Submit Your Questions For Hoops Rumors Mailbag
In addition to our regular weekly chat, which Chuck Myron facilitates every Wednesday, we have a second opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in our weekly mailbag feature, which is posted every Saturday.
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.
If you missed out on any past mailbags and would like to catch up, you can view the full archives here.
Magic Waive Nnanna Egwu
9:54pm: Egwu has been waived, the Magic announced via a press release.
9:25pm: The Magic have waived center Nnanna Egwu, Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel reports (Twitter link). Egwu was in camp on a non-guaranteed deal, so Orlando won’t be responsible for any salary as a result of this move.
Egwu had played for the Magic in the summer league this year, where he logged averages of 3.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 20.0 minutes per game across five contests. He appeared in four preseason contests for Orlando, averaging a single point in 9.3 minutes per appearance. The 6’11” 23-year-old spent four seasons at Illinois, notching career averages of 5.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks to accompany a slash line of .438/.258/.708.
Orlando’s roster count now sits at 14 players, including 13 possessing full guarantees on their pacts.
Pistons Sign Ryan Boatright
The Pistons have signed point guard Ryan Boatright, the team announced via a press release. Detroit intends to waive Boatright and assign him to its D-League affiliate in Grand Rapids, Vincent Ellis of The Detroit Free Press reports (via Twitter). Teams can retain the D-League rights for up to four players.
The Suns, Hornets and Blazers were also reportedly interested in Boatright, whom the Nets waived Tuesday. The undrafted point guard from Connecticut performed well during limited preseason action, averaging 4.2 points, 3.8 assists and 1.0 turnover in 13.9 minutes per game. His career NCAA numbers were 14.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, with a slash line of .416/.380/.794.
The addition of Boatright raises the Pistons’ roster count to 17 players, including 16 with fully guaranteed pacts. The team is expected to waive veteran Danny Granger, who along with Boatright, would reduce the team’s roster to the regular season maximum of 15 once they are indeed let go.
Poll: 2015/16 Team Power Rankings (No. 5)
The NBA preseason is winding down, and teams are now in the process of paring down their preseason rosters. Every new season brings with it the hope for each franchise that it will conclude with the hoisting of the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. But for the more jaded fans — or practical, depending on your outlook — not every team has a realistic shot at making the playoffs, much less at being the last team standing when all is said and done and the playoffs have concluded.
We at Hoops Rumors want to know what you, the reader, think about each team’s chances this coming campaign. To help facilitate that, we’ll be posting a series of polls asking you to vote on where in the standings each franchise is likely to end the season. So please cast your vote below for the franchise you expect to end the season with the 5th best overall record. But don’t end your involvement with the simple click of a button. Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on why you voted the way that you did. We look forward to what you have to say.
Previous Selections:
- No. 30: 76ers
- No. 29: Knicks
- No. 28: Nuggets
- No. 27: Lakers
- No. 26: Nets
- No. 25: Timberwolves
- No. 24: Trail Blazers
- No. 23: Magic
- No. 22: Pistons
- No. 21: Kings
- No. 20: Hornets
- No. 19: Jazz
- No. 18: Suns
- No. 17: Celtics
- No. 16: Pacers
- No. 15: Mavericks
- No. 14 Bucks
- No. 13: Pelicans
- No. 12: Raptors
- No. 11: Heat
- No. 10: Wizards
- No. 9: Hawks
- No. 8: Bulls
- No. 7: Grizzlies
- No. 6: Rockets
If you’re a Trade Rumors app user, click here.
Hornets Waive Four Players
The Hornets have parted ways with center Jason Washburn, swingman Damien Wilkins, small forward Sam Thompson, and shooting guard Elliot Williams, the team announced (via Twitter). Washburn, Wilkins, and Thompson were in camp on non-guaranteed pacts, so the team won’t be on the hook for any funds as a result of these moves, but Williams’ deal includes a small partial guarantee of $80K, which Charlotte would be responsible for provided Williams clears waivers. The team’s roster count now sits at 15 players. These moves also indicate that former Kentucky guard Aaron Harrison, who is signed to a partially guaranteed deal, has a strong shot to make the team’s regular season roster.
Washburn, 25, went undrafted out of Utah back in 2013. His career numbers in four seasons for the Utes were 8.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks to go along with a shooting line of .565/.444/.792. He spent last season overseas playing for Brussels, where he averaged 8.9 PPG and 3.9 RPG in 27 appearances. Washburn played in two contests for the Jazz in this year’s Las Vegas Summer League.
Wilkins, 35, had spent the 2012/13 season with the Sixers, for whom he put up 6.4 points in 18.0 minutes per game with 33.3% shooting in 61 appearances, numbers close to his NBA career averages. Wilkins has played overseas and in the D-League since, notching 20.2 PPG and 5.7 RPG in 37.8 MPG with 33.1% three-point shooting across 50 contests with the D-League affiliate of the Grizzlies last season.
Thompson, 22, had appeared in 35 games for Ohio State last season, notching averages of 10.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists to go along with a shooting line of .466/.262/.688. His career marks through four NCAA seasons are 6.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, and 1.1 APG.
Williams has struggled to find his footing in the NBA, appearing last season only on a series of five 10-day contracts split between Charlotte, the Jazz and the Pelicans. The now 26-year-old shooting guard put up 2.8 points in 9.2 minutes per game across 13 appearances in 2014/15. He saw more extensive action in 2013/14 with the Sixers, with whom he put up 6.0 PPG in 17.3 MPG.
Thunder Exercise Options On Three Players
The Thunder have exercised the fourth-year options on center Steven Adams and shooting guard Andre Roberson in addition to their third-year option on forward/center Mitch McGary, the team announced via press release. All three options are for the 2016/17 season, with Adams set to earn $3,140,517, Roberson scheduled to make $2,183,072, and McGary under contract for $1,526,040.
In two seasons with the Thunder, Adams, 22, has appeared in 151 games, including 87 starts, and has averaged 5.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 19.7 minutes per game to accompany a slash line of .531/.000/.534.
Roberson, 23, has seen action in 107 games in his NBA career, including 81 starts, while notching averages of 2.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.7 steals in 15.7 minutes per game. With Roberson in the starting lineup, the Thunder has gone 53-28 during the past two seasons.
McGary, 23, was the No. 21 overall pick back in the 2014 NBA draft, and he made just 32 appearances for OKC during his rookie campaign, logging 6.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks in 15.2 minutes of action per contest. His shooting numbers were .553/.000/.625.
Celtics Likely To Exercise Options On Smart, Young
The Celtics are expected to exercise the third-year options on point guard Marcus Smart and swingman James Young, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com reports. Both options are for the 2016/17 season, with Smart set to earn $3,578,880 that year, while Young would be paid $1,825,200. Danny Ainge, the Celtics’ president of basketball operations, declined to comment on the team’s intentions in terms of picking up team options or the status of potential extensions for fourth-year players Tyler Zeller and Jared Sullinger, Blakely notes in the same piece. November 2nd is the deadline this year for teams to decide on rookie scale options and extensions.
It was almost assured that Boston would pick up its option on Smart, who was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. During his rookie campaign in 2014/15, the 21-year old appeared in 67 contests, including 38 as a starter, averaging 7.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 27.0 minutes per night. His slash line was .367/.335/.646. He remains a big part of the Celtics’ future, though he is still learning the nuances of the point guard position.
Young’s situation is not so clear, with the 20-year-old struggling with his outside shooting since arriving in the NBA. Given the presence of 2015 first-rounder R.J. Hunter, his rotation spot is tenuous, though the young player certainly still has a high upside. “James is growing as a player and as a person,” Ainge told Blakely. “He has a better work ethic and he’s a better player.”
The Celtics executive did note that injuries and bad luck have played a part in holding Young back, the CSN scribe adds. “Last year, James’ development was stunted with no training camp, no summer league and hurt a couple times when he was just getting there and would have some kind of setback,” Ainge continued. “He had some really tough luck as a rookie.” In 31 appearances last season, Young averaged 3.4 PPG and 1.4 RPG in 10.7 minutes per contest.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 10/22/15
The contract impasse between the Cavaliers and restricted free agent power forward Tristan Thompson has ended with the two sides signing a five-year, $82MM deal earlier today. This new pact will make Thompson the sixth highest paid power forward in the league behind Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge, Blake Griffin, Paul Millsap, and David Lee. It’s certainly debatable whether or not Thompson is worthy of being compensated at this level, especially given the luxury tax hit that will be tacked on. Thompson’s numbers through 306 career NBA contests are 10.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks to accompany a slash line of .488/.000/.633.
Which brings me to the topic for today: Is Tristan Thompson worth the amount of his new five-year, $82MM deal?
While Thompson is certainly a talented player whose full potential has yet to be tapped, he hasn’t demonstrated the ability to be more than an upper-tier role-player thus far in his career, which makes this deal a bit difficult to swallow from my perspective. But Cleveland does receive a secondary benefit beyond keeping Thompson in its rotation for the next five years, seeing as how LeBron James, who shares the same agent with Thompson, wanted the young power forward back with the team. Since LeBron can hit free agency after this season, keeping the superstar happy certainly is in the team’s best interests.
But what say you? Is Thompson worth Cleveland making this deal, and absorbing an even higher luxury tax penalty as a result? What numbers would Thompson need to produce to give the team its money’s worth? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.
Southeast Notes: Weber, Hardaway Jr., Webster
Martell Webster‘s injury woes may end up costing him some guaranteed salary, J. Michael of CSN Mid-Atlantic relays. The final season of Webster’s four-year, $22MM deal with the Wizards includes an incentive clause that stipulates that he has to appear in a total of 180 regular season contests during the first three years of the arrangement, or else his full guarantee will be downgraded to a partial guarantee of $2MM, which is less than 50% of what Webster’s contract calls for in 2016/17, Michael notes. Webster played 78 and 32 games in the first two years of his deal, which means that he’d need to make 70 appearances this season to meet his contractual goal, an unrealistic expectation given the Wizards’ depth at forward and his current health status, the CSN scribe opines.
Here’s more out of the Southeast:
- Briante Weber‘s minimum salary deal with the Heat is for one year and includes no guaranteed money, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders relays (via Twitter).
- Hawks swingman Tim Hardaway Jr. has struggled to find his shooting stroke during the preseason, but he’ll still be given ample opportunities to prove himself this season given the high price Atlanta paid to obtain him, writes Kris Willis of SB Nation’s Peachtree Hoops.
- Magic coach Scott Skiles believes that second-year combo forward Aaron Gordon will be a difference-maker for the team this season, John Denton of NBA.com writes. Orlando is hoping that Gordon will be able to play small forward full time which would allow the team to shift Tobias Harris to power forward, Denton adds. “I want to get [Gordon] to play with Tobias some. It’s not like we’re doubting that they can play together because we know that they can, but it’s just a matter of actually going out there and doing it,’’ Skiles said. “Then, it’s about figuring out after Friday who we want to start opening night and things like that [with the rotations].’’
Poll: 2015/16 Team Power Rankings (No. 6)
The NBA preseason is winding down, and teams are now in the process of paring down their preseason rosters. Every new season brings with it the hope for each franchise that it will conclude with the hoisting of the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. But for the more jaded fans — or practical, depending on your outlook — not every team has a realistic shot at making the playoffs, much less at being the last team standing when all is said and done and the playoffs have concluded.
We at Hoops Rumors want to know what you, the reader, think about each team’s chances this coming campaign. To help facilitate that, we’ll be posting a series of polls asking you to vote on where in the standings each franchise is likely to end the season. So please cast your vote below for the franchise you expect to end the season with the 6th best overall record. But don’t end your involvement with the simple click of a button. Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on why you voted the way that you did. We look forward to what you have to say.
Previous Selections:
- No. 30: 76ers
- No. 29: Knicks
- No. 28: Nuggets
- No. 27: Lakers
- No. 26: Nets
- No. 25: Timberwolves
- No. 24: Trail Blazers
- No. 23: Magic
- No. 22: Pistons
- No. 21: Kings
- No. 20: Hornets
- No. 19: Jazz
- No. 18: Suns
- No. 17: Celtics
- No. 16: Pacers
- No. 15: Mavericks
- No. 14 Bucks
- No. 13: Pelicans
- No. 12: Raptors
- No. 11: Heat
- No. 10: Wizards
- No. 9: Hawks
- No. 8: Bulls
- No. 7: Grizzlies
If you’re a Trade Rumors app user, click here.