Weekly Mailbag: 8/8/16-8/14/16
We have an 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 us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com. Here are this week’s inquiries:
Does a trade where Ricky Rubio gets a fresh start in Sacramento and where Rudy Gay joins the up-and-coming T’Wolves make sense for both teams? — Matt Trapp
Arthur Hill: It makes a lot of sense. Kris Dunn and Tyus Jones are the point guards of the future in Minnesota, and the Wolves don’t need Rubio around to take away their playing time. He is signed for the next three seasons at $13.55MM, $14.25MM and $14.8MM, so he’s too expensive to keep as a backup. Minnesota is looking for one more wing player, while Sacramento needs help at point guard. Rajon Rondo left for the Bulls in free agency and Darren Collison may be looking at a lengthy suspension after his domestic violence case is resolved. Also, the salaries match almost perfectly, with Gay making $13,333,333 next season. It seems like an ideal trade for both teams.
Devin Harris is out of the Mavericks’ rotation now. Send him to Miami to be their backup point guard for a protected second rounder. Mavs save a little money, sign Jason Terry to be third-string/player assistant coach and reunite with buddy Dirk. Thoughts? — Beauen
Arthur Hill: Terry would probably love it, plus the Heat need an experienced backup to Goran Dragic. Harris makes a little more than $4.2MM next season and $4.4MM in 2017/18, so he’s a low-cost solution. Miami can’t consider many deals before the December 15th deadline to trade newly signed players, so Dallas will have to be patient. The Heat have too many experienced players and too few minutes to go around, so if they can unload maybe Wayne Ellington or someone else who falls out of the rotation, they might be interested in Harris.
What’s the role of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver? Does he or the NBA board have any veto power regarding player movement? Here in Manila, in our local PBA league, player movement, signings and trades pass through the commissioner before being finalized. If the Kevin Durant to the Warriors issue happened here, it would have been vetoed for causing team imbalance. — Greg Dizon
Arthur Hill: The commissioner has always had great power when it comes to settling league disputes and in matters of player discipline, but overseeing trades and player movement has never been part of the job description. What Durant did was perfectly legal under the existing rules. He honored his contract with the Thunder and became an unrestricted free agent. The Warriors had enough cap room to sign him, and both parties entered into the deal willingly. It’s up to each individual front office to keep its team competitive, not the commissioner. The one glaring exception when a trade was vetoed came in 2011 when the Hornets agreed to ship Chris Paul to the Lakers. However, the New Orleans franchise was owned by the league at the time, so David Stern had legitimate “basketball reasons” to stop the deal.
Community Shootaround: FIBA Rules
There may be plenty of NBA players at the Summer Olympics, but it doesn’t take long to realize that these aren’t NBA games. They’re shorter, for starters, lasting just 40 minutes instead of 48, with the number of fouls for disqualification cut from six to five. But that’s just one of many adjustments that pro players had to make when they started playing internationally 24 years ago. Here are few other key areas in which FIBA rules are different:
- Fewer time outs. When NBA games are close, the final minutes often drag out because both teams have saved so many time outs. The NBA gives each team six full time outs per game, along with one 20-second time out per half and three more in overtime. FIBA rules provide two timeouts in the first half, three in the second half and one extra for each overtime.
- No live-ball time outs. The only time that time outs are permitted is when the clock is already stopped, and they must be called by the bench through the scorer’s table. That means players can’t call time out when they’re trapped and teams can’t stop the clock before each posession in the final minutes.
- Shorter 3-point line. The FIBA 3-pointer is measured at 6.25 meters [or 20 feet, 6.25 inches], compared to between 22 feet and 23 feet, 9 inches in the NBA. The closer line makes for an easier shot, but it also puts more pressure on defenses to defend the 3-point line.
- Basket interference: In international play, the ball is fair game once it hits the rim, and both teams are free to guide it through or knock it away. In the NBA, the ball must clear the cylinder before anyone can touch it.
- Zone defense. There are no defensive three-seconds calls in FIBA basketball. Teams can play any type of zone they want and can keep all five defenders in the lane for the entire possession if they think that’s the best strategy.
- Shorter shot clock on offensive rebounds. In the NBA, an offensive rebound means a new 24-second clock, but in FIBA it is only reset to 14 seconds. That speeds up the action and can help teams trying to come from behind late in a game.
- Fewer jump balls. FIBA uses the possession arrow just like college basketball. The only jump ball takes place at the start of the game.
That brings us to our question for tonight: Which of these rules would you like to see brought to the NBA and how would they improve the pro game?
Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.
Arthur Hill contributed to this post.
Hawks Notes: Cotton, Splitter, Hill
The Hawks may have competition if they’re interested in bringing Bryce Cotton to training camp, according to Orazio Cauchi of Sportando. Anadolu Efes in Turkey and Khimki in Russia both have interest in the free agent point guard, who had brief stints with the Suns and Grizzlies last season. Atlanta is three players below the league limit, and Cotton was recently mentioned as a potential training camp signee by Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The 24-year-old played for Atlanta’s summer league team and impressed team officials by averaging 12.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in five games.
Here’s more news out of Atlanta:
- Tiago Splitter plans to be ready for training camp after offseason hip surgery, Vivlamore tweets. The Hawks were hoping Splitter would be a valuable backup big man after acquiring him in a trade with the Spurs last summer, but repeated problems with his right hip forced him to opt for surgery in mid-February. Splitter managed just 36 games with the Hawks, averaging 5.6 points and 3.3 rebounds in a little more than 16 minutes per night. The 31-year-old is entering the final year of his contract.
- Former NBA star Grant Hill is seeing the game from a new perspective as a partial owner of the Hawks, writes A.J. Neuharth-Keusch of USA Today. Hill is part of the ownership group led by Tony Ressler that purchased the team in April of 2015. Hill serves as vice chair of the board and says he wants to do “something amazing” for Atlanta. “Ownership and the idea of ownership is something that I’ve thought about for quite some time, going back to my early days and my early years in the NBA playing in Detroit,” Hill said. “Just understanding from when I was young … how powerful sports can be, and how it can inspire people, how it can bring people together. It can really galvanize a community, a city, and that’s a huge responsibility.“
Arthur Hill contributed to this post.
Salary Cap Snapshot: Indiana Pacers
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 Pacers’ team page accessible here.
Here’s a breakdown of where the Pacers currently stand financially:
Guaranteed Salary
- Paul George — $18,314,532
- Thaddeus Young — $14,153,652
- Monta Ellis — $10,763,500
- Al Jefferson — $10,230,179
- Jeff Teague — $8,000,000
- Rodney Stuckey — $7,000,000 [Waived by team]
- C.J. Miles — $4,583,450
- Lavoy Allen — $4,000,000
- Lance Stephenson — $4,000,000
- Aaron Brooks — $2,700,000
- Myles Turner — $2,463,840
- Kevin Seraphin — $1,800,000
- Jeremy Evans — $1,227,286 [Waived by team]
- Rakeem Christmas — $1,052,342
- Joseph Young — $1,052,342
- Glenn Robinson III — $1,050,500
- Georges Niang — $650,000
- Ben Bentil — $50,000 [Waived by team]
- Julyan Stone — $50,000 [Waived by team]
- Alex Poythress — $35,381 [Waived by team]
- Nick Zeisloft — $25,000 [Waived by team]
Total Guaranteed Salary= $94,002,004
Cash Sent Out Via Trade: $0 [Amount Remaining $3.5MM]
Cash Received Via Trade: Received $3,227,286 from Mavericks as part of Jeremy Evans trade [Amount Remaining $272,714]
Payroll Exceptions Available
- Room Exception: $2,898,000
Total Projected Payroll: $94,002,004
Salary Cap: $94,143,000
Estimated Available Cap Space: $140,996
Luxury Tax Threshold: $113,287,000
Amount Below Luxury Tax: $19,284,996
Last Updated: 4/6/17
The Basketball Insiders salary pages and The Vertical’s salary database were used in the creation of this post.
Western Notes: Collison, Williams, Bonner
Kings point guard Darren Collison‘s court date regarding allegations of domestic violence has been pushed back to August 18th, James Ham of CSNBayArea.com relays (via Twitter). Collison was arrested in May after local deputies responded to a report from a woman who said she was being assaulted inside a Northern California home. It remains to be seen if the guard will face discipline from the league for the reported incident. The previous precedent established for what Collison and Sacramento could be facing was when Jeff Taylor pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor domestic assault charge back in 2014 and received a 24-game suspension from the NBA as a result.
Here’s more from out West:
- Being back on the bench coaching during the Olympics has reminded former Thunder assistant Monty Williams how much he loves the game, but he’s still working his way back from the tragedy of losing his wife this past season and he isn’t sure when he’ll return to the NBA sidelines, Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press writes. “I’ll just take it one day at a time. I’m not concerned with where I am in my career, just because the Lord’s always taken care of all that,” Williams said. “My kids right now are the priority and I just want to get back home and make sure they’re in a good spot. Obviously working in the NBA is really important to me, but at the same time there’s a few other things that need to happen for me to get back to that point.”
- While “nothing is ever 100%,” Matt Bonner acknowledges his time with the Spurs is likely over, Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News writes. San Antonio currently has 14 players with guaranteed contracts and the unrestricted free agent forward has yet to hear from the team regarding next season, McDonald notes. “There’s no hard feelings,” Bonner said. “I’m beyond appreciative of everything the Spurs, the city and the fans have done for me.”
- Wolves rookie point guard Kris Dunn says he’s fully recovered from the concussion he suffered during summer league play and will be ready to go when training camp kicks off, Michael Rand of the Star Tribune relays. “I feel great. I’m back on court. I’m just working to get better for training camp, but I’m definitely back,” Dunn said.
Poll: 2005 NBA Draft Take Two (Pick No. 10)
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 Lakers, who held the No. 10 pick that season. Readers, you are now on the clock! Cast your vote for Los Angeles’ pick and check back Sunday for the results, as well as for your chance to vote for whom the Magic should have taken at No. 11. 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 — ?? [Actual Pick — Andrew Bynum]
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Hoops Rumors Originals: 8/7/16-8/13/16
Here’s a look back at the original content and analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this past week.
- Dana Gauruder examined Derrick Favors as an extension candidate.
- We asked readers to do over the 2005 NBA Draft. Here’s who you selected for picks No. 5, No. 6, No. 7, No. 8 and No. 9 overall.
- Luke Adams recapped the free agent spending this offseason for each division.
- We ran down the players that teams will need to make Rookie Scale Option decisions on.
- You can stay up to date on any contract extensions agreed to this season with our tracker.
- Will Joseph highlighted some of the better basketball blogs around in his weekly installment of Hoops Links.
- We looked at the 2016/17 Salary Cap figures for the:
- 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 current longest tenured NBA player for each team.
- Luke ran down the free agents who inked five-year deals this summer.
- In our Community Shootarounds this week we discussed:
- If the NBA needs a franchise tag added in the next CBA.
- If Ray Allen can still contribute and what team would be the best fit.
- If the Spurs have enough firepower to beat the Warriors this season.
- What the Raptors need to do in order to move forward as a franchise.
- Who is the favorite to win 2016/17’s Rookie of the Year award.
- Carmelo Anthony‘s potential NBA legacy.
- Our Free Agent Tracker continues to have up-to-date data on this summer’s contract agreements and signings from around the NBA.
- Arthur looked at the extension candidacy of Victor Oladipo.
- We ran down the players who enter the 2016/17 season without guaranteed deals.
- If you haven’t already, be sure to download the Trade Rumors app for your iOS or Android device.
Eastern Notes: Hoiberg, Muscala, Noah
The Bulls added experience this offseason in Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo, potentially at the cost of putting a cohesive unit on the court, but coach Fred Hoiberg believes his new look roster can be effective on offense, Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com relays. “The biggest thing is we have multiple playmakers now, we have guys who can get in and break down the defense,” Hoiberg said. “That’s the most important thing to have on an NBA roster is multiple ballhandlers, multiple playmakers. Bigs who are gonna set screens and put pressure on the rim.”
“Rondo is a point guard who I think will thrive in the system we like to run and then to get Dwyane, we didn’t have to give up any of the young pieces in the process,” Hoiberg continued. “We’re able to stay competitive with players with championship experience. To pair those two guys with Jimmy Butler, it’ll be a dynamic and exciting backcourt.”
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- New Knicks center Joakim Noah has no ill feelings toward the Bulls and appreciates the time he spent in Chicago, but is still looking forward to facing his old franchise this coming season, writes K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. “I have no anger towards nobody,” Noah said. “If we had a couple rough years at the end, I’m just still so grateful for the opportunity the Bulls gave me. It’s like a family to me. Even though it’s a new chapter for the end of my career to be in New York, I think Chicago is always going to be a home to me.“
- With Dwight Howard and Tiago Splitter on the Hawks‘ roster, Mike Muscala is focusing on improving his versatility and outside shooting in an effort to earn more minutes, writes Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution. “I feel like I do have good perimeter skills for a big guy, but just getting more comfortable doing it in a game and really hammering it home and being ready to shoot the ball,” Muscala told Vivlamore. “You are going to have off-shooting days, but you have to be ready to shoot because that’s what the offense needs. It’s getting the right mindset for it, too, and being a gunslinger, being ready to shoot. That doesn’t mean shooting all the time, but having that mindset that if you miss a shot be ready for the next one. Don’t force anything. Don’t overshoot. Play with the pass. But be ready for it. That’s a big thing I’ve been working on.”
- The Magic are close to naming Lakeland, Florida as the new home of their D-League affiliate, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders relays (on Twitter).
Week In Review: 8/7/16-8/13/16
With 2016’s major free agent period winding down and the preseason on its way, here’s a look back at all the notable news and events from around the NBA this past week:
Signings/Agreements
NBA
- The Cavaliers re-signed LeBron James.
- The Cavaliers signed Kay Felder.
- The Grizzlies signed Tony Wroten.
- The Raptors signed Drew Crawford and Yanick Moreira.
- The Pelicans signed Robert Sacre.
- The Pelicans signed Shawn Dawson.
- The Pacers signed Alex Poythress.
- The Thunder signed Domantas Sabonis.
International
- Perry Jones III signed a deal to play in Russia with Khimki Moscow.
- Shayne Whittington signed a contract with Spanish club Obradoiro CAB.
- Michael Eric signed with Spanish Club Bilbao.
- Tyshawn Taylor signed a deal to play in Israel with Kiryat Gat.
- Shane Larkin signed with the Spanish club Baskonia.
- Devyn Marble signed with the Greek team Aris Thessaloniki.
- Ricky Ledo signed with the Turkish club Yesilgiresun
News/Rumors
- Former All-Star shooting guard Ray Allen has reportedly had conversations with the Celtics and Bucks as he contemplates an NBA comeback at age 41.
- The Grizzlies hired Bob Bender as an assistant coach.
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 every 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.
If you missed out on any past mailbags and would like to catch up, you can view the full archives here.