Free Agent Spending By Division: Central
Our look at 2012 free agent spending by division continues with the Central, after we used Hoops Rumors' Free Agent Tracker to examine the Southeast last week.
Once again, these figures only take into account free agent signings, so salary absorbed in trades or money used to sign draft picks isn't included in this list. Additionally, not all of this salary is necessarily guaranteed, which we'll try to note as we go along. Here are this summer's Central Division free agent costs, sorted by player salary:
Indiana Pacers: $128.366MM (D.J. Augustin, Gerald Green, Roy Hibbert, George Hill, Ian Mahinmi)
For a team that values cap flexibility and small, safe deals, the Pacers committed a huge amount of money to free agency this offseason. Of course, a significant chunk of that money went to Hibbert (four years, $58MM+) and Hill (five years, $40MM), but the team's other signings weren't insignificant. Green and Mahinmi both received eight-figure guarantees, while Augustin will earn $3.5MM for one year. With no minimum salaries or partial guarantees in the bunch, the Pacers easily rank among this summer's top spenders in any division.
Milwaukee Bucks: $41.352MM (Ersan Ilyasova, Joel Przybilla)
The Bucks haven't exactly been active on the free agent market, but Ilyasova's deal alone counts for $40MM, one of nine contracts this summer worth $40MM or more. Przybilla, meanwhile, will earn $1,352,181, but since it's a minimum-salary deal, the Bucks will only be on the hook for $854,389 of it.
Chicago Bulls: $13.808MM (Marco Belinelli, Kirk Hinrich, Nazr Mohammed, Vladimir Radmanovic, Nate Robinson)
Having lost Omer Asik, Ronnie Brewer, C.J. Watson, Kyle Korver, and John Lucas III, the Bulls were tasked with rebuilding their bench, and did so on the cheap. Mohammed, Radmanovic, and Robinson are all on one-year, minimum-salary contracts, while Hinrich will earn a portion of the mid-level and Belinelli will make the bi-annual exception. The big expenditure here is Hinrich, whose $8MM over two years appears to be fully guaranteed.
Cleveland Cavaliers: $7.682MM (C.J. Miles, Luke Harangody, Michael Eric)
Despite having a huge portion of cap space available, the Cavs have been fairly quiet in free agency. Miles' two-year, $4MM deal is believed to include a team option for year two, while Eric's deal includes only a partial guarantee on year one, along with two non-guaranteed seasons. While the three players could earn up to a combined $7.682MM if they're retained for the duration of their contracts, the Cavs are currently only on the hook for something in the neighborhood of $3.5MM.
Detroit Pistons: $4.875MM (Vyacheslav Kravtsov)
Most of the Pistons' summer spending has come by way of contracts for draft picks (Andre Drummond, Kyle Singler, and Kim English), but they did make one free agent signing, inking Kravtsov to a three-year deal. The contract will pay the Ukranian big man $1.5MM in each of the next two seasons, with a $1.875MM player option for 2014/15.
Odds & Ends: O.J. Mayo, Kyrie Irving, Nuggets
The value Andre Iguodala brings to the Nuggets goes beyond the swingman's stat line, writes Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post. Thanks to his strong defense and myriad intangibles, Iguodala made the All-Star team during the 2011/12 season even though he averaged just 12.4 PPG. Here's the latest news and headlines from around the NBA…
- Mavs shooting guard O.J. Mayo seems excited about taking his talents to Dallas and is poised for a breakout year, writes Derek Page of HoopsWorld. “I felt like Dallas was the best situation for me,” Mayo said. "They have a good team, they have a great player in Dirk Nowitzki, they have a terrific owner with Mark Cuban."
- Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving has been warning rookies about the rigors of head coach Byron Scott's training camp nicknamed "Camp Scott," says Bob Finnan of The News-Herald. "All the warnings don't amount to much until you experience Camp Scott for yourself," Irving said. "You have to deal with it. He's a hard-nosed coach, and he's trying to get the most out of you."
- Chris Bernucca of Sheridan Hoops examines the Nuggets' offseason and analyzes the moves the team made and how the roster looks heading in the 2012/13 season. He predicts Denver will make the playoffs but is not ready to compete for a championship as it doesn't have enough talent at this point.
Central Rumors: Cavs, Williams, Ridnour, Varejao
The four-team trade that sent Andrew Bynum to the Sixers ensures he won't wind up with the Cavs this year, as one of last month's rumors suggested he might. We passed along word from Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio that Cleveland was asked to give up much more for Bynum than the Sixers, who sent out Andre Iguodala, Maurice Harkless, Nikola Vucevic and a protected first-round pick to snag the ex-Lakers center. We've got more on the Cavs and their Central Division rivals here:
- Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer says she's seen rumors indicating the Timberwolves are offering Derrick Williams, Luke Ridnour and draft picks for Anderson Varejao, but she isn't sure if there's any merit to them, despite the Cavs' affinity for stockpiling picks. Such a move would give the Cavs the top two selections from the 2011 draft, with Williams and No. 1 pick Kyrie Irving.
- Former Pacers guard Leandro Barbosa appears out of the picture for the Cavs, with the team having signed C.J. Miles and zeroing in on Alonzo Gee, Boyer writes in the same piece. We heard before that Barbosa, who's seeking a multiyear deal, had interest in Cleveland, but it was unclear whether the feeling was mutual.
- Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf insists the team will not rush Derrick Rose back from knee surgery, Scott Powers of ESPNChicago reports.
Cavaliers Sign Micheal Eric
4:25pm: Eric's deal is for three years, but the first season is just partially guaranteed and the second and third seasons are non-guaranteed, according to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.
4:05pm: The Cavs have officially announced Eric's signing in a team release.
1:48pm: Rookie free agent Micheal Eric has signed a multiyear deal with the Cavaliers, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter). The terms of the contract aren't known, but it's probably reasonable to assume that 2012/13 is the only year with any guaranteed money for the Nigerian big man.
Eric, who averaged 9.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game in his senior year at Temple, reportedly drew interest from a handful of teams leading up to the draft as a potential second-round pick.
Cavs Make Three-Year Offer To Alonzo Gee?
After recently signing C.J. Miles, the Cavaliers still appears intent on bringing back Alonzo Gee as well, despite the lack of movement on a deal for the restricted free agent. According to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter), the Cavaliers "supposedly have [a] three-year offer on the table" to Gee.
As a restricted free agent, Gee is eligible to sign an offer sheet with another club, which the Cavs would then have three days to match. However, the swingman doesn't have seem to have drawn any serious interest from rival teams so far this summer, perhaps because it appears Cleveland will match any reasonable offer. There is a standing qualifying offer worth about $2.7MM on the table for Gee — if he were to accept that one-year deal, he could become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
If Gee has received a three-year offer from the Cavs and hasn't accepted it, I can't imagine the salary is overly lucrative. Still, I expect the two sides to come to some sort of compromise within the next few weeks that will keep the 25-year-old in Cleveland through at least the coming season.
Fallout From Dwight Howard/Andrew Bynum Trade
The news of the night is the news of the year in the NBA: An agreement has been reached on a trade that sends Dwight Howard to the Lakers. Andrew Bynum is also involved, as he heads to the Sixers. Of course, both players are eligible to become unrestricted free agents next summer, so the rumor mill is unlikely to stop for either of them anytime soon. Nonetheless, it still represents a blockbuster and a major turning point for several teams in 2012/13 and beyond. Here's what writers around the league are saying:
- If the Lakers can't re-sign Howard next summer, the Mavs "will be there waiting for him," a source tells Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Howard has expressed fondness for the Mavs in the past. In the same report, Kobe Bryant is described as being "ecstatic" about the deal.
- Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com says Howard represents an upgrade over Bynum because of his defense, his athleticism, and his ability to fit better with Steve Nash.
- A few league executives believe there has to be something more in the deal for the Magic, tweets Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News. Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM.com wonders why the Magic waited so long to make a deal when the offers never improved (Sulia link). Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel isn't sure any notable free agents would be interested in signing with the depleted Magic next summer (Sulia link).
- Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News says the Sixers now have the dominant big man team president Rod Thorn and coach Doug Collins have coveted. Cooney took to Twitter to say the trade is a coup for the Sixers, who get at least one season from Bynum and cap space if he leaves.
- Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post says the Nuggets will lose some offense, but Andre Iguodala will allow them to make major strides on defense, where they've struggled in recent seasons.
- Tim Bontemps and Fred Kerber of the New York Post look at the deal from the perspective of the Nets, who were once considered frontrunners for Howard. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News says, via Twitter, that the deal demonstrates that the Magic were never too high on Brook Lopez.
- The Cavs were asked to give up a lot more for Bynum when they were a part of trade talks, says Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (Sulia link).
Central Rumors: Bulls, Cavs, Miles, Gee, Scott
Ken Berger of CBSSports.com looks at how the Bulls are preserving their flexibility for seasons to come with their penny-pinching this summer. The Bulls may wind up paying the luxury tax this season, but are seeking to avoid doing so in later years when restrictions kick in that bar taxpaying teams from acquiring players via sign-and-trade, using cap exceptions, and making uneven financial trades. Elsewhere in the Central Division, Bob Finnan of The News-Herald provides few Cavs-centered updates this evening:
- Cavs GM Chris Grant was somewhat surprised that the team was able to sign C.J. Miles, given heavy pursuit by the Lakers and Rockets, Finnan writes. Miles will compete for a starting job, Cavs coach Byron Scott says, adding that only Kyrie Irving and Anderson Varejao are guaranteed spots in the starting lineup.
- Scott said the team's next move is to get a deal done with Alonzo Gee, Finnan notes. The Cavs are reportedly likely to match any offers the restricted free agent swingman receives from other teams.
- The Cavs have begun talks on a contract extension for Scott, who expressed his desire to stick around. "We'll take care of that somewhere down the line," the coach said in Finnan's story. "People ask, ‘Do you really like Cleveland?' I love it. The perception of Cleveland is it's the ‘Mistake by the Lake.' I hope I'm here in the next five years. I enjoy what's going on."
- The Magic have raided one Central Division team, hiring Pistons director of pro personnel Harold Ellis for a similar position, but won't be taking assistant coach Adrian Griffin from the Bulls, who've denied the Magic permission to interview him, as we heard in earlier reports today.
Cavaliers Sign C.J. Miles
THURSDAY, 8:18am: Miles' deal with the Cavs will pay him $2MM per year, with a team option for the second season, according to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.
WEDNESDAY, 3:12pm: The Cavaliers have officially signed Miles, the team announced in a press release.
2:22pm: Miles has passed his physical, acording to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter). The Cavs have yet to officially announce the signing, but should do so soon.
FRIDAY, 11:10am: Miles and the Cavs have agreed to terms on a deal, says Smith in his story for the Salt Lake Tribune.
10:41am: After drawing interest from a handful of teams, including the Lakers and Bucks, C.J. Miles is expected to sign with the Cavaliers, according to Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune (via Twitter). Smith adds that Miles' bond with Cavs coach Byron Scott influenced his decision and that his contract is expected to be for two years (Twitter links).
Cleveland is one of the few remaining NBA teams that has a decent chunk of cap space at its disposal, so Miles figures to be signed using some of that space. The Cavs should be somewhere in the neighborhood of $10-15MM under the cap, though obviously the 25-year-old won't receive a salary that large.
According to Smith, the Rockets and Mavericks were among the other teams interested in Miles this summer (Twitter link). The seven-year veteran has spent his entire NBA career with the Jazz until this point, with his career year coming in 2010/11 when he averaged 12.8 points and 14.4 PER in 25.2 minutes per contest.
Restricted free agent Alonzo Gee has yet to re-sign with the Cavs or sign an offer sheet with another club, but Miles' deal with Cleveland doesn't necessarily mean Gee won't be back. Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer noted earlier this week that even as the Cavs were pursuing players like Miles and Carlos Delfino, the team remained very open to retaining Gee.
Poll: Who Will Win The Central Division?
Earlier today, HoopsWorld's Mark Nugent wondered in a column whether the Bulls are still title contenders with the likely absence of Derrick Rose for most of the season and several changes to their roster.
With this in mind, which team do you think will win the Central Division in 2012/13? Will it be the Bulls, or will the Cavs, Bucks, Pacers, or Pistons overtake them?
Which Team Will Win The Central Division In 2012/13?
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Indiana Pacers 43% (750)
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Chicago Bulls 32% (558)
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Milwaukee Bucks 13% (221)
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Cleveland Cavaliers 9% (151)
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Detroit Pistons 3% (49)
Total votes: 1,729
Odds & Ends: Ginobili, Pierce, Gee, Warriors, D12
While others, notably Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, decry the use of NBA players in the Olympics, Spurs GM R.C. Buford and coach Gregg Popovich believe they've reaped benefits from the pressure situations and team building Manu Ginobili has experienced while routinely playing for Argentina's national team, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports writes. Ginobili is adding to his Hall of Fame resume during the London Games, and his success this summer is further evidence he can still produce at a high level for the Spurs in 2012/13. Here's what's going on stateside this evening:
- Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe has more from Paul Pierce, who also spoke at length with the Celtics team website. Pierce, whose current deal includes a team option for 2013/14, said he wants to "see what it feels like to be a free agent for once in my life" when his contract is up.
- Earlier today when Luke Adams looked at wing players who might be candidates to join the Lakers, restricted free agent Alonzo Gee wasn't on the list. Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio says that's with good reason, since the Cavs are likely to match any offer the Lakers would make (Twitter link).
- There's been plenty of optimism from the Warriors this week, but Andrew Bogut acknowledges the team still has work to do if it's going to make the playoffs, notes Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group (Sulia link).
- Baseball crowds don't always mix with basketball fans, but if there's anything that can be gleaned from the boos Dwight Howard got at the Dodgers game tonight, as noted by Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com, L.A. might take a while to warm to D12 if he winds up with the Lakers (Twitter link).