Nuggets Notes: Connelly, Kroenkes, Offseason
The Timberwolves‘ interest in longtime Denver executive Tim Connelly was known two weeks ago when a Nuggets traveling party went to Serbia to surprise Nikola Jokic with his MVP award, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. At the time, there was some hope that a new deal between Connelly and the Nuggets could be struck, but Minnesota’s momentum began picking up shortly thereafter.
During the two days between Connelly’s meeting with Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor on Saturday and his decision to accept Minnesota’s offer on Monday, there was some hope within the Nuggets’ organization that the Kroenkes might find a way to keep Connelly, according to Singer. The team did make a counter-offer, but there was a “significant gap” between Denver’s offer and Minnesota’s, a source told The Denver Post.
Interestingly, one source with knowledge of the situation told Singer that if the decision on Connelly’s future had been entirely up to Josh Kroenke, Connelly probably wouldn’t have gone anywhere. In other words, it sounds like Josh may have been more willing to step up financially than his father Stan Kroenke, who also let Masai Ujiri walk in a similar situation nine years ago.
Here’s more on the Nuggets:
- Nuggets ownership didn’t learn anything from having nearly lost Connelly to the Wizards in 2019, according to Harrison Wind of TheDNVR.com, who argues that Stan Kroenke still doesn’t value his top basketball executives and “skimps on line items that rival organizations would deem as necessities.”
- The Nuggets are on the precipice of championship contention, but they’re not there yet, Singer writes for The Denver Post. The team could badly use at least one more wing defender, Singer notes, adding that it will be interesting to see if general manager Calvin Booth – who is expected to become Denver’s head of basketball operations – will value pieces like Bones Hyland, Zeke Nnaji, and this year’s No. 21 pick any differently than Connelly would have.
- Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer takes his own look at the Nuggets’ offseason to-do list, writing that the club needs to surround Jokic with better shooters and perimeter defenders. O’Connor also suggests that Jokic should wait to see what moves Denver makes before locking in his five-year, super-max extension, but acknowledges that he’d be surprised if the two-time MVP doesn’t sign his new deal early in the offseason.
Zach LaVine Undergoes Arthroscopic Surgery On Left Knee
As expected, Bulls guard Zach LaVine has undergone arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, the team announced today in a press release. The procedure took place on Tuesday at the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, according to the Bulls.
LaVine battled soreness in his left knee for most of the season. He missed 10 games in January and February while dealing with the injury and had fluid drained from his knee around the All-Star break. The 27-year-old, who didn’t feel 100% healthy in the second half due to that knee issue, first acknowledged in early March that offseason surgery might be necessary.
Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times reported last month after the Bulls’ season ended that LaVine was expected to undergo a procedure on his left knee, and Shams Charania of The Athletic confirmed it a couple weeks later.
LaVine’s knee issue isn’t viewed as a long-term problem and there has been no indication that the surgery will delay his 2022/23 debut, though the team didn’t specify a recovery timeline in today’s announcement. K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, who notes that Bulls executives have been in L.A. for various pro days and have been in close contact with LaVine, says the former UCLA standout is expected to begin rehab work “shortly.”
Bulls president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas has stated that the knee injury won’t impact negotiations between the team and LaVine’s camp when the two-time All-Star reaches free agency this summer.
Multiple recent reports have stated that LaVine is no longer viewed around the NBA as a lock to remain in Chicago, but the Bulls are still considered the favorites to sign him this offseason. Many of the teams linked to LaVine recently don’t have the cap flexibility to offer him a maximum-salary contract outright and would likely need to try to negotiate a sign-and-trade deal if they want to pry him away from the Bulls.
And-Ones: BIG3, Canada, Hezonja, Coaches
Ty Lawson, Corey Brewer, Jordan Crawford, Jonathon Simmons, Norris Cole, Festus Ezeli, and Jordan Hill are among the many former NBA players whose names are in the BIG3 draft pool for the 2022 season, per the league’s official website.
The BIG3 will hold its draft on Wednesday evening in Los Angeles as it gears up for the coming season. As we previously relayed, the first games of 2022 are scheduled for June 18 and this will be the first year in which the BIG3 holds an All-Star Game.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Canada Basketball announced today in a press release that 14 players have committed to be part of the program’s core roster for the next three years, as Canada competes for a spot in the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics. Of those players, 11 are currently on NBA rosters: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, RJ Barrett, Khem Birch, Oshae Brissett, Dillon Brooks, Luguentz Dort, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cory Joseph, Jamal Murray, Kelly Olynyk, and Dwight Powell.
- Former NBA lottery pick Mario Hezonja is reportedly joining Real Madrid, according to Eurohoops. Hezonja’s deal with Madrid was reported by multiple outlets in Spain, including Marca.com.
- In an interesting piece for HoopsHype, Michael Scotto takes a behind-the-scenes look at what happens when an NBA head coach is fired, speaking to multiple executives and agents, as well as a former NBA coach, to get the full picture.
Hoops Rumors Chat Transcript: 5/24/2022
The first of Hoops Rumors’ two live chats this week took place today. Click here to read the transcript.
Our next live chat, hosted by Dana Gauruder, will take place on Thursday at 11:00 am CT.
Latest On Deandre Ayton
Suns restricted free agent Deandre Ayton is expected to command a maximum-salary contract this offseason, but there’s skepticism around the NBA that Phoenix will be eager to match that sort of deal, says Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.
As Fischer explains, there are multiple reasons why the Suns may not be enthusiastic about making a substantial financial commitment to Ayton.
For one, league figures believe the team’s front office is reluctant to pay any center a salary of $30MM+ annually, according to Fischer. It’s probably unwise to draw any conclusions based on small samples in the regular season, but Fischer notes that the team didn’t miss a beat in January when Ayton was unavailable and modestly-paid centers like JaVale McGee and Bismack Biyombo filled his role.
The Suns have already invested heavily in Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and Mikal Bridges, and would push their team salary well beyond the luxury tax line if they were to sign Ayton to a lucrative new deal. Robert Sarver has said the right things publicly about his willingness to become a taxpayer, but it’s unclear what sort of appetite he’d have for a significant tax bill, especially if it spans multiple seasons. It also remains unclear how the NBA’s investigation into Sarver’s conduct may affect the ownership situation.
Additionally, league sources with knowledge of the situation have suggested to Fischer that Ayton may not be one of head coach Monty Williams‘ favorite players. Fischer has heard that Williams has “griped about Ayton’s waning focus.” The big man memorably played just 17 minutes in the final game of Phoenix’s season earlier this month, with Williams brusquely referring to the decision as “internal” in his post-game comments.
The Hawks, Pistons, and Trail Blazers have been the teams most frequently linked to Ayton by league personnel, according to Fischer, who says multiple team executives have also mentioned the Hornets and Spurs as potential suitors.
Some of those clubs would have the cap room necessary to make a serious bid for Ayton, but the Suns would control the process as a result of their ability to match any offer sheet. If a rival suitor is unsure whether or not Phoenix would match its offer for the 23-year-old, attempting to negotiate a sign-and-trade to acquire him outright might be the safe move. There’s a belief that the Suns would be open to that idea, Fischer writes.
Lakers Not Interested In Using First-Round Pick To Trade Westbrook
Teams that have spoken to the Lakers about Russell Westbrook have been demanding at least one first-round pick in any potential trade, league sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
However, the Lakers haven’t been receptive to that idea and have no intention – at least for the time being – of using one of their future first-rounders to facilitate a Westbrook deal, Buha reports.
Westbrook is expected to pick up his $47.4MM player option for the 2022/23 season and will be one of the league’s most expensive players following a disappointing first year in Los Angeles. Although he’ll be on an expiring contract, Westbrook will be a negative trade asset, with teams only willing to take him on if the Lakers sweeten the pot.
Having already traded away a pair of future first-round picks, the Lakers can currently only trade either their 2027 or 2028 selection. After next month’s draft, they’d be able to include their 2027, 2028, and 2029 first-rounders in trade discussions — if they move the ’27 or ’29 first-rounder, they wouldn’t be able to trade the ’28 pick due to the Stepien rule.
But the front office appears averse to attaching any of those picks to Westbrook, and Buha suggests it’s not just a negotiating stance to regain leverage. League sources tell The Athletic that people within the franchise genuinely believe that the right head coach and supporting cast can help Westbrook fit in better going forward.
Buha personally believes that bringing back Westbrook would be a mistake, arguing that the Lakers should be willing to include a first-rounder if necessary to make a deal or even to take the approach the Rockets did with John Wall, leaving the point guard at home to start the season. Waiving and stretching Westbrook’s contract or attempting to negotiate a buyout are other possible paths for L.A., but Buha views those as unlikely.
While the Lakers may not be interested in giving up a first-round pick just to dump Westbrook’s salary, it’s hard to believe they wouldn’t be more open to the idea if they’re getting a couple legitimate rotation players in return.
Buha identifies the Pacers and Hornets as potential trade partners that may appeal to the Lakers, listing Malcolm Brogdon, Myles Turner, Buddy Hield, Gordon Hayward, Terry Rozier, P.J. Washington, Kelly Oubre, and Mason Plumlee as possible veterans of interest. I’m skeptical that a couple of those players would be legitimately attainable in a Westbrook deal, even with a first-round pick attached, but if the Lakers were willing to put two first-rounders on the table, more options would open up.
Draft Rumors: Top Two Picks, Daniels, Nembhard, Matkovic, More
Magic executives have made it clear they’ll do their homework on all their options for the No. 1 pick, even beyond Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren, and Paolo Banchero, writes Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link).
However, most NBA teams believe that process will be a formality and consider Smith to be the clear favorite to become the Magic’s pick, according to Givony. NBA executives also overwhelmingly view Holmgren as the probable No. 2 pick for the Thunder, Givony adds.
Givony and his fellow ESPN draft expert Mike Schmitz shared several more tidbits based on their conversations with talent evaluators at last week’s combine in Chicago. Let’s round up a few highlights…
- NBA teams were “buzzing” about Dyson Daniels‘ performance in Chicago at his Pro Day, comparing him to NBA players like Tyrese Haliburton and Khris Middleton, according to Givony, who has moved the G League Ignite wing up to No. 6 on ESPN’s big board.
- Andrew Nembhard‘s willingness to play through a minor quad injury and his strong performance in the second game of the combine scrimmages helped boost his stock. The Gonzaga guard “leapfrogged” a handful of players who sat out the scrimmages and has a legitimate shot to be drafted near the end of the first round, says Givony.
- Croatian big man Karlo Matkovic was one of the under-the-radar risers as a result of his combine showing. He’s considered far more likely to be drafted than he was a week ago, and his agency says he’s had more requests for private workouts than he has available dates, per Givony.
- Mark Williams‘ 9’9″ standing reach will make him the longest player in the NBA, according to Schmitz, who says the Duke center has a chance to be selected ahead of Jalen Duren in the lottery.
- Canadian prospect Leonard Miller looked a step slow during the combine scrimmages and now appears more likely to attend college at Arizona or join the G League Ignite rather than staying in the draft, writes Givony.
Bulls, Pistons To Play Regular Season Game In Paris
The Bulls and Pistons will play a regular season game in France during the 2022/23 season, according to a press release. The game will take place on January 19, 2023 at the Accor Arena in Paris.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NBA’s Global Games initiative has been on hiatus for the last two-plus years. The most recent regular season contest played outside the U.S. or Canada also took place at the Accor Arena in Paris on January 24, 2020, when the Bucks defeated the Hornets.
Next season’s Bulls/Pistons contest will be the NBA’s 12th game in France since 1991 and the third time the Bulls have played there — Chicago took part in two preseason games in Paris in 1997. This will be the Pistons’ first time playing in the French capital.
With COVID-19 restrictions loosening around the world, the NBA is expected to play several preseason and regular season games outside of its teams’ home markets in 2022/23. The league has already announced a pair of preseason matchups in Abu Dhabi, and the Spurs are expected to play a couple “home” games in Mexico.
Tim Connelly Named Timberwolves’ President Of Basketball Operations
6:06pm: The Timberwolves have officially named Connelly their president of basketball operations, according to a team press release.
“We are thrilled to announce Tim Connelly as the next leader of our basketball operations department and welcome his family to the Twin Cities,” the team said in a statement attributed to ownership. “He brings a wealth of NBA front office experience with various franchises. We look forward to building upon our most recent playoff run and bringing more success to Timberwolves fans for years to come.”
“My family and I couldn’t be more excited to join the Timberwolves organization,” Connelly said in a statement. “I appreciate Glen, Becky, Marc and Alex’s confidence in me to lead this organization and I can’t wait to get to work to build an elite franchise that our fans can continue to be proud of.”
2:28pm: Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly will be leaving Denver for Minnesota, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link), who reports that Connelly and the Timberwolves have agreed to a deal that will make him one of the NBA’s highest-paid executives.
Connelly’s new contract as the Wolves’ president of basketball operations will cover five years and will be worth $40MM, per Shams Charania and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. The agreement will also include a kicker for ownership equity, The Athletic’s duo adds.
After Timberwolves minority owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez initiated talks with Connelly and presented him with a preliminary offer, the longtime Nuggets executive flew to Minnesota on Saturday and had a four-hour meeting with majority owner Glen Taylor, according to The Athletic (Twitter link). Taylor signed off on the offer, and Connelly subsequently took two full days to deliberate before accepting the job on Monday.
Connelly had been the head of basketball operations in Denver since 2013, following Masai Ujiri‘s departure for Toronto. He reportedly had a significant impact on the Nuggets’ culture, empowering coaches, staffers, and players while creating a positive work environment.
His loyalty to Denver and his comfort level with Nuggets ownership made it a difficult decision to leave for Minnesota, according to Charania and Krawczynski, who say Connelly’s new contract more than doubles his previous salary — the equity component also makes the deal substantially more lucrative.
Mike Singer of The Denver Post confirms that financial compensation was a significant factor in Connelly’s decision to leave Denver and join a division rival, since he hadn’t been eager to depart. According to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), the Nuggets made a bid to retain Connelly that would’ve significantly increased his salary, but Woj describes the ownership equity in Minnesota as “life-changing money” for the veteran executive.
The Wolves, who dismissed Gersson Rosas shortly before the 2021/22 season began, had been in the market for a big-name executive to fill the president of basketball operations role on a permanent basis. With Lore and Rodriguez expected to take over majority control of the franchise in 2023, they wanted to “change the narrative” around a team that has often been overlooked nationally, according to Charania and Krawczynski.
Executive VP of basketball operations Sachin Gupta, who ran the Timberwolves’ front office on an interim basis following Rosas’ ouster, remains part of the long-term vision in Minnesota, sources tell The Athletic. While Connelly will likely make some hires of his own, it sounds as if there are no plans to move on from Gupta or head coach Chris Finch, who was previously an assistant coach in Denver.
The Nuggets, meanwhile, are considered likely to promote general manager Calvin Booth to run their front office, Charania reports (via Twitter).
The club has produced a series of successful basketball executives across the last decade, including Ujiri, Connelly, and Arturas Karnisovas, the GM in Denver before leaving to become the Bulls’ president of basketball operations. There’s a belief within the organization that Booth – a rising talent well-respected around the NBA – is capable of carrying that torch going forward, Charania notes.
2022 NBA Offseason Preview: Washington Wizards
The first four weeks of the 2021/22 season couldn’t have gone any better for the Wizards. On the morning of November 17, the team sat atop the Eastern Conference with a 10-3 record, Wes Unseld Jr. looked like the most impressive hire of the NBA’s first-time head coaches, and head of basketball operations Tommy Sheppard had just received a promotion and a contract extension.
Things didn’t immediately go into a tailspin from there – the Wizards were still over .500 two months later – but that first month was the peak of Washington’s season. Spencer Dinwiddie, the team’s big acquisition of the 2021 offseason, never quite fit in; Bradley Beal battled health issues; and the defense that ranked fourth in the NBA during that 10-3 start was just 26th the rest of the way.
The Wizards ultimately finished well out of the play-in picture with a 35-47 record and now face a pivotal offseason, with Beal up for a new contract and Kristaps Porzingis – acquired for Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans in February – suddenly part of the long-term plan in D.C.
The Wizards’ Offseason Plan:
Beal is considered likely to turn down his $36.4MM player option in order to sign a new long-term contract this month, and reports in recent months have given no indication that he’s looking for an exit ramp out of Washington.
It’s good news for the Wizards that their franchise player isn’t forcing his way out, but if Beal wants to stay, that creates a new dilemma for the organization. Is it really prudent to lock up an offense-first shooting guard who is coming off a down year and entering his age-29 season to a five-year contract projected to be worth $247MM? And if the Wizards aren’t entirely comfortable with offering that full five-year max, how would that affect Beal’s desire to stick around?
It’s a tough spot for the Wizards and for Sheppard, who would scarcely have time for a victory lap if he re-signs Beal, since he’ll immediately be under pressure to figure out how best to surround him with enough talent to turn the team into a contender. The pre-deadline acquisition of Porzingis is an intriguing start, but as the Mavericks learned, figuring out how to maximize KP’s talent and keep him healthy is easier said than done.
Assuming Beal is back, the Wizards will likely be operating as an over-the-cap team, so they’ll have to fill their other roster holes on the trade market or using their mid-level exception. Following the failed experiment with Dinwiddie, the point guard spot is the most glaring of those holes and it’ll be fascinating to see what path the club takes to address that need.
Theoretically, a backcourt player who can handle tougher defensive assignments and space the floor would make sense as a fit next to Beal, but it’ll be a challenge to find that kind of player on the free agent market, especially at a mid-level price point. Malcolm Brogdon, rumored to be an offseason trade candidate, might be an intriguing target, though acquiring the Pacers guard would mean leaning even more heavily on players with extensive injury histories.
If the Wizards head to the trade market to seek an upgrade at point guard or another position, teams will likely ask for at least one of their recent first-round selections — Rui Hachimura, Deni Avdija, and Corey Kispert.
All have shown flashes of potential, but none has emerged as a reliable starting-caliber player yet. Hachimura, who got the closest this past season, will be extension-eligible this summer, so Washington will soon have to make some decisions on which of those young players are part of the team’s future and which could instead be trade chips.
The Wizards are in position to add one more lottery-caliber prospect to their roster next month, as they currently hold the No. 10 pick in the draft.
They may simply pick whichever player is atop their draft board at that spot, prioritizing talent over fit. But it’s worth noting that Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis, a versatile defender who can play either position in the backcourt, has been projected in that range. Duke’s AJ Griffin, one of the best shooters and youngest players in the draft, would also be a nice match if he makes it to No. 10.
Salary Cap Situation
Note: Our salary cap figures are based on the league’s latest projection ($122MM) for 2022/23.
Guaranteed Salary
- Kristaps Porzingis ($33,833,400)
- Kyle Kuzma ($13,000,000)
- Rui Hachimura ($6,263,188)
- Deni Avdija ($4,916,160)
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($4,888,118) — Partial guarantee. Rest of salary is noted in non-guaranteed section below. 1
- Corey Kispert ($3,552,840)
- Daniel Gafford ($1,903,681)
- Vernon Carey Jr. ($1,782,621)
- Isaiah Todd ($1,563,518)
- Jordan Schakel (two-way)
- Total: $71,703,526
Player Options
Bradley Beal ($36,422,136): Bird rights- Total: $36,422,136
Team Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($9,116,585) 1
- Ish Smith ($4,725,000) 2
- Total: $13,841,585
Restricted Free Agents
- Anthony Gill ($2,011,516 qualifying offer / $2,011,516 cap hold): Early Bird rights
- Total (cap holds): $2,011,516
Two-Way Free Agents
- Cassius Winston ($1,811,516 qualifying offer / $1,811,516 cap hold): Early Bird rights
- Total: $1,811,516
Draft Picks
- No. 10 overall pick ($4,746,000)
- No. 54 overall pick (no cap hold)
- Total: $4,746,000
Extension-Eligible Players
Note: These are players who are either already eligible for an extension or will become eligible before the 2022/23 season begins.
- Bradley Beal (veteran) 3
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (veteran)
- Vernon Carey Jr. (veteran)
- Rui Hachimura (rookie scale)
- Kyle Kuzma (veteran)
- Kristaps Porzingis (veteran)
Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds
- Ian Mahinmi ($23,175,077 cap hold): Bird rights 4
- Thomas Bryant ($16,466,667 cap hold): Bird rights
- Ty Lawson ($1,811,516 cap hold): Non-Bird rights 4
- Shabazz Napier ($1,811,516 cap hold): Early Bird rights 4
- Raul Neto ($1,811,516 cap hold): Early Bird rights
- Tomas Satoransky ($1,811,516 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Ramon Sessions ($1,811,516 cap hold): Non-Bird rights 4
- Johnathan Williams ($1,616,044 cap hold): Non-Bird rights 4
- Total: $50,315,368
Offseason Cap Outlook
Washington’s cap outlook hinges on what happens with Beal. Although they only have about $76MM in guaranteed salary on the books after accounting for the No. 1 pick, a $40MM+ investment in the star guard would essentially eliminate the Wizards’ cap room, especially if they guarantee the remainder of Caldwell-Pope’s salary.
If Beal departs, the team could theoretically open up a significant amount of space, but that would depend on whether he’s signed-and-traded. In that scenario, the Wizards would likely end up taking back a significant chunk of salary and could end up over the cap anyway.
Cap Exceptions Available
- Mid-level exception: $10,349,000 5
- Bi-annual exception: $4,050,000 5
- Trade exception: $5,220,900
- Trade exception: $3,980,551
Footnotes
- Caldwell-Pope’s salary will become fully guaranteed after June 28.
- Smith’s salary will become fully guaranteed after July 1.
- Beal would only be eligible if his option is exercised.
- The cap holds for these players remain on the Wizards’ books from prior seasons because they haven’t been renounced. They can’t be used in a sign-and-trade deal.
- These are projected values.
Salary and cap information from Basketball Insiders and RealGM was used in the creation of this post.