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Author: Jonathan Nehring

How They Were Signed: Mid-Level Exception

By | at December 9, 2013 7:15 pm

After looking at players that were signed under a team’s cap space and under one of the infrequently used salary cap exceptions – the bi-annual exception; we will look at which players on current NBA rosters were signed using the mid-level exception.

The mid-level exception is the second most frequently used salary cap exception and comes in three forms. These forms of the mid-level exception depend on whether the NBA team’s player contracts are below the  cap, or in the luxury tax. 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. Today we will only focus on those players signed under the full mid-level exception and will look at the room exception and mini mid-level exception another time.

The full mid-level exception allows teams to sign players for up to four years. The amount they are allowed to offer that player in the first year of the contract changes each year. For 2013/14 that amount was $5.15MM. 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 but were over the cap could offer that player up to a $21.99MM contract.

Teams are also allowed to use this exception 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 the mid-level exception is available here.

Below is a team-by-team list of which players on current NBA rosters were signed under the standard mid-level exception.

StorytellersContracts and ShamSports were used in the creation of this post.

 

1 comment 2013 Free Agent Market

How They Were Signed: Cap Space

By | at December 6, 2013 11:59 pm

Continuing Hoops Rumors overview as to how each player currently on an NBA roster was signed, we will look at the players who were signed using a team’s cap space. Ironically, more players are signed to a team’s roster using a salary cap exception than are signed to a team’s roster using a team’s salary cap space.

For the 2013/14 NBA season, each team has a salary cap of $58.679M. Players signed to an exception still count against this salary cap. For example, the Bulls haven’t signed any player to their current roster using cap space but are $20M above the cap.

Below is a team-by-team list of which players on current NBA rosters were signed using only a team’s cap space.

  • Atlanta Hawks 
  • Boston Celtics 
    • None
  • Brooklyn Nets
    • None
  • Charlotte Bobcats
  • Chicago Bulls
    • None
  • Cleveland Cavaliers 
  • Dallas Mavericks
    • Monta Ellis ($8.00MM 13/14; $8.36MM 14/15; $8.72MM 15/16)
    • Jose Calderon ($6.79MM 13/14; $7.10MM 14/15; $7.40MM 15/16; $7.71MM 16/17)
    • Samuel Dalembert ($3.70MM 13/14; $3.87MM 14/15)
    • Jae Crowder ($0.80MM 13/14; $0.92MM 14/15; $1.18MM 15/16)
    • Bernard James ($0.80MM 13/14; $1.12MM 14/15)
    • Ricky Ledo ($0.54MM 13/14; $0.82MM 14/15; $1.00MM 15/16; $1.02MM 16/17)
    • Gal Mekel ($0.49MM 13/14; $0.82MM 14/15; $1.00MM 15/16; $1.22MM 16/17)
  • Denver Nuggets 
    • None
  • Detroit Pistons
  • Golden State
    • None
  • Houston Rockets
    • Dwight Howard ($20.50MM 13/14; $21.44MM 14/15; $22.36MM 15/16; 23.28MM 16/17)
    • Omer Asik ($8.37MM 13/14; $8.37MM 14/15)
    • Jeremy Lin ($8.37MM 13/14; $8.37MM 14/15)
    • Chandler Parsons ($0.93MM 13/14; $0.96MM 14/15)
    • Patrick Beverley ($0.79MM 13/14; $0.92MM 14/15; $1.18MM 15/16)
    • Isaiah Canaan ($0.57MM 13/14; $0.82MM 14/15; $0.95MM 15/16; $1.22MM 16/17)
    • Robert Covington ($0.50MM 13/14; $0.82MM 14/15; $0.95MM 15/16; $1.22MM 16/17)
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Los Angeles Clippers
    • None
  • Los Angeles Lakers
    • None
  • Memphis Grizzlies
    • Mike Conley ($8.60MM 13/14; $9.29MM 14/15; $9.99MM 15/16)
  • Miami Heat
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
    • Kevin Love ($14.69MM 13/14; $15.72MM 14/15;  $16.74MM 15/16)
    • Jose Barea ($4.69MM 13/14; $4.52MM 14/15)
    • Corey Brewer ($4.50MM 13/14; $4.70MM 14/15; $4.91MM 15/16)
    • Alexey Shved ($3.15MM 13/14; $3.28MM 14/15; $4.10MM 15/16)
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • New York Knicks
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
    • None
  • Orlando Magic
    • None
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Portland Trailblazers
  • Sacramento Kings
    • Marcus Thornton ($8.05MM 13/14; $8.58MM 14/15)
    • Carl Landry ($6.50MM 13/14; $6.50MM 14/15; $6.50MM 15/16; $6.50MM 16/17)
    • Chuck Hayes ($5.72MM 13/14; $5.96MM 14/15)
    • Travis Outlaw ($3.00MM 13/14; $3.00MM 14/15)
    • Isaiah Thomas ($0.88MM 13/14; $1.15MM 14/15)
    • Ray McCallum ($0.52MM 13/14; $0.82MM 14/15; $0.95MM 15/16; $1.22MM 16/17)
  • San Antonio Spurs
    • None
  • Toronto Raptors
  • Utah Jazz
  • Washington Wizards
    • None

StorytellersContracts and ShamSports were used in the creation of this post.

1 comment 2013 Free Agent Market

Carmelo’s Future Is Predictable

By | at December 6, 2013 8:56 pm

All eyes appear to be on Carmelo Anthony of late as he grows to be one of the hottest commodities this upcoming offseason.

While Carmelo is under contract with the Knicks through next season, next year’s salary is an early termination option which Carmelo has already expressed he plans to exercise this summer. In February, the Knicks could negotiate to extend Carmelo’s contract but Carmelo asked the Knicks on the first day of training camp to not discuss an extension. In November, Carmelo backed down from his previous statements and said he hopes to retire with the Knicks. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith contradicted that statement this week reporting Anthony had already decided to leave New York. Carmelo adamantly denied that report.

Contradicting reports leave Anthony’s future uncertain but ESPN.com’s Brian Windhorst says Carmelo’s past actions show he is in New York to stay. Windhorst points out that Carmelo has approached his NBA career with the mindset to look out for himself first and capture as much money as he can during his short career.

In 2006, Anthony refused to gamble $20MM in guaranteed money and took a five-year max salary deal instead of the three year extension LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh took. Before that contract expired, Carmelo demanded a trade to the team he wanted to play for the following year as a free agent. Being traded to the Knicks allowed Anthony to sign a more favorable extension than he would have received in free agency. And again, at the beginning of this season, Carmelo said he will exercise his early termination option to become a free agent. Another move that will bring Anthony more money.

This favors the Knicks as they will be able to re-sign Carmelo for an extra year and $30MM more than any other team in the league. If Anthony continues to make his decisions based on money – New York is where he will retire.

That is, unless he demands to be traded this season or to be signed and traded next offseason. Sam Smith of Bulls.com thinks Knicks fans shouldn’t worry about these options.

Smith says the Knicks are very unlikely to trade him this season because they know how much Carmelo values the extra year and $30MM. Carmelo will be 34 at the end of his next contract so he and the Knicks realize this is likely his last chance to capture a max deal. The Knicks think this motivation will force Carmelo to re-sign with them this offseason.

The Knicks are also unlikely to complete a sign-and-trade since Carmelo’s bargaining power appears weak. Carmelo can’t threaten to sign with another team in free agency for less money when his track record shows otherwise and another contract beyond this one doesn’t appear imminent. Windhorst also points out that the Knicks dug quite a deep hole to obtain Anthony and no fair value will be available for the Knicks to get in return via trade.

1 comment 2013/14 NBA Free Agents New York Knicks

Odds & Ends: Bulls, Hayward, Sanders

By | at December 6, 2013 6:52 pm

With league action on the court beginning for the evening, some action around the league occurring off the court.

  • Sam Smith of Bulls.com doesn’t think the Bulls will apply for the Disabled Player Exception worth 50% of Derrick Rose‘s salary. With the Bulls already in luxury tax territory, adding a player under this exception would still cost Chicago double what they pay that player and no available player is worth that money to the Bulls.
  • With the departure of Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap this past offseason, the Jazz have turned to Gordon Hayward as their “go-to-guy”. The Jazz use Hayward 25% of the time he is on the court and have increased his playing time by 10.5 MPG more this season than his career average of 26.4 MPG.  Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today discusses whether this increase in playing time could hurt the Jazz since they were unable to reach a contract extension before this season allowing Hayward to become a restricted free agent next season. 
  • Following a breakout season last year, Larry Sanders earned himself a contract extension with the Bucks this offseason. Wondering if that contract extension will pay off, Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times asked (via Twitter) an NBA exec the trade value of Sanders, who has only played three games this season due to thumb surgery. Combining the surgery with his new contract, the exec speculates few, if any, teams would want him at the moment.
0 comments Chicago Bulls Milwaukee Bucks Utah Jazz

Odds & Ends: Morris Twins, Draft, Asik, Butler

By | at November 20, 2013 11:12 pm

As tonight’s action on the court winds down, a few notes around the league off the court.

  • The Morris twins, Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris, have played on the same roster their entire lives, sans one and a half NBA seasons. However, Suns president Lon Babby revealed to Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports that if it were up to him, the twins never would have been separated. The Suns drafted Markieff in the 2011 NBA draft and had it not been for such a high price tag, would have also traded for the draft rights to Marcus on draft night. Babby and the Suns believe the synergy of the brothers is “extraordinary” but reminded the twins prior to exercising both of their options this offseason that this unique opportunity comes with expectations.
  • Looking forward to upcoming draft nights, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld tweets that the Knicks and Nets, who both fell to 3-8 tonight, do not have a bright future if they continue to lose. Both teams are without a first-round pick in the 2014 draft, so losing won’t even better their chances of a franchise player next season.
  • Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld believes (Twitter link) the Rockets are asking a high price for Omer Asik and a Mavericks‘ package of Shane Larkin and Shawn Marion would not be enough.
  • According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, the Bulls will be without guard Jimmy Butler for at least two weeks due to turf toe suffered Monday against the Bobcats.
0 comments Phoenix Suns

How They Were Signed: Bi-Annual Exception

By | at November 20, 2013 9:33 pm

Over the next several weeks Hoops Rumors will examine how all the players on each NBA roster were signed. We will look at whether space under the salary cap or one of the various cap exceptions listed below were used to sign each player.

The NBA utilizes a soft salary cap which allows teams without cap space the ability to go over that season’s cap using one of the following salary cap exceptions.

First up in our overview of each player’s contracts: The bi-annual exception. As the name describes, the bi-annual exception is available to teams every other year and is typically used to sign players worth more than the minimum salary but less than the mid-level exception.

The bi-annual exception allows a team to sign a player to a max of two seasons for a salary amount determined by the league each year. For 2013/14 the maximum amount allowed for the bi-annual exception is $2.016MM. Additionally, teams can give a player who is signing a bi-annual exception contract up to a 4.5% raise for the second season of that contract.

The bi-annual exception is very restrictive in its uses and results. Only teams above the salary cap but below the tax apron ($4MM over the tax threshold) are allowed to use the bi-annual exception. After using this exception, these teams are limited to a hard cap for that season, disallowing them from exceeding the tax apron at any time during the year.

Below is a team-by-team list of which players on current NBA rosters were signed under the bi-annual exception.

  • Atlanta Hawks 
    • None
  • Boston Celtics 
    • None
  • Brooklyn Nets
    • None
  • Charlotte Bobcats
    • None
  • Chicago Bulls
    • None
  • Cleveland Cavaliers 
    • None
  • Dallas Mavericks
    • None
  • Denver Nuggets 
  • Detroit Pistons
    • None
  • Golden State
  • Houston Rockets
    • None
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Los Angeles Clippers
    • None
  • Los Angeles Lakers
    • None
  • Memphis Grizzlies
    • None
  • Miami Heat
    • None
  • Milwaukee Bucks
    • None
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New Orleans Pelicans
    • None
  • New York Knicks
    • None
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
    • None
  • Orlando Magic
    • None
  • Philadelphia 76ers
    • None
  • Phoenix Suns
    • None
  • Portland Trailblazers
    • None
  • Sacramento Kings
    • None
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Toronto Raptors
    • None
  • Utah Jazz
    • None
  • Washington Wizards

StorytellersContracts and ShamSports were used in the creation of this post.

5 comments 2013 Free Agent Market

Poll: Who Should The Kings Trade?

By | at November 20, 2013 8:06 pm

The Kings have been listed all season as a team looking to be active in the trade market but yesterday reports surfaced that Sacramento is “aggressively” pursuing trade possibilities well before the February deadline. The Kings seem to be shopping their veteran players in order to get more draft picks and younger players to build a team around Ben McLemore and DeMarcus Cousins.

Veteran players on the Kings roster include:

Additionally, Jimmer Fredette (12.0 MPG, 3.0 PPG, 2.3 APG) has been listed as a potential candidate that the Kings will be looking to ship away this season considering they declined his 2014/15 team option.

Playing the role of Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro who do you think the Kings should trade this season?

Who Should the Kings Trade?
Marcus Thornton 20.61% (347 votes)
Jimmer Fredette 20.01% (337 votes)
John Salmons 17.64% (297 votes)
Jason Thompson 12.95% (218 votes)
Chuck Hayes 12.11% (204 votes)
Travis Outlaw 7.66% (129 votes)
Luc Mbah a Moute 6.35% (107 votes)
Other 2.67% (45 votes)
Total Votes: 1,684
4 comments Hoops Rumors Polls Sacramento Kings

Odds & Ends: Celtics, Tanking, Luxury Tax

By | at November 16, 2013 10:49 pm

As the season continues the rumors of NBA teams “tanking” increases. Nate Duncan of Hoopsworld cannot recall a season where tanking was prevalent so early in the year as it has been this season.  Duncan also joins fellow Hoopsworld writers Jessica Camerato and Alex Kennedy to debate whether tanking is bad for the NBA. Mark Heisler of the Orange County Register argues that no teams should tank this season because this draft does not include the superstar player that years prior contained.

  • Currently playing for a team rumored to be tanking this season, Gerald Wallace of the Boston Celtics tells Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer that he has accepted his new role on NBA rosters as a mentor and trade chip.
  • Another Celtics player, Avery Bradley, recaps the Celtics off-season transactions to ESPNBoston.com’s Louise Cornetta while adding this season’s goals include “to go to the playoffs and win the championship”.
  • On the opposite end of teams that are tanking, Marc Stein of ESPN.com updates which teams are pursuing an NBA championship so aggressively that they will be paying luxury tax this season.
0 comments Boston Celtics

Poll: Should The Rockets Trade Omer Asik?

By | at November 16, 2013 7:40 pm

With Omer Asik out of the Rockets lineup tonight it is becoming more evident that Asik and the Rockets may be parting ways shortly. This should not come as a surprise as Asik asked for a trade in July after the Rockets signed Dwight Howard in free agency. Houston has been shopping Asik around but it appears the team is asking too high a price for him.

As Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors points out, Asik’s backloaded contract may change the playing field of NBA teams looking to trade with Houston. The same trap Houston created to deter the Bulls from resigning Asik when he was a restricted free agent may be the same trap that hinders the Rockets from getting rid of Asik this season.

Teams may also shy away from signing Asik due to his performance decrease so far this season. While Asik has averaged 10 minutes less this season than last year, he has only scored half the points per game he did last season (10.1 PPG in 12/13; 5.0 PPG in 13/14) and is down to 7.2 RPG instead of his 11.7 RPG last year.

Should the Rockets hold on to an unhappy Asik until he buys into the new Houston system or should they try to get rid of the bad chemistry as soon as possible?

Should The Rockets Trade Omer Asik?
Yes 92.06% (812 votes)
No 7.94% (70 votes)
Total Votes: 882
1 comment Hoops Rumors Polls Houston Rockets

Odds & Ends: Turner, Draft, SportVU

By | at November 9, 2013 10:54 pm

Coming off a 31-point performance this evening, Evan Turner continues to impress so far this season. Averaging the same amount of playing time as he did last year, Turner is putting up nearly 10 more points per game in what appears to be his last year on the 76ers’ roster. This strong improvement would seem to warrant a long-term deal from his current team but Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer feels Turner and the Sixers will part ways either by trade in February or free agency next summer, regardless of Turner’s play this season. Turner is motivated by Philadelphia’s lack of interest and promises to be “a gem” to whatever teams he winds up on in the future. Here’s more news from around the league:

  • One of the reasons the 76ers may not be interested in Turner returning to their roster is the talent in store for next year’s draft. Three of the players predicted to be in the top of that draft, Andrew Wiggins, Julius Randle, and Jabari Parker, will play on the same court this Tuesday at the Champions Classic in Chicago. In addition to those three players, five of the Draft Express projected top 10 picks for 2014 and 18 of their top 100 players will all play in the event. Of course, this is no secret to the 76ers or any other NBA team as Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv reports there are expected to be over 80 NBA personnel on hand to watch these future NBA picks compete against each other.
  • Shane Battier, known for his deep interest in analytics, explains the impact he anticipates SportVU technology will have on contract negotiations in the NBA to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.
  • Mark Cuban told Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News he expects “there’s a good chance” one or two NBA expansion teams are on the horizon. Cuban believes expansion will occur before a current NBA team relocates.
1 comment 2014 NBA Draft Philadelphia 76ers
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