Warriors’ Gary Payton II Picks Up 2024/25 Player Option
Warriors guard Gary Payton II has exercised his player option for the 2024/25 season, reports Kendra Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link). While most player option decisions are due on June 29, Payton’s deadline to opt in was June 19.
The move will guarantee Payton a $9.13MM salary for next season, putting him on track to reach unrestricted free agency in 2025 if he doesn’t sign a contract extension before then. He’ll be extension-eligible for the entire 2024/25 league year, beginning in July.
A stalwart perimeter defender, Payton averaged 5.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 15.5 minutes per game across 44 appearances off the bench for the Warriors last season, with a shooting line of .563/.364/.609. The 31-year-old has been affected by injuries over the past couple years, appearing in just 66 total regular season games since playing in 83 total contests (71 regular season, 12 playoffs) for Golden State’s title-winning team in 2021/22.
At the end of the Warriors’ season in April, Payton expressed a desire to remain with the team and referenced the possibility of “redoing” his deal, leading to speculation that he might turn down his option in order to sign a longer-term contract with a smaller starting salary, giving Golden State some additional short-term cap flexibility. However, while that scenario was explored, the numbers didn’t make for both sides, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
Payton’s decision to opt in means the club will have to account for his $9MM+ cap hit, pushing team salary closer to the luxury tax threshold. The Warriors now have $137MM in guaranteed money on their books for eight players in 2024/25. That figure doesn’t include the $5MM non-guaranteed portion of Kevon Looney‘s contract, Chris Paul‘s $30MM non-guaranteed salary, or a potential deal for free agent swingman Klay Thompson. The luxury tax line next season projects to be just north of $171MM.
As Slater points out, Payton’s opt-in doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll spend next season in Golden State, since his expiring contract could be a useful salary-matching piece in a trade. But as long as he’s healthy, the veteran guard is the team’s best backcourt defender and a valuable role player — his +5.8 net rating was the second-best mark among Warriors regulars in 2023/24, Slater notes.
Pistons Part Ways With Monty Williams
10:41am: The Pistons have officially confirmed that Williams won’t return as the team’s head coach in 2024/25, announcing the decision in a press release (Twitter link).
“Decisions like these are difficult to make, and I want to thank Monty for his hard work and dedication,” Gores said in a statement. “Coaching has many dynamic challenges that emerge during a season and Monty always handled those with grace. However, after reviewing our performance carefully and assessing our current position as an organization, we will chart a new course moving forward.
“I have great respect for Monty as a coach and as a person and I am certain he will be successful in his future endeavors. I sincerely wish him and his family the very best.”
8:33am: The Pistons are making a head coaching change, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the team has decided to dismiss Monty Williams just one season into his six-year, $78.5MM contract with the franchise.
Williams, who coached the Suns for four seasons from 2019-23, was let go by Phoenix last spring and appeared to be leaning toward taking a year off. After resisting Detroit’s initial overtures, Williams agreed to meet with Pistons owner Tom Gores and then-GM Troy Weaver and ultimately accepted a massive contract that was largest for a coach in NBA history at the time.
However, Williams’ first year in Detroit was a disaster from start to finish. The Pistons opened the season with 36 losses in their first 39 games, including 28 in a row, which set a new single-season record. The team – which entered the fall with aspirations of taking a step forward and vying for a spot in the postseason – had an overall record of 14-68, making it the worst season by winning percentage in the organization’s 76-year history.
The Pistons parted ways with Weaver earlier this offseason, replacing him with new head of basketball operations Trajan Langdon. Multiple reports since Langdon’s hiring indicated that the new president would be given free rein to make a head coaching change, despite the $65MM+ in guaranteed money left on Williams’ deal.
According to both Vince Goodwill of Yahoo Sports and James L. Edwards of The Athletic (Twitter links), Gores made the final call on Williams within the past 24 hours, with Langdon informing the veteran coach of the decision on Wednesday. Those reports don’t explicitly state whether or not Langdon recommended a change to Gores, but either way, the new top front office executive in Detroit now has the opportunity to bring in his own head coach for 2024/25 and beyond.
The Pistons will join the Lakers and Cavaliers as teams seeking new head coaches. While those other two clubs have been conducting searches for several weeks, Detroit is getting a late start, so we’ll see what sort of timeline the team has in mind for making a hire — the NBA draft is just one week away, while the Las Vegas Summer League schedule will get underway on July 12.
Some of the candidates under consideration for the jobs in Los Angeles and Cleveland figure to be on the Pistons’ radar. One notable name to watch, according to Goodwill (Twitter link), is Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego, who is viewed as a legitimate contender for both the Lakers and Cavs as well. Detroit will strongly consider Borrego if he’s available, says Goodwill. The Pistons have already poached one assistant from Langdon’s former team in New Orleans this offseason, reaching a deal to hire Fred Vinson.
It’s unclear whether Williams will become a contender for either of the NBA’s other head coaching vacancies or if he’ll take that year off that he didn’t get in 2023/24. Certainly, with $65MM+ in pay checks still coming his way, he’ll be feeling no financial pressure to get back to work anytime soon.
As a result of the Pistons’ dismal showing this past season, Williams now has a sub-.500 career record as a head coach, having posted a 381-404 (.485) mark across 10 years in New Orleans, Phoenix, and Detroit. He won five playoff series with the Suns and made the NBA Finals in 2021.
Draft Rumors: Hawks, Risacher, Sarr, Knecht, C. Williams, Dillingham, More
The Hawks don’t appear to have made any final decisions yet, but intel from teams around the league suggests forward Zaccharie Risacher still looks like the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick, Jonathan Givony writes in ESPN’s latest mock draft (Insider link). Risacher is working out for Atlanta on Wednesday.
While Alexandre Sarr is widely considered to be another contender for that No. 1 pick, Givony says the Hawks have been unable to get the French big man in for a workout so far, and suggests that UConn center Donovan Clingan might be Risacher’s top competition for the top spot in the draft. Clingan impressed Atlanta during his workout with his passing ability and his performance in film study and interviews, according to Givony.
The Hawks have brought in several lottery prospects for workouts, including Reed Sheppard, Matas Buzelis, Cody Williams, and Ron Holland, Givony notes, which suggests they’re preparing for potential trade-down scenarios as well. One possibility that has been “widely discussed” by rival teams, per Givony, is a deal with the Spurs that would see the Hawks move down to No. 4 and get back one of their draft assets controlled by San Antonio, such as Atlanta’s 2025 first-rounder. A move along those lines would put the Hawks in a better position to rebuild, as Givony observes.
If Atlanta doesn’t select Sarr with the No. 1 pick, teams and agents believe he’ll come off the board at No. 2 to the Wizards, per Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. Both Wasserman and ESPN have Sarr second overall in their latest mock drafts.
Here are several more draft-related tidbits from ESPN and Bleacher Report:
- Dalton Knecht‘s draft range seems increasingly small, according to Givony, who says that every team between No. 4 and No. 9 (with the exception of the Pistons at No. 5) has shown interest in the Tennessee forward.
- Rival teams are predicting that Colorado’s Cody Williams will be picked higher than expected, possibly by the Spurs or Pistons, says Wasserman, who has Williams at No. 7 in his mock. Givony adds that Williams has worked out or will work out for nearly every team in the top 10 (except for the Rockets) and that teams with lower picks haven’t been able to bring him in, signaling that his camp is confident about his draft range.
- Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham hasn’t been able to work out for teams for most of the pre-draft process due to an ankle injury, prompting speculation that he could slide on draft night, according to both ESPN’s Jeremy Woo and Wasserman. ESPN has Dillingham coming off the board at No. 8 to the Spurs, but Wassmeran’s sources believe San Antonio is an unlikely landing spot based on what the team is signaling to agents. Wasserman has the former Wildcats guard at No. 11 in his mock.
- Ja’Kobe Walter, one of the first 12 players who received a green room invite, worked out for teams like the Pistons, Hornets, Spurs, Jazz, and Kings, per Givony, which bodes well for his odds of being a lottery pick.
- French forward Tidjane Salaun worked out for the Thunder, Kings, and Trail Blazers, then sprained his ankle at a workout with the Spurs this past weekend, Givony reports. Salaun had also lined up workouts with the Pistons and Hornets, but his ankle injury might prevent those sessions from happening.
- Serbian point guard Nikola Topic has had a handful of meetings scheduled with lottery teams, including the Trail Blazers, Spurs, Grizzlies, and Jazz, Givony writes. However, Givony cautions that a team interested in picking Topic will have to prepare for the possibility of a redshirt rookie year due to the guard’s partially torn ACL.
- Teams were “buzzing” about Indiana center Kel’el Ware after a strong shooting display at his pro day, according to Wasserman, who says the big man is receiving consideration as high as the late lottery. Givony agrees that Ware seems to be building momentum in the pre-draft process, but notes that he hasn’t received a green room invite yet — that could change later this week when the final invites are sent out. According to Givony, Ware has worked out for over a dozen teams, ranging from late-lottery clubs to those near the end of the first round. The Bucks are one of those teams, and ESPN’s mock has Ware going to Milwaukee at No. 23.
International Notes: Brooks, Rodriguez, Cousins, Howard, Cook, Canaan
Veteran free agent guard Armoni Brooks has signed a two-year contract with Olimpia Milano, the Italian team announced today in a press release.
Brooks was in the NBA as recently as this year, having appeared in 10 games for the Nets on a two-way contract before being waived in January. The 26-year-old, who has also suited up for the Rockets and Raptors since making his NBA debut in 2021, spent the rest of the 2023/24 season with the Clippers’ G League affiliate.
Brooks will join an Olimpia Milano team that has won three straight Italian League titles but struggled in EuroLeague competition this past season, finishing just 15-19 and missing the playoffs.
Here are a few more notes from around the international basketball world:
- Former NBA guard Sergio Rodriguez has called it a career, formally announcing his retirement on social media (Twitter link). A first-round pick in 2006, Rodriguez spent four seasons in the NBA with Portland, Sacramento, and New York from 2006-10 before returning for the 2016/17 season with Philadelphia. However, the 38-year-old spent most of his career overseas, winning three EuroLeague titles, a EuroLeague MVP award (in 2014), and several other domestic championships in Europe. He was also a mainstay on Spain’s national team, winning a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics and bronze in 2016, as well as a gold medal at the 2006 World Cup.
- DeMarcus Cousins, Dwight Howard, and Quinn Cook – three members of the 2019/20 Lakers – are reuniting as with the Taiwan Mustags for the Asian Tournament this July, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Cousins and Howard have been out of the NBA since 2022, while Cook last played in the league in 2021.
- Former NBA guard Isaiah Canaan has signed a two-year deal with Crvena Zvezda, according to a press release from the Serbian team. Canaan has 235 total regular season NBA games under his belt, though he hasn’t been in the league since 2019.
Jeff Van Gundy Joins Clippers As Lead Assistant
4:58pm: Van Gundy has officially joined Lue’s staff, according to an announcement from the team’s PR department.
6:24am: Jeff Van Gundy and the Clippers have agreed to a deal that will make him the lead assistant on head coach Tyronn Lue‘s staff, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Van Gundy’s last role as an assistant coach came from 1989-96 with the Knicks. He was promoted to the head coaching position in 1996 and led the team to a 248-172 (.590) regular season record over five full seasons and parts of two more, winning eight playoff series during that time and making the NBA Finals in 1999.
He later spent four years coaching the Rockets from 2003-07, compiling a 182-146 (.555) regular season record and earning three playoff berths, though Houston didn’t win a postseason series under Van Gundy.
A longtime broadcaster for ESPN following his coaching career, Van Gundy was let go by the network in 2023 and joined the Celtics as a senior consultant. He recently lauded the franchise for throwing him “a lifeline” following a tumultuous period in his personal life and enjoyed a memorable year in Boston, capped by the franchise’s 18th championship.
There was some speculation that Van Gundy could move to the sidelines for the Celtics next season as a member of Joe Mazzulla‘s staff, but a more recent report cited a role with the Clippers as a growing possibility. Head of basketball operations Lawrence Frank has reportedly long been an admirer of Van Gundy, and the team had a hole to fill on Lue’s staff after veteran assistant Dan Craig departed for a job with the Bulls.
Van Gundy’s relationship with Lue was also a factor in Los Angeles’ ability to hire him, Wojnarowski notes. The two coaches have worked together with Team USA.
Mavericks Notes: Doncic, Jones, Roster, Cuban
In the wake of the Mavericks‘ disastrous finish to the 2022/23 season, there was plenty of speculation a year ago about Luka Doncic‘s future in Dallas, with some media members suggesting the team would have to make real strides within the next year or two in order to secure the star guard’s long-term commitment.
Following an NBA Finals run this spring, that no longer seems like a concern, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, who says all indications are that Doncic will be willing to sign a super-max extension in July 2025 once he has the necessary seven years of NBA service. The 25-year-old said after Monday’s season-ending loss that he feels “great” about the Mavs’ future.
“We did some great (personnel) moves,” Doncic said. “I would say we’ve been together for five months. I’m proud of every guy that stepped on the floor, all the coaches, all the people behind (the scenes). Obviously, we didn’t win Finals, but we did have a hell of a season.”
Doncic’s enthusiasm about the franchise’s direction is shared by his backcourt partner Kyrie Irving, who is under contract in Dallas for at least the next two seasons.
“I just feel like the sky’s the limit,” Irving said, per MacMahon. “I have an opportunity to be on a special team that can be one of the teams that dominates in this era. That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out the past few years, of how to be on a great team, be in an organization where I’m trusted, and also we’re able to succeed and fail together, and doing it in a way where we still have each other’s backs, and no one is giving up on the dream or the goal. Our goal is still to win a championship.”
Here’s more on the Mavs:
- Based on their current salary projections, Dallas won’t be able to offer more than the taxpayer mid-level exception (about $5.2MM) to free agent forward Derrick Jones, though the team could potentially open up some or all of the non-taxpayer MLE ($12.9MM) with some tweaks to the roster, MacMahon writes. Mavs general manager Nico Harrison wants to find a way to bring back Jones. “He’s a part of our core going forward, so hopefully we can figure that out,” Harrison told ESPN.
- Regarding the rest of the roster, Harrison said he likes where it stands but acknowledged that there’s always room for improvements. “I think we have a really good core and really good complementary pieces,” Harrison told MacMahon. “Having said that, I mean, I’ve been here for two years and so I think my reputation is starting to (form). If there’s an opportunity to make it better, I’m going to do that for sure.”
- Former Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban no longer has control of the team’s basketball operations, MacMahon confirms. Still, as Howard Beck of The Ringer writes, Cuban – now a minority stakeholder – can take credit for three risky moves that set up the club for this year’s success: hiring Harrison as GM; hiring Jason Kidd as head coach; and trading for Irving. Harrison had worked at Nike rather than for an NBA team, Kidd had been fired from two previous head coaching jobs, and Irving’s value had fallen due to injury issues and off-court controversies. “For sure, they were risks,” Cuban told Beck. “I mean, there were a lot of people who just like rolled their eyes at me. But each of them brought a unique set of skills to the table that I didn’t have, that the organization hadn’t had, and I thought were valuable and important.”
- Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link) previews the offseason in Dallas, writing that the Mavericks have some trade assets available – including its 2025 and 2031 first-round picks and Tim Hardaway‘s expiring contract – and suggesting they could use another play-making guard, perimeter depth, and a floor-spacing big man.
Free Agency Notes: Anunoby, Negotiations, Sixers, Sirvydis
Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up on Monday (YouTube link), Brian Windhorst said that while there’s a widespread expectation that veteran forward OG Anunoby will ultimately end up back with the Knicks, it’s a situation worth keeping an eye on now that teams are permitted to negotiate with their own free agents.
“Most people believe that Anunoby will stay with New York, but there have been indications that he may want to test the market because he’s not thrilled with what the Knicks (may offer),” Windhorst said.
As Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports points out (via Twitter), Anunoby is a CAA Sports client, so it’s worth noting that ESPN’s Jay Williams – who is also represented by CAA – responded to Windhorst’s comment by stating, “I’ve heard that internally as well.”
A report on Monday suggested that the floor for Anunoby’s next contract is $35MM per year, meaning his non-Knicks suitors would be limited to teams that could create significant cap room or who are in position to pull off a sign-and-trade. That list isn’t extensive, but the Sixers are among the cap-room clubs that could have interest, especially if they miss out on top target Paul George.
Here’s more on free agency:
- John Hollinger of The Athletic considers which high-profile free agents might end up with agreements in place before the league-wide free agent period begins on June 30, naming Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, Pacers forward Pascal Siakam, and a handful of others as candidates to strike deals early. Since Hollinger’s story was published, a report came out indicating that Siakam and the Pacers are nearing a long-term agreement.
- In an Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks shares the contract offers he’d make to the top free agents of 2024, including three-year, $90MM deals for James Harden and DeMar DeRozan and a two-year, $50MM contract to try to lure Isaiah Hartenstein away from the Knicks.
- The Sixers recently held a free agent workout that featured a handful of former NBA players, including Sam Dekker, Stanley Johnson, Jarrett Culver, and Tony Bradley, according to John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia and Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links). The 76ers will have significant cap room this offseason, but if they use that room to sign just two or three players, they’ll have plenty of minimum-salary roster slots to fill.
- Former Pistons wing Deividas Sirvydis, who appeared in 23 games across two seasons from 2020-22, has signed a new deal with Zalgiris Kaunas that includes two guaranteed years and a third-year option, the Lithuanian club announced in a press release. According to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com (Twitter link), the contract will feature an NBA opt-out clause, leaving the door open for the 24-year-old to potentially return stateside before the term expires.
Official Early Entrants List For 2024 NBA Draft
After announcing 93 withdrawals from the draft last month, the NBA has officially confirmed (via Twitter) that 31 additional early entrant prospects withdrew from the draft before Monday’s deadline, leaving a total of 77 early entrants eligible to be selected in this year’s draft in addition to 2024’s automatically draft-eligible players.
Of those 77 draft-eligible early entrants, 53 are players from colleges (20 seniors with eligibility remaining and 33 underclassmen), 18 had been playing in international leagues, and six are from non-NBA domestic leagues (the G League or Overtime Elite).
This year’s 77 early entrants represents the lowest total in quite some time, falling well short of the record set in 2021 (217). That’s likely a reflection of the new NIL opportunities available to college players, who now have less motivation to go pro early in order to get paid. Of course, there are still more early entrants than there are slots available in next week’s draft. With two teams’ second-round picks forfeited due to past free agency violations, there will be just 58 players drafted on June 26 and 27.
[RELATED: Full 2024 NBA Draft Order]
A total of 201 prospects initially declared as early entrants, with 93 of those players removing their names from consideration prior to the NCAA’s May 29 withdrawal deadline to retain their college eligibility.
Here’s the complete list of early entrant prospects eligible for the 2024 NBA draft:
College seniors:
- Reece Beekman, G, Virginia
- Jesse Bingham II, G/F, Indianapolis
- Jack Brestel, F, Roanoke College
- Jalen Bridges, F, Baylor
- Jalen Cook, G, LSU
- Isaiah Crawford, G/F, Louisiana Tech
- Tristan Da Silva, F, Colorado
- Zach Edey, C, Purdue
- Eric Gaines, G, UAB
- PJ Hall, C, Clemson
- Oso Ighodaro, F, Marquette
- David Jones, F, Memphis
- Dillon Jones, F, Weber State
- Tyler Kolek, G, Marquette
- Pelle Larsson, G, Arizona
- Jonathan Mogbo, F/C, San Francisco
- Tiras Morton, G/F, Lubbock Christian
- Jamal Shead, G, Houston
- Jason Spurgin, C, Bowling Green State
- Jaykwon Walton, G/F, Memphis
College underclassmen:
- Trey Alexander, G, Creighton (junior)
- Mark Armstrong, G, Villanova (sophomore)
- Adem Bona, F/C, UCLA (sophomore)
- Carlton Carrington, G, Pitt (freshman)
- Devin Carter, G, Providence (junior)
- Stephon Castle, G, UConn (freshman)
- Cam Christie, G, Minnesota (freshman)
- Donovan Clingan, C, UConn (sophomore)
- Isaiah Collier, G, USC (freshman)
- Mohamed Diarra, F, North Carolina State (junior)
- Rob Dillingham, G, Kentucky (freshman)
- Ryan Dunn, F, Virginia (sophomore)
- Justin Edwards, G/F, Kentucky (freshman)
- Kyle Filipowski, F/C, Duke (sophomore)
- Johnny Furphy, G/F, Kansas (freshman)
- Kyshawn George, G/F, Miami (FL) (freshman)
- DaRon Holmes II, F, Dayton (junior)
- Harrison Ingram, F, UNC (junior)
- Bronny James, G, USC (freshman)
- Jared McCain, G, Duke (freshman)
- Judah Mintz, G, Syracuse (sophomore)
- Yves Missi, C, Baylor (freshman)
- Ajay Mitchell, G, UC Santa Barbara (junior)
- Carlos Nichols, G, Southern Crescent Tech (GA) (freshman)
- Reed Sheppard, G, Kentucky (freshman)
- KJ Simpson, G, Colorado (junior)
- Jaylon Tyson, G, California (junior)
- Ja’Kobe Walter, G, Baylor (freshman)
- Kel’el Ware, C, Indiana (sophomore)
- Deshawndre Washington, G/F, New Mexico State (junior)
- Jaylen Wells, F, Washington State (junior)
- Cody Williams, F, Colorado (freshman)
- JZ Zaher, G, Bowling Green State (sophomore)
International players:
Note: The country indicates where the player had been playing, not necessarily where he was born.
- Melvin Ajinca, G/F, France (born 2004)
- Ulrich Chomche, C, NBA Academy Africa (born 2005)
- Yongxi Cui, G/F, China (born 2003)
- Pacome Dadiet, G/F, Germany (born 2005)
- Nikola Djurisic, G/F, Serbia (born 2004)
- Lucas Dufeal, F, France (born 2003)
- Quinn Ellis, G, Italy (born 2003)
- Trentyn Flowers, G/F, Australia (born 2005)
- A.J. Johnson, G, Australia (born 2004)
- Bobi Klintman, F, Australia (born 2003)
- Gustav Knudsen, G/F, Denmark (born 2003)
- Juan Nunez, G, Germany (born 2004)
- Zaccharie Risacher, F, France (born 2005)
- Tidjane Salaun, F, France (born 2005)
- Alexandre Sarr, F/C, Australia (born 2005)
- Nikola Topic, G, Serbia (born 2005)
- Armel Traore, F, France (born 2003)
- Cezar Unitu, G, Romania (born 2005)
Other players
Remaining in draft:
- Matas Buzelis, F, G League Ignite (born 2004)
- Ron Holland, F, G League Ignite (born 2005)
- Jalen Lewis, F/C, Overtime Elite (born 2005)
- Babacar Sane, F, G League Ignite (born 2003)
- Tyler Smith, F, G League Ignite (born 2004)
- Bryson Warren, G, Sioux Falls Skyforce (born 2004)
For the full list of the players who declared for the draft and then withdrew, click here.
Warriors Top List Of NBA’s 2023/24 Taxpayers
While the official numbers from the NBA aren’t yet in, Bobby Marks of ESPN estimates (via Twitter) that the Warriors led all teams in 2023/24 with a luxury tax bill in the neighborhood of $176.9MM.
Golden State was subject once again to the “repeater” tax penalties this season, meaning that every dollar spent above the luxury tax line cost them more than a first-time taxpayer. The Warriors paid roughly $206MM in player salaries, meaning their roster as a whole cost more than $380MM. They didn’t make the playoffs, having been eliminated in the first play-in game by Sacramento.
[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Luxury Tax Penalties]
The Warriors weren’t alone among teams that are on the hook for tax payments without a playoff series win to show for it. Of the eight taxpayers, only two (the Celtics and Nuggets) made it beyond the first round of the postseason, with only one Boston advancing past the second round. Unlike Golden State, the Clippers, Suns, Bucks, Heat, and Lakers all made the playoffs, but they were each eliminated in the conference quarterfinals.
Here are the estimated tax penalties for 2023/24, according to Marks:
- Golden State Warriors: $176.9MM
- Los Angeles Clippers: $142.4MM
- Phoenix Suns: $68.2MM
- Milwaukee Bucks: $52.5MM
- Boston Celtics: $43.8MM
- Denver Nuggets: $20.2MM
- Miami Heat: $15.7MM
- Los Angeles Lakers: $6.9MM
Half of those tax payments get distributed among non-taxpaying teams, so those 22 clubs should each receive a little less than $12MM, Marks observes.
That payout for non-taxpayers serves to highlight why some teams who were hovering around the luxury tax line earlier in the season made a concerted effort to duck below – or stay below – that threshold. For instance, the Pelicans finished the season below the tax line by less than $400K after initially moving out of tax territory by salary-dumping Kira Lewis‘ expiring contract back in January. That cost-cutting move didn’t just save Pels ownership a tax payment — it also ensured that the team will receive that extra $12MM.
The tax line for 2024/25 is projected to be just north of $171MM, and while many of the teams listed above project to once again be taxpayers next spring, at least a couple of them could be in position to avoid the tax next season, including the Warriors.
Celtics Notes: Horford, Tatum, Holiday, Offseason, Ainge
No player in NBA history had appeared in more playoff games before winning a championship than Al Horford, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, who notes that the veteran center finally claimed his first title with a win in his 186th career postseason contest. Horford earned praise after Monday’s victory from his teammates, including Derrick White, who referred to the big man’s career as “so underrated,” and Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, who said the Celtics “leaned on (Horford) so much” during their championship season.
“Nobody deserved it more than Al,” Brown said. “He’s been a great not just leader on the court but off the court as well. … It’s been an honor to be by his side. And Al Horford is a real-life legend and hero. It’s been great to be his teammate.”
Horford turned 38 earlier this month, but he remains under contract with Boston for at least the 2024/25 season and it doesn’t sound like he has any plans to call it a career this summer.
“For me, I never really put a timeframe on it,” Horford told ESPN when asked on Sunday how long he’ll continue playing. “I want to make sure that I feel healthy, that I’m enjoying what I’m doing and for me, thankfully, I have my wife’s support and my family’s. That’s a big deal to me. … I feel like I’ve been asked this for a few years now and I feel good, I want to keep playing. Why not keep going? I don’t want to limit myself.”
Here’s more on the new NBA champions:
- Not that there was any doubt, but ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (YouTube link) said on NBA Countdown on Sunday that the Celtics will put a five-year, super-max offer on the table for Jayson Tatum at some point in the coming days or weeks. The deal, which would begin in 2025/26, would be worth a projected $315MM, assuming the cap comes in at $141MM for ’24/25, then increases by 10% the following year.
- Jrue Holiday earned a bonus worth $1,264,800 as a result of the Celtics’ championship, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. It’s the second time in the past four years Holiday has cashed in on that bonus in his contract — he also received it in 2021 when Milwaukee won the title. As Marks adds (via Twitter), Holiday earned a total of approximately $2.8MM in bonuses this season for six separate individual and team achievements.
- Can the NBA’s best team get even better during the coming offseason? Mark Deeks of HoopsHype considers that question in his preview of the Celtics’ summer, while Marks (ESPN Insider link) also takes a look ahead at the key decisions and roster moves on tap this offseason in Boston.
- The Celtics’ big bets on Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis last summer paid major dividends in the short term and put the team in a great position to vie for additional championships in the coming years, writes Brian Robb of MassLive.com.
- While Brad Stevens signed off on those Holiday and Porzingis deals, among other moves that pushed the Celtics over the top, Danny Ainge’s fingerprints remain all over the team’s current roster, according to Robb, who spoke to Boston’s former president of basketball operations about his old club’s success. As Robb relays, Ainge said he’s “very happy” for the Celtics but declined to take any credit for this year’s championship run. “I feel fortunate to be a part, a very small part of all of their lives,” Ainge said. “I have a feeling that Jaylen and Jayson and Wyc (Grousbeck) and (Steven Pagliuca) and Joe (Mazzulla) and Brad and Payton Pritchard, Al Horford, the whole group, every one of those guys would have found success without me being involved.”