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Hoops Rumors Originals: 10/6/18 – 10/13/18

By clarkcrum | at October 13, 2018 1:49 pm

Every week, the writing team here at Hoops Rumors creates original content to complement our news feed. Below are our segments and features from the past seven days:

We continued our 2018 Offseason in Review, and analyzed the following teams:
We began our 2018/19 Over/Unders series, beginning with the following divisions:
- Atlantic Division
- Southwest Division
- Central Division
- Pacific Division
Chris Crouse gave you his Top-150 preseason fantasy basketball rankings.
In our one Community Shootaround post, we asked:
- What does the future hold for Kevin Durant?
Luke Adams took a look at some end-of-summer/beginning-of-season deadlines.

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2018 Offseason In Review: Toronto Raptors

By Luke Adams | at October 13, 2018 11:26 am

Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2018 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s moves from the last several months and look ahead to what the 2018/19 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Toronto Raptors.

Signings:

Standard contracts:
- Fred VanVleet: Two years, $18MM. Re-signed using Bird rights.
- Greg Monroe: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
- Lorenzo Brown: One year, minimum salary. Partially guaranteed ($800K). Re-signed using minimum salary exception.
Two-way contracts:
- Jordan Loyd
- Chris Boucher (converted from Exhibit 10 contract)
Non-guaranteed camp contracts:
- Deng Adel: One year, minimum salary (waived).
- Kyle Collinsworth: One year, minimum salary (waived).
- Kay Felder: One year, minimum salary (waived).
- Eric Moreland: One year, minimum salary (waived).

Trades:

Acquired Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green from the Spurs in exchange for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl, and the Raptors’ 2019 first-round pick (top-20 protected).

Draft picks:

None

Departing players:

DeMar DeRozan
Alfonzo McKinnie (waived)
Malcolm Miller (two-way)
Lucas Nogueira
Jakob Poeltl

Other offseason news:

Promoted Nick Nurse to head coach to replace Dwane Casey; finalized new coaching staff.

Salary cap situation:

Remained over the cap.
Carrying approximately $139.8MM in guaranteed salaries.
Projected tax bill of $34.5MM.
Full taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.34MM) still available.

Check out the Toronto Raptors’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

During the summer of 2017, after a second straight dispiriting postseason loss to the Cavaliers, the Raptors doubled down on their core, re-signing Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka to lucrative new contracts and bringing back head coach Dwane Casey. With the help of a new offensive scheme – attributed in large part to assistant Nick Nurse – Toronto earned the No. 1 seed in the East last season, winning a franchise-best 59 games.

However, after the Cavaliers once again dismantled the Raptors in the playoffs, the team couldn’t simply run it back again. Casey, despite being named the NBA’s Coach of the Year, was dismissed and replaced by Nurse. And DeMar DeRozan, the team’s MVP in 2017/18, was sent to San Antonio in a blockbuster trade that landed the Raptors Kawhi Leonard, a legit two-way star.

The acquisition of Leonard was a huge roll of the dice for president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri, who later told reporters that the two-time All-NBA forward represents the sort of perennial MVP candidate that the Raptors have never had on their roster before. That’s undoubtedly true, but Kawhi is also coming off a season in which he only played nine games due to a quad injury. Plus, he’s eligible for free agency in 2019, meaning his stay in Toronto could be short-lived.

It’s a thrilling gamble for a team that needed to take one. Even with longtime tormentor LeBron James no longer in the Eastern Conference, the Raptors were about to be surpassed by the Celtics and Sixers and were no lock to take a step forward in 2018/19 with their old roster. Ujiri’s offseason shakeup raises Toronto’s ceiling for 2018/19.

Key offseason losses:

DeRozan’s inclusion in the Leonard trade came as a shock to the All-NBA guard, who claimed he’d been told by Ujiri that he wouldn’t be moved anytime soon. The 29-year-old had spent his entire nine-year NBA career in Toronto, appearing in more games and scoring more points than any other player in team history, so it made sense that he’d be surprised and hurt by the unexpected move.

While DeRozan was never a strong defender, the Raptors will miss his scoring and play-making. He averaged at least 23 points per game in each of the last three seasons, and never stopped trying to expand his game — he recorded a career-high 5.2 APG and 1.1 3PG in 2017/18.

Jakob Poeltl was also included in the deal with the Spurs and shouldn’t be viewed as a mere afterthought in that package. Poeltl helped anchor the NBA’s best second unit in 2017/18, providing the Raptors with the sort of athleticism at the five that Jonas Valanciunas and newly-added big man Greg Monroe don’t possess. Poeltl, 2016’s ninth overall pick, is entering his age-23 season, so he should only improve in San Antonio.

The Raptors’ other departing player of note is Lucas Nogueira. The former first-round pick only played sporadically last season, but he served as a sort of wild card off the bench, providing a jolt of energy and occasionally providing momentum-changing plays when he got into games. Given how deep Toronto’s bench still is, losing Nogueira shouldn’t have a major impact.

Key offseason additions:

Outside of perhaps LeBron, no player who changed teams during the 2018 offseason has the potential to have a greater impact than Leonard. Replacing one All-NBA player with another may seem like a marginal upgrade on the surface, but Kawhi’s two-way ability could make him a much more valuable piece than DeRozan — while DeRozan often had to be hidden on the other team’s least dangerous offensive player, Leonard is capable of shutting down an opponent’s best scorer in a given night.

Offensively, Leonard may not quite possess the talent as a pure scorer that DeRozan has, but his ability to knock down three-pointers (38.6% in his career, compared to DeRozan’s 28.8%) makes him a better fit for the Raptors’ system. Plus, before he first went down with his leg injury during the Western Conference Semifinals in 2017, Kawhi was showing off a new level of of scoring and play-making ability. If Nurse is able to continue to unlock that ability and Leonard can stay healthy, an MVP-caliber season isn’t out of the question.

The other player involved in the Spurs trade shouldn’t be overlooked either — Danny Green provides the Raptors with yet another versatile rotation option in a league that highly values three-and-D wings like him. Green’s three-point shooting has dropped off a little in recent years, as he’s posted a .357 3PT% in the last three seasons after putting up a .423 3PT% in the four previous seasons. Still, he’s only one year removed from earning a spot on the league’s All-Defensive Second Team and should provide Toronto with steady minutes.

Besides re-signing Fred VanVleet, an important bench piece, to a reasonable two-year contract, the Raptors’ other notable move on the free agent market was adding Monroe. The veteran center isn’t exactly the sort of modern-day center who you want on the floor during a fast-paced, small-ball type game, but he has value, particularly at the minimum salary. He has also played well against the Raptors over the last couple years, averaging 13.0 PPG and 8.0 RPG in just 23.7 MPG during his last 10 games against the team. It’s not clear how much of a role Monroe will have in Toronto, but the signing should pay off in certain matchups.

Outlook for 2018/19:

The Raptors have won between 48 and 59 games in each of the last five seasons, but have yet to establish themselves as a serious threat in the postseason, having been swept out of the playoffs by the Cavs in consecutive years. This roster is capable of changing that — and, of course, it doesn’t hurt that LeBron is now a Laker.

The common narrative is that the Raptors will go as far as Kawhi can take them, and that’s probably true. Leonard can be one of the league’s very best players when he’s healthy, and he’ll be invaluable in the playoffs, where Toronto has lacked a defensive stopper to match up with stars like James.

Still, Leonard isn’t the only thing the Raptors have going for them. The team’s young core of VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, and Delon Wright is an underrated one. Even if this season takes a wrong turn and Leonard decides to skip town at season’s end, the franchise has reasons to be optimistic about its future.

Of course, the Raptors are hoping it won’t come to that. With a healthy Leonard, they’re equipped to make a legit run at the Eastern Conference crown and to make a strong case to Kawhi that he ought to consider staying in Toronto for a few more years.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Roster, Contract Deadlines Loom For NBA Teams

By Luke Adams | at October 13, 2018 8:59 am

Monday, October 15 is the last day of the 2018 NBA offseason and serves as the deadline for a number of roster- and contract-related decisions. Here are the deadlines that teams around the NBA are facing on Monday:

Roster limits decrease from 20 players to 15 (plus two two-way players).
Last day for teams to sign a player to a rookie scale extension. [RELATED: Players eligible for rookie scale extensions]
Last day for teams to sign a player to a veteran extension in certain scenarios. Extension-eligible veteran contracts with more than one season remaining can’t be extended after October 15; designated veteran extensions can’t be signed after October 15.
Last day for teams to complete sign-and-trade deals.
Last day for teams to convert an Exhibit 10 contract into a two-way contract.

While Monday is technically the roster cutdown deadline, many clubs will make their final moves today. That’s because players on non-guaranteed contracts must clear waivers before the first day of the regular season to avoid having their salaries begin to count against a team’s cap.

For instance, if the Suns were to keep non-guaranteed vets Isaiah Canaan and Richaun Holmes on their roster until Monday, then cut them, the team would be on the hook for a couple days’ worth of salary for each player, since the duo wouldn’t clear waivers until Wednesday. That’s not a huge chunk of money, but if clubs have already made their roster decisions, they’re more likely to just make their cuts today.

Teams who plan on releasing players with full or partial guarantees are more likely to wait until Sunday or Monday, since those salaries will count against their cap either way.

Outside of roster cuts, it will be interesting to see how many more teams reach rookie scale extension agreements with their fourth-year players by Monday night. Devin Booker, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Justise Winslow have signed new deals already, but 20 players remain eligible.

Larry Nance Jr. (Cavaliers), Bobby Portis (Bulls), Myles Turner (Pacers), and Delon Wright (Raptors) are among the strongest candidates for rookie scale extensions in the coming days, as ESPN’s Zach Lowe details. Lowe views Nance and Portis as the best bets in that group, though he also hears from sources that Wright’s agent – Greg Lawrence – will be in Toronto this weekend for some “last-minute meetings.” If those players and the rest who are eligible for rookie scale extensions don’t sign new contracts by Monday, they’ll be on track for restricted free agency in 2019.

According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider-only link), there are also 30 extension-eligible players on veteran contracts who won’t be able to get an in-season extension after Monday’s deadline passes. If an extension-eligible veteran has just one year remaining on his contract, he remains extension-eligible through Monday. But for players with multiple years left, Monday is the 2018/19 deadline. Draymond Green (Warriors), Eric Gordon (Rockets), Jae Crowder (Jazz), and E’Twaun Moore (Pelicans) are among the players in that group, per Marks, who says not to expect a new deal for Green.

Finally, while I don’t think we’ll see any sign-and-trade deals within the next couple days, Monday’s deadline is worth noting for a player like restricted free agent Patrick McCaw. Talks between McCaw and the Warriors still appear to be at a stalemate, so a sign-and-trade arrangement could be a viable option for both sides. However, that can’t happen after Monday.

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2018 Offseason In Review: Oklahoma City Thunder

By Dana Gauruder | at October 12, 2018 9:59 pm

Signings:

Standard contracts:
- Paul George: Four years, maximum salary ($136.91MM). Fourth-year player option. Re-signed using Bird rights.
- Jerami Grant: Three years, $27.35MM. Third-year player option. Re-signed using Bird rights.
- Nerlens Noel: Two years, minimum salary. Second-year player option. Signed using minimum salary exception.
- Raymond Felton: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Two-way contracts:
- Deonte Burton
- Tyler Davis
Non-guaranteed camp contracts:
- Abdul Gaddy: One year, minimum salary.
- Donte Grantham: One year, minimum salary.
- Scotty Hopson: One year, minimum salary.
- Dez Wells: One year, minimum salary.
- Bryce Alford: One year, minimum salary (waived).
- K.J. McDaniels: One year, minimum salary (waived).
- Richard Solomon: One year, minimum salary (waived).

Trades:

Acquired the draft rights to Hamidou Diallo (No. 45 pick) from the Hornets in exchange for the Thunder’s 2019 second-round pick and cash ($243K).
Acquired Rodney Purvis from the Magic in exchange for Dakari Johnson and cash ($1,978,242).
Acquired Abdel Nader and cash ($450K) from the Celtics in exchange for Rodney Purvis.
Acquired Dennis Schroder and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot in a three-way trade with the Hawks and Sixers in exchange for Carmelo Anthony (to Hawks) and the Thunder’s 2022 first-round pick (top-14 protected) (to Hawks).

Draft picks:

2-45: Hamidou Diallo — Signed to three-year, minimum salary contract. First two years guaranteed. Third-year team option. Signed using taxpayer mid-level exception.
2-53: Devon Hall — Will play overseas.
2-57: Kevin Hervey — Signed to G League contract.

Departing players:

Carmelo Anthony
Corey Brewer
Nick Collison (retired)
P.J. Dozier (two-way)
Daniel Hamilton (two-way)
Josh Huestis
Dakari Johnson
Kyle Singler (waived)

Other offseason news:

Andre Roberson suffered setback, expected to be out until at least December.
Hired Bob Beyer as assistant coach to replace Adrian Griffin.

Salary cap situation:

Remained over the cap.
Carrying approximately $145.6MM in guaranteed salaries.
Projected tax bill of $73.8MM.
$4.5MM of taxpayer mid-level exception still available ($838K used on Hamidou Diallo).

Check out the Oklahoma City Thunder’s full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

The Thunder knew that trading for Paul George a year before he hit unrestricted free agency was a huge gamble. George had already expressed his desire to return to his home state of California and play in Los Angeles, which motivated Indiana to seek the best deal it could find for the All-Star forward.

What made it an even bigger risk was that George would be joining forces with Russell Westbrook. Oklahoma City had already seen a former league Most Valuable Player, Kevin Durant, ditch the franchise in part because he never completely warmed up to the headstrong All-Star point guard.

The Thunder’s brass still figured it was worth a dice roll. In order to remain competitive in the Western Conference, the Thunder needed a top-shelf forward to complement Westbrook. When the calendar approached July 1st, everyone associated with the franchise held their breath. Turns out, they had nothing to worry about.

George decided weeks before the start of free agency he wasn’t going anywhere. He didn’t even bother meeting with the Lakers before signing a four-year mega-deal with OKC that includes a player option in the final year of the pact.

As George explained shortly afterward, “Loved the situation. Loved where I was at. I decided to stick around a little longer. … I just wanted my free agency to be over with.”

Without George, the Thunder would have become over-reliant on Westbrook, as they did the season after Durant bolted, and struggled just to make the playoffs. With him, they remain one of the few teams that could threaten Golden State’s supremacy.

Key offseason losses:

OKC’s other big move last offseason was to acquire Carmelo Anthony and his creaky knees from the Knicks.

Anthony proved to be surprisingly durable, appearing in 78 regular-season games, his highest total since the 2005/06 season. The problem was that Anthony never truly fit in with two other prolific scorers in the lineup. He attempted a career-low 16.8 shots per game and made 4o.4%, the worst of his career.

He was also a liability on defense and wanted out after seeing his playing time reduced during the postseason. Oklahoma City was fortunate to find a taker, though it had to forward a future first-rounder to sweeten the pot.

Corey Brewer started all six of the Thunder’s playoff games but they didn’t have any interest in re-signing him. Josh Huestis saw action in 69 games, including 10 starts, but didn’t take enough advantage of those opportunities after spending most of his first two seasons in the G League.

Key offseason additions:

Atlanta soured on Dennis Schroder as its starting point guard but the Thunder, who acquired him in the Anthony deal, view him as a key part of their revamped rotation. Schroder brings more pop to the second unit and can start while Westbrook mends from minor knee surgery. The Thunder can also go with some two point-guard looks if the situation dictates, considering that shooting guard Andre Roberson is still dealing with complications from his major knee injury last season.

Jerami Grant played regularly on the second unit last season and the Thunder were determined to keep him in free agency, even when Anthony’s situation was still unsettled. He’ll now move into the lineup, taking over Anthony’s spot. Grant can’t approach Anthony as an offensive threat but he should be a better overall fit playing alongside George and Steven Adams on a regular basis. In the first-round playoffs, against the Jazz, the Thunder had a +8.9 net rating when Grant was on the court, and a -17.1 net rating when he was on the bench.

Management took a low-cost flier on Nerlens Noel, whose career has nosedived since a promising start in Philadelphia. Noel only appeared in 30 games with Dallas last season, in part due to injuries, but he can provide low-post scoring as Adams’ primary backup this season.

Outlook for 2018/19:

Assuming Westbrook doesn’t have any setbacks, the Thunder should be back in the postseason. The Westbrook-George duo will put constant pressure on opposing defenses and they won’t have to defer to another ball-dominant veteran (Anthony) this season. Adams, one of the league’s most underrated big men, delivers a physical presence and a measure of nastiness inside.

If Roberson can return during the second half of the season, their postseason outlook would brighten. He’s the closest thing the team has to a lock-down defender and the other options it has at shooting guard seem more like stopgaps than solutions.

Schroder adds another dimension to the offense and he should be a prime candidate for the league’s Sixth Man award.

The Thunder still don’t have the appearance of a championship team, at least not when compared to Warriors and Rockets. The return of George should get Oklahoma City through the opening round this season but an appearance in the conference semifinals looks like their ceiling.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Luke Adams contributed to this post.

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2018/19 Over/Unders: Pacific Division

By Luke Adams | at October 12, 2018 2:26 pm

The 2018/19 NBA regular season will get underway in just four days, which means it’s time to get serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign. With the help of the lines from Bovada and the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division, to have you weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.

Having already looked at the Atlantic, Central, and Southwest divisions this week, we’re moving onto the Pacific today…

Golden State Warriors

2017/18 record: 58-24
Over/under for 2018/19: 62.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: DeMarcus Cousins, Jonas Jerebko, Jacob Evans
- Lost: David West, Nick Young, Zaza Pachulia, JaVale McGee
  - Note: Patrick McCaw also remains unsigned for now.

How many games will the Warriors win in 2018/19?

Over 62.5 53.45% (217 votes)

Under 62.5 46.55% (189 votes)

Total Votes: 406

(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Warriors poll)

Los Angeles Lakers

2017/18 record: 35-47
Over/under for 2018/19: 48.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: LeBron James, Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, Michael Beasley, JaVale McGee, Moritz Wagner, Isaac Bonga, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk
- Lost: Julius Randle, Brook Lopez, Luol Deng, Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye, Tyler Ennis, Thomas Bryant

How many games will the Lakers win in 2018/19?

Over 48.5 55.20% (276 votes)

Under 48.5 44.80% (224 votes)

Total Votes: 500

(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Lakers poll)

Los Angeles Clippers

2017/18 record: 42-40
Over/under for 2018/19: 36.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Marcin Gortat, Luc Mbah a Moute, Mike Scott, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jerome Robinson
- Lost: DeAndre Jordan, Austin Rivers, Sam Dekker, C.J. Williams

How many games will the Clippers win in 2018/19?

Under 36.5 55.70% (220 votes)

Over 36.5 44.30% (175 votes)

Total Votes: 395

(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Clippers poll)

Phoenix Suns

2017/18 record: 21-61
Over/under for 2018/19: 29.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Deandre Ayton, Trevor Ariza, Mikal Bridges, Ryan Anderson, De’Anthony Melton, Richaun Holmes, Elie Okobo, Isaiah Canaan
- Lost: Elfrid Payton, Alex Len, Brandon Knight, Jared Dudley, Marquese Chriss, Alan Williams, Tyler Ulis

How many games will the Suns win in 2018/19?

Under 29.5 53.40% (220 votes)

Over 29.5 46.60% (192 votes)

Total Votes: 412

(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Suns poll)

Sacramento Kings

2017/18 record: 27-55
Over/under for 2018/19: 25.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Marvin Bagley, Nemanja Bjelica, Yogi Ferrell, Ben McLemore
- Lost: Garrett Temple, Vince Carter, Bruno Caboclo, Nigel Hayes

How many games will the Kings win in 2018/19?

Under 25.5 63.87% (244 votes)

Over 25.5 36.13% (138 votes)

Total Votes: 382

(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Kings poll)

Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

Boston Celtics (59.5 wins): Over (53.63%)
Toronto Raptors (55.5 wins): Over (56.95%)
Philadelphia 76ers (54.5 wins): Under (51.19%)
Brooklyn Nets (31.5 wins): Under (56.04%)
New York Knicks (28.5 wins): Under (54.13%)

Southwest:

Houston Rockets (56.5 wins): Over (69.33%)
New Orleans Pelicans (45.5 wins): Under (53.4%)
San Antonio Spurs (44.5 wins): Under (60%)
Dallas Mavericks (34.5 wins): Over (55.16%)
Memphis Grizzlies (34.5 wins): Under (60.87%)

Central:

Indiana Pacers (47.5 wins): Over (62.04%)
Milwaukee Bucks (47.5 wins): Over (73.7%)
Detroit Pistons (38.5 wins): Over (56.36%)
Cleveland Cavaliers (30.5 wins): Over (55.42%)
Chicago Bulls (29.5 wins): Over (61.8%)

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2018 Offseason In Review: Philadelphia 76ers

By Luke Adams | at October 12, 2018 9:32 am

Signings:

Standard contracts:
- J.J. Redick: One year, $12.25MM. Re-signed using cap room.
- Amir Johnson: One year, minimum salary. Re-signed using minimum salary exception.
Two-way contracts:
- Demetrius Jackson
Non-guaranteed camp contracts:
- Matt Farrell: One year, minimum salary.
- D.J. Hogg: One year, minimum salary.
- Emeka Okafor: One year, minimum salary.
- Anthony Brown: One year, minimum salary (waived).
- Norvel Pelle: One year, minimum salary (waived).

Trades:

Acquired the draft rights to Zhaire Smith (No. 16 pick) and the Heat’s 2021 first-round pick (unprotected) from the Suns in exchange for the draft rights to Mikal Bridges (No. 10 pick).
Acquired the Pistons’ 2021 second-round pick and the Pistons’ 2023 second-round pick from the Pistons in exchange for the draft rights to Khyri Thomas (No. 38 pick).
Acquired the draft rights to Shake Milton (No. 54 pick) from the Mavericks in exchange for the draft rights to Ray Spalding (No. 56 pick) and Kostas Antetokounmpo (No. 60 pick).
Acquired the Bulls’ 2019 second-round pick and cash ($1.5MM) from the Lakers in exchange for the draft rights to Isaac Bonga (No. 39 pick).
Acquired Wilson Chandler, the Nuggets’ 2021 second-round pick, and the right to swap 2022 second-round picks from the Nuggets in exchange for cash ($110K).
Acquired cash ($1MM) from the Suns in exchange for Richaun Holmes.
Acquired Mike Muscala in a three-way trade with the Hawks and Thunder in exchange for Justin Anderson (to Hawks) and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (to Thunder).

Draft picks:

1-16: Zhaire Smith — Signed to rookie contract.
1-26: Landry Shamet — Signed to rookie contract.
2-54: Shake Milton — Signed to two-way contract.

Draft-and-stash signings:

Jonah Bolden (2017 draft; No. 36): Signed to four-year, $7MM contract. First two years guaranteed. Signed using cap room.

Departing players:

Justin Anderson
Marco Belinelli
Richaun Holmes
Ersan Ilyasova
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot

Other offseason news:

Agreed to part ways with president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo after Twitter burner account scandal.
Promoted VP of basketball operations Elton Brand to general manager position.
Special advisor Jerry Colangelo will leave team at season’s end.
Contract agreement with Nemanja Bjelica fell through.
Zhaire Smith underwent foot surgery; expected to be sidelined until Christmas.
Hired former WNBA star Lindsey Harding as full-time scout.

Salary cap situation:

Used cap space; now over the cap.
Carrying approximately $101.1MM in guaranteed salaries.
Full room exception ($4.45MM) still available.

Check out the Philadelphia 76ers’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

The story of the Sixers’ summer might have been the NBA’s story of the decade. A late-May report from Ben Detrick of The Ringer, which detailed the use of Twitter “burner” accounts connected to president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo, set NBA Twitter afire, providing one jaw-dropping revelation after another.

The allegations within that report – that Colangelo appeared to be using anonymous Twitter accounts to criticize current and former Sixers players, share inside information about the franchise, and tip team strategy – ultimately cost the veteran executive his job, though an investigation revealed that his wife was likely the one behind the accounts.

The bizarre saga put the Sixers in a tenuous position entering the offseason. The organization was armed with the most 2018 draft picks of any NBA team – including multiple first-rounders – and had enough cap flexibility to pursue any free agent on the market. But Philadelphia headed into the draft and free agency without a permanent GM in place, employing head coach Brett Brown as the interim head of basketball operations.

While the last-minute change to the front office was unexpected, it didn’t necessarily hamstring the 76ers. Philadelphia wasn’t able to land a top free agent, but the team showed no aversion to making roster moves, completing a league-high seven trades during the offseason. Still, it remains to be seen whether all that roster activity will ultimately move the needle in 2018/19 for a team on the rise in the Eastern Conference.

Key offseason losses:

With a handful of new rookies joining the roster for the 2018/19 season, it made sense for the Sixers to move on from bench players like Richaun Holmes, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, and Justin Anderson in trades.

Although Holmes has provided the Sixers with some solid minutes over the last three seasons, he was entering the last year of his contract and didn’t project to have a major role with Amir Johnson returning. Luwawu-Cabarrot and Anderson played part-time roles in Philadelphia last season, but didn’t show major signs of forward progress and have been replaced on the roster by younger players who have a little more upside.

A pair of veteran sharpshooters represent the most significant losses for the Sixers. Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova, acquired on the buyout market after last season’s trade deadline, added a new element to Philadelphia’s offense, helping the team stretch the floor and giving stars like Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid more room to go to work.

The 76ers won 20 of their 23 regular season games in which both Belinelli and Ilyasova were active, but were unable to retain either player in free agency, as both vets came to terms quickly with new teams — Belinelli got a two-year, $12MM deal from the Spurs, while Ilyasova received a three-year, $21MM contract from Milwaukee.

The Sixers will miss the veteran duo, particularly since a reported agreement to sign an Ilyasova-like stretch four (Nemanja Bjelica) fell through.

Key offseason additions:

The Sixers entered the summer with dreams of acquiring LeBron James or Kawhi Leonard — or maybe even both. However, James wasted no time in reaching a deal with the Lakers, and Philadelphia wasn’t willing to surrender the right pieces to acquire Leonard from the Spurs, who wanted to replace their All-NBA forward with another win-now veteran (ie. DeMar DeRozan).

Having struck out on their top targets, the Sixers opted not to tie up their cap for years by throwing big money at a second-tier free agent. Instead, they kept accumulating future draft assets and rolled their cap room over to the summer of 2019, using this year’s space to re-sign J.J. Redick to a one-year deal and to trade for Wilson Chandler, who is entering the final year of his contract.

Chandler, who had been with the Nuggets since 2010, is an interesting addition for the Sixers. He’s capable of playing both forward positions, so he could fill a stretch four role (.351 3PT% since 2012/13) in certain lineups, while serving as a three-and-D wing alongside Embiid and Dario Saric in others.

Mike Muscala, a 37.8% career three-point shooter, will also help the Sixers’ frontcourt stretch the floor, and can hold his own on defense against bigger bodies. Neither Chandler nor Muscala will be a difference-maker in Philadelphia, but they’re solid veterans who should play nice complementary roles to the team’s stars.

The Sixers’ other new additions are youngsters, with Zhaire Smith, Landry Shamet, and Jonah Bolden joining the mix. Smith, who will be out until at least December with a foot injury, might not give the club much this season, and it’s not clear whether Shamet will be ready to contribute right away either. Bolden, however, could be an under-the-radar contributor to watch — the Sixers like the 2017 second-rounder, who signed a long-term deal with the team this season after spending a year overseas as a draft-and-stash prospect.

Outlook for 2018/19:

None of the players the Sixers added to their roster during the summer of 2018 represent a sizable upgrade over last year’s group, and losing Belinelli and Ilyasova might hurt. Still, Philadelphia isn’t necessarily counting on any of its newly-acquired players to be a star. The club already has two of those in Embiid and Simmons, and as long as they continue to get better, this should be one of the perennial contenders in the East.

Of course, the Sixers are desperately hoping that 2017’s first overall pick, Markelle Fultz, will ultimately join that group of young stars, giving Philadelphia its own Big Three. If Fultz can take steps toward becoming that sort of impact player in 2018/19, it won’t matter that the Sixers didn’t make a splash in free agency or on the trade market — Fultz would represent a massive in-house upgrade after his forgettable rookie season.

Without substantial development from Fultz, this Sixers squad may not be ready to compete for a title quite yet, but that’s okay. Embiid and Simmons still only have one full season apiece under their belts, and the 76ers’ 2019 cap flexibility will give the club another shot at landing a star next summer. This figures to be a team to be reckoned with for years to come.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2 comments Hoops Rumors Originals Offseason In Review Philadelphia 76ers

2018/19 Over/Unders: Central Division

By Luke Adams | at October 11, 2018 11:28 am

The 2018/19 NBA regular season will get underway in just five days, which means it’s time to get serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign. With the help of the lines from Bovada and the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division, to have you weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.

Having started with the Atlantic and Southwest divisions this week, we’re moving onto the Central today…

Indiana Pacers

2017/18 record: 48-34
Over/under for 2018/19: 47.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Tyreke Evans, Doug McDermott, Kyle O’Quinn, Aaron Holiday, Alize Johnson
- Lost: Lance Stephenson, Trevor Booker, Al Jefferson, Glenn Robinson III, Joe Young

How many games will the Pacers win in 2018/19?

Over 47.5 62.04% (255 votes)

Under 47.5 37.96% (156 votes)

Total Votes: 411

(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Pacers poll)

Milwaukee Bucks

2017/18 record: 44-38
Over/under for 2018/19: 47.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Ersan Ilyasova, Brook Lopez, Donte DiVincenzo, Pat Connaughton
- Lost: Jabari Parker, Jason Terry, Brandon Jennings

How many games will the Bucks win in 2018/19?

Over 47.5 73.70% (339 votes)

Under 47.5 26.30% (121 votes)

Total Votes: 460

(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Bucks poll)

Detroit Pistons

2017/18 record: 39-43
Over/under for 2018/19: 38.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Glenn Robinson III, Jose Calderon, Zaza Pachulia, Khyri Thomas, Bruce Brown
- Lost: Anthony Tolliver, James Ennis, Eric Moreland, Jameer Nelson, Dwight Buycks

How many games will the Pistons win in 2018/19?

Over 38.5 56.36% (226 votes)

Under 38.5 43.64% (175 votes)

Total Votes: 401

(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Pistons poll)

Cleveland Cavaliers

2017/18 record: 50-32
Over/under for 2018/19: 30.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: David Nwaba, Channing Frye, Collin Sexton, Sam Dekker
- Lost: LeBron James, Jeff Green, Jose Calderon, Okaro White

How many games will the Cavaliers win in 2018/19?

Over 30.5 55.42% (235 votes)

Under 30.5 44.58% (189 votes)

Total Votes: 424

(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Cavaliers poll)

Chicago Bulls

2017/18 record: 27-55
Over/under for 2018/19: 29.5 wins
Major offseason moves:
- Added: Jabari Parker, Wendell Carter, Chandler Hutchison, Antonius Cleveland
- Lost: David Nwaba, Jerian Grant, Noah Vonleh, Paul Zipser, Sean Kilpatrick

How many games will the Bulls win in 2018/19?

Over 29.5 61.80% (275 votes)

Under 29.5 38.20% (170 votes)

Total Votes: 445

(Trade Rumors app users, click here for Bulls poll)

Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

Boston Celtics (59.5 wins): Over (53.63%)
Toronto Raptors (55.5 wins): Over (56.95%)
Philadelphia 76ers (54.5 wins): Under (51.19%)
Brooklyn Nets (31.5 wins): Under (56.04%)
New York Knicks (28.5 wins): Under (54.13%)

Southwest:

Houston Rockets (56.5 wins): Over (69.33%)
New Orleans Pelicans (45.5 wins): Under (53.4%)
San Antonio Spurs (44.5 wins): Under (60%)
Dallas Mavericks (34.5 wins): Over (55.16%)
Memphis Grizzlies (34.5 wins): Under (60.87%)

3 comments Chicago Bulls Cleveland Cavaliers Detroit Pistons Hoops Rumors Originals Hoops Rumors Polls Indiana Pacers Milwaukee Bucks Over/Unders

2018 Offseason In Review: Indiana Pacers

By Luke Adams | at October 10, 2018 3:10 pm

Signings:

Standard contracts:
- Doug McDermott: Three years, $22MM. Signed using cap room.
- Tyreke Evans: One year, $12.4MM. Signed using cap room.
- Kyle O’Quinn: One year, $4.45MM. Signed using room exception.
Two-way contracts:
- C.J. Wilcox
  - Note: Wilcox has been ruled out for the season with a torn Achilles and is expected to be waived.
Non-guaranteed camp contracts:
- Ben Moore: One year, minimum salary. $45K partial guarantee.
- Omari Johnson: One year, minimum salary.
- Elijah Stewart: One year, minimum salary.

Trades:

None

Draft picks:

1-23: Aaron Holiday — Signed to rookie contract.
2-50: Alize Johnson — Signed to two-year, minimum salary contract. First year guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception.

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Signed head coach Nate McMillan to a contract extension through 2020/21.
Exercised 2019/20 rookie scale team options for Domantas Sabonis and T.J. Leaf.

Salary cap situation:

Used cap space; now over the cap.
Carrying approximately $106.2MM in guaranteed salaries.
No cap exceptions left besides minimum salary exception.

Check out the Indiana Pacers’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

Armed with upwards of $20MM in cap room, the Pacers entered the offseason in a rare position — not only were they coming off an impressive 48-win season and retaining all their most important pieces, but they were also in position to add another impact player.

However, despite some rumors about a few top-tier free agents – including Aaron Gordon – the Pacers ultimately took a similar approach to free agency to the one they took in previous years. Rather than using all that cap space in a single player, Indiana spread the wealth, adding a few veteran free agents to their roster on deals in the neighborhood of the mid-level.

Tyreke Evans, Doug McDermott, and Kyle O’Quinn should fit in well on a roster that overachieved in 2017/18. Evans and O’Quinn have spent most of their respective careers on lottery teams and will be willing to play whatever roles are needed in order to get to the postseason. McDermott, meanwhile, has to be thrilled about getting a three-year commitment from a team that will be his fifth since the start of the 2016/17 season.

Those veteran additions flew under the NBA radar during an offseason that saw stars like LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard change teams, but they make perfect sense for a Pacers team looking to build on last season’s success without breaking the bank or compromising future flexibility.

Key offseason losses:

While all of the Pacers’ core pieces will be back for the 2018/19 season, the team did lose a handful of role players, including Lance Stephenson. Stephenson’s second stint in Indiana wasn’t quite as successful as his first, but he was a solid contributor for last year’s squad, chipping in 9.2 PG, 5.2 RPG, and 2.9 APG off the bench.

Indiana’s decision to turn down Stephenson’s relatively modest ($4.36MM) team option for 2018/19 allowed the club to maximize its cap room while retaining the ability to bring back the 28-year-old. Ultimately, a reunion wasn’t in the cards, as Stephenson reached a deal to join the Lakers instead.

Big men Trevor Booker and Al Jefferson were among the Pacers’ other offseason departures. Booker was somewhat redundant at a power forward spot that features Thaddeus Young, especially if the Pacers envision a bigger role for T.J. Leaf. As for Jefferson, his $10MM salary was only partially guaranteed for $4MM, making him an obvious cap casualty.

The Pacers also lost Glenn Robinson III, a solid wing who missed most of the 2017/18 season after undergoing ankle surgery, and Joe Young, a third-string point guard who played limited minutes.

Key offseason additions:

It was a buyers’ market for NBA teams in free agency this summer, a contrast from the last two offseasons. So it was surprising to see the Pacers commit three years and $22MM to McDermott during the first hour of free agency once the calendar flipped to July 1.

For a team in need of a shooter, there may have been better values out there than giving McDermott three guaranteed years — Marco Belinelli got $12MM over two years from the Spurs, while Wayne Ellington returned to the Heat for one year and $6.27MM. Still, we’ll give the Pacers the benefit of the doubt with McDermott for now. They clearly have a plan in mind for him, and even if he doesn’t do much else, he’ll knock down threes. He made 49.4% of his shots from beyond the arc in 26 games for Dallas last season, bumping his career rate to 40.3%.

Evans, who got a one-year, $12.4MM contract, is perhaps the more intriguing addition for the Pacers. He’s coming off an impressive bounce-back year in Memphis in which he put up 19.4 PPG, 5.2 APG, and 5.1 RPG in 52 games before the tanking Grizzlies shut him down for the season.

With Victor Oladipo, Darren Collison, and Cory Joseph in the mix, Evans might not get a chance to handle the ball as much as he did with the Grizzlies, but there are plenty of reasons to like this fit. Evans should get a chance to become the go-to scorer for the second unit, and when he plays alongside Oladipo, he’ll avoid the toughest assignment on defense.

The Pacers further fortified their bench by signing veteran center O’Quinn and drafting promising young guard Aaron Holiday. It’s not clear how much of a role either player will have, given the team’s depth in the backcourt and at the five. However, O’Quinn is the sort of guy who can step up and provide reliable production in the event of an injury, while Holiday will get the chance to learn from and develop alongside a handful of veteran guards.

Outlook for 2018/19:

The Pacers won 48 games last year and appear to have improved their roster, but that doesn’t mean we should pencil them in for 50+ victories and a spot in the Eastern Conference Semifinals this season. The Pacers won’t catch any teams off guard in their second year without Paul George, and some regression is possible.

Still, this is a deep and talented roster, one that should claim a top-five seed in a depleted Eastern Conference, particularly if Myles Turner enjoys a bounce-back season. The Pacers are also well positioned to stay flexible going forward, with only about $40MM in guaranteed salaries on the cap for 2019/20.

With seven probable rotation players on expiring deals, the Pacers’ 2018/19 campaign will be about evaluating which of those players are keepers. More importantly though, it will be about looking to build upon last year’s surprise success and establishing a place as a perennial contender in the Eastern Conference.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2 comments Hoops Rumors Originals Indiana Pacers Offseason In Review

Community Shootaround: Kevin Durant’s Future

By Luke Adams | at October 10, 2018 8:35 am

Since joining the Warriors during the summer of 2016, Kevin Durant has signed short-term contracts, opting out and signing new deals twice since then. Those short-term commitments weren’t necessarily a sign of his unwillingness to commit to Golden State long-term, but rather a byproduct of the constraints of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Those short-term contracts allowed Durant to maximize his year-to-year earnings if he wanted to (instead, he opted for a team-friendly discount in year two) and will put him in position to ink a five-year contract with the Warriors in 2019, when the team will finally have secured his Bird rights.

However, while Durant’s return to Golden State was a given during the last two summers, that no longer appears to be the case for 2019. Despite winning back-to-back titles with the Warriors, earning Finals MVP honors both times, Durant isn’t viewed as a lock to remain in the Bay Area for many years to come.

Those rumblings about Durant’s possible departure grew a little louder last week, when multiple national NBA writers, including Chris Haynes, Chris Mannix, and Tim Bontemps, suggested that people around the NBA viewed the Knicks as a legit suitor for nine-time All-Star. Now, a local reporter has joined the conversation and added further credence to the idea that Durant could head elsewhere.

Following up on a radio appearance on KNBR, Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic wrote last night that he’s not reporting that Durant will leave Golden State at season’s end, but if he had to guess, he’d predict the 30-year-old will head elsewhere.

As Thompson explains, Durant’s comments about keeping his options open and taking things “season by season” strike a different tone than what he’s said about his situation in past years. Additionally, Thompson says he’s spoken to several people within the Warriors’ franchise about the subject, and gets the same sentiment from most of them: they hope he stays, but wouldn’t be surprised if he leaves.

It’s hard to imagine any team besides the Warriors entering the 2019 offseason as the favorites to sign Durant, especially if they win another title. After all, they’ll be able to offer him more years and more money than any other club. Still, many teams around the NBA will have the cap space necessary to sign a maximum-salary free agent, and several of those teams will be eager to pitch Durant on becoming the new face of their franchise.

What do you think? Is it crazy to think that Durant might leave Golden State next year after his run of success with the team? Do you expect him to stick around the Bay Area beyond 2019, or will rival teams have a real chance to lure him away?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in!

22 comments Community Shootaround Golden State Warriors Hoops Rumors Originals Kevin Durant

Fantasy Hoops: Preseason Top-150 Rankings

By ChrisCrouse | at October 9, 2018 6:20 pm

The 2018/19 season is almost here and so much has changed since the last time we presented an edition of Fantasy Hoops!

LeBron James took his talents to Hollywood and brought along an entertaining cast. DeMarcus Cousins is the latest player to draw the ire of fans for electing to sign with the NBA’s elite. Kawhi Leonard was shipped to The North while Paul George backtracked to an earlier time and stayed in an Oklahoma state of mind.

Let’s take a look at where these and the league’s other top players rank in our fantasy basketball top 150 (rankings based on Roto Scoring with nine categories—points, assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, 3-pointers, field goal percentage, free throw percentage, and turnovers):Read more

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Hoops Rumors Originals News & Rumors

Signings:

Trades:

Draft picks:

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Salary cap situation:

Story of the summer:

Key offseason losses:

Key offseason additions:

Outlook for 2018/19:

Signings:

Trades:

Draft picks:

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Salary cap situation:

Story of the summer:

Key offseason losses:

Key offseason additions:

Outlook for 2018/19:

Golden State Warriors

Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Clippers

Phoenix Suns

Sacramento Kings

Previous voting results:

Signings:

Trades:

Draft picks:

Draft-and-stash signings:

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Salary cap situation:

Story of the summer:

Key offseason losses:

Key offseason additions:

Outlook for 2018/19:

Indiana Pacers

Milwaukee Bucks

Detroit Pistons

Cleveland Cavaliers

Chicago Bulls

Previous voting results:

Signings:

Trades:

Draft picks:

Departing players:

Other offseason news:

Salary cap situation:

Story of the summer:

Key offseason losses:

Key offseason additions:

Outlook for 2018/19: