Longest-Tenured Players By NBA Team
The NBA’s 2020 offseason wasn’t quite as wild as the 2019 offseason when it came to player movement, but we still saw a number of players change teams this fall after having been with their previous clubs for a very long time.
John Wall, for instance, had been a member of the Wizards for over a decade, making him one of the NBA’s longest-tenured players by team until he was traded to Houston last week. Tristan Thompson, meanwhile, had spent his entire career since entering the league in 2011 with the Cavaliers before he changed teams in free agency last month.
The Wizards and Cavaliers are two of the eight teams that have a new longest-tenured player since we completed our last list during the 2019 offseason. In some cases, that new player isn’t a surprise — you likely won’t be shocked to learn that Bradley Beal is now the Wizards’ longest-tenured player. In other cases though, teams have undergone so much turnover that no player on the current roster has been with the club for more than a year or two.
Here are the NBA’s current longest-tenured players by team as of the 2020 preseason:
- Miami Heat: Udonis Haslem (free agent), August 2003
- Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry (draft), June 2009
- San Antonio Spurs: Patty Mills (free agent), March 2012
Washington Wizards: Bradley Beal (draft), June 2012- Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard (draft), June 2012
- Toronto Raptors: Kyle Lowry (trade), July 2012
- Orlando Magic: Nikola Vucevic (trade), August 2012
- Houston Rockets: James Harden (trade), October 2012
- Charlotte Hornets: Cody Zeller (draft), June 2013
- Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo (draft), June 2013
- Utah Jazz: Rudy Gobert (draft trade), June 2013
- Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid (draft), June 2014
- Boston Celtics: Marcus Smart (draft), June 2014
- Denver Nuggets: Gary Harris (draft trade), Nikola Jokic (draft), June 2014
- Note: Harris is technically the slightly longer-tenured member of the Nuggets, having been drafted 19th overall, while Jokic was picked 41st overall.
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Kevin Love (trade), August 2014
- Dallas Mavericks: Dwight Powell (trade), December 2014
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns (draft), June 2015
- Indiana Pacers: Myles Turner (draft), June 2015
- Phoenix Suns: Devin Booker (draft), June 2015
- Chicago Bulls: Cristiano Felicio (free agent), July 2015
- Brooklyn Nets: Caris LeVert (draft trade), June 2016
- Sacramento Kings: Buddy Hield (trade), February 2017
- New York Knicks: Frank Ntilikina (draft), June 2017
- Atlanta Hawks: John Collins (draft), June 2017
- Los Angeles Lakers: Kyle Kuzma (draft trade), June 2017
- Memphis Grizzlies: Dillon Brooks (draft trade), June 2017
- Los Angeles Clippers: Patrick Beverley (trade), Lou Williams (trade), June 2017
- Note: Beverley and Williams were acquired in the same trade.
- Detroit Pistons: Blake Griffin (trade), January 2018
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Hamidou Diallo (trade), July 2018
- New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson (draft), June 2019
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Wednesday Is Deadline For Teams To Stretch 2020/21 Salaries
Wednesday, December 9 is the last day that NBA teams can waive players and stretch their 2020/21 cap hits across three seasons, as Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter).
[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Stretch Provision]
In a normal NBA league year, the last day to stretch a player’s current salary would be August 31, but that deadline was pushed back along with most of this year’s other key NBA dates due to the league’s schedule changes.
After Wednesday, players who are released for the rest of the season can have their cap hits in 2021/22 and future seasons stretched, but their ’20/21 cap charges will remain unchanged unless they reach a buyout agreement.
As Marks observes, only three players – Nicolas Batum (Hornets), Dewayne Dedmon (Pistons), and Zhaire Smith (Pistons) have been waived and stretched since the start of the 2020/21 league year, which is tied for the lowest mark in any season since the stretch provision was introduced in 2011.
However, there are still some situations worth keeping an eye on in advance of today’s deadline, especially for clubs over the luxury tax line. John Hollinger of The Athletic (Twitter link) points to the Pacers (Jalen Lecque) and Sixers (Vincent Poirier) as two teams to watch.
Stretching Lecque’s modest $1.52MM salary would allow Indiana to sneak below the luxury tax line, while stretching Poirier would reduce Philadelphia’s projected tax bill.
Thunder Sign, Waive Omer Yurtseven
DECEMBER 9: After signing him on Monday, the Thunder waived Yurtseven on Tuesday, according to the NBA’s official transactions log.
Oklahoma City now has 18 players on its roster, with deals for Chasson Randle (training camp contract), Moses Brown (two-way contract), and Theo Maledon (standard contract) expected to be completed soon.
DECEMBER 8: The Thunder have filled the open spot on their 20-man training camp roster by officially signing undrafted rookie Omer Yurtseven to a one-year contract, per RealGM’s transactions log.
Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported shortly after last month’s draft that the Thunder and Yurtseven had reached an agreement on an Exhibit 10 deal. The former Georgetown big man looks like a good bet to join the Thunder’s G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue.
Yurtseven, 22, began his college career at North Carolina State before transferring to Georgetown. He was the Hoyas’ starting center in 2019/20, averaging 15.5 PPG, 9.8 RPG, and 1.5 BPG in 26 games (27.3 MPG). He decided to go pro this spring following his junior season.
Thunder Sign Josh Hall To Two-Way Contract
The Thunder have officially signed undrafted rookie Josh Hall to his two-way contract, agent Nathan Conley tells JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors (Twitter link). Hall’s agreement with the club was reported shortly after the draft last month.
Ranked by ESPN as the No. 5 prospect among those who went undrafted, Hall has “considerable potential” as both a shooter and ball-handler, according to Mike Schmitz’s scouting report. A 6’9″ forward, Hall had been on track to play college ball at North Carolina State after a year at Moravian Prep, but opted to go pro and enter the draft instead.
The Thunder opened up a pair of spots on their 20-man training camp roster by completing their Al Horford trade earlier today, so it appears that Hall slid into one of those openings.
The signing increases Oklahoma City’s roster count to 19 players, with reported deals for Theo Maledon, Chasson Randle and Moses Brown (two-way contract) still to come. The club will have to make at least two cuts to finalize those moves.
Sixers Notes: OKC Trade, Maxey, Scott, Harden
Nearly three weeks after first agreeing to terms, the Sixers were finally able to complete their six-player trade with the Thunder today, acquiring Danny Green, Terrance Ferguson, and Vincent Poirier in the deal.
According to Derek Bodner of The Athletic (Twitter link), one minor aspect of the deal was previously unreported, as the 76ers sent $2MM in cash to Oklahoma City to complete the move. That amount will count toward the $5.617MM limit that Philadelphia can sent out in trades over the course of the 2020/21 league year.
Here’s more out of Philadelphia:
- Tyrese Maxey and Mike Scott received clearance to participate in non-contact drills today and are expected to join the team’s group workouts on Wednesday, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Maxey and Scott had to clear the NBA’s coronavirus protocols after registering positive tests.
- Addressing the James Harden trade rumors connecting the Sixers to the Rockets star, head coach Doc Rivers said he’s making it clear to his players that those rumors aren’t coming from Philadelphia’s side (Twitter link via Pompey). “You know, as long as you don’t hear them from us, you should be very comfortable,” Rivers said. “We like our team, man. I tell you, that team I just watched out there (at practice) is really special.”
- Rivers’ comments were in response to a report that said Harden has indicated to Houston that he’d be open to a trade to Philadelphia. In an Insider-only story, ESPN’s Bobby Marks explores which teams could realistically make a play for Harden, noting that any 76ers offer would almost certainly have to start with Ben Simmons.
Wizards Notes: Beal, Bertans, Lopez, Westbrook, More
Ensuring that Bradley Beal wants to remain in Washington was a top priority for the Wizards as they made their offseason moves, including the blockbuster trade that brought Russell Westbrook to D.C. So did the acquisition of Westbrook have an impact on Beal’s desire to stick with the team?
“Honestly, I haven’t even thought about that. I haven’t,” Beal said, per Fred Katz of The Athletic. “My biggest thing is win now, you know? I wanna win.
“I’m here under contract for this year, next year and a player option, too. So, it’s just a matter of, we gotta win. And the organization knows that. It’s up to me, too, so I can’t just sit here and … look at (general manager Tommy Sheppard) like he’s crazy. I have to go out and lead the team, put in the work and get better every day and bring the results.”
As Katz writes, the Wizards have a tricky tightrope to walk, as they focus not only on building a roster capable of long-term success, but also on winning enough in the next year or two to convince Beal that he doesn’t need to move to a new team to contend.
Here’s more on the Wizards:
- Davis Bertans and Robin Lopez haven’t yet been able to join the Wizards for practice, tweets Ava Wallace of The Washington Post. Bertans was held up by visa issues, according to Wallace, who notes that the team also had one of its new players test positive for the coronavirus. There hasn’t been confirmation that the affected player was Lopez, but it sounds like that’s very possible.
- The Wizards are counting on point guard Russell Westbrook, who is known for his competitiveness and tenacity, to help set the culture for their young roster, Wallace writes for The Washington Post.
- Wizards head coach Scott Brooks said today that the starting small forward position will be “fluid,” with Troy Brown, Isaac Bonga, Deni Avdija, Davis Bertans, and Jerome Robinson all among the options there, per Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link).
- Brooks also said today that the Wizards are close to a decision on whether or not to participate in the NBA G League’s proposed Atlanta bubble. He believes there’s a good chance the Wizards will opt in, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link).
James Harden Arrives In Houston, Undergoes COVID-19 Test
After not reporting to the Rockets for individual workouts or for the start of training camp, star guard James Harden has arrived back in Houston, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
According to Wojnarowski, Harden received a coronavirus test today in accordance with the NBA’s protocol, the first step toward him being cleared to join the team for group workouts. He underwent his test at the Rockets’ Toyota Center, a league source tells ESPN (Twitter link).
Harden’s arrival in Houston doesn’t mean the issues between him and the Rockets have been ironed out. A report earlier today indicated that the 31-year-old has expanded his list of preferred trade destinations beyond just Brooklyn, which suggests he’d still prefer to be dealt.
However, the fact that Harden is apparently no longer AWOL is a step in the right direction for the Rockets, who have reportedly been adamant that they won’t be rushed into trading the former MVP.
Even if they eventually have to move Harden, the Rockets will have more leverage to demand a substantial package in return for the superstar if he’s with the team and performing at his usual level, rather than holding out in an effort to force Houston’s hand.
Pacific Notes: Green, Wiseman, Whiteside, Clippers, More
The Warriors haven’t publicly announced which two players on their roster tested positive for the coronavirus, but head coach Steve Kerr “spelled it out pretty plainly” on Monday, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Seventeen of the team’s 20 players participated in the first practice of the season. Besides Klay Thompson, the only players missing were Draymond Green and James Wiseman.
“I will not comment on that any further,” Kerr said, per Slater. “I’m not allowed to comment on that. You can make your own deductions … I’m just trying to figure out which one of you has put all the pieces together and has figured out what is happening here.”
Assuming Green and Wiseman are indeed the two players who tested positive for COVID-19, the Warriors are expected to be without them until at least next week, Slater notes. That will give some of Golden State’s other frontcourt players a chance to play more significant roles during the preseason as they potentially audition for regular season minutes.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- New Kings center Hassan Whiteside is dealing with a mild calf strain and likely won’t be available for the team’s preseason opener, head coach Luke Walton said on Monday (Twitter link via Jason Jones of The Athletic).
- Analytical data provided by new Kings general manager Monte McNair is expected to influence Walton’s new uptempo offensive system, as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes. “It’s been great working with Monte,” Walton said. “We’ve talked and he’s going to bring ideas analytically to what he sees, and then at the end of the day I can take what ideas I want and leave the ones I don’t.”
- Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said that assistant coach Larry Drew is focusing on the team’s offense, while Dan Craig is leading the defense with the help of Roy Rogers. Chauncey Billups is focusing on both sides of the ball, while Kenny Atkinson is leading player development, Lue added, per Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link).
- Abdel Nader isn’t concerned about being considered “the other guy” sent to Phoenix in the Chris Paul trade and is looking forward to playing for the Suns, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “I haven’t really spent time in Phoenix but I knew (the Suns) had a nice, young unit with a lot of talent,” Nader said. “Ability to grow. Also the city sounds like a nice place to me. I wasn’t complaining too much.”
LeBron James Talks Dec. 22 Start, Health, Kyrie, More
Lakers star LeBron James was surprised when he first heard that the NBA wanted to start the 2020/21 season before Christmas instead of sometime in the new year, he told reporters on Monday. As Mark Medina of USA Today writes, James had to cancel a Christmas vacation that he had planned to take with his family.
“‘Oh, s–t,'” James said when asked to describe his reaction to the news of the December 22 start date. “I’m just being completely honest. I wasn’t expecting that.”
The quick turnaround means that James will get less time to rest than just about any other player in the NBA, since his Lakers played all the way up until October 11, when they beat Miami in Game 6 of the 2020 Finals. James said that he’s fully healthy, but admitted he was “super sore” after the Lakers’ first practice and said he’ll have to be careful about ramping up his activity for the coming season.
“We’re going to be as smart as we can be with making sure my body and making sure I’m ready to be available,” James said. “Obviously every game matters. But we’re competing for something that is high.”
In his media session on Monday and in a an appearance on the Road Trippin’ podcast with former teammates Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye, James addressed several more topics of interest. With the help of stories from Dave McMenamin of ESPN and Bill Oram of The Athletic, here are some of the most noteworthy quotes from LeBron:
On entering the 2020/21 season as defending champions:
“I guess the bull’s-eye just becomes even greater, if that’s even possible. For me personally, the bull’s-eye has always been on my back … since I entered the league. You add in the Laker name on top of that, the Lakers’ franchise, the bull’s-eye has been on this franchise for a long time as well.”
On how his new contract extension lines up his future with that of his son, Bronny James:
“The best thing about it is the year I’ll be a free agent will be the same year my oldest son graduates high school. So I’ll have some options to see, for me personally, what I want to do forward, being around my family, being around my son more or continue to play this game I love with great health and great spirits. We’ll see.”
On his reaction to Kyrie Irving calling Kevin Durant the first teammate he can trust as much as himself to take the final shot of a game:
“Once I got the whole transcript, I was like, ‘Damn,’ I wasn’t like, ‘Oh, you trippin’. I’ve hit game-winning shots my whole life.’ I was not like that. I was like, ‘Damn.’
“Because … I played with Kyrie for three seasons. The whole time when I was there, I only wanted to see him be a MVP of our league. I only cared about his success. And it just didn’t align. It just didn’t align. And we were able to win a championship. That’s the craziest thing. We were still able to win a championship, and we could never align. But I only cared about his well-being, both on and off the floor.
“And it kind of hurt me a little bit.”
James Harden Open To Trade Destinations Besides Brooklyn
Prior to the start of training camp, James Harden indicated to the Rockets that he’d be open to a trade to the Sixers or possibly another contending team, sources tell Tim MacMahon and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Most previous reports suggested that Harden was singularly focused on being dealt to the Nets, though Shams Charania of The Athletic has reported that Philadelphia was also believed to be near the top of his wish list. The 76ers’ front office is, of course, being run by former Rockets general manager Daryl Morey.
According to MacMahon and Wojnarowski, once it became clear there was no traction in talks between Houston and the Nets, Harden expressed to the Rockets that he’d be open to a move to Philadelphia. The eight-time All-Star also signaled that there may be other teams that fit his criteria, sources tell ESPN. Harden is said to be seeking a home where he can realistically contend for a championship.
Of course, Harden still has two years remaining on his contract, plus a player option for 2022/23, and he doesn’t have the ability to veto a deal, so the Rockets are free to move him to any team. Still, ESPN’s duo notes that few teams have the pieces necessary to meet Houston’s current asking price — plus, clubs will be reluctant to give up a massive trade package for Harden if they’re not confident that he’ll be willing to stick around beyond 2022.
The Rockets haven’t adjusted their reported asking price for Harden, per MacMahon and Wojnarowski. That asking price is believed to include a young All-Star caliber player, plus several first-round picks and/or promising players on rookie contracts, sources tell ESPN.
The Sixers are one of the few teams that have the kind of young player who could appeal to Houston as the centerpiece of a package — Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons have each made All-NBA teams and haven’t meshed perfectly in recent years. However, Morey has said he has no plans to break up that duo, and the 76ers and Rockets haven’t had any substantive talks about a Harden deal, sources tell MacMahon and Woj.
As of Monday, Harden had yet to report to the Rockets for training camp. We recapped the latest updates on his situation in a story earlier today.