Holmes, Drummond Among Hornets’ Potential Offseason Targets
The Hornets sought to upgrade their center at last week’s trade deadline, expressing interest in a number of big men on the trade market, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.
As Fischer details, Charlotte was eyeing Andre Drummond, but couldn’t reach an agreement with the Cavaliers on a viable trade, then lost out to the Lakers on the buyout market. In addition to Drummond, the Hornets also expressed interest in veteran centers such as Myles Turner, Montrezl Harrell, and Richaun Holmes, sources tell Fischer.
A previous report indicated that the Pacers and Hornets discussed a trade involving Turner and P.J. Washington during the 2020 offseason, and Fischer says Charlotte revisited those talks at last week’s deadline, exploring a deal centered around Turner, Washington, and Cody Zeller‘s expiring contract. However, the team had no luck.
Having not addressed the center position via trade, the Hornets figure to be on the lookout for a big man this summer when Zeller’s and Bismack Biyombo‘s contracts expire, and Fischer identifies Holmes and Drummond as two players likely to be on Charlotte’s radar. Both players will be unrestricted free agents after the season.
Holmes is under contract at a bargain price ($5MM) for the rest of 2020/21, but could seek upwards of $20MM per year in free agency, according to Fischer. Meanwhile, league executives polled by Bleacher Report estimate that Drummond’s next deal could look something like Steven Adams‘ two-year, $35MM extension with New Orleans. The Hornets talked to Drummond following his buyout from Cleveland, and the 27-year-old was intrigued by the idea of playing with LaMelo Ball, says Fischer.
Charlotte has the ability to open up some cap room this offseason, though that space would be extremely limited if the team extends Malik Monk a qualifying offer and keeps his $16MM+ cap hold on its books. Monk is in the midst of a career year, but his name was involved in the trade conversations the Hornets had for Harrell and Holmes, per Fischer.
If it’s the simplest path to creating the room necessary to sign one of this summer’s top free agent centers, the Hornets could be willing to make Monk unrestricted. Re-signing him to a deal worth less than his cap hold would be another path to generating a little flexibility.
NBA Teams With Open Roster Spots
A total of 46 players were traded on deadline day last Thursday, and more have been waived and signed since then, resulting in major roster upheaval around the NBA.
With the dust settling a little, it’s worth checking in on which teams across the league now have open roster spots, and which clubs will need to fill at least one of those openings soon in order to meet the minimum roster requirements.
Let’s dive in…
Teams with two open spots on their 15-man rosters:
- Golden State Warriors
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Miami Heat
- New Orleans Pelicans
- New York Knicks
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Toronto Raptors
The NBA allows team to carry fewer than 14 players on standard (or 10-day) contracts for up to two weeks at a time. So these clubs are allowed to have just 13 for now, but will soon need to add a 14th, either with a 10-day signing or a rest-of-season addition.
The Warriors, Heat, Trail Blazers, and Raptors all dipped below 14 players on deadline day (March 25), so they’ll all have until next Thursday (April 8) to get back up to the required roster minimum. The Knicks will have even longer, since they just waived Terrance Ferguson and Vincent Poirier on Sunday — they’ll have to add a 14th man by April 11.
The Pelicans and Clippers, meanwhile, reduced their roster counts to 13 players on March 20 and March 22, respectively, so they’ll need to make their moves sooner. New Orleans will have to add a player by this weekend at the latest, while the Clippers will do so by next Monday.
The Pels are right up against the luxury tax line, so they’ll likely sign someone to a 10-day contract. The Clippers have enough breathing room below their hard cap to complete a rest-of-season signing if they so choose.
Teams with one open spot on their 15-man rosters:
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Indiana Pacers
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Orlando Magic
A report last Thursday indicated that the Pacers were signing Oshae Brissett, but they still have completed that 10-day deal, so they have an open roster spot for now. The Bucks technically have two open roster spots as of this writing, but are expected to sign Jeff Teague to fill one of them as soon as today.
The Lakers, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, and Magic all have 14 players on standard, rest-of-season contracts, with no obligation to fill their 15th spots anytime soon. The Cavaliers currently have 14th man Quinn Cook on a 10-day contract. When his deal expires on Wednesday night, the team will dip to 13 players and will have two weeks to re-add a 14th.
Teams with open two-way contract slots:
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Phoenix Suns
- Portland Trail Blazers
The Thunder opened up one of their two-way slots when they promoted Moses Brown to the standard roster over the weekend. I’d expect them and the Timberwolves to be more interested in filling their open two-way spots than the Suns and Trail Blazers. Oklahoma City and Minnesota are lottery teams and could benefit from a look at one more young player, while Phoenix and Portland are playoff clubs that have shown no desire to add a second two-way player all season long.
Also worth mentioning:
- Brooklyn Nets
- Detroit Pistons
- San Antonio Spurs
The Nets, Spurs, and Pistons currently have full 15-man rosters, but won’t for much longer, as all three teams have players on 10-day contracts. Alize Johnson‘s deal with Brooklyn runs through Wednesday, while Cameron Reynolds‘ with San Antonio runs through Sunday and Tyler Cook‘s with Detroit expires after next Tuesday.
Note: Our full roster count breakdown can be found right here.
Northwest Notes: M. Brown, Muscala, Blazers, Beasley, Nuggets
Moses Brown‘s new contract with the Thunder is a four-year deal worth $6.8MM, according to Royce Young of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the second and third years are non-guaranteed. There’s a fourth-year team option for 2023/24, Young adds.
If Brown keeps playing like he has in his last four games (14.3 PPG, 16.8 RPG), that deal could wind up being a major bargain for the Thunder. However, one aspect of it is relatively player-friendly — as Bobby Marks of ESPN observes (via Twitter), Brown’s rest-of-season salary of $1.25MM is about $750K than he would have earned if he received the prorated minimum.
Because Oklahoma City remains about $4MM below the minimum salary floor, per Marks, there was no reason for the team not to go above the 2020/21 minimum for Brown. The Thunder’s cap situation also provides little incentive to try to save money by buying out any of their current veterans, so it makes sense that Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman is reporting that a buyout with Mike Muscala is “unlikely to happen.”
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- After trading for Norman Powell at last week’s trade deadline, Trail Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey told Jason Quick of The Athletic that the team had to “shake things up” since “things were starting to look stale.” According to Quick, Portland – with two open roster spots after the trade – will likely peruse the buyout market in search of another wing or guard who could play back-of-the-rotation minutes.
- Having completed the 12-game suspension he received following his February legal sentencing, Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley said he thinks he’s in a better place. “I feel like my life is where it needs to be,” Beasley said, according to Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune. “I got a chance to work on myself on and off the court. I learned from my mistakes, and I’m ready to move on for it.”
- After making his Nuggets debut in a blowout win over Atlanta on Sunday, Aaron Gordon liked what he saw, as Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN details. “I see no limits for this team,” Denver’s newest forward said. “It looks like we have all the pieces that we need. We have the depth. It’s like we are covered in a lot of different spots offensively, defensively. As long as we are all working together, there’s no stopping us.”
Spurs Notes: Dieng, Walker, Aldridge, Samanic
While other bought-out veterans have joined the Lakers and Nets in pursuit of a championship, Gorgui Dieng opted to sign with the Spurs, the No. 7 seed in the West. Explaining his decision to join San Antonio, Dieng said he was won over by the team’s pitch to him.
“It was like college recruiting all over again,” Dieng said, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (Twitter links). “Everybody is going to talk to you and tell you why they want you to be on their team, and I felt comfortable with what I heard here.
“I like the team, I like the way they play. … They have a good system. The ball doesn’t stop. It moves around. They play together and they have a Hall-of-Fame coach that knows how to run his team. I am pretty excited to see what they are all about.”
It remains to see how much playing time Dieng will see with the Spurs, but he thinks he’ll be a good fit, given his ability to shoot threes and play defense. Dieng told reporters today that he’s willing to play whatever role coach Gregg Popovich envisions for him (Twitter link via Orsborn).
Here’s more on the Spurs:
- Popovich said on Saturday that Lonnie Walker, who is currently sidelined with a sore right wrist, could miss “another week or so,” Orsborn writes for The San Antonio Express-News. Walker hasn’t played since last Monday.
- Popovich wished veteran big man LaMarcus Aldridge well following his agreement with the Nets, Orsborn notes in the same story. “He was a wonderful teammate, and he will do a very good job in Brooklyn,” Popovich said.
- Since being drafted 19th overall in 2019, Luka Samanic has seen more action in the G League (39 games) than in the NBA (19 games), but the second-year power forward could be in line for an increased role down the stretch, says Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. “He’s beginning to prove himself deserving of time,” Popovich said of Samanic, who averaged a double-double (21.8 PPG, 11.3 RPG) in six NBAGL games for the Austin Spurs last month.
- In case you missed it earlier today, we relayed details on how much cash the Spurs received in the Marquese Chriss trade, the amount of Aldridge’s buyout, and Dieng’s rest-of-season salary.
Dates Set For 2021 NBA Draft, Lottery, Combine
2:57pm: The NBA has officially confirmed the combine, lottery, and draft dates listed below, and has also announced a pair of additional deadlines:
- Early entrant application deadline: Sunday, May 30 (11:59pm ET)
- Early entrant withdrawal deadline: Monday, July 19 (5:00pm ET)
Again, the NCAA will set its own withdrawal deadline, so the July 19 date will be more relevant for international early entrant prospects.
The NBA also announced in its press release that the plan for the combine is to conduct five-on-five games and strength and agility testing, though that’s subject to “evolving public health conditions.”
2:00pm: The NBA has set dates for the 2021 draft lottery, the combine, and the draft itself, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Sources tell Charania that those dates are as follows:
- Draft combine: Monday, June 21 – Sunday, June 27
- Draft lottery: Tuesday, June 22
- Draft: Thursday, July 29
None of those dates comes as a real surprise — with the end of the 2020/21 regular season pushed back by a little over a month, all of the corresponding dates will be postponed by approximately a month as well, with the 2021/22 league year set to begin in early August.
However, we still don’t know exactly what form these events will take. In 2020, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the combine, lottery, and draft were all held virtually. Given the rate of vaccinations in the U.S., the pandemic outlook shouldn’t be nearly as bad this summer, but it remains to be seen whether the NBA will be prepared to hold large-scale in-person events, with participants (and possibly fans) coming in from all over the country.
In any case, Charania’s report means we can start filling in our offseason calendar. Since the NBA typically sets its early entrant withdrawal deadline for 10 days before the draft, that date figures to fall on July 19. The league will still need to establish a deadline for those early entry players to declare for the draft (that deadline is usually 60 days before the draft), and the NCAA also has to set its own withdrawal deadline for college players.
For a sense of what this year’s draft order may look like, be sure to check out our reverse standings and our in-depth breakdown of 2021’s traded first-round picks.
Some NBA Teams, Execs Want Buyout Market Reform
Some teams and executives around the NBA, especially those in small markets, are frustrated by the NBA’s so-called “buyout market” and have pushed unsuccessfully for reform, according to Howard Beck of SI.com.
Those complaints have been amplified within the last few days, as two of the top players on the 2021 buyout market – Andre Drummond and LaMarcus Aldridge – signed with the big-market Lakers and Nets, respectively. Brooklyn also signed Blake Griffin earlier in the season after he was bought out by Detroit.
“You’re just helping the rich get richer,” one general manager from a small-market team told Beck.
Players like Drummond, Aldridge, and Griffin were all bought out – rather than traded – because no teams were willing to give up assets to take on their oversized salaries. Once they reach free agency and are no longer attached to those huge cap hits, those veterans suddenly look a whole lot more attractive — they could be bargains on minimum-salary contracts for teams that didn’t give up anything for them, and those teams often play in bigger markets.
“The system is flawed,” another small-market GM told Beck. “You shouldn’t be adding to your team this deep in a season without giving things up.”
While it’s easy to say that those small-market teams shouldn’t agree to buyouts in the first place if they don’t want their players to end up on big-market contenders, Beck says those clubs often feel pressure to get a buyout done so as not to alienate agents or to gain a reputation of not being player-friendly, a point echoed by at least one GM.
Small-market executives are hoping the NBA will address the buyout issue in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement, according to Beck, who says a number of ideas have been proposed. Those ideas include giving teams a specific form of cap exception for buyout signings (which can only be used once per year or once every other year) or holding a blind auction for bought-out players, with teams using their existing exceptions or cap room to make bids.
However, as Beck writes, those execs aren’t optimistic that the NBA will seriously consider reforming the buyout market, since the league has yet to even acknowledge it’s an issue. The NBA’s silence on the issue is somewhat understandable — having big-name players head to big markets is good for ratings, Beck observes. Plus, if the players’ union is going to agree to any system that reduces or eliminates their ability to choose their new teams in the event of a buyout, it will likely require the league to give ground on another collectively-bargained issue.
Opponents of reform would point to the Spurs’ signing of Gorgui Dieng as an example combating the narrative that only big-market contenders have a chance to land the top bought-out players. They might also argue that buyout signings rarely have a major impact on the postseason and point out that if they were major difference-makers, they wouldn’t be able available in the first place.
Addressing the Aldridge and Drummond signings specifically, John Hollinger of The Athletic questions whether the Nets will benefit at all from Aldridge taking minutes away from young center Nicolas Claxton, who is clearly the better defender. Additionally, Hollinger notes that the Lakers may once again move away from traditional centers like Drummond when the postseason rolls around.
“It’s kind of funny to me, because for the last couple years all I’ve heard is how bad I am. You sign with this team and everybody’s like, ‘That’s not fair!”” Griffin told Brian Lewis of The New York Post, when asked about the reaction to the Nets landing him and Aldridge. “People say whatever they want. I don’t put a whole lot of value in other people’s opinions.”
Southeast Notes: Heat, Beal, Gafford, Hornets, Hunter
While the Heat didn’t make a deal for Kyle Lowry at last week’s trade deadline, their acquisition of Victor Oladipo and their salary cap situation put them in a good spot, says Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. As O’Connor explains, Miami will get a shot to evaluate Oladipo for the rest of the season before deciding whether or not to re-sign him. If they opt to let Oladipo go, the Heat are in position to open up enough cap room to make a serious run at Lowry.
Of course, Pat Riley and the Heat may prefer to go after a higher caliber of star than the 35-year-old Lowry. But it doesn’t look right now as if there will be many available this offseason, O’Connor notes. That could change if Wizards guard Bradley Beal, who shut down trade speculation all season, eventually reconsiders his stance.
As O’Connor writes, Beal still might be the most realistic target for teams seeking a superstar, since he’ll be on an expiring contract in 2021/22. Sources tell The Ringer that Beal’s decision to remain in D.C. for at least the rest of this season was motivated in part by wanting to get through the worst of the coronavirus pandemic before making any life-altering decisions.
Beal has repeatedly pledged his loyalty to Washington, so even after the pandemic – and with his free agency nearing – he still may not want to be dealt. But teams are continuing to monitor that situation. According to O’Connor, the Heat, Celtics, Knicks, and Pelicans are among the teams interested in pursuing Beal, with the Raptors also looming as a possible sleeper.
Here’s more from around the NBA’s Southeast:
- Daniel Gafford had a strong Wizards debut on Saturday, racking up 13 points, five rebounds, and three blocks in just 14 minutes, impressing his teammates and head coach Scott Brooks. “He had just a fantastic game. It was a great first game for him,” Brooks said, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. “We’re going to keep working with him. He’s definitely a keeper. He has a chance to be good for a lot of years with his skill set.”
- Hornets president of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak said on Friday that his team will monitor the buyout market, though he acknowledged that the top players to shake loose may not have Charlotte atop their wish lists, writes Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Kupchak also conceded that the team will need to address its center position this offseason at the latest. “Since Cody (Zeller) and Biz (Bismack Biyombo) are both going to be free agents, that would be an area of concern going forward,” Kupchak said. “This summer they’re going to have options and we may or may not have options. That is, and was, a focus (of trade talks).”
- Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter is dealing with some swelling in his surgically repaired knee. While GM Travis Schlenk downplayed the issue, a medical expert who spoke to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic believes it could be something Hunter has to deal with for the rest of the season.
Evan Fournier Cleared To Make Celtics Debut
Newly-acquired Celtics shooting guard Evan Fournier has been cleared to play for his new team after having his debut delayed by the NBA’s health and safety protocols over the weekend, the club announced today (via Twitter). Fournier will be available on Monday vs. New Orleans.
Players are typically held in the protocols for one week when they’ve been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, and at least two weeks when they test positive themselves. The fact that Fournier was cleared so quickly suggests neither of those scenarios apply to him.
Fournier has averaged a career-high 19.7 PPG and 3.7 APG on .461/.388/.797 shooting in 26 games (30.3 MPG) so far this season. The Magic sent him to Boston last Thursday in a trade that netted them a pair of second-round picks and a $17MM+ trade exception.
Fournier will get the opportunity to inject some added scoring and play-making into Boston’s offense and to make a case for a longer-term deal with the club. The 28-year-old is on track to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.
Monday night will also be the first time that the Celtics host fans in TD Garden this season, having been approved to fill the arena to 12% of its overall capacity.
Cap/Cash Notes: Warriors, Drummond, Clippers, Rockets, More
When the Warriors traded Marquese Chriss to the Spurs and Brad Wanamaker to the Hornets at the trade deadline, they included cash in both deals. By moving Chriss’ $1.82MM cap hit and Wanamaker’s $2.25MM salary off their books, Golden State will generate substantial tax savings, which will outweigh the cash they gave up in the two trades.
As a result, the Warriors didn’t mind sending $1.85MM to the Spurs along with Chriss, per Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link), and $2.2MM to the Hornets with Wanamaker, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic.
Teams are limited to sending out no more than $5.62MM in cash in 2020/21 trades, so the Warriors will be limited to about $1.57MM at the draft. Their yearly limit will reset once the new league year begins, so if Golden State reaches a draft-day trade that involves more than $1.57MM in outgoing cash, it’s a safe bet the team will wait until the 2021/22 league year starts to officially finalize it.
Here are a few more leftover cap-related notes from Marks and Hollinger on trades and buyouts:
- Andre Drummond will earn the prorated veteran’s minimum of $794,536 on his new deal with the Lakers, which is – not coincidentally – the exact amount he gave up in his buyout with the Cavaliers, says ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). Marks notes that the Lakers still have enough room under the hard cap to sign a 15th player.
- The Clippers sent $2.75MM to the Kings in the Mfiondu Kabengele salary dump and $1.25MM to the Hawks in the Rajon Rondo trade, reports Hollinger.
- The Rockets took in Avery Bradley‘s $5.64MM salary using part of the traded player exception created in the James Harden trade, allowing them to generate a larger TPE for Victor Oladipo, says Hollinger. That means, instead of having a $10.65MM TPE that expires early next season and a $2.77MM that expires at next season’s deadline, Houston has TPEs worth $5.02MM and $8.18MM. You can see more details here.
- Gorgui Dieng gave up $699,952 in a buyout with the Grizzlies, according to Hollinger. That’s the exact amount the big man would have earned on a minimum-salary deal if he officially signed with the Spurs on Wednesday, but he completed his deal with San Antonio today, so it’ll be worth $729,737.
- That leaves LaMarcus Aldridge as the only player to give up significantly more than his prorated minimum in a post-deadline buyout. As Hollinger explains, the discrepancy between the reported amounts of Aldridge’s buyout was due to escrow. Aldridge gave up $7.25MM in his agreement with the Spurs, which will work out to $5.8MM after factoring in the league’s escrow cut.
Warriors Notes: Curry, Open Roster Spots, Oubre
Although the Warriors won their first game following Stephen Curry‘s tailbone contusion last week, the team has slumped since then without its leading scorer, losing its last four straight.
With Golden State still clinging to the 10th seed in the Western Conference at 22-24, the team got some good news on Sunday, as head coach Steve Kerr said that Curry practiced in full and “looked good,” per Marcus White of NBC Sports Bay Area.
Curry hasn’t been cleared to return yet, but he has been upgraded to questionable for Monday’s game vs. Chicago, so he could be back on the court as soon as tonight. If not, he seems like a good bet to be ready for Thursday’s contest in Miami. Kerr indicated on Sunday that he’s looking forward not just to having Curry back but to having a healthier roster in general.
“When Steph is on the floor, we just have confidence and swagger that’s missing when he’s not,” Kerr said. “And that helps our defense. If you go back over the last eight or nine games, we’ve had a lot of stuff. Whether it’s injuries, (COVID-19) protocol … (these) are all reasons – not excuses, they’re just reasons – that we’ve struggled. But nobody really cares. It’s just what it is. Every team’s dealing with all kinds of adversity this year.”
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- After trading away Brad Wanamaker and Marquese Chriss at last week’s deadline, the Warriors have two openings on their 15-man roster. President of basketball operations Bob Myers said the team is considering a number of options for those spots, including signing a player on the buyout market, promoting two-way players Juan Toscano-Anderson and/or Nico Mannion, or even bringing over draft-and-stash prospect Justinian Jessup from Australia. Decisions are expected soon (Twitter links via Kendra Andrews of NBC Sports Bay Area).
- Following the trade deadline, Myers acknowledged that the Timberwolves’ top-three protected 2021 first-round pick – held by the Warriors – drew plenty of interest. “You gotta be open to anything, but it would take a lot to part with that,” Myers said of the pick (Twitter link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic). “You never say never.” If it lands in the top three this year, the Warriors will receive the Wolves’ unprotected first-rounder in 2022.
- Myers didn’t have a problem with Kelly Oubre‘s comments suggesting he wouldn’t want to come off the bench if he’s back with the Warriors next season. “I like what he said,” Myers said (Twitter link via Slater). “He should want to start.”