Lakers Notes: Redick, LeBron, Davis, Murray, Reaves
Speaking on Monday to reporters, including Dave McMenamin of ESPN, J.J. Redick made it clear that he wasn’t offended by the fact that the Lakers publicly pursued UConn’s Dan Hurley before circling back to him, joking that, as a “two-time 55 Swish League champion in the third- and fourth-grade division,” he can’t match coaching résumés with a two-time national champion.
Lakers head of basketball operations Rob Pelinka, who said Redick was always alongside Hurley in the team’s “Plan A pool” of candidates, defended the decision to hire a first-time coach by pointing out that head coaching experience and NBA experience “aren’t mutually exclusive things,” as McMenamin relays. Redick, of course, played in the league for 15 years before transitioning into a media role.
“I think in industry in general and in sports in specific, sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in patterns of being in a sea of sameness and doing the same thing that everybody else is doing,” Pelinka said. “But when we embarked on this search, it was really important for us to see if we could do something a little bit different. And quickly in our conversations with J.J., it was very evident that he had a unique perspective and philosophy on basketball and how it’s to be taught.”
Pelinka told reporters that Lakers star LeBron James – Redick’s co-host on the ‘Mind The Game’ podcast, which will no longer record new episodes – was “supportive” of the club’s head coaching search but wasn’t involved in the process at all. Redick said he didn’t talk to James about the position until last Thursday, after he’d been offered the job.
Anthony Davis, on the other hand, “chose to be very involved,” according to Pelinka, who referred to the star big man as “very excited” about the hiring of Redick. The new head coach has some ideas for new ways to use Davis, as he said during his introductory press conference.
“One of the things I brought up with him is just the idea of him as a hub (on offense),” Redick said. “There’s a bunch of guys at the five position in the NBA that sort of operate in that way. I don’t know that he’s been used in that way and sort of maximized all of his abilities.”
In addition to factoring into the Lakers’ head coaching search, Davis’ opinion appeared to carry weight in the decision to part ways with Darvin Ham in the spring. According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, league sources believe that concerns about how Davis viewed Ham were something the Lakers weighed when they opted to make a change.
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- Redick identified offensive rebounding, three-point attempts, turnovers, and defensive schematics as areas he wants to improve during his first season on the Lakers’ bench, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic. According to Buha, Redick and Pelinka both talked up “player development,” pointing to the need to identify and grow young talent due to the restrictions in the new CBA. They’re already coming up with ideas for how to connect with the younger players on the roster. “J.J. and I have had some really robust conversations around innovation and sort of even gamifying player development,” Pelinka said. “We’ve talked about how do we translate coach Redick’s offensive system to app-based or a phone-based deliverable where players can be buying into a philosophy and learning it in a way that meets today’s young player. And I think innovation has got to be at the core of that.”
- While Pelinka alluded to the restrictive CBA and stressed the importance of player development, Amick hears from league sources that if James and Davis have their way, the Lakers would do all they can to acquire another impact player this offseason. Amick adds that James isn’t content simply “coasting” through his final NBA seasons and still “desperately” wants to compete for championships.
- Although there’s a widespread belief that James will stick with the Lakers this offseason, he has yet to give the front office any indication of his plans, Amick reports, adding that the four-time MVP appears open to playing two or even three more seasons.
- According to Amick, the Lakers could have had Dejounte Murray from the Hawks in February if they’d been willing to add Austin Reaves to their package — that could be an option again this summer, Amick says, but L.A. continues to resist the idea of parting with Reaves in a deal for Murray.
Draft Rumors: Hawks, Wizards, Sarr, Knicks, Kolek, Bulls, More
In their latest mock drafts ahead of Wednesday’s first round, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Insider link) and Sam Vecenie of The Athletic each say there’s no clarity yet on what the Hawks will do with the No. 1 overall pick. Both mocks still have Zaccharie Risacher going to Atlanta first overall for the time being, but haven’t ruled out the idea of a trade down (possibly for Donovan Clingan) or a different choice at No. 1.
While there has been some chatter linking French big man Alexandre Sarr to Atlanta, both Givony and Vecenie suggest those rumblings may be a smokescreen designed to get the Wizards to consider a possible move up to No. 1 so that they can land the player widely viewed as their top target. A year ago, the Wizards moved up one spot in the lottery from No. 8 to No. 7 in order to nab Bilal Coulibaly.
According to Givony, there’s a belief that Sarr would be comfortable ending up with the Wizards, whose rebuild may offer him a more immediate path to a significant role. Meanwhile, during a Tuesday radio appearance on 92.9 The Game in Atlanta, Hawks general manager Landry Fields confirmed that Sarr hasn’t visited his team, as Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks relays (via Twitter).
“He was scheduled to come work out,” Fields said of Sarr. “We had it on the books and then he declined to come work out.”
Here’s more on the 2024 NBA draft, which is just one day away:
- Both Vecenie and Jeff Goodman of Field of 68 (Twitter link) have received similar feedback on the quality of this year’s draft class. According to Vecenie, while this year’s top 10 is considered weak, the depth in the 10-25 range is viewed as strong, with the rest of the class at about the usual level. A veteran general manager offered a similar assessment to Goodman. “The depth of this draft, especially in the back half of the first round, isn’t much different than in most years,” that GM said. “But the top five – and even top 10 – collectively is as underwhelming as I’ve ever seen it.”
- Among the many sourced notes in Vecenie’s mock draft: The Knicks have had interest in Marquette guard Tyler Kolek throughout the season, while the Bulls are believed to be fans of Illinois wing Terrence Shannon. Kolek may be off the board by the time New York picks at No. 24; conversely, Chicago’s No. 11 pick would be higher than expected for Shannon, who has been viewed as a late first-rounder in most mocks.
- Confirming prior reporting, Josh Robbins of The Athletic cites a team source who says the Wizards are “amenable” to acquiring another first-round pick. Washington currently controls the second and 26th overall selections. However, one scenario suggested by Robbins would involve the Wizards sending out a veteran player, the No. 26 pick, and the No. 51 pick for matching salary and a higher first-round pick, which would mean upgrading their second first-rounder rather than adding a third one.
- ESPN’s latest mock draft has Yves Missi going to the Pelicans at No. 21, and a recent HoopsHype report also linked New Orleans to the former Baylor center. According to Christian Clark of NOLA.com, the Pelicans met with Missi at the draft combine in Chicago and also brought him to New Orleans for a workout. While Clark expects Missi to get serious consideration from the Pels if he’s available at No. 21, he says it’s unclear whether the team will prefer a player who is more NBA-ready.
Stein’s Latest: O’Neale, George, Pelicans, Murray, Anunoby, Pistons
Rumors have begun to circulate that free agent forward Royce O’Neale will end up signing a four-year contract to remain with the Suns, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack story.
The Suns have long been expected to re-sign O’Neale, since they’ll be over the second tax apron and wouldn’t be in position to sign an equivalent replacement if he heads elsewhere. However, there has been a belief that they’ll likely have to go up to three or four years in order to retain the three-and-D wing to make up for the fact that other suitors may offer him a shorter-term deal with a more lucrative starting salary.
Phoenix has five more days left in its exclusive negotiating window with O’Neale. If he hasn’t agreed to terms by the time the free agent period opens on Sunday evening, he’ll be able to negotiate with other clubs.
Here’s more from Stein’s latest rumor roundup:
- Securing a four-year contract is a goal for Paul George this summer, according to Stein, who suggests that chatter about George’s willingness to consider signing with a cap-room team or pushing for a change of scenery in an opt-in-and-trade scenario may be aimed at convincing the Clippers to put that fourth year on the table. There has been a sense that staying in Los Angeles would ultimately be George’s preference, but the club has seemingly only offered him a three-year deal thus far.
- While it remains unclear whether the Hawks would prefer to trade Trae Young or Dejounte Murray this offseason, it’s worth noting that the Pelicans are “known to be longtime admirers” of Murray, Stein writes. New Orleans is believed to be open to a roster shake-up this summer, with forward Brandon Ingram viewed as a strong candidate to be dealt.
- It’s still hard to find many people around the NBA who think OG Anunoby will leave the Knicks as a free agent, Stein writes, pointing out that Sam Rose – one of Anunoby’s agents at CAA – is the son of Knicks president of basketball operations Leon Rose.
- The Pistons‘ head coaching search may move quicker than initially anticipated, Stein writes, adding that James Borrego, Sean Sweeney, and Micah Nori are the “foremost known candidates.” Borrego is believed to have a leg up due to his time together with new Pistons head of basketball operations Trajan Langdon in New Orleans, Stein notes. However, both Sweeney and Nori have spent time in the organization, having worked on Dwane Casey‘s staff from 2018-21.
Atlantic Notes: Porzingis, Celtics, Knicks, Nets
Injured Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis is expected to undergo surgery on his left leg injury in the coming days, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link via Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston).
Porzingis told ESPN after the NBA Finals ended last week that his injury – a torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon – would require surgery, so this news doesn’t come as a surprise. However, as the Celtics explain in their announcement, the star center had hoped to put off surgery until after Latvia’s Olympic qualifying tournament — and potentially its trip to Paris. That won’t be possible, as Porzingis is unable to play through the injury at the level required for Olympic competition, per the team.
The Celtics are expected to provide updates on Porzingis’ recovery timeline after the surgery is completed. Latvia, meanwhile, will look to claim a spot in the 12-team men’s basketball Olympic tournament without Porzingis available. In order to clinch an Olympic berth, the Latvians will need to win a six-team qualifying tournament over Georgia, Brazil, Cameroon, Montenegro, and the Philippines. That tournament will take place from July 2-7 in Riga, Latvia.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- Revisiting the Celtics‘ series of trades from last year, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer reports that Boston still would have traded away Marcus Smart during the 2023 offseason even if its initial deal for Porzingis – which involved sending Malcolm Brogdon to the Clippers – hadn’t fallen through. According to O’Connor, if that Brogdon trade had been completed, the Celtics intended to send Smart to the Grizzlies in a separate deal for Tyus Jones and the two draft picks Boston got in the final Porzingis trade. In that scenario, the C’s may not have been in position to acquire Jrue Holiday later in the offseason.
- Indiana center Kel’el Ware, Akron forward Enrique Freeman, and San Francisco forward Jonathan Mogbo are among the prospects who have worked out for the Knicks recently, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv. New York currently holds the 24th and 25th overall picks in the first round on Wednesday, along with No. 38 on Thursday.
- Fred Katz and Andrew Schlecht of The Athletic spoke to an Eastern Conference executive about several possible draft options for the Knicks, evaluating the pros and cons of Ryan Dunn, Kyshawn George, DaRon Holmes II, and Mogbo, among others.
- The NBA’s Board of Governors has voted to approve the sale of 15% of the Nets‘ parent company (BSE Global) to billionaire Julia Koch and her family, according to Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico. For more details on the Kochs buying into the Nets, you can read our full story here.
Raptors Waive Mouhamadou Gueye
The Raptors have waived forward Mouhamadou Gueye, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link).
Gueye had been under contract with Toronto on a two-year two-way deal that he signed in March. A team could claim him and take on that two-way contract for 2024/25, but if he clears waivers, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent.
Gueye, who played his college ball at Monroe, Stony Brook, and Pittsburgh from 2016-22, went undrafted and has spent most of his first two professional seasons in the G League, first with the Texas Legends, then with the Raptors 905. In a total of 39 Showcase Cup and regular season games last season at the NBAGL level, he averaged 14.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks in 31.0 minutes per contest, making 56.1% of his shots from the floor. He wasn’t a threat from beyond the arc, however, and made just 49.5% of his free throw attempts.
After initially signing a 10-day contract with Toronto following the trade deadline in February, Gueye was promoted from the G League to a two-way contract for the final few weeks of the season. The 6’9″ forward, who will turn 26 in July, appeared in 11 games at the NBA level, averaging 2.4 PPG, 2.1 RPG, and 1.6 BPG in 10.9 MPG.
The Raptors still have one player (D.J. Carton) on a two-way contract that covers 2024/25, so they’re on track to open up a pair of two-way slots when the new league year begins next week.
Hoops Rumors’ 2024 NBA Offseason Previews By Team
In advance of the NBA’s 2024 draft and free agent period, Hoops Rumors has previewed the coming offseason for all 30 teams, looking at their salary cap situations and the roster decisions they’ll have to make this summer.
All 30 of our Offseason Preview articles are linked below, sorted by conference and division.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic
Central
Southeast
Western Conference
Northwest
Pacific
Southwest
Trade Rumors: Rockets, Smart, George, Warriors, Nets, More
The Rockets are a team worth keeping a close eye on this week, according to Marc Stein, who writes in his latest Substack report that the possibility of a trade that sees the No. 3 overall pick sent to the Grizzlies in a package for the No. 9 pick and Marcus Smart has been “mentioned with increasing regularity by various league insiders.” Memphis has been identified as one of the teams that has interest in UConn center Donovan Clingan, and moving up to No. 3 would likely put the Grizzlies in position to draft him.
Of course, if possible, the Rockets would like to use that third overall pick in a deal for a bigger star, so Stein suggests that Jimmy Butler, Brandon Ingram, and Paul George are a few of the possible targets to watch.
Discussing George’s situation, Stein cites a “growing feeling” around the league that the Clippers forward may end up picking up his player option for 2024/25 and forcing a trade, since Los Angeles still seems unwilling to offer him a contract that’s longer or richer than the one Kawhi Leonard signed in January (three years, $152MM). The Knicks have been mentioned as a possible trade suitor for George, and Stein says it’s probably safe to add the Warriors to that list too.
Here are a few more trade-related rumors from around the NBA:
- During a pre-draft press conference on Monday, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. expressed a reluctance to move any of the team’s young players – Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, or Trayce Jackson-Davis – in a trade, per Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. “We really value those guys,” Dunleavy said. “We’ve drafted them. We’ve grown them. They have played really well. We are excited about them. A scenario to move them would take a lot. It’s important for us to be good now and then be good also in the future.” Of course, to acquire a star player like George, Golden State would almost certainly have to surrender at least one player from that group.
- As Kendra Andrews of ESPN relays, Dunleavy also briefly addressed Chris Paul‘s situation on Monday, suggesting that the Warriors continue to consider a handful of options, including possibly trading the point guard or waiving him before his $30MM salary for 2024/25 becomes guaranteed on Friday. “We’re looking through everything,” Dunleavy said. “A lot of options are still on the table in terms of keeping Chris. Obviously there’s a scenario where he gets waived … but I’d say everything is open.”
- The Nets have conveyed optimism as of late about their ability to trade into the 2024 NBA draft, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Brooklyn is currently the only team in the league without a pick in either round of this year’s draft, but has reportedly been exploring ways to acquire one.
- Donovan Mitchell was long viewed as a possible trade candidate leading up to this offseason, but there’s still zero indication that he’ll be made available. According to Shams Charania of Stadium (Twitter video link), there continues to be plenty of optimism within the Cavaliers‘ organization that Mitchell – who had input on the team’s head coaching search – will sign an extension this summer. Charania suggests such a deal could be worth nearly $209MM over four years, though if Mitchell wants to put himself in position to get the higher maximum salary (35% of the cap instead of 30%) as soon as he gains 10 years of NBA service, he may opt for a shorter-term extension.
Free Agency Rumors: LeBron, Clippers, Harris, Suns, Warriors, Klay
LeBron James‘s decision on his $51.4MM player option is due this Saturday, and while the Lakers star has yet to formally make a call one way or the other on that option, at least one recent report indicated he’s leaning toward opting out. That doesn’t mean he’ll leave Los Angeles though, since the Lakers will still be in position to offer him more than any other suitor as a free agent — and it sounds like they’ll do just that.
According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, the Lakers are “committed” to retaining James and are prepared to offer the maximum three-year contract that he’s eligible for. Teams can typically re-sign their own Bird free agents for up to five years, but in LeBron’s case, the over-38 rule would trigger if he signs for four or more years, meaning a three-year agreement is his max.
A maximum-salary three-year contract for James projects to be worth nearly $162MM if he declines his option. In that scenario, he would also be in position to negotiate a no-trade clause, which is available to players who are negotiating free agent contracts if they’ve been in the NBA for eight years and with the team for four years.
Here are a few more free agency rumors and notes from around the NBA:
- The Clippers have “some level of interest” in free agent forward Tobias Harris, a source tells Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Harris, who played for the Clippers for about a year from 2018-19, would likely only be an option for Los Angeles if Paul George leaves, since the team otherwise wouldn’t be in position to make him a competitive offer (and wouldn’t have a pressing on-court need for a forward like Harris). Pompey suggests the possibility of a dual sign-and-trade involving George and Harris, but the Sixers have the cap room to sign George outright and the Clippers would be hard-capped at the first tax apron if they acquire a player via sign-and-trade.
- While the Suns‘ top offseason priority is re-signing forward Royce O’Neale, they’re also hoping that swingman Josh Okogie picks up his $2.96MM player option and would like to re-sign forward Bol Bol, tweets John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7.
- Speaking to reporters on Monday, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. reiterated that the team wants to bring back free agent sharpshooter Klay Thompson (Twitter video link via NBC Sports Bay Area). However, as Tim Kawakami writes for The Athletic, Dunleavy is “definitely not shaping this whole offseason” around re-signing Thompson.
- John Hollinger of The Athletic shared his list of the best point guards on this year’s free agent market, along with his top shooting guards.
2024 NBA Offseason Preview: Boston Celtics
Until a team wins a championship once, there will be skepticism about their ability to do it at all. That’s why the Nuggets were considered the title favorites by many NBA fans for most of the 2023/24 season after we saw them claim the Larry O’Brien trophy in ’22/23. But with the benefit of hindsight, it seems pretty clear that the Celtics were the league’s best team from start to finish this past season.
After adding Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday to an already formidable core led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics opened the campaign by winning their first five games and 26 of their first 32. They held the No. 1 seed in the East for all but six of the 174 days in the regular season, and never relinquished that top spot after November 14. Their net rating of +11.7 was the third-best mark in NBA history and was 6.8 points per 100 possessions better than any other team in the East. Their 64-18 regular season record was the best in the NBA by seven games — and the best in the East by 14 games.
The Celtics suffered a surprising loss at home to a Heat team without Jimmy Butler in Game 2 of the first round of the playoffs, raising some concerns that the postseason struggles which reared their heads in recent seasons might resurface this spring. But Boston quickly shut down those questions by reeling off 14 wins in their next 15 games despite missing Porzingis due a calf strain for most of those contests.
Following one more blip in an otherwise dominant playoff run (a 38-point loss to Dallas in Game 4), the Celtics won Game 5 of the NBA Finals at home in Boston, securing their record-setting 18th championship — it was the team’s first since 2008 and the first for Brown and Tatum, who had previously made it to one NBA Finals and multiple Eastern Conference finals without getting over the hump.
Brown, Tatum, and these Celtics have gotten the monkey on their backs with this championship, but it’ll be replaced with a target for the 2024/25 season — the NBA’s other 29 clubs know that Boston is the team to beat, especially since the Celtics are set up to keep their core intact for at least next season and potentially more years beyond that.
Brown and Holiday are already on long-term deals and Tatum will soon join them. Porzingis also has multiple years left on his contract, leaving Derrick White as the only member of the league’s best starting five who will enter 2024/25 on an expiring deal. It’s safe to assume an extension for White will be among the top offseason priorities in Boston. What else will be on the itinerary for the Celtics this summer? Let’s dive in…
The Celtics’ Offseason Plan
In addition to having their entire starting lineup under contract for 2024/25, the Celtics won’t have to worry about their top three reserves — Al Horford has one more year left on his deal, Payton Pritchard has a team-friendly four-year extension going into effect this summer, and Sam Hauser has a minimum-salary team option for next season.
Pritchard is locked in for a while and the Celtics can go year by year with Horford if he wants to play beyond next season, but the team may need to address Hauser’s contract this summer. Exercising his team option would make him a bargain for one more year, but would put him on track to hit unrestricted free agency in 2025. Declining Hauser’s option would allow the Celtics to control his restricted free agency this summer but would mean paying significantly more than the minimum for him in ’24/25 (especially after accounting for the accompanying tax penalties).
The best-case scenario for Boston would be to pick up Hauser’s inexpensive option and sign him to a longer-term extension that goes into effect in 2025/26 in order to ensure he doesn’t hit the open market a year from now. The 26-year-old has made at least 41.8% of his three-point attempts in all three of his NBA seasons and isn’t a sieve on defense, so he’s a valuable role player, and as long as they remain over the second tax apron, the Celtics won’t be in position to add an equivalent replacement if they lose him.
Beyond those top eight players, the Celtics have 2024 deadline acquisition Jaden Springer and 2023 draftee Jordan Walsh on guaranteed contracts. Boston gave up a second-round pick to acquire Springer, a talented perimeter defender who has yet to show much on offense in his three NBA seasons, and used a high second-rounder (No. 38 overall) to select Walsh, who played just nine NBA games as a rookie. They haven’t shown yet that they can be reliable rotation players, but they’re still just 21 and 20 years old, respectively — the C’s will likely be patient with them.
That leaves five open spots on Boston’s 15-man roster for next season. I expect the Celtics to carry just 14 men into the regular season to maintain flexibility for a possible in-season addition and to save a little money toward the end-of-season tax bill, so let’s say there are four other spots to fill.
One of those openings will likely be taken by a rookie. The Celtics control the No. 30 pick in this year’s draft, which is a good spot to be in from a financial perspective. They’ll either get the least expensive first-rounder of 2024 or will trade down for a second-rounder who will have an even more modest cap hit. In either case, the player will be on a cost-controlled contract for the next three or four years. Boston should have its choice in that range between a more seasoned prospect who could potentially contribute in his rookie season and a higher-upside play who might take some time to develop.
The Celtics’ free agents include Luke Kornet, Xavier Tillman, Svi Mykhailiuk, Oshae Brissett (who is expected to decline his player option), and Neemias Queta (who has a team option). I imagine Boston would welcome back both Kornet and Tillman if they’re willing to sign for the minimum. The team, which will hold both players’ Bird rights, may even be prepared to go higher than that to bring them back.
Porzingis and Horford will handle most of the minutes at center when they’re healthy, but it would be a surprise if either one played 70+ regular season games. Even when they’re healthy, the Celtics will want to manage their minutes, so it will behoove the club to have effective backup fives who won’t bristle at receiving inconsistent minutes. Of the two free agent bigs, I’d view Kornet as more likely to return, since I expect Tillman to draw interest from teams looking to spend their bi-annual exception or split up their mid-level exception.
While Brissett and Mykhailiuk didn’t play much, having reliable depth on the wing to call upon when needed was important. If one or both players seek out situations where they might get a chance to play more, the Celtics will return to the minimum-salary market in search of potential bargains. Cedi Osman is one hypothetical target I like quite a bit, but he’d have to be willing to accept a pay cut and a possible role reduction to chase a title.
The offseason plan I’ve outlined so far doesn’t feature much excitement or many roster changes. Maybe I’m wrong about that, given Brad Stevens‘ history of deal-making. But the second apron places real restrictions on what teams are able to do — neither the Porzingis deal nor the Holiday acquisition from last offseason would be at all possible for the Celtics under the new rules, which restrict second-apron teams from aggregating player salaries and from taking back more salary in trades than they send out. Plus, Stevens and the front office should feel less compelled to take big swings now that they know this team is capable of winning a championship.
As a result, the biggest deals of the Celtics’ offseason could be contract extensions. Tatum is now eligible to sign a five-year super-max extension that will begin in 2025/26 and projects to be worth an eye-popping $314.9MM (assuming a $141MM cap in ’24/25 and a 10% increase the following year). It’s safe to assume Boston will put that deal on the table and that Tatum will sign it, surpassing his teammate Brown for the biggest projected contract in league history.
It may not be quite so simple to lock up White, whose maximum four-year extension would be worth approximately $126MM. That’s a fair offer and he may well accept it, but after playing such a crucial role on this year’s title team and earning his second consecutive All-Defensive nod, the veteran guard would also be justified in believing that a bigger payday could be out there if he waits until the end of his current contract in 2025 to test the market. I expect the Celtics to do all they can to get White to sign this offseason, including perhaps adding a fourth-year player option in their offer.
Salary Cap Situation
Guaranteed Salary
Jaylen Brown ($49,350,000)
- Brown’s cap hit is a tentative figure based on 35% of a projected $141MM cap.
- Jayson Tatum ($34,848,340)
- Jrue Holiday ($30,000,000)
- Kristaps Porzingis ($29,268,293)
- Derrick White ($20,071,429)
- White’s cap hit includes an $18,821,429 base salary and $1,250,000 in likely incentives.
- Al Horford ($9,500,000)
- Payton Pritchard ($6,696,429)
- Jaden Springer ($4,018,363)
- Jordan Walsh ($1,891,857)
- Total: $185,644,711
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- None
Dead/Retained Salary
- None
Player Options
- Oshae Brissett ($2,463,946): Non-Bird rights
- Brissett reportedly intends to decline this option.
- Total: $2,463,946
Team Options
- Neemias Queta ($2,196,970): Non-Bird rights
- Sam Hauser ($2,092,344): Bird rights
- Total: $4,289,314
Restricted Free Agents
- None
Two-Way Free Agents
Note: Because he has finished each of the past two seasons on a two-way contract with the Celtics, Davison’s qualifying offer would be worth his minimum salary (projected to be $2,093,637). It would include a small partial guarantee.
Draft Picks
- No. 30 overall pick ($2,501,640 cap hold)
- No. 54 overall pick (no cap hold)
- Total (cap holds): $2,501,640
Extension-Eligible Players
- Sam Hauser (veteran)
- Team option must be exercised.
- Jaden Springer (rookie scale)
- Jayson Tatum (veteran; super-max)
- Xavier Tillman (veteran)
- Extension-eligible until June 30.
- Derrick White (veteran)
Note: Unless otherwise indicated, these players are eligible for extensions beginning in July.
Unrestricted Free Agents
- Luke Kornet ($2,093,637 cap hold): Bird rights
- Svi Mykhailiuk ($2,093,637 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Xavier Tillman ($2,093,637 cap hold): Bird rights
- Total (cap holds): $6,280,911
Other Cap Holds
- Blake Griffin ($2,093,637 cap hold)
- Mfiondu Kabengele ($1,867,722 cap hold)
- Total (cap holds): $3,961,359
Note: The cap holds for these players are on the Celtics’ books from prior seasons because they haven’t been renounced. They can’t be used in a sign-and-trade deal.
Cap Exceptions Available
Note: The Celtics project to operate over the cap and over the second tax apron. That means they won’t have access to the mid-level exception, the bi-annual exception, or any of their three existing trade exceptions. If they were to dip below the second apron, they would gain access to the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5,183,000).
- None
Scotto’s Latest: Hartenstein, Knicks, Kuminga, Holmes, Missi, Lakers, More
Because they only hold his Early Bird rights, the Knicks are limited to a four-year offer worth approximately $72.5MM for Isaiah Hartenstein, and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype hears from league sources that New York is expected to put that full offer on the table for the free agent center.
Ian Begley of SNY.tv previously reported that the Knicks are considering other options at center, including Goga Bitadze, in the event that they’re unable to retain Hartenstein. Scotto confirms as much, writing that free agent big man Jonas Valanciunas and potential trade target Nick Richards of the Hornets are among the other fives on New York’s radar. There’s also an “outside chance,” sources tell Scotto, that the Knicks would consider pursuing Andre Drummond if they can’t bring back Hartenstein.
Here are several more highlights from Scotto’s aggregate mock draft at HoopsHype, which features many other items of interest that we passed along earlier in the day:
- Jonathan Kuminga, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason, is expected to remain with the Warriors for the foreseeable future unless the team has an opportunity to acquire an All-NBA caliber player, writes Scotto.
- While there have been rumors that Dayton forward DaRon Holmes II received a draft promise from the Nuggets, Scotto hears that there’s no truth to that chatter, adding that multiple executives believe Holmes will be drafted before Denver picks at No. 28.
- Baylor center Yves Missi is among the prospects who have worked out for the Lakers and is someone to keep an eye on at No. 17, Scotto writes.
- Scotto’s aggregate mock draft has KJ Simpson coming off the board at No. 49, but he says the Colorado guard is a potential target to watch for the Timberwolves earlier in the draft. Minnesota currently holds the 27th and 37th overall picks.
- Kyshawn George has some fans within the Cavaliers‘ organization, according to Scotto, who suggests that the Miami guard could be “an upside pick for the future” at No. 20.
- Brendan Sabean, who most recently served as the assistant general manager of the Austin Spurs, is expected to be hired as the GM of Phoenix’s new G League affiliate, the Valley Suns, league sources tell Scotto.