download the Trade Rumors app for your iOS or Android device.
Week In Review: 10/9/16-10/15/16
With the preseason now in full swing, here’s a look back at all the notable news and events from around the NBA this past week:
Waivers
- The Warriors waived Elgin Cook and Scott Wood.
- The Suns waived Gracin Bakumanya, Derek Cooke Jr. and Shaquille Harrison.
- The Clippers waived Dorell Wright and Xavier Munford.
- The Lakers waived Zach Auguste, Julian Jacobs, and Travis Wear.
- The Jazz waived Eric Dawson, Quincy Ford, and Marcus Paige.
Signings/Agreements
- The Cavaliers re-signed J.R. Smith.
- The Grizzlies signed Vince Hunter.
- The Knicks signed Damien Inglis.
News/Rumors
- Clippers rookie Brice Johnson suffered a herniated disc in his lower back and will be out of action for an indefinite amount of time.
- Trail Blazers big man Meyers Leonard was cleared for all practice activities.
- Despite numerous reports relaying that the Kings are shopping Ben McLemore and Rudy Gay, team executive Vlade Divac stated that Sacramento intends to hang onto both players this season.
- The Pistons announced that starting point guard Reggie Jackson will be out of action for six to eight weeks. Jackson has been diagnosed with a UCL strain in his right thumb and tendinosis in his left knee.
- The NBA D-League’s draft order was announced.
- The Hawks announced that Tiago Splitter was diagnosed with a grade 2 hamstring strain and he will be out a minimum of four weeks.
- Pelicans big man Anthony Davis sprained his ankle and will be out of action for 10-14 days.
- Veteran point guard Mo Williams, who remains on the Cavaliers’ roster despite indicating he would retire, underwent left knee surgery this week.
- As the NBA and NBPA work toward finalizing a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, the league is also reportedly considering the possibility of expansion.
- The National Basketball Players Association is reportedly monitoring the Chris Bosh situation in Miami.
- Pistons assistant coach Tim Hardaway was suspended by the NBA for the first three games of the regular season.
Western Notes: Harris, Turner, Ford, Ulis
Nuggets shooting guard Gary Harris, who is making his way back from a groin strain he suffered during the team’s first preseason game, has resumed light basketball activities, which is good news for Denver, Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post writes. “That was the most I’ve done in a while,” Harris said. “Really haven’t tried anything [until today]. Just tried to be cautious with it, make sure everything is cool. Don’t want to re-aggravate it and make sure I’m feeling nothing when I’m doing things. Right there I felt fine, didn’t feel anything. So as long as we keep doing that, don’t want to push it too much.”
Head coach Michael Malone noted that Harris could be ready for the season opener, a date the guard wouldn’t commit to just yet, Dempsey notes. “I’m just going day by day, just trying to get better each day,” Harris said. “That’s two weeks down the road: We’ll see. I’m just trying to get better each day.”
Here’s more from out West:
- Evan Turner‘s new $70MM contract with the Trail Blazers spans four years, so he’ll have plenty of time to make sure the team gets its money’s worth. For now though, as Jason Quick of CSNNW.com writes, Turner is “still finding his way” with his new club, in the words of head coach Terry Stotts.
- Quincy Ford, who was waived by the Jazz on Thursday, will join the team’s D-League squad as an affiliate player, Chris Reichert of Upside and Motor reports (via Twitter).
- The Pelicans have officially confirmed via pres release that Anthony Davis will miss 10-14 days due to a sprained right ankle. Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated first reported the injury.
- Suns rookie point guard Tyler Ulis has been receiving extensive preseason minutes as the team wants to get him as much experience as possible, Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic writes. “It’s perfect for me,” Ulis said of averaging 17 minutes in four preseason games with two preseason games to go. “I know I’m getting valuable minutes right now. They want to see what I can do. I’m learning more and more. [Coach] Earl [Watson] is teaching me which spots to go at. This is fun. It’s a process. I’m happy to learn and it’s better to learn in a game than watching.”
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Following Specific Players On Hoops Rumors
Hoops Rumors lets you keep up with your favorite teams as they plot their moves, and we also provide ways to easily follow the latest on all of your favorite players and trade candidates. You can get news about players wherever you go with our Trade Rumors app, available for iOS and Android devices. The app is free and allows you to add a feed for any player and set up notifications that will alert you whenever we write about him.
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In addition to players and teams, there are a number of other subjects you can track by clicking on the tags that we use at the bottom of posts. You can keep tabs on news related to the draft right here. Items about the salary cap can be found on this page. You can simply scan our top stories here. Again, you can set up a feed with any of these pages by adding /feed to the end of the URL.