Wilson Chandler’s NBA Return Delayed
According to Yahoo! Sports writer Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter), free-agent forward Wilson Chandler may have to continue to wait before he can sign with a team thanks to the China Basketball Association. The CBA is refusing to provide Chandler with a letter of clearance, which would grant him the ability to play in the NBA. While Chandler will file an appeal with hopes of reaching a resolution within a week, there is a possibility that an agreement may not be reached until mid-March.
Chandler had reached an agreement with his team, the Zhejiang Lions, to release him from his contract once he helped the squad secure a playoff spot. Unfortunately for the former first-round pick, the CBA has full control over the letter of clearance rather than his team. Currently a restricted free-agent, the fifth-year player out of DePaul is being recruited heavily by the Raptors but is expected to return to the Nuggets.
After arriving in Denver via the Carmelo Anthony trade just over one year ago, Chandler averaged 12.5 PPG and 5.0 RPG during 21 regular season games before struggling during the playoffs.
Expired Trade Exceptions
There were a great deal of trade exceptions obtained in the days leading up to last season's February 24th trade deadline and with a full year gone by they have expired. In certain trade scenarios, a team can acquire a traded player exception, which is worth a specific amount of money and can be used at any time over the next year.
For a more detailed refresher on how trade exceptions work, check out our glossary of salary cap exceptions and Larry Coon's CBA FAQ. Here's a look at the exceptions that expired this week..
Feb. 22nd
- Nuggets: $4,640,536 (Carmelo Anthony), $1,675,000 (Renaldo Balkman), $854,389 (Shelden Williams)
Feb. 23rd
- Hawks: $1,042,320 (Jordan Crawford)
- Hornets: $762,195 (Marcus Thornton)
- Jazz: $1,815,873 (Deron Williams)
Feb. 24th
- Bobcats: $1,486,330 (Gerald Wallace)*
- Celtics: $473,604 (Semih Erden), $473,604 (Luke Harangody)
*Charlotte used roughly $1.28MM of this trade exception plus a 2013 second-round pick to acquire center Byron Mullens from the Thunder in December.
Latest On Wilson Chandler
12:16pm: The Cavaliers, one of the few teams who have the cap space to pose a serious threat to the Nuggets for Chandler, don't intend to get involved, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter). The Cavs like Chandler, but prefer to rebuild through trades and the draft (Twitter link).
11:12am: Although the Nuggets extended Wilson Chandler's a qualifying offer last year to make him a restricted free agent, that offer expired on December 25th, reports ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter). If Chandler had hoped to become an unrestricted free agent at season's end, he could have accepted the $3.1MM qualifying offer, but because it expired while he was under contract in China, he no longer has that option.
As I explained when I explored Chandler's options this morning, qualifying offers for restricted free agents typically expire on March 1st, though teams can choose to set an earlier deadline. It's unclear if the NBA adjusted the deadline in the new CBA or if the Nuggets set an earlier deadline, but either way, it limits Chandler's options.
Chandler, 24, could sign a long-term deal with the Nuggets or another club, or sit out the season and test restricted free agency again in the summer, when teams have more financial flexibility. However, his chances of becoming an unrestricted free agent after the season look slim to none, since the Nuggets don't plan to offer him a rest-of-season deal, according to Stein (on Twitter). The earliest Chandler could become an unrestricted free agent would be after next season, if he sat out this year, then accepted a qualifying offer from the Nuggets for 2012/13.
Nuggets’ Carmelo Trade Exception Expires
The record-setting traded player exception the Nuggets acquired when they traded Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks last February 22nd has expired. The exception was initially worth $17,149,244, the most in NBA history, though Denver has made use of it multiple times over the last year. By the time it expired, its value had been reduced to $4,640,536.
The Nuggets acquired three players whose salaries were absorbed within the Carmelo exception. They traded for Andre Miller ($7.27MM) in a deal with Portland in June, then acquired Corey Brewer ($3.06MM) and Rudy Fernandez ($2.18MM) from the Mavericks in December.
Along with the exception for Anthony, trade exceptions created in the same deal by the departures of Renaldo Balkman ($1.675MM) and Shelden Williams ($854,389) have also expired. For Hoops Rumors' up-to-date list of available traded player exceptions, click here.
Options For Wilson Chandler
Following Wilson Chandler's visit to Toronto yesterday, a lot of misinformation on the 24-year-old's options has been floating around the web. Because of Chandler's unique situation, returning from a season in China as a restricted NBA free agent, there's some confusion about where he can sign, and for how much. So let me run through Chandler's situation as I see it….
- Typically, restricted free agents can sign offer sheets with opposing teams, which the free agent's team then has three days to match. In this case, the Nuggets still hold Chandler's rights, so they'd have the option of matching any offer sheet he signs elsewhere.
- To become a restricted free agent, Chandler had to be extended a qualifying offer by Denver. Generally, the deadline to accept that one-year deal is March 1st. Assuming the Nuggets didn't move that deadline up, Chandler should be able to accept that qualifying offer (worth $3.1MM, pro-rated) and be eligible for unrestricted free agency after the season, if he doesn't get a long-term offer he likes. He could also sit out the rest of the season and become a restricted free agent again in the summer, when teams have more financial flexibility.
- Restricted free agents aren't permitted to sign offer sheets after March 1st, according to CBA expert Larry Coon, so if Chandler intends to sign an offer sheet with the Raptors or any other team, he'll have to do so within the next few days.
- ESPN.com's Marc Stein, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld, and SI.com's Sam Amick are among those writing that the Raptors have cap space (about $4.3MM) to put toward an offer for Chandler. It had previously been thought that the Raptors had used their mid-level exception and bi-annual exception to sign Aaron Gray and Gary Forbes respectively. If the team has available cap space, however, it must have renounced its $16MM in cap holds, signed Forbes using cap space, and signed Gray using its $2.5MM room exception for teams under the cap. Still, a contract starting at $4.3MM won't be enough to scare off the Nuggets, so if the Raptors are serious about Chandler, they could try to make a trade that clears more cap space, as Kyler reports.
- If Chandler accepted his qualifying offer from the Nuggets and became an unrestricted free agent this summer, the Raptors and a number of other teams would have the flexibility to make him a much larger offer than they can right now. So it makes sense that agent Chris Luchey suggested to Amick that GM Masai Ujiri and the Nuggets are more interested in a long-term contract than a rest-of-season deal. Denver is in a good position to outbid rival suitors at this point, but bidding could get more competitive this summer.
Odds & Ends: Gordon, Chandler, Celtics, Martin
As we look forward to a busy evening schedule highlighted by Hawks/Knicks and Mavericks/Lakers matchups, here are a few Wednesday links that we haven't covered elsewhere:
- Asked about the possibility of signing with his hometown Pacers as a restricted free agent this summer, Eric Gordon sounded intrigued by the possibility, as Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star writes. "Coming back here would be a lot of pressure," Gordon said. "But I think it would be good for the fans. We'll see. You never know where this summer will take me."
- Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post is curious to see how much money and how many years the Nuggets will offer Wilson Chandler, who may not be a future starter for the team. The Raptors' interest in Chandler may have an impact on his negotiations with Denver as well.
- Injuries could force the Celtics to sign or trade for a big man, says A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com.
- Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld explores what the future holds for Kevin Martin, who doesn't appreciate the way the Rockets are handling his contract situation, according to Ingram.
- If the Heat sign Mickell Gladness to a second 10-day contract, it will likely happen after the All-Star break, tweets Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida. With Joel Przybilla headed to Portland, I'd be surprised if Miami didn't re-sign Gladness, whose first 10-day deal just expired.
Wilson Chandler Talking To Raptors
Wilson Chandler is in Toronto to discuss the possibility of signing with the Raptors, according to Sam Amick of SI.com (via Twitter). Agent Chris Luchey tells Amick that his client is staying in touch with the Nuggets, but is exploring all his options (Twitter link).
Chandler has already met with the Nuggets and expressed interest in joining the team on a long-term deal, if possible. As a restricted free agent, however, the 24-year-old is eligible to sign an offer sheet with another club before March 1st — the Nuggets would then have the opportunity to match it. Chandler, who still requires clearance by FIBA before he officially signs with an NBA team, hopes to get a deal done within a week.
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld reported late last month that the Raptors planned to "make life hard" for the Nuggets when Chandler returned from China. While I expect Chandler to end up signing with Denver, the DePaul product could become an unrestricted free agent this summer if he and the Nuggets don't work out a multiyear deal. The Raptors will have plenty of salary, including Leandro Barbosa's $7.6MM, coming off their books, so they could make a run at Chandler at that point if he's available. Chandler and Luchey may use that as leverage in the next few days as they make their case for a long-term deal with Denver.
Wilson Chandler Hopes To Sign Within Week
Wilson Chandler was in attendance last night to see Martell Webster make a questionable decision that ultimately allowed the Nuggets to escape with a 103-101 win over the Timberwolves. While Chandler was a spectator for Monday's game, he intends to be on the court for the Nuggets soon, telling Aaron J. Lopez of Nuggets.com that he hopes to sign with Denver "in the next week or so."
Chandler, who returned from China this week, has yet to be cleared by FIBA to sign with an NBA team, but doesn't expect his clearance to be an issue. The more pressing question is whether Chandler will sign for the rest of the season with the Nuggets, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, or work out a long-term deal. According to Ken Berger of CBS Sports (via Twitter), Chandler's agent is currently negotiating a multiyear contract for his client.
The addition of Chandler would be a boost for a Nuggets team that has been slowed by injuries recently. Despite the absence of key contributors like Nene Hilario and Danilo Gallinari, GM Masai Ujiri told J. Michael Falgoust of USA Today that the team isn't looking to make any major roster moves.
"We knew going into the season that a compressed season would have this effect, regardless of injury," Ujiri said. "Guys are tired… so we knew we were going to hit a couple rough patches. Most teams know that…. We're going to be patient with our guys."
Trade Candidate: Chris Andersen
Chris Andersen is recognized by casual NBA fans for a number of reasons — his hair, his tattoos, his "Birdman" moniker, and a memorably laborious performance in the Slam Dunk Contest. In the last week though, Andersen's play on the court for the Nuggets has demanded recognition in its own right.
A beneficiary of increased playing time due to Denver's injury woes, Andersen has averaged 10.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks in just over 24 minutes over the team's last four games. While the 6'10" forward's solid recent play, which includes a .615 FG%, has helped a Nuggets team playing without Nene Hilario and Danilo Gallinari, it could also serve as a showcase for a potential trade.
ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported on Friday that the Nuggets have made Andersen available, and are willing to move him in the right deal. Considering the 33-year-old still has two additional seasons and $9.3MM+ remaining on his contract, the stance is hardly surprising. His recent surge aside, Andersen has received limited playing time and produced limited numbers throughout his career. Although he can be a valuable role player off the bench, Andersen will be approaching age 36 by the time his current deal ends. For a team conscious of its cap room and future flexibility, adding Andersen's contract probably isn't prudent.
From the Nuggets' perspective, clearing Andersen's contract would give them a little financial breathing room going forward. Hilario, Gallinari, and Arron Afflalo are all on long-term deals, while players like Rudy Fernandez and Ty Lawson will become more expensive within a couple seasons if Denver hopes to retain them. Throw in the fact that Wilson Chandler is currently seeking a long-term deal with the Nuggets, and it's clear the team wouldn't have to blown away to move Andersen and his contract.
I don't see an obvious match for Andersen. Teams with trade exceptions that could absorb Andersen's salary — the Lakers, Mavericks, and Magic — have more glaring needs, while many contenders who could use frontcourt reinforcements, such as the Heat, Thunder, Hawks, and 76ers, don't seem to be a fit based on salary and tax restraints.
The Nuggets may have made Andersen available, but I just don't think a deal happens by March 15th. Perhaps a team desperate for frontcourt size and depth sends Denver a second-round pick and takes on Andersen's contract, but I'm betting the Birdman will take flight in Denver for at least a few more months.
Wilson Chandler Meeting With Nuggets
After spending the season in China, Wilson Chandler is back in America and will meet with the Nuggets today in Denver, according to Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post (via Twitter). Chandler will be exploring a long-term or rest-of-season contract with the team.
While Chandler's Chinese team will be playing in the CBA postseason later this week, Chandler seems to have been allowed to come home early, as we heard on Friday. It's not clear yet whether the 24-year-old has been granted a FIBA letter of clearance, but as soon as he's cleared, he'll be eligible for restricted NBA free agency.
Teams are not allowed to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets as of March 1st, so it appears Chandler should have a small window available to entertain offers from teams besides Denver. Reports so far though indicate that he intends to re-sign with the Nuggets, who could match any offer made by another club.