Mavericks Re-Sign Dirk Nowitzki
7:42pm: The Mavericks have officially re-signed Nowitzki, the team announced today in a press release.
1:15pm: The Mavericks are finalizing a two-year, $10MM deal with Dirk Nowitzki, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com. The second season will be a team option, so Nowitzki could be a free agent again next summer.
That marks a serious reduction for Nowitzki, who could have made $25MM next season if the Mavericks hadn’t declined his option, but owner Mark Cuban seems likely to make up for it at some point. Nowitzki has been with the franchise for 19 seasons and has shown a willingness to be flexible with his contract to help the team create cap space.
Dallas has $45MM in combined cap holds for Nowitzki and Nerlens Noel, so this new deal should give the team some flexibility.
Nowitzki was slowed by an early-season Achilles injury this year, but returned to average 14.2 points and 6.5 rebounds in 54 games. He turned 39 last month, but hasn’t given any indication that retirement is near.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
RFA Rumors: Mirotic, Noel, Simmons, Green
A handful of restricted free agents have made out well so far this year on the open market. Tony Snell, Joe Ingles, Cristiano Felicio, and Andre Roberson got lucrative new multiyear deals from their respective clubs, and Otto Porter reportedly has a maximum salary offer sheet in place with the Nets, though the Wizards have yet to receive it.
Still, there are a number of RFAs still on the market as league-wide cap room begins to dwindle. Sean Deveney of The Sporting News takes a closer look at six big-name RFA still seeking a new contract, so let’s dive in and round up the highlights…
- Prior to free agency, rival executives estimated that Nikola Mirotic would seek something in the range of $20MM annually. However, the Bulls‘ power forward may have to settle for something closer to $12MM per year, according to Deveney, who notes that team owner Jerry Reinsdorf has played “hardball” in these situations in the past.
- Deveney predicts that the Mavericks and Nerlens Noel will eventually negotiate a deal in the four-year, $85MM range.
- The Spurs are expected to match reasonable offers for Jonathon Simmons, which could mean something in the range of $30MM over three years, per Deveney. The Kings and Knicks have expressed interest in Simmons.
- Grizzlies RFA JaMychal Green has drawn some interest from the Bulls and he may be a backup plan for the Spurs depending on what happens with Simmons, says Deveney, adding that Memphis still wants to retain Green.
- Bojan Bogdanovic‘s price tag is “quickly dropping,” according to Deveney. The Wizards RFA was believed to be seeking something in the range of $50MM over three years, but that doesn’t seem realistic at this point. The Kings may be Bogdanovic’s best bet if they don’t land another small forward, writes Deveney.
Mavericks Not In Mix For Derrick Rose?
4:49pm: The Mavericks aren’t expected to be in the market for Rose after all, a source tells Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link).
4:20pm: The Mavericks appear to be in the mix for Derrick Rose, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post, who reports (via Twitter) that Dallas is emerging as a “serious contender” for the free agent point guard.
Dallas was linked to several notable point guards, including Jrue Holiday, in the weeks leading up to free agency. However, there wasn’t a clear path for the Mavs to pick up cap room for a deal near the maximum, and the team used its lottery pick to nab Dennis Smith Jr.
If the Mavs are still in the market for a veteran point guard to pair with Smith though, a tentative deal with Dirk Nowitzki will make things easier for the club to accommodate such a signing. Nowitzki is reportedly close to finalizing a two-year, $10MM contract to return to the franchise. His pay cut should give the Mavs up to about $15MM cap room with which to operate, even as Nerlens Noel‘s cap hit remains on the books.
Rose, 28, is coming off a season in which he averaged 18.0 PPG and 4.4 APG in 64 games for the Knicks. He has been linked to a handful of teams so far this month, though one potential suitor – the Clippers – went another direction today, striking a deal with Euroleague point guard Milos Teodosic.
Free Agent Rumors: Celtics, Heat, Cavs, Wolves
Having landed Gordon Hayward, the Celtics have shifted their focus to adding a rim-protecting big man, and are showing interest in several free agents who fit that bill, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype. Currently, the Celtics could only offer the $4.3MM room exception, but if they clear more than the minimum space necessary for Hayward’s deal, they could potentially make a bigger offer.
Speaking of Hayward, Jody Genessy of The Deseret News talked at length with agent Mark Bartelstein about how and why his client’s free agency announcement turned into such a mess on Tuesday. As Genessy details, via Bartelstein, Hayward went back and forth between the Jazz and Celtics before making his final decision.
Here are more free agency updates from around the NBA:
- Having reached a deal with Dion Waiters, the Heat have interest in bringing back James Johnson and Luke Babbitt as well, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Bartelstein, who is also Johnson’s agent, will talk to Pat Riley tonight, according to Jackson.
- While Richard Jefferson, who is under contract for 2017/18, plans to return to the Cavaliers, James Jones may not, per Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Agent Joel Bell says that neither the Cavs nor Jones have made any decisions, but a source tells Vardon that Jones – who is a free agent – won’t be back in Cleveland next season.
- The Timberwolves have touched base with veteran free agent Vince Carter, but there’s nothing “concrete” happening with him for now, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News.
- The Mavericks are considering adding German power forward Maxi Kleber, per Sportando (Twitter link). Kleber expects to continue playing for Bayern Munich if he doesn’t make the jump to the NBA.
Mavs Sign Dennis Smith Jr. To Rookie Contract
The Mavericks have signed this year’s lottery pick Dennis Smith Jr. to his first NBA contract, the team announced today in a press release. Smith is one of several first-round picks who has officially signed with his new club this week.
Smith, 19, was the fifth point guard selected in the 2017 draft, and the ninth player off the board overall. As the No. 9 pick, he’ll be in line for a $3.218MM salary in his rookie season, and his four-year rookie contract will be worth more than $17MM overall, assuming his third- and fourth-year options are exercised. His year-by-year salaries are outlined in our chart of this year’s rookie scale.
Smith, who played his first and only season of college ball at North Carolina State, averaged an impressive 18.1 PPG and 6.2 APG for the Wolfpack, shooting 50.9% from the field and chipping in 1.9 SPG.
Despite being linked to several free agent point guards this offseason, the Mavericks have stayed out of the fray so far this week. The team seems likely to pick up a veteran at some point, but the fact that the Mavs didn’t pursue any top-tier options suggests that they’re confident in Smith’s ability to take on a substantial role sooner rather than later.
Hawks Show Interest In Nerlens Noel
The Hawks have displayed interest in restricted free agent big man Nerlens Noel, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Having extended Noel a qualifying offer last month, the Mavs have the ability to match any offer sheet he signs.
Having traded Dwight Howard and let Paul Millsap walk in free agency, the Hawks have some flexibility to make a play for one of the bigger names in the free agent market, and a hole in their frontcourt, so it’s possible they’re zeroing in on Noel as one of their top targets.
[RELATED: Top NBA Free Agents Still Available]
However, with Jamal Crawford‘s contract coming in as a result of a trade with the Clippers and Tim Hardaway‘s RFA cap hold still on their books, the Hawks don’t currently have the flexibility to make an offer sheet that would really test the Mavericks’ willingness to match. That could change if Atlanta renounces Hardaway, buys out or trades Crawford, or makes another deal, but Dallas seems very interested in bringing back Noel. The Mavs talked to Noel earlier this week, but are willing to let him go out and get an offer sheet rather than negotiating a deal with him directly.
Noel missed the start of last season after undergoing a procedure on his knee. That injury limited him to 51 games for the season, and even once he was traded from the Sixers to the Mavericks, he didn’t a play a whole lot — after averaging 30.1 minutes per game in his first two full NBA seasons, Noel played just 20.5 MPG last year.
While an overcrowded center situation in Philadelphia didn’t really give Noel a chance to show what he could do in 2016/17, his 2015/16 numbers (11.1 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 1.5 BPG) reflected his ability to be a defensive difference-maker.
Motley Signs Two-Way Contract With Mavs
The Mavericks signed forward Johnathan Motley to a two-way contract on Monday, the team announced in a press release. The news was relayed by Mavs.com beat writer Earl K. Sneed.
The 6’10” Motley went undrafted last month after the Baylor big man declared for the draft after his junior season. He averaged 17.3 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 2.3 APG and 1.1 BPG in his final college season. He’s played two games in the Orlando Summer League with the Mavs, averaging 3.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG and 1.0 BPG.
The agreement was reached last month but the signing is now official. Motley was projected as a second-round pick but teams were reluctant to take him because of a knee issue.
Teams are allowed to sign two players under two-way contracts. Those players will spend most of next season in the NBA G League and not more than 45 days with their NBA team. Two-way players are paid a corresponding daily amount based on the number of days they play in each league.
Free Agent Rumors: Tucker, Hayward, Young, Reed
The Raptors will lose P.J. Tucker in free agency, with the veteran forward having agreed to a four-year, $32MM contract with Houston. However, it won’t be for lack of trying. According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN (via Twitter), Toronto offered $33MM over three years for Tucker, whose Rockets deal is partially guaranteed in year four. New Rockets point guard Chris Paul played a major role in recruiting Tucker to Houston though, per Windhorst. The lack of income tax in Texas likely helped sway the 32-year-old as well, though that’s my speculation.
Here are a few more free agent notes from Saturday that we don’t want to let slip through the cracks:
- Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald provides some details on the Heat‘s Saturday meeting with Gordon Hayward, which five Miami players attended. Interestingly, free agent forward James Johnson was one of those five players. Meanwhile, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe writes that Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford will attend the Celtics‘ Sunday meeting with Hayward.
- We can add the Warriors and the Thunder to the list of teams that have conveyed interest in Nick Young, reports Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News. The Pelicans are also said to be eyeing the veteran free agent, who intends to meet with “a bunch of teams.” Medina adds that the Lakers reached out to Young’s reps, but there likely won’t be a fit there.
- The Pacers, Sixers, and Rockets expressed interest in free agent big man Willie Reed on Saturday, according to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link), who notes that the Heat also remain interested in re-signing Reed.
- Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said his team had a “great call” with Nerlens Noel on Saturday, and that the free agent center is “excited to continue to play with the Mavs,” per Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. However, the Mavs will be patient and allow Noel and his agent to explore the market, knowing they’ll be able to match any offer he gets.
- It sounds like Knicks GM Steve Mills will continue to run the team’s front office through the free agency period, in the wake of Phil Jackson‘s departure. According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN (Twitter link), David Griffin had an initial phone interview with the franchise this week, but isn’t expected to interview in person for a few weeks, which suggests the process won’t be rushed.
Six Teams Interested In Michael Carter-Williams
Michael Carter-Williams received a call from the Rockets last night, according to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link), who says that Houston is one of at least six teams with interest in the free agent point guard. Spears identifies the Knicks, Thunder, Mavericks, Pelicans, and Hornets as other clubs eyeing Carter-Williams.
Carter-Williams, the NBA’s Rookie of the Year back in 2013/14, has seen his usage and his production fall off since his days with the Sixers. After being acquired by Chicago in a preseason trade for Tony Snell last fall, Carter-Williams appeared in 45 games for the Bulls in 2016/17, averaging just 6.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 2.5 APG on 36.6% shooting (18.8 minutes per game). The Bulls didn’t tender him a qualifying offer this week, so he’s an unrestricted free agent.
While Carter-Williams appears to be drawing some interest, it remains to be seen whether he’ll prioritize joining a contending team or finding a situation where he’d have a larger role.
The Rockets, Thunder, Pelicans, and Hornets all have standout starting point guards, while the point guard situations in New York and Dallas are a little more in flux — the Knicks and Mavs addressed the position in last week’s draft by selecting Frank Ntilikina and Dennis Smith Jr., respectively, but those those rookies likely won’t take on huge minutes right away.
Free Agent Rumors: Iguodala, Noel, Roberson, Ingles
The Heat are one of three teams scheduled to meet with free agent Gordon Hayward, which could put several free agency plans on hold. For Miami free agent James Johnson, being patient is not a problem, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes.
“I’m a patient guy,” Johnson said to Jackson at a recent golf tournament. “They can take as long as they want. My mindset is winning. I think Hayward can help us win and I’m all for it. They brought me here for a reason and I know they’re going after Hayward for a reason and I think his statistics and his numbers that he [produces], he fits in the best here.”
Johnson, 30, developed into a solid two-way player last season, averaging 12.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and shot nearly 48% from the floor. However, if Miami does lure Hayward to South Beach, retaining both Johnson and Dion Waiters would be problematic from a financial standpoint. Stretching Josh McRoberts‘ salary and several other moves would have to be made to re-sign both players. However, Johnson has reiterated he does not mind waiting to see how the Heat’s plan develop.
Here are some other free agency rumors circulating around the NBA:
- The Rockets‘ meeting with two-time NBA champion and free agent Andre Iguodala is scheduled for this morning, according to Chris Haynes of ESPN (via Twitter).
- In a separate tweet, Haynes reports that the Knicks and Bucks have inquired on free agent swingman Ben McLemore.
- Restricted free agent Nerlens Noel can speak to other teams, but appears very likely to remain in Dallas. It’s likely a matter of “how much and when” the Mavericks get a deal done with the swingman, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon (via Twitter).
- With Paul George headed to Oklahoma City, the Thunder are more likely to retain restricted free agent Andre Roberson, according to ESPN’s Royce Young (via Twitter).
- The Nets have secured a meeting with free agent Joe Ingles, sources tell Adam Joseph of 16WingsARing (via Twitter).
- We heard on Friday night that the Cavaliers have interest in Zach Randolph. That interest is mutual, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com.