Heat Re-Sign Beno Udrih
11:38am: The signing is official, the Heat announced.
10:10am: The Heat have agreed to a deal to re-sign unrestricted free agent point guard Beno Udrih, Shams Charania of The Vertical reports (via Twitter). It’s a one-year, fully guaranteed pact, notes Charania. The scribe didn’t relay the dollar value of the arrangement, but with the Heat well over the cap with $102,872,092 in salary already committed for next season and having used the room exception to ink Dion Waiters, it would have to be for the league minimum.
Miami reportedly had a “standing invitation” for Udrih to join them in training camp if he was unable to land a better deal elsewhere. Udrih played 36 games with Miami last season before agreeing to a buyout in February to help the team avoid the luxury tax, which certainly gained him some fans within the organization. Udrih’s addition now gives the Heat 15 fully guaranteed pacts.
In those 36 games for the Heat last season, Udrih averaged 4.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 16.3 minutes per outing. He shot .434/.333/.882 from the field.
Blazers Sign Grant Jerrett
AUGUST 17th: The signing is official, the team announced via press release.
AUGUST 16th: The Trail Blazers have agreed to a deal with unrestricted free agent Grant Jerrett, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports (via Twitter). The scribe classifies it as a training camp pact, so it’s almost assuredly for the league minimum and likely includes little or no guaranteed salary.
Portland currently has 16 players on its roster, including 14 with fully guaranteed deals. So, unless Jerrett truly impresses the coaching staff during the preseason, he’s likely ticketed for the D-League to begin the year.
Jerrett last appeared in an NBA regular season contest during the 2014/15 campaign, when he played in a combined eight games for the Jazz and the Thunder. The power forward averaged 2.0 points and 1.1 rebounds in 6.4 minutes while shooting .269/.067/1.000.
Pistons Notes: Smith, Baynes, Leuer
Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy is extremely pleased with the offseason the team has had, noting that he includes the mid-season trade to acquire Tobias Harris in his assessment, Keith Langlois of NBA.com writes. “People forget that over half of the potential cap space was used on Tobias Harris during the year,” Van Gundy said. “So you really have to look, even though we did it at the trade deadline, that was a cap space move that allowed us going forward to do it and still be able to acquire other guys. So I throw Tobias into that. When you look at him in that group, to me it’s definitely an A [grade].”
Van Gundy also noted that signing restricted free agent Boban Marjanovic was an “outside the box move,” especially in a league that is more geared toward small-ball these days, Langlois relays. It is also one that protects the team in the event that Aron Baynes departs as a free agent after this season, the scribe adds. “We’ve probably got more true centers than anybody in a league that’s going away from true centers, but looking at Aron’s situation – and the part that people understand is he’ll opt out, probably, based on the salaries we saw this year – and the part they don’t understand is if he opts out and because he’s only been here two years, we’re limited in how far we can go in our offer,” Van Gundy said. “It wasn’t a matter of you don’t want to pay him or you don’t think he’s worth it. It’s that we’re limited.”
Here’s more out of Motown:
- The addition of Jon Leuer as a reserve power forward is expected to help Detroit match up better against taller, more athletic frontcourts, Van Gundy told Langlois. “We wanted to add more size at that spot but not give up athleticism, not give up shooting, and Jon Leuer was really the only guy out there that we thought fit everything that we wanted in that spot,” said Van Gundy. “Shot 38% from three, 6’11”. He’s a very good athlete with great quickness. He’s a guy we had our eye on for a couple of years and we just thought would be a really good fit to what we wanted.”
- The Pistons inked Ish Smith in part because of his experience as a starter, as well as the intangibles he brings with him to the gym every day, Langlois writes in a separate piece. “It did matter,” Van Gundy said of Smith’s success as a starter with the 76ers last season. “What you want with all of your backups, one of the things you ask is can those guys start. You can’t look at somebody and say he’s OK as a 16-, 18-minute a game guy because it can quickly become more than that. The fact he has that experience and did well, yeah, that’s a big thing. I feel like certainly with what would at least appear to be our first four guys off the bench, all of ’em are capable of starting.”
Poll: 2005 NBA Draft Take Two (Pick No. 13)
We’re in the process of revisiting the 2005 NBA Draft, which is the year that the Bucks nabbed big man Andrew Bogut with the No. 1 overall pick. That year’s draft class is generally viewed as one of the weaker ones in recent memory, though, there were quite a few second-rounders that year (Ersan Ilyasova, Monta Ellis, Lou Williams, Amir Johnson and Marcin Gortat) who have gone on to have very solid NBA careers.
We’ve been posting a series of reader polls that ask you to vote on the player whom you believe should have been selected with each pick. We’ll continue onward with the Bobcats/Hornets, who held the No. 13 pick that season. Readers, you are now on the clock! Cast your vote for Charlotte’s pick and check back Wednesday for the results, as well as for your chance to vote for whom the Timberwolves should have taken at No. 14. But don’t limit yourself to a simple button click. Take to the comments section below and share your thoughts on the pick and why you voted the way that you did. Also, if I fail to list a player who you think should be selected, feel free to post that in the comments section and I’ll be certain to tally those votes as well.
Note: Believe it or not, we do read your feedback and always do our best to give our readers what they ask for. I’ve had a number of messages from folks not all that excited about the remaining prospects in this draft class. So…I’m posting another poll in this post to gauge what is most preferable. Vote below on whether or not to finish the first round of this draft or switch to a different draft. If the consensus is to switch, the choices are:
- 1996 — the year of Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury and Steve Nash.
- 1984 — the year of Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and John Stockton.
- 2008 — the year of Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love and Brook Lopez.
Selections
- Bucks — Chris Paul [Actual Pick — Andrew Bogut]
- Hawks — Deron Williams [Actual Pick — Marvin Williams]
- Jazz — Monta Ellis [Actual Pick — Deron Williams]
- Hornets/Pelicans — Andrew Bogut [Actual Pick — Chris Paul]
- Bobcats/Hornets — Danny Granger [Actual Pick — Raymond Felton]
- Trail Blazers — David Lee [Actual Pick — Martell Webster]
- Raptors — Andrew Bynum [Actual Pick — Charlie Villanueva]
- Knicks — Marcin Gortat [Actual Pick — Channing Frye]
- Warriors — Lou Williams [Actual Pick — Ike Diogu]
- Lakers — Marvin Williams [Actual Pick — Andrew Bynum]
- Magic — Channing Frye [Actual Pick — Fran Vazquez]
- Clippers — Amir Johnson [Actual Pick — Yaroslav Korolev]
- Bobcats/Hornets — ?? [Actual Pick — Sean May]
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And-Ones: Robinson, Davis, Christon
The Bucks announced the hiring (via press release) of Craig Robinson as the franchise’s vice president of player organization and development. Robinson is a former head coach at Brown University (2006-2008) and the brother of First Lady, Michelle Obama. “Player development is instrumental to the success of our players on the court and their valuable impact in the community,” Bucks co-owner Wes Edens said. “We strive to equip every member of our organization with the tools they need to find personal success beyond basketball. As we continue to build a world-class franchise, we’re thrilled to have someone with Craig’s experience and character join our team and help our players reach their full potential on and off the court.”
Here’s more from around the league:
- Former NBA player Baron Davis is still hoping to get another chance in the NBA, but noted that he doesn’t plan on attempting to go the D-League route again, Jesse Dougherty of The Los Angeles Times relays. When asked if he would consider playing in the D-League this season, Davis responded, “Nah, I’m trying to get back to the NBA, the real thing.” Davis had joined the Sixers’ affiliate in March and finished out the 2015/16 campaign as a member of the 87ers.
- The Thunder‘s signing of guard Ronnie Price likely means that Semaj Christon is likely ticketed for the D-League or playing overseas this season, Erik Horne of The Oklahoman notes. After a solid showing in the summer league, Christon was being eyed as a potential third guard for Oklahoma City. The 23-year-old isn’t under contract with the team, but the Thunder own his draft rights. Christon spent last season with Italy’s Vuelle Pesaro.
Poll: 2005 NBA Draft Take Two (Pick No. 12)
We’re in the process of revisiting the 2005 NBA Draft, the year that the Bucks nabbed big man Andrew Bogut with the No. 1 overall pick. That year’s draft class is generally viewed as one of the weaker ones in recent memory, though, there were quite a few second-rounders that year (Ersan Ilyasova, Monta Ellis, Lou Williams, Amir Johnson and Marcin Gortat) who have gone on to have very solid NBA careers.
In the weeks ahead, we’ll be posting a series of reader polls that ask you to vote on the player whom you believe should have been selected with each pick. We’ll continue onward with the Clippers, who held the No. 12 pick that season. Readers, you are now on the clock! Cast your vote for Los Angeles’ pick and check back Tuesday for the results, as well as for your chance to vote for whom the Bobcats/Hornets should have taken at No. 13. But don’t limit yourself to a simple button click. Take to the comments section below and share your thoughts on the pick and why you voted the way that you did. Also, if I fail to list a player who you think should be selected, feel free to post that in the comments section and I’ll be certain to tally those votes as well.
Selections
- Bucks — Chris Paul [Actual Pick — Andrew Bogut]
- Hawks — Deron Williams [Actual Pick — Marvin Williams]
- Jazz — Monta Ellis [Actual Pick — Deron Williams]
- Hornets/Pelicans — Andrew Bogut [Actual Pick — Chris Paul]
- Bobcats/Hornets — Danny Granger [Actual Pick — Raymond Felton]
- Trail Blazers — David Lee [Actual Pick — Martell Webster]
- Raptors — Andrew Bynum [Actual Pick — Charlie Villanueva]
- Knicks — Marcin Gortat [Actual Pick — Channing Frye]
- Warriors — Lou Williams [Actual Pick — Ike Diogu]
- Lakers — Marvin Williams [Actual Pick — Andrew Bynum]
- Magic — Channing Frye [Actual Pick — Fran Vazquez]
- Clippers — ?? [Actual Pick — Yaroslav Korolev]
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Eastern Notes: Novak, Embiid, Bullock
Despite receiving interest from a few other teams, unrestricted free agent forward Steve Novak is still hoping that the Bucks will re-sign him, Gery Woelfel of The Racine Journal Times writes. “There have been a few teams that we’ve talked to; you always got to keep your doors open,’’ Novak’s agent, Mark Bartelstein said. “But we’re still talking with the Bucks and, hopefully, we’ll make a deal with them. Steve would love to stay in Milwaukee. It’s a very special place for him.’’
Bucks co-owner Jamie Dinan had indicated back in May that he would like to re-sign Novak. Milwaukee currently has 13 players under contract, as Roster Resource shows, so there is room for the veteran shooter if the team does indeed want him back. Novak only appeared in three games with Milwaukee after signing with the team in February before a sprained left MCL prematurely ended his season.
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Sixers center Joel Embiid remains one of the games more intriguing talents despite not having played in a game that counts in over two years, Derek Bodner of Philadelphia magazine writes. If he can remain healthy and maximize his potential, Embiid has the talent to change not just Philadelphia’s fortunes, but how the game is played in the NBA as well, Bodner opines.
- While no formal talks have been held, the Pistons are considering a contract extension for Reggie Bullock prior to the October 31st deadline, Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press relays. One concern regarding any extension with the swingman is the team’s proximity to the luxury tax line, a threshold that owner Tom Gores is willing to cross if it helps the team take the next step forward, Ellis adds. “Look, if we weren’t building a core, there’s really no point in paying the luxury tax,” Gores said. “Because we are building a core, would I do it? Yeah, absolutely. So you say go into the luxury tax for nothing, then that would be silly because then we’re putting the franchise behind. But given that we have such a good core, if that’s what it took, and we feel we’ve made such progress this year, I wouldn’t hesitate to do it because we want to keep getting better.”
Nets Expected To Sign Trevor Cooney
The Nets intend to sign undrafted free agent guard Trevor Cooney, international journalist David Pick reports (via Twitter). Brooklyn is inking Cooney with an eye on him joining the team’s D-League squad as an affiliate player, Pick adds. No further details on the potential arrangement were relayed by Pick, but it is almost assuredly a minimum salary deal with little or no guarantee. Cooney will attend training camp with the Nets, then, once waived, would join the Long Island Nets as a designated affiliate player, Chris Reichert of Upside and Motor speculates (On Twitter).
For those unfamiliar, an affiliate player is someone who was under contract with an NBA team, was released and cleared waivers, and whose NBA team unilaterally claimed his D-League rights. NBA teams can retain the D-League rights to as many as four players they release, thus keeping them out of the D-League draft or the waiver system that the D-League uses during the season to determine which of its teams get newly signed players. You can read a more in-depth explanation of affiliate players in the Hoops Rumors Glossary.
As for Cooney, he went undrafted this year after completing his collegiate career at Syracuse. In 37 games this past season as a fifth-year senior, Cooney averaged 13.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 36.4 minutes per outing. His shooting line was .348/.354/.806.
Salary Cap Snapshot: Los Angeles Clippers
With the free agent signing period winding down and teams looking ahead to the preseason, we at Hoops Rumors will be tracking the Salary Cap figures for each team around the league. These posts will be maintained throughout the season once financial data is reported. They will be located on the sidebar throughout the year, once all the teams’ cap figures have been relayed. You can always check RosterResource.com for up-to-date rosters for each franchise, with the Clippers’ team page accessible here.
Here’s a breakdown of where the Clippers currently stand financially:
Guaranteed Salary
- Chris Paul —$22,868,827 [Contract includes 15% Trade Kicker]
- DeAndre Jordan —$21,165,675 [Contract includes 15% Trade Kicker]
- Blake Griffin —$20,140,839 [Contract includes 15% Trade Kicker]
- Jamal Crawford —$13,253,012
- Austin Rivers —$11,000,000
- J.J. Redick —$7,377,500 [Contract includes 5% Trade Kicker]
- Wesley Johnson —$5,628,000
- Paul Pierce —$3,527,920
- Luc Mbah a Moute —$2,203,000
- Marreese Speights —$1,403,611
- Brice Johnson —$1,273,920
- Alan Anderson —$980,431 [Actual Salary $1,315,448]
- Raymond Felton —$980,431 [Actual Salary $1,551,659]
- Brandon Bass —$980,431 [Actual Salary $1,551,659]
- Carlos Delfino —$650,000 [Waived via Stretch Provision]
- Diamond Stone —$543,471
- Jordan Farmar —$510,921 [Waived via Stretch Provision]
- Miroslav Raduljica —$252,043 [Waived via Stretch Provision]
Total Guaranteed Salary= $114,740,032
Cash Sent Out Via Trade: $230,000 sent to Magic in C.J. Wilcox trade [Amount Remaining $3.27MM]
Cash Received Via Trade: $0 [Amount Remaining $3.5MM]
Payroll Exceptions Available
- Trade Exception: $1,209,600 (C.J. Wilcox trade) — Expires on 7/15/17
- Bi-Annual Exception: $0 [Used on Luc Mbah a Moute]
- Mid-Level Exception: $0 [Used on Wesley Johnson]
Total Projected Payroll: $114,740,032
Salary Cap: $94,143,000
Estimated Available Cap Space: –$20,597,032
Luxury Tax Threshold: $113,287,000
Amount Above Luxury Tax: $1,453,032
Hard Cap: $117,287,000
Amount Below Hard Cap: $2,546,968
Total Projected Payroll For Tax Purposes: $114,740,032
Projected Luxury Tax Bill: $3,632,580
Last Updated: 1/27/17
The Basketball Insiders salary pages and The Vertical’s salary database were used in the creation of this post.