Western Notes: Lakers, Young, Ellis
Since the NBA’s inception, only one trade and four other NBA transactions have occurred on Christmas Day. Thus, a slower evening of transaction news can be expected. However, a few notes in the Western Conference.
- Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News explains how the Lakers‘ commitment to re-signing Kobe Bryant and having max flexibility in next summer’s free agent market has allowed for the breakout performances of players such as Xavier Henry, Wesley Johnson, and Nick Young. Medina also speculates what big free agent(s) the Lakers may pursue next summer as well as how they adjust to life beyond Kobe.
- Speaking of breakouts, Nick Young is hoping this season’s performance with the Lakers will provide his future with more financial stability like his former teammate John Wall was given this offseason. Young has played for 4 teams in the 3 years since he signed the Wizards’ qualifying offer on his rookie deal but hopes a team will provide him more security in the near future. He is currently playing for the veteran minimum and has a player option at the end of this season. Young told Michael Lee of The Washington Post that although this is not the security he hoped for, he is embracing playing for his hometown team and learning from one of basketball’s greatest – Kobe Bryant.
- Dwain Price of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram claims the jury is still out on the Mavericks three-year, $25MM free agent Monta Ellis but that early returns are encouraging. The NBA’s most improved player in 2007 signed with the Mavericks this past summer. Ellis is averaging 20.6 PPG and 5.9 APG this season.
Proposal For New Arena And NBA Team In Las Vegas
Former NBA player Jackie Robinson proposed a plan earlier this week for a $1.3 billion new arena on the Las Vegas Strip, according to The Associated Press.
The proposed arena would seat 22,000, which is 76 seats shy of the largest NBA arena, The Palace of Auburn Hills. Robinson is hoping the arena will be completed by 2016 and claims the entire project will be privately funded.
Along with his hopes for completion, Robinson hopes his NBA experience and relationship with his old general manager and current NBA head of basketball operations, Kiki Vandeweghe, will attract an NBA team to this proposed arena. David Stern has previously hinted that Seattle and Las Vegas could be the next cities to be considered for NBA expansion teams.
Neil deMause of Field of Schemes points out that this exact location was the same site another group of investors unsuccessfully proposed an NBA and MLS stadium on back in 2011. While Clark County claims they have not received any submissions for land use approval, the arena is scheduled to break ground in the spring of 2014.
Odds & Ends: Jefferson, Jazz, Lakers
With all but six teams around the league in action today, it has been a busy day on the hardwood. Off the court news has also been in abundance. Here are a few notes:
- Prior to Al Jefferson facing his old team, the Bobcats center spoke (Twitter link) with Aaron Falk of the Salt Lake Tribune regarding his exit from the Jazz last year. Jefferson told Falk he knew the Jazz were likely going to move on from him and Hawks forward Paul Millsap. According to Jefferson he gave the Jazz “the first option” to sign him but knew with Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter coming up in the Jazz organization that it would likely be time for him and Millsap to move on.
- Jazz head coach Tyrone Corbin told Jody Genessy of the Deseret News he wishes Richard Jefferson hadn’t stated his intentions for next summer when the Jazz are still “trying to be a championship-contending team” this season. Corbin said Jefferson has been a great player for the Jazz this year but wishes the forward who will be “hunting” to play for a championship team in free agency would have discussed the championship push this year’s team is trying to make.
- While we asked you guys what the Nets should do now that Brook Lopez is out for the year, Bradford Doolittle of ESPN (Insider piece) thinks the Nets should try to get a trade together with the Lakers to trade away Lopez himself. Doolittle thinks the Lakers should trade Pau Gasol‘s expiring contract in return for two years of a healthy Lopez when they will be trying to chase two final titles for recently extended Kobe Bryant. He also argues that Gasol could help the Nets continue to try to get a championship this year.
Poll: How Should The Nets Respond To Lopez’s Injury?
Earlier today, the Nets announced they will be without center Brook Lopez for the remainder of the season with a broken foot. Losing Lopez for the season creates a big hole for the Nets to fill as the center was averaging 20.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg, and 1.8 bpg. Without a pick in next year’s draft and a league-high $102MM payroll, the 9-17 Nets options seem very limited but rumors have already begun as to what Brooklyn’s next move, if any, could entail.
What should the Nets do to replace Brook Lopez?
-
Trade for another player 50% (378)
-
Sign another player with the Disabled Player Exception 26% (195)
-
Stay put with the current roster 24% (180)
Total votes: 753
Eastern Notes: Nets, Nogueira, Crawford, Karl
With the announcement earlier today that Brook Lopez will be out for the season, there have been many speculations as to how the Nets will react. The disabled player exception is one option that has been mentioned and now trade speculations are beginning to surface. Ken Berger of CBSSports.com speculates that the Nets could pursue a trade for Omer Asik. It would be surprising if the Rockets bit on Berger’s proposal of Paul Pierce and a first-rounder that couldn’t go Houston’s way until 2020.
Some other notes around the Eastern Conference:
- Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports the Hawks first-round draft pick, Lucas Nogueira will be working with the Hawks team doctors now that he has returned to the United States to focus solely on his rehab. Nogueira will split his rehab time between Atlanta and LA but will be giving the team a better chance to monitor his progress.
- Former NBA guard Coby Karl has signed with the German team MHP Ludwigsburg Emiliano Carchia of Sportando reports. The son of NBA coach George Karl began the season in Italy.
- Today Celtics guard Jordan Crawford reunited against his former team, the Washington Wizards. Prior to the meeting, Crawford discussed his departure from the Wizards with Boston Herald’s Mark Murphy. In the discussion, Crawford expressed his desire that he would have handled his departure with the Wizards differently. Crawford also shared that he plans to handle the return of Rondo differently than the ascension of John Wall and Bradley Beal.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
How They Were Signed: Mini Mid-Level & Room Exception
Continuing to look at how players on current NBA rosters were signed; we will combine the two non-standard forms of the mid-level exception. As previously discussed, there are three versions of the mid-level exception dependent upon where the team’s salary is in relation to the salary cap and luxury tax amount.
Teams below the salary cap are given what is referred to as the room exception. Teams above the luxury tax line are given what is referred to as a mini mid-level exception. Teams above the salary cap but below the luxury tax are allotted the full mid-level exception. We have already looked at players signed under the full mid-level exception and today we will focus on those players signed under the room exception and mini mid-level exception.
The room exception allows teams to sign players for up to two years. The amount they are allowed to offer that player in the first year of the contract changes each year and in 2013/14 that amount was $2.65MM. The contract can grow each year to a maximum of 4.5%. Therefore teams who were looking to offer a player a contract this past offseason and were under the salary cap could use the room exception to offer that player up to a $5.42MM contract.
The mini mid-level exception allows teams to sign players for up to three years. The amount they are allowed to offer that player in the first year of the contract also changes each year and in 2013/14 that amount was $3.18MM. The contract can grow each year at a maximum rate of 4.5%. Therefore teams who were looking to offer a player a contract this past offseason and were above both the salary cap and the luxury tax amount could use the mini mid-level exception to offer that player up to a $9.98MM contract.
Teams are allowed to use both of these exceptions each year and are not required to use it on only one player but can split it among multiple players. A more detailed explanation of these exceptions is available here.
Below is a team-by-team list of which players on current NBA rosters were signed under either the room exception or the mini mid-level exception. Assume the player was signed using the mini mid-level exception unless otherwise stated.
- Atlanta Hawks
- None
- Boston Celtics
- Vitor Faverani ($2.00MM 13/14; $2.09MM 14/15; $2.18MM 15/16)
- Phil Pressey ($0.49MM 13/14; $0.82MM 14/15; $0.95MM 15/16)
- Brooklyn Nets
- Mirza Teletovic ($3.23MM 13/14; $3.37MM 14/15)
- Andrei Kirilenko ($3.18MM 13/14; $3.33MM 14/15)
- Charlotte Bobcats
- Josh McRoberts ($2.65MM 13/14; $2.77MM 14/15) (Room Exception)
- Chicago Bulls
- Mike Dunleavy ($3.18MM 13/14; $3.33MM 14/15)
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- None
- Dallas Mavericks
- Vince Carter ($3.18MM 13/14)
- Wayne Ellington ($2.65MM 13/14; $2.77MM 14/15) (Room Exception)
- Denver Nuggets
- None
- Detroit Pistons
- None
- Golden State
- None
- Houston Rockets
- Greg Smith ($0.88MM 13/14) (Room Exception)
- Indiana Pacers
- None
- Los Angeles Clippers
- None
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Chris Kaman ($3.18MM 13/14)
- Jodie Meeks ($1.55MM 13/14)
- Memphis Grizzlies
- None
- Miami Heat
- Shane Battier ($3.27MM 13/14)
- Ray Allen ($3.23MM 13/14)
- Milwaukee Bucks
- None
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- None
- New Orleans Pelicans
- None
- New York Knicks
- Pablo Prigioni ($1.59MM 13/14; $1.66MM 14/15; $1.73MM 15/16)
- Metta World Peace (1.59MM 13/14; 1.66MM 14/15)
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- None
- Orlando Magic
- None
- Philadelphia 76ers
- None
- Phoenix Suns
- None
- Portland Trailblazers
- Mo Williams ($2.65MM 13/14; $2.77MM 14/15) (Room Exception)
- Sacramento Kings
- Aaron Gray ($2.69MM 13/14) (Room Exception)
- San Antonio Spurs
- None
- Toronto Raptors
- None
- Utah Jazz
- None
- Washington Wizards
- None
StorytellersContracts and ShamSports were used in the creation of this post.
Pacers Notes: Bird On Stephenson, West, Hibbert
Mark Montieth of Pacers.com sat down with Larry Bird to discuss all things Pacers. Here are a few highlights from that discussion.
- Bird thinks the Pacers are the best option for Lance Stephenson and says the Pacers would want to resign Stephenson next summer. Bird claims they will offer Stephenson a “great offer” but doesn’t know what is going to happen next summer.
- Bird attributes David West‘s signing with the Pacers for less money than the Celtics were offering, to West’s agent, Lance Young of Excel Sports Management, expressing to him that West was very interested in playing for the Pacers as well as his willingness to meet with Pacers’ doctors regarding his knee injury.
- Had it not been for Roy Hibbert‘s agent, David Falk, the Pacers might not have drafted Hibbert. Bird was promised by Falk that he would make sure Hibbert fell to the Pacers 17th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. When Falk kept his end of the deal, Bird followed through and drafted Hibbert.
Odds & Ends: Trades, Bucks, Pelicans, Grizzlies, Kings
With the young NBA season already containing two trades; it appears many more will be on the way in the near future. A few notes regarding potential trades and other league notes:
- Zaza Pachulia will be out at least four weeks with a broken right foot, the Bucks announced today. With so many injured players, Grantland’s Zach Lowe cautions the team against making a trade to help the team stay competitive, even though owner Herb Kohl is averse to tanking (Twitter links).
- The injuries have presented a few of the Bucks‘ younger players with a chance to impress, and they’ve taken advantage, as Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel examines. Coach Larry Drew admits that they might steal minutes from more established players when they return.
- With the loss of Tyreke Evans in addition to already injured Anthony Davis and Greg Stiemsma, Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune warns Pelicans fans that the future is bleak. Smith also points out that the apparent decrease in future wins will do very little for the Pelicans since they will likely not own their first round draft pick next summer.
- Following the season ending injury to Quincy Pondexter, the Grizzlies told the Commercial Appeal’s Ronald Tillery (via Twitter) they will not add a player that will “stunt” rookie Jamaal Franklin‘s fair shot at the rotation.
- While some have said the Kings are the “losers” of the Rudy Gay trade, Sam Amick of USA Today points out (via Twitter) the Kings may have more to lose. If the Kings improve this season’s record too much, they run the risk of losing their 2014 first round pick to the Cavaliers. The pick is protected and will stay in Sacramento if in the top 12 picks but would go to Cleveland as payment for the J.J. Hickson trade if it falls outside the top 12.
- The Kings may also risk losing their new stadium plans if a group of taxpayers have their way. Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee reports if city residents obtain 40,000 signatures by tomorrow the proposed $258MM city subsidy will have to be placed on next June’s ballot.
- Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com details (ESPN Insider piece) the eleven most interesting trade targets after the Rudy Gay trade. The list includes Paul Millsap, Luol Deng, Dion Waiters, Greg Monroe, Omer Asik, Zach Randolph, Iman Shumpert, Spencer Hawes, Evan Turner, DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Pierce, Raptors, Chandler
Today, Adam Silver stated (Twitter link) he would be willing to consider removing divisions from the NBA. If the NBA does so we will no longer be able to claim the Atlantic Division as the most talked about division in the NBA. Until then, the Atlantic Division has made headlines all season with the Nets and Knicks struggles. Those headlines have increased of late with the Raptors and Sixers being active in the early trade market. Looking further into these rumors:
- Thaddeus Young‘s name has once more emerged in trade talk, this time in reference to an Omer Asik deal, but the Sixers forward continues to pay little attention to the chatter, as he tells Christopher A. Vito of the Delaware County Daily Times. John Finger of CSNPhilly.com explains how this trade would work.
- Sixers offseason acquisition Tony Wroten has played well in place of Michael Carter-Williams, but he seems interested in retaining a starting role long term, which could pose a dilemma for Philadelphia, as Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News explains.
- Paul Pierce thinks he could return from his broken hand for Tuesday’s match up with the Celtics, and today he addressed the emotions of perhaps facing his former team as well as his continued faith in the Nets. The 36-year-old also dismissed talk of retiring in the near future. Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com has the details.
- Following the blockbuster Rudy Gay trade, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun explains what the road ahead looks like for GM Masai Ujiri and the Raptors. Wolstat adds the Raptors may be realizing how important it is to get in the top of the lottery for next year’s draft especially with fellow Canadian Andrew Wiggens atop that draft.
- Projecting the next few years for Rudy Gay, Tom Ziller of SBNation compares what the Raptors gave up to acquire Gay versus what the Kings gave up to acquire Gay ten months later. Ziller points out that although the Kings gave up much less than the Raptors did, they will be the loser in this trade in the coming years.
- With the 4-6 week timetable approaching for Knicks‘ center Tyson Chandler to return from his fractured leg, Chandler told reporters this morning he expects to be in the lineup before New Year’s Day. Royce Young of CBSSports.com describes what his return will mean for the Knicks’ rotation.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
D-League Updates: Cavaliers, Roberson, James
Here is a look at some of the D-League moves around the NBA:
- The Cavaliers have recalled both guard/forward Carrick Felix and center Henry Sims from their D-League affiliate, the Canton Charge. The rookie Felix has appeared in 3 games for the Cavaliers this season, averaging 5.0MPG and 1.3PPG. Sims has appeared in 6 games so far for Cleveland, averaging 1.7PPG in 5.8 minutes played per contest.
- The Thunder have recalled rookie forward Andre Roberson from the Tulsa 66ers. While Roberson has only appeared in six games for the Thunder this season, he averaged 17.3PPG in his three starts with the 66ers.
- Small forward Damion James has signed with the D-League Bakersfield Jam. James signed with the Nuggets in September but was waived prior to the start of the season. James has played two games so far with the Jam and has filled the stat sheet with 11PPG, 3.5RPG, and 1.5BPG in his short return tenure.