Hoops Rumors Glossary: 10-Day Contracts
This Friday marks the renewal of the annual tradition of the ultimate on-the-job tryout in professional sports. The 10-day contract has been the foot in the door for several players who’ve gone on to lengthy, successful NBA careers, like Anthony Mason, Bruce Bowen, Raja Bell, Kurt Rambis, Howard Eisley, and several others. C.J. Watson saw his first NBA action on a pair of 10-day contracts with the Warriors in 2008, and blossomed into a sought-after backup point guard. He signed a three-year, $15MM deal with the Magic in 2015.
Ten-day deals also help veterans make comebacks. Chris Andersen languished in free agency for six months after the Nuggets used the amnesty clause to get rid of him, but two 10-day contracts with the Heat in 2013 kick-started a revival for the Birdman. He wound up signing for the rest of the season that year and played a key role in Miami’s championship run. Andersen reprised that role on a guaranteed minimum-salary contract the next season, and that led the Heat to re-sign him in 2014 to a two-year, $10.375MM deal.
More recently, players like David Nwaba, Okaro White, and Yogi Ferrell jump-started their respective NBA careers last season with 10-day contracts, parlaying those deals into multiyear pacts. While those guys remain on NBA rosters, the 10-day is often a fleeting glimpse at NBA life for players on pro basketball’s fringe — the majority of last year’s signees aren’t currently in the league.
Beginning on Friday, January 5, a team can sign a player to as many as two 10-day contracts before committing to him for the rest of the season or, as in many cases, turning him away. A player can’t sign three 10-day contracts with the same team, but after signing two 10-day deals with one club, he’s allowed to sign another with a separate club.
Ten-day deals are almost always for a prorated portion of the minimum salary, though they can be worth more. A minimum-salary 10-day contract for a rookie this season is worth $46,080, or 10/177ths of the full-season rookie minimum salary. A one-year veteran would earn $74,159. A minimum-salary 10-day deal for any veteran of two or more seasons would represent a cost of $83,129 to the team.
Veterans with more than two years of NBA experience would earn more than $83,129 on a 10-day contract, but the league would pay the extra freight. However, teams gain no financial advantage if they eschew 10-day contracts with more experienced players to sign rookies or one-year veterans to 10-day deals in an effort to avoid the tax, as those deals count the same as the ones for two-year veterans when the league calculates a team’s salary for tax purposes.
Teams would have to pay slightly more if they sign a player to a 10-day contract and they have fewer than three games on their schedule over that 10-day period. In those cases, the length of the 10-day contract is extended so that it covers three games for the team. It’s rare that any team would have such a light schedule, since most play at least three games a week, but the rule sometimes comes into play around the All-Star break.
If there are fewer than 10 days left in the NBA regular season, a team can’t sign a player to a 10-day contract.
A team may terminate a 10-day contract before it runs to term if it wants to use the roster spot to accommodate a waiver claim, signing, or trade acquisition. Players whose 10-day contracts end early don’t go on waivers, so they become free agents immediately. Still, those players receive their full 10-day salaries — the contracts are fully guaranteed for the 10 days.
While clubs close to the luxury tax threshold may be wary of bringing players aboard via 10-day contracts, other teams will make liberal use of those deals, in part because they’re relatively inexpensive. A year ago, the rebuilding Mavericks and the short-handed Pelicans each signed six different players to at least one 10-day deal.
Usually, teams only have one player on a 10-day contract at a time, though they’re allowed to carry as many 10-day contracts as they have players on the inactive list. If a team has 13 players on the active list, it can carry one more 10-day contract than the number of inactive players it has, meaning that if a team has a full 15-man roster, as many as three of those players may be on 10-day deals.
Young players recently released by NBA teams, like Kay Felder and Gary Payton II, figure to draw consideration for 10-day contracts, as should notable veteran free agents, such as Jordan Crawford and Derrick Williams. G League standouts like Trey Burke, Xavier Munford, and Amile Jefferson could all find paths to the NBA via 10-day contracts. Other NBA hopefuls from the G League will make their cases to scouts at a four-day showcase which will take place later this month in Mississauga, Ontario.
Note: This is a Hoops Rumors Glossary entry. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to trades, free agency, or other aspects of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ was used in the creation of this post.
Earlier versions of this post were published in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 by Luke Adams and Chuck Myron.
Weekly Mailbag: 12/25/17 – 12/31/17
We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com.
What are the latest Bucks trade rumors besides DeAndre Jordan, JaVale McGee and Zaza Pachulia? — ROBZ, via Twitter
Milwaukee has been in the market for a center since sending Greg Monroe to Phoenix in the Eric Bledsoe deal. The Bucks are loaded with talent, but are being held back by their lack of rebounding, where they rank near the bottom of the league. They will be interested in any big man who becomes available between now and the February 8 trade deadline and would probably be first in line for Jordan if the Clippers decide to part with him. An under-the-radar name to watch is Kyle O’Quinn, who has developed into an effective back-up for the Knicks. Enes Kanter has the starting job in New York and the team wants to find additional minutes for Willy Hernangomez and Joakim Noah, so a deal involving O’Quinn wouldn’t be surprising. He’s relatively cheap at $4.0875MM this year with a $4,256,250 player option for next season, so the Bucks wouldn’t have to give up much in return.
What do you believe is a decent asking price for Nikola Mirotic and Robin Lopez together or in separate deals? — Mike 2k_97, via Twitter
The Bulls have looked like a playoff team over the past three weeks, but management still has a rebuilding mindset. That means the team will be asking for first-rounders in any deal. Mirotic has been a candidate for Most Improved Player since returning from facial fractures, averaging 18.1 points through 12 games and shooting 48% from 3-point range. His has a $12.5MM salary this season and a team option for the same amount in 2018/19, so he would be a relatively inexpensive piece for a contender to add. He is still bitter over his preseason fight with Bobby Portis and would welcome a trade if it gets him to a playoff team. He doesn’t become eligible to be traded until January 15, but a recent report said the Bulls are willing to move him if they can get a mid to late first-rounder in return. Lopez has a much higher salary at nearly $13.8MM this year and close to $14.36MM next season, so he will be much tougher to trade.
What do you think of LaVar Ball’s junior basketball league that will cater to high school ballers who want to skip college basketball and join the NBA? — Gregory Dizon
It certainly has appeal to some players who see the NBA as their future and don’t want to deal with the academic part of college life, and having Ball in charge means it would get plenty of publicity. But the economics of running any new league are always a concern, as attendance and general interest will depend on landing some big-name prospects each year. The biggest challenge for the league will be proving that it can be an effective path to a pro career. Most five-star recruits are going to view the coaching provided at Kentucky, North Carolina, Duke, Kansas and other major college programs as a better option than an upstart pro league.
Community Shootaround: Lakers’ First-Rounder
The Lakers’ current five-game losing streak affects more than just the mood in the Staples Center. It could help determine the long-range balance of power in the Atlantic Division and the entire league.
L.A.’s first-round pick for 2018 will belong to either the Sixers or Celtics, depending on where it falls. If it’s No. 1 overall or sixth or later, Philadelphia gets to keep it. If it’s anywhere from second to fifth, the selection goes to Boston. The unusual protection rules were applied in the deal that sent this year’s number one from the Celtics to the Sixers.
The draft choice has been on a long journey since the Lakers sent it to Phoenix in the Steve Nash trade in July of 2012. The Suns moved it on to Philadelphia in a three-team deal in 2015 that brought Brandon Knight and Kendall Marshall to Phoenix. The pick was top five protected in 2015 and top three protected in 2016 and 2017, so the Sixers have been waiting a long time for it to convey.
The Celtics appeared to be out of the running for the pick when the Lakers started the season strong, but they have fallen on hard times over the past month. Their 11-23 record is the third worst in the league, ahead of only the Grizzlies at 11-24 and the Hawks at 9-26. A handful of teams are jumbled just in front of them, so L.A. is just a half-game from catching the sixth-place Kings and moving the odds for the pick back in Philadelphia’s favor. Regardless of where the teams all finish, the final determination won’t be made until lottery night.
The potential payoff for the Celtics or Sixers could be huge. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has Slovenian star Luka Doncic ranked first in his latest mock draft (Insider account), followed by Duke’s Marvin Bagley III, Arizona’s Deandre Ayton, Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr. and Texas’ Mohamed Bamba. Either Boston or Philadelphia will be in line to add a cornerstone player to an already impressive roster.
If the Sixers land the top pick, Doncic could be a versatile running mate for Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons for the next decade or so. The Celtics could upgrade at center by taking Bagley, Ayton or Bamba or they could add another star wing player in Porter.
Our question for tonight is which team would benefit more from landing the Lakers’ pick if it remains high in the lottery? Please leave your comments in the space below.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 12/23/17 – 12/30/17
Every week, we at Hoops Rumors strive to create interesting original content to complement our news feed. Below are our original segments and features from the last 7 days.
- In three different Community Shootaround posts, we asked:
- Has the return of Nikola Mirotic and the breakout play of point guard Kris Dunn made the Bulls a legitimate contender for a playoff spot?
- Which players are most deserving of their first All-Star appearance?
- Will Markelle Fultz fall short, meet, or exceed the expectations of being the top overall selection of the NBA draft?
- In a Weekly Mailbag segment, Arthur Hill answered questions involving the future cap situation of the Timberwolves and the trade values of Mirotic and Julius Randle.
Predicting The Future: Markelle Fultz
When Markelle Fultz made his debut earlier this season, he became just the third No. 1 overall pick in history to come off the bench. Sarah Todd of The Philadelphia Inquirer notes that the other two top selections who did not start right away ended up having underwhelming careers.
Anthony Bennett, who was a surprise No. 1 overall pick, began with the Cavs’ bench unit and he never made his way into the starting lineup for Cleveland. He was sent to Wolves in the Kevin Love deal and he ended up only starting three games during his lone season in Minnesota. After a stop in Toronto where he played in just 19 games (no starts), he landed in Brooklyn for just 23 games (one start). Bennett now plays in the G League.
Andrea Bargnani spent the majority of his rookie season on the bench, though he accumulated 314 starts in Toronto over the ensuing six seasons. He peaked during the lockout-shortened 2011/12 season, sporting a player efficiency rating of 17.9, though he never made an All-Star team nor became a top contributor to a winning team.
Bennett was arguably the worst No. 1 pick in history, though Fultz’s early troubles do not mean that he will compete with Bennett for that distinction. It’s more likely that the point guard ends up rivaling Bargnani’s career—someone who plays around 10 seasons in the league, but never really lives up to the hype—than ending up in the G League like Bennett.
It’s too early to definitely say whether Fultz is a bust or whether this is simply a minor roadblock on the way to a Hall of Fame career. There’s a wide range of possibilities between a Bennett-type fall and a James Harden-type rise and there are benchmarks in between those two extremes.
Fultz could make an All-Star team. He could make an All-NBA team or he could struggle and never meet any of the expectations that come with being a No. 1 overall pick. Even if he doesn’t meet those expectations, he could remain in the league and make a nice living as a secondary player. He could be Bargnani.
How do you see Fultz’s career shaking out? Will he meet or exceed any of the expectations of being the top overall selection of the 2017 draft? Will he be better or worse than Bargnani?
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!
Community Shootaround: First-Time All-Stars
Today is more than just Christmas; it also marks the first day of voting for the NBA’s All-Star Game. This year’s contest, which will take place February 18 in Los Angeles, will feature a new format, with the traditional East vs. West matchup scrapped in favor of two team captains selecting from a pool of players.
Fans can count on seeing perennial All-Stars such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and others, but every year brings a few fresh faces. Here are some candidates who are in position to make their first All-Star appearance.
- Kristaps Porzingis, Knicks — The trade of Carmelo Anthony made Porzingis the clear No. 1 option in New York and he is responding with his best season. Porzingis is averaging 24.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game and has the Knicks in the middle of the playoff race. Barring injury, he seems almost certain to earn All-Star honors.
- Joel Embiid, Sixers — Embiid would probably be an All-Star every season if he could remain healthy. He has increased his minutes to more than 31 per game this year and is delivering 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. Embiid may have an MVP season in his future and seems like a lock for the All-Star Game.
- Ben Simmons, Sixers — The early favorite for Rookie of the Year, Simmons has shown no ill effects from missing the entire 2016/17 season, averaging 17.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 7.7 assists through his first 31 games. He has displayed the versatility and court vision that made him the first overall pick in 2016.
- Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves — His numbers have declined this season as Minnesota added more talent around him, but there’s no denying that Towns is among the best young centers in the league. He’s on pace to average a double-double for the third straight season, putting up 20.5 points and 11.7 rebounds per game.
- Victor Oladipo, Pacers — Oladipo is primed to win the Most Improved Player award and maybe a few other honors. He has been invigorated by an offseason trade to Indiana, raising his scoring average nearly 10 points per game to its current level of 25.3.
- Bradley Beal, Wizards — Another high-scoring Eastern shooting guard, Beal helped Washington remain competitive with John Wall sidelined by injury. Beal sometimes gets overshadowed by his backcourt partner, but he is turning in another outstanding season, averaging 23 points per night.
- Myles Turner, Pacers — Turner has become an elite shot blocker, leading the league at 2.5 per game, to go with 14.7 points and 7.1 rebounds. He is part of the reason Indiana has been able to stay in the playoff race without Paul George.
We want to get your input. Which of these players is most deserving of an All-Star debut this season, and are there some others who should be mentioned? Please leave your responses in the comments section below.
Weekly Mailbag: 12/18/17 – 12/24/17
We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com.
What are your thoughts on Nikola Mirotic‘s value before the deadline? — Mike 2k_97, via Twitter
A report earlier this month said the Bulls looked into trading Mirotic and Bobby Portis after their preseason altercation and found a “non-existent” market for both players. That may have changed with Mirotic’s performance during the seven-game winning streak, but now it may be in Chicago’s interest to keep the team together. Mirotic and Portis have put aside their differences and are working effectively as teammates, and neither is all that expensive. Mirotic re-signed for $12.5MM this season with a team option for the same amount in 2018/19, while Portis is still on his rookie contract. Mirotic is putting up by far the best numbers of his career with 17.9 points and 7.6 rebounds and is shooting 48% from 3-point range. However, teams are still wary about his past performance, so his trade value isn’t high. The Bulls might get a couple of draft picks, but nothing too significant, so expect him to stay in Chicago for the rest of the season.
What do you think Lakers can receive by trading Julius Randle before the deadline? — Ralph Lakers, via Twitter
The Lakers are in an uncomfortable position. The rest of the league knows they want to cut salary to make a free agent splash next summer, so other teams are asking for a premium price to help them. Earlier today, we passed along a report that teams want multiple first-rounders or Brandon Ingram in exchange for taking on Luol Deng‘s contract. Randle doesn’t have nearly the negative value that Deng does, but Lakers fans shouldn’t expect anything significant in return for salary dumps. L.A. had preliminary talks with the Mavericks about Nerlens Noel before the Dallas center had thumb surgery, and that’s probably as good as the return is going to get. If Randle is traded, it will be for an expiring contract that won’t affect cap room.
Timberwolves newcomer Jimmy Butler has quickly established himself as the alpha dog over Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns. Wiggins signed a max contract extension this year, and Towns is due for one next year. Butler can opt out of his contract the following year. Is it possible for a team to sign three players to max deals? If not, do you foresee the Wolves trading either Wiggins or Towns in order to keep Butler? — Matt Trapp
The Wolves must be budgeting for three max deals or they wouldn’t have given one to Wiggins, who is young and talented but is easily the most expendable of the three. Barring injury, Towns is a lock for a maximum extension when the time comes and Butler became the cornerstone of the franchise when Minnesota traded for him in July. With Gorgui Dieng signed through 20/21 and Wiggins’ extension carrying into 2021/22, the Wolves aren’t going to have cap room to work with anyway. Towns and Butler will both get max deals and management will accept the tax penalties as long as the team keeps winning.
Community Shootaround: Are The Bulls For Real?
Through the early part of the season, the Bulls were headed in a predictable direction. After trading Jimmy Butler, not re-signing Rajon Rondo and negotiating a buyout with Dwyane Wade, last year’s “Three Alphas” were gone and Chicago seemed headed for a high lottery pick with a 3-20 record.
But things changed quickly when Nikola Mirotic returned from facial fractures he picked up in a preseason skirmish with teammate Bobby Portis. The Bulls put together a seven-game winning streak that included a victory over the East-leading Celtics. That streak has been stopped with back-to-back losses at Cleveland and Boston, but Chicago entered the night just six and a half games out of a playoff spot with plenty of time left to make a run.
Another key to the turnaround has been point guard Kris Dunn, one of the pieces acquired from Minnesota in the Butler deal. He’s averaging 13.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists on the season and has hit double figures in scoring in 12 of his last 13 games. Dunn is showing flashes of the player he was expected to be when the Wolves took him with the fifth pick in the 2016 draft.
Among the believers is Celtics coach Brad Stevens, who raved about Chicago’s improvement before tonight’s game. “The last 10 games they’ve been unbelievable,” he said. “Like, they’ve been fun to watch and their half-court offense has been the best in the NBA.”
Looming on the horizon is the Chicago debut of Zach LaVine, the high-flying guard who was also acquired in the Butler deal. The Bulls have been cautious about his recovery from a torn ACL last season, but he is expected to be ready in early January. LaVine was posting a career-high 18.9 points per game before the injury.
With Chicago suddenly playing like a contender, we want to know what you think. Do the Bulls have enough talent to challenge for a playoff spot or will they fade back to the bottom of the East? Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 12/16/17 – 12/23/17
Every week, we at Hoops Rumors strive to create interesting original content to complement our news feed. Below are our original segments and features from the last 7 days:
- We polled our readers as to who they believe will end up winning the 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year award and as to whether they think LaVar Ball‘s Junior Basketball Association will be successful.
- We examined the players who remain ineligible to be traded.
- In two different Community Shootaround posts, we asked for your input on where Kobe Bryant ranks among the all-time greats and what the Hornets should do with their roster in the wake of a disappointing season.
- Luke Adams revisited the Hoops Rumors Glossary to analyze the stretch provision.
- Our Free Agent Stock Watch focused on the Denver Nuggets.
- We reminded our readers how to follow specific players on Hoops Rumors.
- We analyzed five minor offseason trades that are paying dividends for teams now.
- Chris Crouse offered fantasy hoops advice focusing on Michael Beasley, Troy Daniels, and Serge Ibaka, among others.
Fantasy Hoops: Beasley, Daniels, Ibaka, KCP
When fans are chanting “MVP” as Michael Beasley parades the court, it may seem as if though you are in an alternative universe. However, 2017 has brought us a plethora of shocking occurrences in the NBA world and amidst all of that, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that the former No. 2 overall pick, who’s known for his offense, has found a way to be relevant again.
Beasley dominated the team with the Eastern Conference’s best record on Thursday night, scoring 32 points in 25 minutes off the bench. He made 65% of shots and posted a plus/minus of 18. While he’s unlikely to be that efficient going forward, he warrants a roster spot for those fantasy owners who have one to spare due to his upside.
Beasley is always a threat to regress, though he should maintain a large slice of Knicks‘ offensive pie, at least while Tim Hardaway remains sidelined, and that makes him a contributor in fantasy leagues.
Here’s more fantasy basketball notes and analysis from around the league:
- Sometimes smaller trades pay dividends, as I mentioned in last week’s edition of Fantasy Hoops, and the Suns made one of the offseason’s best minor deals when they nabbed Troy Daniels from the Grizzlies. Daniels hasn’t been a consistent fantasy performer, though he’s been a contributor in the three-pointer category for those in Roto leagues. Since Devin Booker exited the lineup with a groin injury, only eight players have made more shots per game from behind the arc than Daniels has. Booker could be back before the end of the month, but while he’s sidelined, enjoy the production.
- Serge Ibaka is enjoying a nice month of December, posting 6.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game since the calendar turned. He’s also shooting 53.7% from downtown, making 2.4 shots per night. Sometimes veterans can be undervalued in fantasy and if that’s the case in your league, Ibaka could be a player to target in trades.
- Searching for someone on the waiver wire to help you in the steals category? Kent Bazemore (owned in just under 57% of ESPN leagues) may be your guy. Only three players—Robert Covington, Draymond Green, Chris Paul—have more steals per game in the month of December than Atlanta’s swingman.
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is currently serving a 25-day jail sentence and can only play home games as part of his work-release program since he is not permitted to leave the state of California. KCP should only miss two games during this stretch (Houston on December 31; Minnesota on January 1). Plan accordingly.
Fantasy questions? Take to the comment section below or tweet me at @CW_Crouse.
Statistics are current through Friday morning. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images