Pistons’ Brown Underwent Thumb Surgery In April
Pistons guard Bruce Brown revealed on a video conference call on Friday that he underwent surgery to repair a ligament in his thumb in April, per The Associated Press and Keith Langlois of Pistons.com (Twitter link).
There’s no guarantee that Detroit will be part of a potential NBA return this summer — the team had the league’s fifth-worst record by the time the season was suspended, and there are scenarios in which not all 30 teams resume play. However, if the Pistons do play more regular season games this summer, Brown expects to be ready for them.
“If the season was to start, I’d be back,” he said on today’s call. “I think my timeline was like six weeks.”
Brown admitted that he dealt with some pain in his thumb throughout the season, but said he doesn’t believe it limited him much, per The Associated Press.
The 23-year-old boosted his numbers across the board in his second NBA season, averaging 8.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 4.0 APG with a .443/.344/.739 shooting line in 58 games (43 starts).
NBPA President Chris Paul: “We Want To Play Bad”
In the wake of a report earlier in the week suggesting that there’s “overwhelming” support among NBA players to try to resume the 2019/20 season, NBPA president Chris Paul appeared today on ESPN’s The Jump (video link) and essentially confirmed as much to Rachel Nichols.
Acknowledging that there are complicated issues to work through, and stressing that the health and safety of players should be the NBA’s top priority, Paul stated in no uncertain terms that players are itching to get back on the court.
“A lot of hard conversations that have to be made, a lot of hard decisions,” the Thunder guard said. “But with the team around us, I think ultimately we’ll get to where we want to. Obviously we want to play. Oh man, we want to play. We want to play bad. And I think that’s a consensus for the guys around the league. We want it to be, obviously, as safe as possible. But the biggest thing is we miss the game.”
[RELATED: LeBron, Giannis, CP3, Other Stars United In Desire To Resume Season]
Noting that the common refrain among players is that they want to play “when it’s safe,” Nichols asked Paul what exactly that might look like, since no coronavirus vaccine is expected until 2021 at the earliest. The 35-year-old admitted he’s still not sure exactly what the best way to minimize the risk this summer is.
“I don’t have the answers,” Paul said. “I don’t have all the answers. But I know that people are working tirelessly trying to figure it out.”
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski wrote earlier this week that if the NBA resumes its season, the league won’t want to let one positive coronavirus test shut down play again. That means players will have to be comfortable with some number of positive tests, though it’s not clear how many would qualify as too many — that figures to be one key issue the NBA and NBPA will have to figure out in their negotiations.
2020/21 Salary Cap Preview: Philadelphia 76ers
Hoops Rumors is looking ahead at the 2020/21 salary cap situations for all 30 NBA teams. Due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the NBA, it’s impossible to know yet where the cap for 2020/21 will land. Given the league’s lost revenue, we’re assuming for now that it will stay the same as the ’19/20 cap, but it’s entirely possible it will end up higher or lower than that.
No team gave the 2019 champion Raptors a more competitive series than the Sixers, who were inches away from forcing overtime in Game 7 in Toronto last spring. That knowledge helped fuel lofty expectations in Philadelphia entering the 2019/20 season, with the 76ers widely considered part of the conference’s two-team top tier alongside Milwaukee.
An up-and-down season saw the Sixers fall short of those expectations — they were 39-26 and ranked just sixth in the East entering the NBA’s hiatus. However, there was still hope that they could make noise in the playoffs, and it’ll be fascinating to see if they get that chance. After all, decisions on Brett Brown‘s future and potential roster changes may hinge in large part on whether or not the club can make a deep postseason run.
Here’s where things stand for the Sixers financially in 2020/21, as we continue our Salary Cap Preview series:
Guaranteed Salary
- Tobias Harris ($34,358,850)
- Joel Embiid ($29,542,010)
- Al Horford ($27,500,000)
- Ben Simmons ($27,285,000) 1
- Josh Richardson ($10,865,952)
- Mike Scott ($5,005,350)
- Zhaire Smith ($3,204,600)
- Matisse Thybulle ($2,711,280)
- Shake Milton ($1,701,593)
- Total: $142,174,635
Player Options
- None
Team Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Furkan Korkmaz ($1,762,796) 2
- Norvel Pelle ($1,517,981) 3
- Marial Shayok (two-way)
- Total: $3,280,779
Restricted Free Agents
- None
Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds
- No. 21 overall pick ($2,478,840)
- Alec Burks ($1,620,564): Non-Bird rights
- Raul Neto ($1,620,564): Non-Bird rights
- Kyle O’Quinn ($1,620,564): Non-Bird rights
- Glenn Robinson III ($1,620,564): Non-Bird rights
- Total: $8,961,096
Offseason Cap Outlook
No matter where the cap lands for the 2020/21 season, the Sixers will have a tough time avoiding the luxury tax. A flat cap – with no increase – would result in a tax threshold of $132.6MM; the NBA’s $115MM cap projection called for a $139MM tax line. The 76ers already have more than $142MM in guaranteed money committed for nine players next season, and that number will only increase once the team fills out its roster.
Reducing team salary via a trade is a possibility, but there might not be many clubs looking to take on unwanted contracts this offseason. Philadelphia would have to trim a substantial amount of salary to gain access to the full mid-level exception and bi-annual exception.
Cap Exceptions Available
- Taxpayer mid-level exception: $5,718,000 4
- Trade exception: $1,882,867 (expires 2/8/21)
Footnotes
- This is a projected value. Simmons’ actual maximum salary will be 25% of the cap, unless he makes an All-NBA team, in which case it will be anywhere from 28-30% of the cap.
- Korkmaz’ new salary guarantee date is unknown.
- Pelle’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after October 22.
- This is a projected value.
Note: Minimum-salary and rookie-scale cap holds are based on the salary cap and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders and Early Bird Rights was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
International Notes: James, Koufos, Kaba, Delaney, Clark
EuroLeague powerhouse CSKA Moscow has agreed to a two-year contract extension with former NBA guard Mike James, according to a report from Russian outlet Izvestia (hat tip to Sportando). James enjoyed a brief NBA stint in 2017/18 when he appeared in 36 games for Phoenix and New Orleans, but has otherwise spent his professional career overseas, playing for teams in Greece and Italy before joining CSKA.
Meanwhile, the same Izvestia report also indicates that CSKA Moscow isn’t expected to exercise its second-year option on veteran center Kosta Koufos, who signed a one-plus-one deal with the team in 2019. Koufos spent over a decade in the NBA, playing in 686 games from 2008-19, but it’s not clear if the 31-year-old would draw any stateside interest if and when he becomes a free agent.
Here are a few more NBA-adjacent updates on international basketball leagues:
- Alpha Kaba, whose NBA rights are held by the Hawks, is joining French team Nanterre 92, according to a report from BeBasket (French link). A 24-year-old forward/center, Kaba was selected by Atlanta with the No. 60 pick in the 2017 draft, but has continued to play in France since then.
- Spanish team FC Barcelona has parted ways with veteran guard Malcolm Delaney, per a team press release (h/t to Sportando). A standout EuroLeague contributor who spent two seasons with the Hawks from 2016-18, Delanyed is in talks with Italian club Olimpia Milano and has drawn interest from Olympiacos in Greece, reports Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.
- Veteran forward Earl Clark, who appeared in 261 NBA games from 2009-15, has parted ways with Spanish team San Pablo Burgos, according to the club (h/t to Sportando). Clark has spent time in China, Turkey, Montenegro, Spain, and the G League since last playing in the NBA.
Community Shootaround: 2020’s Rookie Scale Extension Candidates
Every year, former first-round picks who are entering the fourth and final season of their rookie scale contracts become eligible to sign rookie scale extensions, which allow their teams to lock them up for multiple seasons and avoid restricted free agency.
As we detailed on Wednesday, there are 24 players who will become eligible for rookie scale extensions this year, whenever the 2020/21 league year officially begins.
In recent years, as few as four players (2017) and as many as nine (2019) have signed offseason rookie scale extensions. However, given the unusual circumstances created by the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s extension period could look different than usual.
Based on the uncertainty about how the NBA’s lost revenue will affect the league’s salary cap going forward, players might be more reluctant to lock themselves into long-term contracts a year before reaching restricted free agency. Conversely, a team considering offering a player a long-term extension this year will have to weigh how financially advantageous it will be to wait until 2021 to make that offer — doing so could allow the team to take advantage of its player’s modest RFA cap hold and maximize cap room that may be at a premium.
Still, it’s a safe bet that at least a handful of teams will pursue rookie scale extensions this offseason. Completing those deals early helps a team maintain a good relationship with the player and his agent, and provides that team with long-term cost certainty on one of its rising young stars.
In 2020, the players who most obviously fit that bill are Jayson Tatum (Celtics), Donovan Mitchell (Jazz), Bam Adebayo (Heat), and De’Aaron Fox (Kings). It seems likely that Boston, Utah, Miami, and Sacramento will be eager to sign those players to extensions worth the maximum salary or something very close to it.
While those four players are the most obvious extension candidates, there’s no shortage of others. John Collins (Hawks) leads the second tier, having expressed that he believes he’s max-worthy as well. Jonathan Isaac (Magic) and Lonzo Ball (Pelicans) won’t get the max, but they look like players their teams will want to build around. OG Anunoby (Raptors) and Derrick White (Spurs) are probably keepers too, though it’s possible Toronto and San Antonio will wait a year to let the RFA market set their prices.
After that, we start to get into some more challenging cases. Lauri Markkanen (Bulls), Kyle Kuzma (Lakers), and Zach Collins (Trail Blazers) could have cemented their cases for extensions this season, but Markkanen took a step back, Kuzma struggled to find his fit on the new-look Lakers, and Collins appeared in just three games before a shoulder injury derailed his season.
Luke Kennard (Pistons) would normally be a solid candidate for a new deal, but it’s not clear whether or not Detroit envisions him as a core piece or a potential trade candidate. The same goes for Jarrett Allen (Nets), who lost his starting center job before the NBA suspended its season.
We want to know what you think. Which of this year’s 24 extension-eligible players – perhaps including some of the ones we didn’t mention above – are the best bets for new deals this offseason? How do you think the NBA’s financial situation might impact those negotiations? Will we see fewer rookie scale extensions than usual or approximately the same amount?
Head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!
Lakers To Reopen Practice Facility On Saturday
The Lakers intend to reopen their practice facility on Saturday, according to Shams Charania of Stadium (video link), who says the team has received clearance from Los Angeles County government and health officials.
In addition to following the NBA’s strict guidelines for individual player workouts – including having no more than four players in the building at a time – the Lakers also don’t plan to immediately make the facility available seven days a week, Charania notes.
Since the NBA began permitting teams to reopen their practice facilities for voluntary workouts last Friday, more than one-third of the league’s franchises have taken advantage. Portland, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Denver, Atlanta, Indiana, Sacramento, Toronto, Utah, Miami, and Orlando have all reopened their facilities on a limited basis within the last week.
The Lakers will be the 12th team known to have reopened its facility. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier this week that the NBA thinks 22 clubs will be able to do so by Monday (May 18), though it’s not clear if the league has had to adjust that estimate in recent days as various states update the terms of their stay-at-home orders.
With the Lakers reopening for workouts, it seems likely that the Clippers will be able to follow suit soon. However, teams like the Nets and Warriors are still believed to be a little ways away.
And-Ones: Sotto, Drew League, Hampton, Fields
After a report earlier this week indicated that Kai Sotto, a 7’2″ center from the Philippines, would be joining the G League’s new Select Team, Shams Charania of The Athletic confirmed (via Twitter) that Sotto has officially signed his contract with the NBAGL.
Sources tell Evan Daniels of 247Sports.com (Twitter link) that Sotto, who was ranked 51st in 247Sports’ rankings of 2020 recruits, will earn at least $200K on his G League deal. According to the details that have been reported so far, Sotto’s deal won’t be as lucrative as the ones for his teammates like Jalen Green and Daishen Nix, but he’ll still be earning far more than the average G League veteran does ($35K).
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The Drew League, a popular pro-am basketball summer league basketball in Los Angeles, has been forced to cancel its 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic, as ESPN’s Dave McMenamin details. LeBron James, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Chris Paul, and the late Kobe Bryant are among the NBA stars who have taken part in Drew League games in past years.
- As part of his preparation for the 2020 NBA draft, probable lottery pick RJ Hampton is working with former NBA guard Penny Hardaway, according to John Martin of The Athletic. Hardaway is now the coach of the Memphis Tigers team that Hampton passed on last year to play in Australia’s National Basketball League.
- In an interesting piece for The Athletic, Blake Murphy spoke to former NBA forward Landry Fields about his disappointing stint with the Raptors and the health issues that derailed his NBA career, as well as the opportunity he has received in the Spurs‘ front office. Fields was named the general manager of San Antonio’s G League affiliate last September.
Coronavirus Notes: Toronto, CBA, TV Broadcasts
Las Vegas and Orlando (Walt Disney World) have long been considered the frontrunners to host the remainder of the NBA season if the league decides to resume play in a “bubble” location, but they’re not the only cities that have been discussed.
Appearing on Tim & Sid on Sportsnet in Canada this week, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports revealed that, during his conference call with players last Friday, commissioner Adam Silver cited Toronto as another possible “bubble” location.
“(Silver) mentioned Toronto in that conference call,” Haynes said (video link). “He said Toronto is an option. He said he would like to keep the season in the States, but he’s not ruling out Toronto.”
In order for the NBA to ensure a safe return for its teams and players, the league will have to sort through a ton of logistical issues and concerns — having that return take place in a country besides the United States would add several more layers of complications. For that reason, I’d be pretty surprised if the idea of a Toronto bubble gains any momentum. Vegas and Orlando still seem like the most obvious candidates to accommodate the league’s potential resumption.
Here’s more on the coronavirus situation and its impact on the NBA:
- In a fascinating Insider-only ESPN article, Bobby Marks identifies some of the financial challenges facing the NBA, and – based on input from team executives and agents – proposes eight CBA and salary-cap tweaks that could help the league get through the next year or two. Among those ideas: Reducing the salary floor from 90% to 80% for 2020/21, bringing back the amnesty provision for one year only, and adjusting luxury tax penalties for next season so they’re not as punitive as usual.
- Mark Medina and Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today break down some of the challenges facing the NBA as it attempts to resume its season, speaking to agents who suggest that some players are conflicted about returning to the court this summer, given both the health and financial considerations. “My vibe is the influential players want their money, and they’re going to make the call,” one agent said. “The players are trying to have it both ways. They’re criticizing ownership for putting them out there and risking their health. But they also want to play and get their money.”
- With fans unlikely to be in attendance for NBA games or other sporting events anytime soon, Andrew Marchand of The New York Post explores how ESPN, Turner Sports, and other television networks may have to adjust their broadcasts.
John Collins Talks Capela, Contract, Hawks’ Potential
A dark-horse playoff sleeper entering the 2019/20 season, the Hawks failed to take a step forward, entering the NBA’s hiatus with a 20-47 record. A 25-game drug-related suspension for big man John Collins early in the season contributed to Atlanta digging an early hole for itself, which it couldn’t climb out of after Collins’ return.
With an eye toward the 2020/21 campaign, however, Collins tells Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the Hawks aren’t “as far away as you think” from turning the corner, expressing optimism about the team’s short- and long-term potential.
“This is just to me, with the roster moves, with the experience that we have gained and are going to gain over the summer, and chemistry,” Collins said. “I keep on hearing us being talked about as a fringe playoff team (for next season), and I just want to start pushing our team and our discussion in the mental spaces of people as a playoff contender every year.”
By the time the ’20/21 season gets underway, the Hawks are hoping to have a healthy Clint Capela in their lineup. They’re also on track to add another top-eight draft pick to their roster and will have plenty of flexibility to add veteran talent this offseason — no NBA team projects to have more cap room than Atlanta. Throw in the fact that Collins, Trae Young, and the rest of the Hawks’ youngsters will be another year older, and some optimism is justified.
During his conversation with Spencer, which is worth checking out in full, Collins addressed several other topics, including his new frontcourt partner and his contract situation. Here are some highlights:
On his fit with Capela:
“I’m pretty versatile, so I feel (like) for the people who don’t watch, when they do watch, it’s like ‘OK, John can stretch the floor. Oh wow, John and Clint can play well (together).’ Clint’s still doing his thing rolling and playing above the rim, and I’m still playing above the rim, because we have elite play-makers out there on the court… Clint fits right in to what we do, so it’s not like he comes in and messes anything up on my end.”
On Collins’ next contract (he’ll be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason):
“When we’re talking max numbers and money, I feel like I definitely (am in) the conversation to have earned that money with the Hawks specifically, but obviously I know there’s business and we don’t always get exactly what we want. But I want to be a Hawk, I want to stay with the Hawks.”
On whether it’s important that he signs an extension this year rather than waiting until restricted free agency in 2021 to get a new deal:
“I feel like we’ve both invested ourselves in each other… I feel like we both want to see our investments in each other pay off. In that sense, I just want to know where I am. I want to know I’m locked in as soon as I can rather than having to wait, which I know happens. But when you do wait, a lot of other stuff mentally creeps in during the season while I’m tired, while I’m playing, ups and downs, injuries, but that’s also a part of just being a pro athlete.”
Draft Notes: Combine, Diane, Pierre-Louis, Eastern
Although the NBA’s 2020 draft combine won’t take place in Chicago next week as originally scheduled, the league hasn’t given up on the idea of holding it – in some form – later this year. If it can happen in person, the combine may still be held in Chicago, but a more likely outcome would see it held in Las Vegas or Orlando, assuming that’s where the NBA sets up its “bubble” to resume the season, writes Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com.
As Zagoria notes, with NBA teams and personnel all gathered in one place to complete the season, it would make sense to host the combine in that location rather than asking prospects and evaluators to travel elsewhere. Of course, it remains to be seen whether the combine will be able to happen in person at all — a virtual event may end up being the most viable scenario.
Here’s more on the 2020 NBA draft
- Cal State Northridge forward Lamine Diane has signed with agent Richie Felder of CAA for representation, tweets Jeff Goodman of Stadium. As a result, Diane will go pro and remain in the draft, forgoing his final two years of college eligibility. He currently ranks 71st overall on ESPN’s big board.
- Like Diane, Temple guard Nate Pierre-Louis has decided to sign with an agent and remain in the draft, he tells Goodman (Twitter link). Pierre-Louis, who had one year of NCAA eligibility left, doesn’t show up on ESPN’s list of 2020’s top 100 prospects.
- After deciding to test the draft waters this spring, Purdue’s Nojel Eastern has also opted to transfer, announcing today (via Twitter) that he has committed to Michigan for next season. While Eastern didn’t mention the draft, it appears he’ll play one more year of college ball before going pro.
- Although these early entrants are making their draft decisions now, there’s no rush to do so. The NCAA announced on Wednesday that it has indefinitely postponed its June 3 withdrawal deadline for early entry prospects.