NBA Waiver Order Now Based On 2020/21 Records
As of January 25, the NBA’s waiver priority order is determined by teams’ current-year records, rather than the previous season’s results, as Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter).
That means the waiver order for this season is now based on teams’ 2020/21 records, with the worst teams getting the highest priority. In other words, if two teams place a claim on the same player, the team lower in this season’s NBA standings will be awarded that player.
Up until today, the waiver claim order was based on which teams had the worst records in 2019/20 prior to the March 11 stoppage. In a normal league year, the changeover to current-year records occurs on December 1, but that date was pushed back this season to account for the late start.
Waiver claims are somewhat rare in the NBA, but it’s still worth noting which teams will have the first crack at intriguing players who may be cut over the next few weeks or months.
[RELATED: 2020/21 NBA Waiver Claims]
Here’s what the teams currently at the top of the NBA’s waiver order look like, as of today:
- Detroit Pistons (3-13)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (4-11)
- Washington Wizards (3-9)
- New Orleans Pelicans (5-10)
- Sacramento Kings (6-10)
In instances where multiple teams have identical records, head-to-head record for the current season is used to break ties, if possible. Otherwise, a coin flip determines priority for those tied teams.
If a waived player can’t be claimed using the minimum salary exception, a team must use a trade exception, a disabled player exception, or cap room to absorb his salary. So a club with a top priority won’t be in position to nab just anyone who reaches waivers.
The Pistons, for example, have no cap space or exceptions available to place a waiver claim on any player earning more than the minimum, so despite their spot at the top of the waiver order, their ability to claim players is fairly limited.
Devonte’ Graham Meets Starter Criteria, Increases QO Value
Hornets guard Devonte’ Graham met the NBA’s “starter criteria” on Sunday, ensuring that he’ll receive a higher qualifying offer if and when he reaches restricted free agency this summer.
[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Starter Criteria]
Typically, a player who will qualify for restricted free agency at season’s end can meet the starter criteria by starting at least 82 games (41 per year) in the two seasons before his contract ends. Because 2019/20 was a shortened season and 2020/21 will be too, the thresholds have been adjusted, as first reported by ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Graham’s Hornets played 65 games last season and have a 72-game schedule this year, meaning he needed to surpass 68.5 total starts (34.25 per season) to meet the starter criteria. The 25-year-old started 53 games a year ago and has now started Charlotte’s first 16 games this season, good for a total of 69 and counting.
As a result of meeting the starter criteria, Graham’s qualifying offer in restricted free agency will now be worth $4,736,102 instead of $2,079,826. While he’s more likely to negotiate a multiyear deal, he could accept the one-year QO if he doesn’t like any offers on the table and/or wants to reach unrestricted free agency in 2022.
An in-season extension that keeps Graham off the 2021 free agent market altogether remains a possibility, though his slow start may dissuade the Hornets from aggressively pursuing a new deal for the time being.
Although he has been more productive within his last few games, Graham’s overall averages are down, from 18.2 points and 7.5 assists per game last season to 13.4 PPG and 6.4 APG in the early going this year. He’s also struggling with his shot so far, making just 33.3% of his field goal attempts.
Graham is the second 2021 RFA-to-be to meet the starter criteria, joining Duncan Robinson. Lonzo Ball (nine more starts), Lauri Markkanen (10 more), and John Collins (13 more) are on track to meet the criteria in February, assuming they stay healthy. Jarrett Allen (five more starts) and Kendrick Nunn (seven more) are close too, but they’re currently coming off the bench for their respective teams.
J.J. Barea’s Contract In Spain Has NBA Out
When J.J. Barea signed with Estudiantes in Spain this week, a report at the time indicated that he hadn’t given up on the possibility of playing in the NBA later this year. The terms of his new deal will allow for that possibility, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, who tweets that Barea’s contract includes an NBA out.
The exact terms of the opt-out haven’t been specified. As such, it’s not clear whether Barea will be able to return stateside for an NBA opportunity at any time in the coming months or if there’s a specific window during which he’d be able to exercise that out. Either way, Spain’s Liga ACB is scheduled to end its regular season a little before the NBA does, so Barea should be able to return for the postseason if he receives a contract offer.
MacMahon notes that Barea “remains determined” to play in the NBA this season and will look to use his time in Spain’s top basketball league as a showcase against strong competition.
Barea, 36, had his 2018/19 season cut short by a torn Achilles, but was relatively productive in limited minutes upon returning in ’19/20. He averaged 7.7 PPG and 3.9 APG with a .376 3PT% in 29 games (15.5 MPG) for the Mavericks. A roster crunch in Dallas prevented him from earning a spot on this season’s squad.
Given how significantly NBA depth charts have already been shaken up by injuries and COVID-19 in the first five weeks of the season, it seems likely that there will be teams in need of point guard depth who give Barea a look by the spring.
Community Shootaround: Early Check-In On MVP Race
It’ a little too early in the 2020/21 NBA season to pencil in a frontrunner for this year’s Most Valuable Player award. However, we’re over a month removed from opening night, and this condensed season will be about a month shorter than a typical NBA campaign, so it’s not too early to check in on which players are establishing themselves as 2021 MVP candidates.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype did just that this week, polling 15 media members who voted on last season’s NBA awards about their first-month MVP picks. The top choice was Nets star Kevin Durant, who missed all of last season with an Achilles tear but has been extremely impressive in his comeback so far, averaging 31.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 5.8 APG with a scorching .538/.475/.865 shooting line in 13 games (36.2 MPG) for Brooklyn.
Durant will certainly be in the conversation if he maintains those numbers, though there are a couple red flags on his candidacy worth watching. One is KD’s health — he has been limited to 13 of Brooklyn’s 18 games so far as the team exercises caution with him, particularly in back-to-back sets.
Durant also shares the court with two other superstars, so if the Nets finish with a similar record to other contenders, voters will have to decide whether to vote for him over other stars who probably didn’t spend the season playing alongside a former MVP like James Harden and a six-time All-Star like Kyrie Irving.
Lakers star LeBron James, last year’s runner-up, received the second-highest vote share in Scotto’s poll, coming off an impressive Thursday win over the Bucks and last season’s MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. As Bill Oram of The Athletic wrote this week, James downplayed the idea that 2020’s voting results played any part in his impressive 34-point showing against Giannis, but the performance nonetheless served as a reminder that – even at age 36 – LeBron is a legitimate MVP candidate each and every year.
Third place on Scotto’s list belongs to Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, a two-time All-NBA selection who is off to his best start ever in 2020/21. His 25.8 PPG, 12.0 RPG, and 9.6 APG would all be career highs by a comfortable margin. Nick Kosmider of The Athletic contends that Jokic also has the power of narrative on his side, since he’s redefining what a player of his size and body type can do on the court.
Still, Jokic’s Nuggets will likely need to move up a few spots in the standings for him to receive serious consideration — even after a three-game winning streak, they still have a modest 9-7 record.
Sixers center Joel Embiid, Clippers forward Paul George, Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, Antetokounmpo, and George’s teammate Kawhi Leonard fill out Scotto’s top 10.
We want to get your thoughts. If the season ended today, who would be your MVP pick? Which player do you think is best positioned to win the award this season? Are there any dark-horse candidates further down on Scotto’s list (or missing altogether) that you think will make a push for consideration in the coming months?
Wizards Sign Alex Len To One-Year Deal
JANUARY 23: The Wizards have made it official, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed Len.
JANUARY 22: Free agent center Alex Len, who cleared waivers on Thursday after being released by the Raptors on Tuesday, has agreed to sign a one-year contract with the Wizards, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
According to Charania, Len had multiple suitors and chose the Wizards in part because of the clear path to playing time in D.C. — starting center Thomas Bryant tore his ACL earlier this month and will miss the rest of the season, while Anzejs Pasecniks was released this past weekend, leaving Robin Lopez as the only true center on the active roster.
The fifth overall pick in the 2013 draft, Len signed a one-year, $2.26MM contract with the Raptors in November, but didn’t see much action in his brief stint with the team. The 2.3 points and 10.9 minutes per game he averaged in seven contests with Toronto would’ve been his lowest marks since his rookie season.
Len has been more productive in recent years. He averaged a career-best 11.1 PPG in 77 games (20.1 MPG) with Atlanta in 2018/19, then posted 8.0 PPG and 5.8 RPG in 55 games (17.6 MPG) in part-time roles for the Hawks and Kings last season.
Having waived Pasecniks a few days ago, the Wizards had an open spot on their 15-man roster, so no corresponding move will be required to make room for Len.
The big man will earn a prorated portion of the veteran’s minimum on his new deal with Washington, notes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link). If the signing is officially completed today, Len would earn a $1,712,648 salary and the Wizards would take on a $1,276,472 cap hit.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Sixers Sign Rayjon Tucker To Two-Way Deal
6:14pm: The signing is official, according to a team press release.
2:05pm: The Sixers intend to sign free agent wing Rayjon Tucker to a two-way contract, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter). According to Charania, Philadelphia will then send Tucker to play in the G League’s Disney World bubble for its NBAGL affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.
Tucker, 23, spent most of his rookie season in 2019/20 with the Jazz, appearing in 20 games for the club. He also put up big numbers in the G League for the Wisconsin Herd and the Salt Lake City Stars, averaging 23.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 2.5 APG in 19 NBAGL games (33.4 MPG).
Tucker was traded from Utah to Cleveland in a salary-dump deal in the offseason and was subsequently waived. He quickly caught on with the Clippers for training camp, but didn’t crack the team’s regular season roster and was released again a few days before opening night.
The 76ers had an open two-way slot after cutting Dakota Mathias earlier this week, so no corresponding roster move will be required to make room for Tucker. He’ll join Paul Reed as Philadelphia’s two-way players.
Rockets Notes: Harden Trade, Wall, House, Wood
The idea that Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta told general manager Rafael Stone not to trade James Harden to the Sixers – whose front office is led by former Rockets GM Daryl Morey – is incorrect, reports Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.
Fertitta stays out of trade discussions, according to Feigen, who says that Stone and Morey had “extensive” discussions. In fact, talks on Harden advanced to the point where Stone made one final demand of the Sixers in the final stage of negotiations and would have traded the former MVP to Philadelphia if Morey had agreed.
As Feigen explains, Stone wanted one more draft pick or player – believed to be Tyrese Maxey – and less protection on the draft picks included in the Sixers’ offer. Philadelphia was unwilling to meet those demands, so Houston made a deal with Brooklyn. Morey has since told confidants that he thinks his former lieutenant Stone made a great trade, according to Feigen.
Here’s more out of Houston:
- While some reports have suggested that Harden favored Tyronn Lue for the Rockets’ head coaching job over Stephen Silas, the team actually didn’t know which coaching candidate Harden liked best, Feigen writes in the same story. While Russell Westbrook preferred Lue, Harden never expressed a strong preference, which may have been due to his simmering desire to be traded. Westbrook and Harden both ultimately signed off on the hiring of Silas, Feigen notes.
- Rockets point guard John Wall isn’t accompanying the team on its road trip this weekend due to a sore knee and isn’t expected back in the lineup until at least Tuesday, according to Feigen. Danuel House (health and safety protocols) also won’t play until Tuesday at the earliest, while Christian Wood (ankle) will miss at least Friday’s game in Detroit.
- Injuries, absences related to COVID-19, and the Harden trade had the Rockets playing rotational roulette during the first month of this season, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, who suggests the club will ideally be able to get a better read on its roster in the coming weeks.
Michael Porter Jr. Returns To Nuggets, Will Play Friday
JANUARY 22: Porter will be active and will play against Phoenix on Friday night, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
JANUARY 21: Michael Porter Jr., who hasn’t played in a game since December 29 due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols, has reported back to the Nuggets and will be listed as questionable for Friday’s game against Phoenix, tweets Mike Singer of The Denver Post.
Porter was originally held out for seven days for contact tracing purposes, then tested positive for the coronavirus, extending his quarantine period by another two weeks.
The young forward will have to ramp up his conditioning and complete additional testing – including a cardio exam – before he’s formally cleared to return to the Nuggets’ lineup (Twitter links via Singer and Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN).
While it’s not clear if Porter will be game-ready by tomorrow, head coach Michael Malone said today that he’s optimistic the 22-year-old will be able to play at some point during Denver’s five-game road trip, which begins on Friday in Phoenix and runs through next Friday (January 29) in San Antonio.
Malone stated earlier this week that Porter’s spot in the starting lineup is safe, though he referred to Will Barton today as “a starter,” noting that he feels the Nuggets have more than five starter-caliber players, tweets Singer. As such, it remains to be seen whether MPJ will immediately supplant Barton as the team’s starting small forward or if he’ll be gradually eased back into that role.
Nets Granted Disabled Player Exception
The Nets have been granted a disabled player exception following the loss of Spencer Dinwiddie, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Dinwiddie underwent ACL reconstruction surgery after suffering a partially torn ACL early in the season.
A cap exception designed to give teams extra flexibility when a player suffers a season-ending injury, the disabled player exception can be used to sign a free agent, to claim a player off waivers, or to acquire a player in a trade. The Nets’ new DPE has a value of $5,727,024 – half of Dinwiddie’s $11,454,048 salary for 2020/21 – so any player signed or acquired with the exception can’t be earning more than that amount (plus $100K).
The exception can only be used on a single player and can only accommodate a player on a one-year deal. A free agent signee can’t get a multiyear contract, and any trade or waiver target must be in the final year of his contract.
[RELATED: 2020/21 NBA Disabled Player Exceptions]
While the DPE doesn’t create an extra roster spot for a team, that’s not an issue for the Nets, who currently have three openings on their 15-man roster. Norvel Pelle will reportedly fill one of the three, but that still leaves two available.
Since the Nets also still have the full taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.718MM) on hand, the DPE may end up being more useful on the trade market. Brooklyn will have until April 19 to use it.
Nets Sign Norvel Pelle
JANUARY 28: The Nets have made it official, issuing a press release confirming the signing of Pelle. Brooklyn now has two open roster spots and will have to fill at least one of them within the next couple days.
JANUARY 22: The Nets intend to fill one of the openings on their 15-man roster by signing free agent big man Norvel Pelle, agent BJ Bass tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Pelle will have to clear the NBA’s health and safety protocols before officially joining the team.
Pelle, who will turn 28 in February, spent last season with the Sixers, first on a two-way contract and later on a standard deal. He averaged 2.4 PPG, 2.2 RPG, and 1.3 BPG in 24 games (9.7 MPG) for Philadelphia in 2019/20, then was waived in the offseason before his salary for 2020/21 became guaranteed.
Pelle has had the opportunity to show off his defensive upside in the G League during the last two seasons, appearing in 44 games for the Delaware Blue Coats and averaging an eye-popping 2.9 blocks in just 22.8 minutes per game. He also contributed 11.6 PPG and 8.7 RPG in those 44 NBAGL contests.
The Cavaliers signed Pelle to an Exhibit 10 contract last month with an eye toward having him play for the Canton Charge this season, but it seems that won’t happen now that he’s headed to the Nets.
Given his relative lack of NBA experience, Pelle is unlikely to play big minutes in Brooklyn. However, his defensive skills and his ability to play the five should be of use to a more offensive-minded Nets team that lost some frontcourt depth by giving up Jarrett Allen in the blockbuster trade for James Harden.
Brooklyn will still have two open roster spots after signing Pelle and must fill at least one of them by next weekend.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.