Fallout From Andrew Bogut’s Extension
The Warriors took a risk Friday, committing eight-figure salaries through 2017 to Andrew Bogut, who’s played just 44 regular season games over the past two seasons because of multiple injuries. It’s a foray into the unknown that GM Bob Myers appears comfortable with.
“Taking a cue from (co-owner) Joe Lacob, when we see something we like, we try to keep it,” Myers said. “We don’t want it to hit the market. I think that was the same we felt in regards to Steph (Curry). This was an asset we didn’t want to lose. So if it meant betting on our player, we were willing to do that. … Maybe it’s a philosophy of the organization.”
Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group passes along that quote and plenty more in a pair of pieces on the extension. We’ll cover the highlights from those, as well as reaction from others to Golden State’s gamble:
- Thompson pegs the maximum amount Bogut can earn at $41.4MM, and estimates his base salary as $12.9MM for 2014/15, $12MM in ’15/’16, and $11.1MM in ’16/’17. Those numbers are lower than the ones previously reported. The extension is still worth much more than $10MM a year, a threshold that Bogut found important to surpass, according to Thompson.
- Still, a three-year, $30MM deal wouldn’t have been acceptable to Bogut, as fellow Bay Area News Group scribe Tim Kawakami hears. The extension didn’t come cheaply for the Warriors, but the team made the right move in locking him up long-term, Kawakami opines.
- Bogut believes he can attain his incentives, triggered each season if he plays 65 games and makes either the All-Star Game, one of the All-Defensive or All-NBA teams, or is named Defensive Player of the Year. “We came up with a number that was fair for both parties,” Bogut said, according to Thompson. “Obviously, I gave up a little bit now from what we could’ve gotten in the offseason. If you can walk in a straight line and chew gum, there is a premium on 7-footers in the league. I knew that. But I’ve enjoyed my time in the Bay here … so once we came to some common ground, it was a no-brainer for me.”
- The Warriors told Bogut at the end of last season that they wanted to sign him to an extension, and Bogut set Friday as the deadline to come to a deal, Thompson writes. Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle provides detail on how negotiations for the extension got started.
- Bogut sacrificed money in the deal to allow the team to preserve cash for Klay Thompson, who’s extension-eligible next summer, Marcus Thompson tweets.
Warriors Sign Andrew Bogut To Extension
8:08pm: The Warriors have officially announced the extension, via press release.
6:32pm: The Warriors and Andrew Bogut have reached agreement on a contract extension, Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher tweets. It’s a three-year deal for approximately $42MM, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. The team has a press conference scheduled for 8pm Central time, presumably to announce the pact.
The base salary is $36MM, reports USA Today’s Sam Amick (on Twitter). The rest is salary Bogut can unlock via incentive clauses, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM.com. Bogut can trigger the incentives if he plays in at least 65 games each season and win league honors, such as selection to the All-Star Game, All-Defensive Teams or the Defensive Player of the Year Award, Amick writes. The oft-injured center said earlier this month, shortly after he and agent David Bauman of the Lagardere Unlimited firm began talks with the Warriors, that he’d be willing to agree to incentives related to the number of games he plays. If Bogut can stay healthy and perform like a top-five or top-seven center in the league, he’s likely to get the full amount of his deal, Wojnarowski says (Twitter link).
Bogut said multiple Western Conference teams had already inquired about his plans for free agency, which he was set to hit after this season, when he’s due $14MM under what would have been the final year of his contract under its initial terms. Veterans rarely ink extensions, since they’re limited to three years instead of the four or five years they can get on the open market. Bogut, who’s played just 44 regular season games the past two seasons, took the unusual step, cashing in while the Warriors and other teams still value his ability.
Bogut’s deal starts at $14MM in 2014/15, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, with declining salaries in the remaining two seasons (Twitter link). That will give the Warriors added flexibility as Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes approach eligibility for extensions of their own, and reduce the team’s commitment to Bogut past his 30th birthday. A $14MM salary next season for Bogut would give the team about $65MM in commitments for next season, well above the projected $62.1MM cap but with plenty of wiggle room under the tax line.
Warriors Pick Up ’14/15 Options On Thompson, Barnes, Ezeli
The Warriors have officially exercised their team options for 2014/15 on three players, according to a release from the team. The contracts for Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, and Festus Ezeli are all now guaranteed for the ’14/15 season.
For Thompson, it’s his fourth-year option, meaning he’ll be eligible for a contract extension next July. Barnes and Ezeli will be entering their third season, so the Warriors will hold one more team option on both players for 2015/16. Thompson and Barnes will earn a little over $3MM in ’14/15, while Ezeli’s guaranteed salary will be about $1.11MM.
For the latest updates on rookie contract option decisions, check out our tracker right here.
Warriors Waive Alexander, Dedmon, Seth Curry
The Warriors have prepared their roster for opening night by making three cuts, according to a release from the team. The club announced that it has released Joe Alexander, Dewayne Dedmon, and Seth Curry, reducing its roster to 14 players.
While Alexander and Curry were expected to be waived, the release of Dedmon comes as a bit of a surprise, on the heels of coach Mark Jackson‘s positive comments about the big man. Following the three cuts, Golden State is now carrying 14 players, including 13 on fully guaranteed contracts — Kent Bazemore‘s deal isn’t guaranteed, but it looks like his roster spot is safe.
Dedmon averaged 3.4 PPG and 4.0 RPG in five preseason games, while Curry, Stephen Curry‘s younger brother, averaged 2.2 PPG in six preseason contests. Alexander, a 2008 lottery pick, was unable to participate in any game action this month due to a tibial stress reaction in his left leg.
Curry reportedly had a $75K guarantee on his contract, while Dedmon’s deal was guaranteed for $25K, so the Warriors will be on the hook for those amounts. Both players, along with Alexander, are expected to land with Golden State’s D-League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, according to Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group.
Pacific Rumors: Lakers, Kelly, Warriors
The latest from the Pacific Division..
- The Lakers still aren’t sure if they’ll be carrying 14 or 15 players on their opening night roster, writes Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times. Strong play from Xavier Henry all but guarantees that he’ll get the 14th spot and it looks to be a two-man race for No. 15 between second round Ryan Kelly and Marcus Landry. Right now, it looks like Kelly might have a slight edge over Landry.
- For his part, Kelly is optimistic that he’ll make the Lakers‘ cut, writes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. “I believe I’ve shown myself enough and I’ll continue to show that I’ve earned a spot on this team,” Kelly said. “But to be honest with you, I can’t worry about it at this point. I’m in a situation where I’m a little bit behind. But it doesn’t matter. I’m out on the court now where I have to prove what I can do everyday. Tomorrow is another day.” Lakers forward Pau Gasol spoke about Kelly’s role last night and sounded pretty confident that he’ll be a part of the team come opening night.
- Foreign import Nemanja Nedovic shows a lot of promise for the Warriors, but Andy Fahey of NBA.com cautions that he’s not likely to see major minutes this season with guard Toney Douglas spelling Stephen Curry. Nedovic could spent a good amount of time playing with the club’s D-League affiliate in Santa Cruz.
Western Notes: Wolves, Bogut, Blazers, D12
Let’s round up a few Friday items out of the Western Conference….
- The Timberwolves have internally discussed the possibility of signing Hedo Turkoglu if he’s waived or bought out by the Magic, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (via Twitter). However, Wolfson adds that it sounds more like due diligence than anything serious.
- Andrew Bogut exited the Warriors‘ game today in China early with back spasms, but head coach Mark Jackson said he’s not concerned, and that Bogut wanted to check back in (Twitter link via LetsGoWarriors.com). While it doesn’t sound like an issue that should significantly impact extension negotiations between the two sides, it may give the team some pause.
- After shoring up their bench this offseason, this incarnation of the Trail Blazers is “officially on the clock,” writes Kevin Arnovitz in an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com. As GM Neil Olshey acknowledges, whether or not the Blazers have a successful season will dictate whether the club stays its current course or aggressively attempts to retool the roster.
- Dwight Howard spoke to Sam Amick of USA Today at length about his decision to sign with the Rockets this summer, and a Dark Knight Rises scene that inspired him.
Pacific Rumors: Wayns, Bogut, Suns, Kings
The left knee injury sustained by Maalik Wayns may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the young guard, who had been vying for a roster spot with the Clippers. As Steve Perrin of Clips Nation explains, players on non-guaranteed, non-summer contracts who suffer an on-court injury can’t be released while they’re recovering, or else their deals will become guaranteed.
As such, Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld tweets that Wayns now looks like a lock to make L.A.’s opening night roster. Wayns’ deal was already set to become fully guaranteed if he wasn’t waived on or before December 1st, so assuming his recovery extends into December, it appears he’ll earn a full salary for 2013/14.
Here’s more from around the Pacific Division:
- Grantland’s Zach Lowe takes an in-depth look at Andrew Bogut‘s extension talks with the Warriors, noting that it’s very hard to pin down Bogut’s value, not just in terms of annual salary, but also on the trade market. Lowe attempts to brainstorm a few trade possibilities involving Bogut, but writes that the Warriors aren’t open to deals that would include Klay Thompson as a sweetener.
- Asked by Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News for a comment on the Bogut extension talks, Warriors owner Joe Lacob was fairly noncommittal, but said the team likes him “a lot,” and that he hopes Bogut remains in Golden State “for a long time.”
- Suns coach Jeff Hornacek spoke to Matt Peterson of Suns.com about the tough decisions ahead for a team that needs to cut its roster down from 18 players. Phoenix is also the only NBA team currently carrying more than 15 players on fully guaranteed contracts, meaning at least one of the players released before opening night will still get paid.
- The Kings have one potential opening on their roster, and while the team is still weighing its options, Hamady N’Diaye has a chance to grab that spot, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. “I’m not sure what [GM] Pete D’Alessandro‘s plan for that last spot is right now,” said coach Michael Malone. “But I think ‘H,’ as we call him, has done a lot to showcase his abilities as to why he should be on this team.”
Western Notes: Leonard, Bogut, Holiday
A few note from around the Western Conference.
- After waiving small forwards Corey Maggette and Sam Young earlier this week, the Spurs will enter the season with no legitimate backup for Kawhi Leonard, writes MySanAntonio.com’s Jeff McDonald.
- MercuryNews.com’s Tim Kawakami opines on the Warriors and Andrew Bogut, and what’s a fair extension for the former number one overall pick.
- Coming off a breakout season as an All-Star with the Sixers, Jrue Holiday heads into 2014 as the franchise point guard for the Pelicans. Hoopsworld.com’s Yannis Koutroupis takes a look at what Holiday needs to do to settle in to his new environment.
Pacific Notes: Bogut, Kobe, Kings, Suns
Veteran contract extensions are rare in today’s NBA, but as we heard overnight, the Warriors and Andrew Bogut have opened discussions on a new deal for the Golden State big man, and could reach an agreement within the next few weeks. In his latest piece for SBNation.com, Tom Ziller questions why Bogut or the Warriors would feel compelled to get something done so soon.
Bogut suggested in his interview with Scott Howard-Cooper that multiple Western teams have already asked his agent about his free agent plans, which shows that he should draw interest next summer. As for Golden State, it may be in the team’s best interest to wait to get more than 44 games out of its injury-plagued center before committing to him long-term.
As we wait to see how negotiations between Bogut and the Warriors play out, let’s check out a few other items from around the Pacific Division….
- Sean Deveney of the Sporting News wonders whether Kobe Bryant will take a pay cut to help the Lakers next summer, breaking down several scenarios for how Kobe’s free agency could play out.
- A new Sacramento citizens’ group was formed yesterday to combat the proposed $258MM public subsidy for a new Kings arena, reports Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee. According to Kasler, the new group, Voters for a Fair Arena Deal, has taken pains to separate itself from the original effort launched by Sacramento Taxpayers Opposed to Pork, which received support from Chris Hansen.
- The working relationship between Alvin Gentry and the Suns came to an abrupt end back in January, but as Bob Young of the Arizona Republic writes, both parties appear to be better off after parting ways.
Warriors, Andrew Bogut Discussing Extension
The Warriors and Andrew Bogut have opened talks on a new contract that would extend his current deal beyond 2014, the veteran center confirmed to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. Howard-Cooper reports that agent David Bauman began discussing an extension for Bogut with the Warriors’ front office last week.
While Bogut will be eligible to sign an extension at any point during the season, the two sides expect to reach some sort of resolution in the near future. According to Howard-Cooper, Bogut will either ink a new deal within the next few weeks or prepare to hit unrestricted free agency next summer, since neither the team nor player wants the situation to become a distraction during the regular season.
As an extension-eligible veteran, Bogut could sign a contract for up to four years, though that number includes the current season. If he and the Warriors worked something out, it would likely add three new years to his expiring deal, which will pay him $14MM in 2013/14. It isn’t clear what sort of salary is being discussed, but Bogut suggests to Howard-Cooper that the two sides are at least in the same ballpark.
“[The Warriors’ initial numbers] weren’t insulting,” Bogut said. “But they weren’t what I’m looking for. Nothing concrete has been actually formally written up. We’ve just been going back and forth, but nothing too crazy.”
According to Howard-Cooper, Bogut is also willing to accept a deal that includes incentives based on games played, which could be crucial for Golden State, given the 28-year-old’s injury history. That doesn’t mean that Bogut is open to a deal that’s heavily non-guaranteed, however.
“Would I do things to the extent that Andrew Bynum’s done with his contract?” Bogut asked. “Hell no. The clauses that he has, there’s no chance I would sign a contract. But basically having game incentives – whatever the number is, 60, 70, whatever it is – I have no problem. I think that’s only fair.”
Both the Warriors and Bogut would like to reach an agreement sooner rather than the later, as Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News tweets. However, Bogut tells Howard-Cooper that he hasn’t forgotten that the team tried to acquire Dwight Howard this past summer. While the Australian doesn’t necessarily hold the Warriors’ pursuit of an All-Star center against them, he also recognizes that he has to keep his own interests in mind as well, adding, “If I do become a free agent, I’m going do what I can to do what’s best for myself.”
When I examined Bogut as an extension candidate earlier this month, I suggested that signing the big man for an additional three years at around $10MM annually could work for Golden State. Kawakami speculates (via Twitter) that something in the neighborhood of $36MM for three years might make sense for both sides, with guaranteed money and incentives to be negotiated. I predicted that Bogut would ultimately hit free agency next summer, so we’ll have to keep an eye on the situation over the next few weeks to see if I’m proven wrong.