Hoops Rumors Originals

2017 Offseason In Review: Detroit Pistons

October 3rd, 2017 at 10:15am CST by Dana Gauruder

Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2017 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 2017/18 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Detroit Pistons.

Signings:

Langston Galloway: Three years, $21MM.
Eric Moreland: Three years, $5.479MM. First year partially guaranteed ($750K). Second and third years non-guaranteed.
Reggie Bullock: Two years, $5MM. Second year non-guaranteed.
Anthony Tolliver: One year, $3.29MM.
Luis Montero: Two-way contract. Two years.
Dwight Buycks: Two-way contract. One year, $50K guaranteed.

Camp invitees:

Beno Udrih: One year, minimum salary. Exact details not yet known.
Landry Nnoko: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10.
Derek Willis: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10.

Trades:

Acquired cash ($1MM) from the Rockets in exchange for Darrun Hilliard.
Acquired Avery Bradley and a 2019 second-round pick from the Celtics in exchange for Marcus Morris.

Draft picks:

1-12: Luke Kennard — Signed to rookie contract.

Departing players:

Aron Baynes
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Michael Gbinije (waived)
Darrun Hilliard
Marcus Morris

Other offseason news:

Moved to downtown Detroit, from Palace of Auburn Hills to Little Caesars Arena.
Jason Maxiell retired as a Piston.

Salary cap situation:

Operating over the cap and under the tax. Carrying approximately $115MM in guaranteed salaries. Hard-capped. Only minimum salary exception available.

Check out the Detroit Pistons’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

Head coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy, along with GM Jeff Bower, had a tough dilemma following a very disappointing 2016/17 campaign: Should they give shooting guard and restricted free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope a long-term contract?

Entering the offseason, the general consensus was that the Pistons would either lock up Caldwell-Pope or they would match an offer sheet, as long as the monetary burden wasn’t overwhelming. Caldwell-Pope was the team’s best perimeter defender, matching up with the opponent’s top offensive guard, regardless of whether that player was a point guard or shooting guard. He could also shadow some threes in smaller lineups.

A few factors swayed Van Gundy and Bower in another direction. First, Caldwell-Pope’s spotty offensive production was an issue. In 31 of the 76 games he played last season, Caldwell-Pope scored 10 or fewer points.

Second, the Pistons were already saddled with burdensome contracts for starters Reggie Jackson, Andre Drummond, Tobias Harris and backup Jon Leuer. Giving Caldwell-Pope $20MM or more annually would push a team that didn’t even make the playoffs last season into luxury tax territory. Third, they found a better solution, at least in the short term.

The Celtics needed to unload some salary in order to sign Gordon Hayward and the Pistons swooped in and traded for versatile Avery Bradley to replace Caldwell-Pope. Bradley becomes a free agent after this season, though Detroit’s brass has already indicated its desire to re-sign Bradley.

The Pistons renounced their rights to Caldwell-Pope once they agreed to the deal. As it turned out, Caldwell-Pope had a harder time finding long-term security than expected. He signed a one-year, $18MM contract with the Lakers and will return to the free agent market next summer.

Key offseason losses:

Marcus Morris was forwarded to the Celtics in the Bradley deal. Morris isn’t a player favored by analytics and advanced stats. He had a 12.47 Player Efficiency Rating, below the 15.0 league average. But he played both forward spots and answered the bell more than any other Pistons player the last two seasons, starting in 79 games last season and 80 the previous year. Van Gundy could count on Morris for consistency and toughness, and now it will be up to Stanley Johnson – who had a poor sophomore season – to fill that void.

Backup center Aron Baynes opted out of his contract and eventually signed with the Celtics. Van Gundy often stated last season that Baynes was good enough to start for most teams. However, Baynes actually wound up accepting less money to play for a serious contender.

Key offseason additions:

Bradley is an outstanding two-way player coming off a career year. The 6’2” guard averaged a career-high 16.3 PPG and also made a significant impact on the boards (6.1 RPG). He’s a tenacious defender and above-average three-point shooter (39.0% last season). The latter skill will greatly aid an offense heavily reliant on pick-and-rolls to make defenses pay for collapsing on Drummond.

Langston Galloway was a surprising addition from the free agent market, but Van Gundy liked his versatility. He can play either guard spot and gives the Pistons some insurance in case Jackson’s knee issues remain a lingering problem. He’s also an above-average long-distance shooter.

Speaking of shooting, the Pistons used their late-lottery pick on former Duke two guard Luke Kennard, who may have been the best pure shooter in the draft. He’ll battle Galloway for playing time behind Bradley.

Anthony Tolliver returns for a second stint with the club and gives the Pistons a veteran locker-room presence and another stretch four at Van Gundy’s disposal.

Outlook for 2017/18:

The Pistons are moving into a new downtown arena and they hope that will bring some new energy to a franchise that sorely needs every boost it can get.

Detroit seemingly has the talent to make the postseason for the second time in three seasons but that hinges on bounce-back seasons from Jackson and Drummond. Jackson struggled physically last season after missing 21 games due to knee tendinitis and his lack of explosiveness diffused the entire attack. Drummond’s production suffered and he often looked disinterested and frustrated as the losses piled up.

Bradley should boost the starting unit, but Johnson’s development is a key factor. He’s got to become more of an offensive threat and show more overall focus. Leuer also needs to recover from a poor second half and regain his long-range stroke.

Boban Marjanovic will have an expanded role as Drummond’s backup and it will be interesting to see if the lumbering big man’s offensive power can outweigh his lack of defensive mobility.

Van Gundy’s seat could get very hot if the Pistons don’t show vast improvement this season.

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

2017 Offseason In Review: Minnesota Timberwolves

October 2nd, 2017 at 3:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Signings:

Jeff Teague: Three years, $57MM. Third-year player option.
Taj Gibson: Two years, $28MM.
Jamal Crawford: Two years, $8.872MM. Second-year player option.
Shabazz Muhammad: Two years, minimum salary. Second-year player option.
Aaron Brooks: One year, minimum salary.
Anthony Brown: Two-way contract. One year, $50K guaranteed.

Camp invitees:

Marcus Georges-Hunt: One year, minimum salary. Non-guaranteed.
Amile Jefferson: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10.
Melo Trimble: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10.

Trades:

Acquired Jimmy Butler and the draft rights to Justin Patton (No. 16 pick) from the Bulls in exchange for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn, and the draft rights to Lauri Markkanen (No. 7 pick).
Acquired the Thunder’s 2018 first-round pick (top-14 protected) from the Jazz in exchange for Ricky Rubio.

Draft picks:

1-16: Justin Patton — Signed to rookie contract.

Departing players:

Omri Casspi
Kris Dunn
Jordan Hill
Zach LaVine
Adreian Payne
Nikola Pekovic (waived; medical retirement)
Ricky Rubio
Brandon Rush

Other offseason news:

Expected to finalize rookie scale extension with Andrew Wiggins.
Bought Iowa Energy, renamed the G League team as the Iowa Wolves.

Salary cap situation:

Used up all cap room and room exception. Over the cap, carrying approximately $104MM in guaranteed salaries. Only minimum salary exception available.

Check out the Minnesota Timberwolves’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

Heading into June’s draft, it looked like the Timberwolves were on track to add another young prospect – perhaps Malik Monk or Lauri Markkanen – to a core that already featured Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kris Dunn, and Zach LaVine. Throw in a free agent addition or two, and that young group would have had a chance to make the leap into the top eight in the West, earning the Wolves their first playoff berth since 2004.

Head coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau had other ideas though, signaling that he wasn’t satisfied with simply taking another incremental step forward. Instead of playing it safe on draft day, the Wolves flipped Dunn, LaVine, and the team’s No. 7 pick to the Bulls for old friend Jimmy Butler.

Once free agency got underway, Thibs and the front office added another familiar face from his Bulls days by signing Taj Gibson, and filled out the backcourt with a couple more veterans, signing Jeff Teague and Jamal Crawford.

When the dust settled, the Timberwolves still looked like a team capable of making strides based on the development of former top picks Wiggins and Towns, but the veteran additions – headlined by Butler – had significantly increased the ceiling for the club. Suddenly, Minnesota looked ready not just to end the franchise’s postseason drought, but to potentially grab a top-five seed in a competitive Western Conference.

Key offseason losses:

The fifth overall pick in the 2016 draft, Dunn garnered significant interest a year ago, with the Bulls among the clubs that looked to acquire him on draft night. After a poor rookie season, it seemed safe to assume that Dunn’s value would have been somewhat diminished, but Chicago was still willing to make him and LaVine the centerpieces of a trade involving an All-NBA forward in Butler.

While Dunn has the potential to develop into an above-average NBA point guard and LaVine enjoyed a breakout season in 2016/17 before tearing his ACL, losing the duo shouldn’t have a huge impact on Minnesota’s on-court performance in the short term. Dunn’s .377/.288/.610 shooting percentage made him a liability, and LaVine only appeared in 47 games last season.

The bigger immediate loss for the Timberwolves will be Ricky Rubio, the former fifth overall pick who enjoyed his best season in 2016/17. Few point guards in the NBA can match the playmaking abilities of the Spaniard, who averaged 16.0 PPG and 10.5 APG after the All-Star break last season, but moving on from Rubio and Dunn will allow Minnesota to upgrade its shooting at the point guard spot — Rubio’s modest .402 FG% last season was a career best.

The Wolves also said goodbye to another long-tenured veteran over the offseason, waiving Nikola Pekovic and clearing his salary from their cap due to medical retirement. Pekovic hadn’t played in an NBA game since January 2016, so his departure essentially just opened up a roster spot and some cap room for the Wolves, but it wasn’t that long ago that he was a standout center for the franchise (17.5 PPG in 2013/14).

Key offseason additions:

While I didn’t hate the Butler deal for the Bulls as intensely as many NBA fans and observers did, it was certainly a coup for the Timberwolves. To land one of the 20 best players in the NBA, Minnesota only needed to move down nine spots in the draft and part with a struggling second-year point guard and a 2018 RFA-to-be recovering from a torn ACL.

It will be interesting to see whether Butler and Wiggins – who have similar games and aren’t exactly deadly outside shooters – can comfortably co-exist in the same lineup, but they’re both so talented that I have little doubt Thibodeau and company will find a way to make it work.

Teague and Crawford should be solid fits as well, providing the team with some solid – if not spectacular – three-point shooting. While Teague doesn’t have Rubio’s passing ability, he has also never been the sort of point guard who needs to take 15 or 20 shots per game, meaning he should have no problem getting Wiggins, Butler, and Towns involved in the offense. Crawford is less inclined to get everyone else looks, but if he plays with the second unit, that shouldn’t be a huge priority — with that group, he’ll be relied upon to score.

The signing of Gibson was one Wolves move that I questioned. His toughness and rebounding ability should pay off at times throughout the season, and he’ll have Thibodeau’s trust out of the gate, but $14MM per year is a significant price for an aging power forward without an outside shot. Patrick Patterson‘s three-year, $16MM+ deal with Oklahoma City might’ve been a better fit for the Wolves, giving them a more versatile power forward and freeing up some money to dedicate to a wing or a backup point guard.

Without that extra cap flexibility, the Wolves went bargain hunting for a wing and a point guard, and were able to lock up Shabazz Muhammad and Aaron Brooks, another former Bull. Minnesota certainly could’ve done worse for the minimum salary, but Muhammad isn’t a particularly well-rounded player, and Brooks has seen his role dwindle over the last few years.

Outlook for 2017/18:

Although I expect the Timberwolves to end their postseason drought in 2017/18, I think the club will ultimately fight for a spot in the back half of the West’s top eight, rather than seriously vying for a top-five seed.

Minnesota landed a star when the team traded for Butler, but jettisoning Rubio in order to sign Teague looks like a marginal upgrade at best. And while Butler and Crawford should be net positives, their best days are likely behind them. The Timberwolves’ ability to make major strides this season may ultimately come down to Butler’s contributions and improvements from Wiggins and Towns.

It’s easy to forget now, but there were NBA experts who expected the Wolves to rack up 45 or 50 wins a year ago based on the upside of Wiggins and Towns. With the focus on Butler and the newcomers this year, those former No. 1 picks are under a little less pressure to carry the team. However, if the Wolves aim to win 45 or 50 games this season, Wiggins and Towns will have to have a major hand in it.

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

2017 Offseason In Review: Indiana Pacers

October 1st, 2017 at 10:16pm CST by Austin Kent

Signings:

Bojan Bogdanovic: Two years, $21MM. Second year partially guaranteed ($1.5MM).
Darren Collison: Two years, $20MM. Second year partially guaranteed ($2MM).
Edmond Sumner: Two-way contract. Two years, $50K guaranteed in each season.
Alex Poythress: Two-way contract. Exact details not known.

Camp invitees:

Damien Wilkins: One year, minimum salary. Partially guaranteed ($25K).
DeQuan Jones: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10.
Trey McKinney-Jones: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10.
Ben Moore: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10.
Jarrod Uthoff: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10.

Trades:

Acquired the draft rights to Edmond Sumner (No. 52 pick) from the Pelicans in exchange for cash ($1MM).
Acquired Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis from the Thunder in exchange for Paul George.
Acquired Cory Joseph from the Raptors in exchange for the draft rights to Emir Preldzic.

Draft picks:

1-18: T.J. Leaf — Signed to rookie contract.
2-47: Ike Anigbogu — Signed to three-year, $3.947MM contract. Second year partially guaranteed ($690K). Third year non-guaranteed.
2-52: Edmond Sumner — Signed to two-way contract.

Departing players:

Lavoy Allen (declined team option)
Aaron Brooks
Rakeem Christmas (waived)
Monta Ellis (waived)
Paul George
C.J. Miles
Georges Niang (waived)
Kevin Seraphin (waived)
Jeff Teague

Other offseason news:

Larry Bird stepped down as president of basketball operations. GM Kevin Pritchard promoted to replace Bird.
Hired Hornets executive Chad Buchanan to be general manager.
Glenn Robinson III expected to be out until November or December due to ankle injury.
Exercised 2018/19 team option on Myles Turner.
Lakers fined $500K for tampering with Pacers/Paul George.

Salary cap situation:

Operating under the cap. Can create up to about $7MM in cap room (carrying approximately $92MM in guaranteed salaries). Still have room exception ($3.29MM) available.

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

Story of the summer:

There’s no denying that, despite the good work they’ve done since, the biggest event of the Pacers’ summer was a disappointing one.

Reports in the spring indicated that 2018 free-agent-to-be Paul George had little interest in returning to Indiana, effectively forcing the team’s hand if it wanted anything in return for the outgoing star. In the wake of that news, all eyes turned to recently-appointed president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard, suddenly thrust into the deep end of his new role.

While the Pacers have done an admirable job getting up off the mat and putting together a respectable squad that will make an effort to compete in the East, the club’s haul in the George trade that will be held under the microscope for years to come.

When word broke on the last day of June that Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis would be on their way to Indiana in exchange for the disgruntled All-Star, some were left underwhelmed, considering what the Celtics had supposedly been willing to offer for George. Others were simply frustrated that the Pacers were even forced into such a precarious position in the first place.

Regardless of the circumstances of the deal that brought an end to the modern-day Pacers as we know them, the only thing that matters now is how the franchise rallies after sustaining the blow.

Key offseason losses:

The Pacers will be hard-pressed to replace the impact that George had on the team’s offense. Not only did the All-Star forward provide a consistent 20-plus points per game over the last few seasons — he was also a reliable late-game option that could single-handedly win games in both the regular season and playoffs.

While Jeff Teague didn’t exactly push the franchise to new heights during his one season with the club, his absence will be felt as well. Prior to Teague’s arrival in Indiana, the team leaned heavily on George Hill, so realistically the Pacers will face their first season in over half a decade without a reliable, proven NBA starter at the point.

Veteran C.J. Miles will ply his trade as a three-and-D specialist in Toronto this season, one of the subtle reminders that the Pacers team fans have grown familiar seeing battling in the postseason is a thing of the past. Miles averaged a pedestrian 10.7 points per game for the squad last season, but had been a part of the club’s rotation for three years.

After falling out of favor in Indiana, Ellis ended up off the team altogether. Not long ago the guard was a reliable offensive spark plug. This summer, however, given the abundance of other issues Indiana’s front office had to worry about, the final two years of Ellis’ contract – roughly $23MM through 2018/19 – proved too much to bear and he was waived and stretched.

Key offseason additions:

The Pacers apparently coveted Oladipo for years. Now they finally have him. It’ll be interesting to see what the former second overall pick is capable of when given the freedom to lead another offense. While it’s easy to get excited about the 25-year-old combo guard’s potential in Indiana, it’s worth noting that his production was rather modest during his three-year stay in Orlando.

It was hard for Sabonis to get consistent minutes in Oklahoma City’s crowded frontcourt, but he arrives in Indiana as a skilled young big man with an excellent pedigree. Although he may remain a reserve throughout the 2017/18 campaign, it’s likely he’ll see more meaningful minutes at the four with just Thaddeus Young ahead of him.

The Pacers needed a point guard after losing Teague via free agency and came up with a more than serviceable duo. Indiana gets the best of both worlds in established career reserve Darren Collison – a veteran who doesn’t need to start, but has frequently thrived when given the opportunity to do so – and Cory Joseph, a high-upside player that went underutilized in Toronto. Collison will be able to help contribute to a deceptively deep team out of the gates, while Joseph should serve as a potential building block heading forward.

The Wizards liberated Bojan Bogdanovic from the Nets last season and he proved capable of elevating his game while playing more meaningful minutes in Washington. This year he’ll bolster Indiana’s perimeter offense, an area particularly hard hit by George’s exit.

Outlook for 2017/18:

Perhaps the Pacers were overly optimistic about the idea of George remaining in Indiana, because they certainly didn’t do themselves any favors by hesitating to trade him while his value was at its highest last season.

Indiana’s front office suffered the biggest blow a small market team could suffer this summer and then mishandled the events that followed. What they’ve done since, however, has been nothing short of impressive.

Pritchard and company deserve credit – and fan support – after quickly patching together a decent lineup of solid assets when other teams may have been inclined to drift to the bottom of the standings and pursue a top draft pick. This year, sans George, Indiana could still compete for the East’s eighth seed.

Will an Oladipo- and Bogdanovic-led offense contend with the Cavaliers in 2018? No, but it shows grit and pride that won’t be wasted on the next great player to emerge in Indiana – especially if that player has been there, waiting for his opportunity all along.

The Myles Turner Era has begun.

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

Four Teams Without G League Affiliates For 2017/18

October 1st, 2017 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA G League – known as the D-League before a sponsorship deal was struck with Gatorade – continues to expand as the 2017/18 season approaches. A record-high 26 NBA teams will have direct, one-to-one relationships with G League squads this season, with most NBA clubs owning and operating their own affiliates.

That leaves just four teams without affiliates for the 2017/18 season. That doesn’t mean those four clubs aren’t allowed to assign players to the G League — the flexible assignment rule allows teams without an affiliate to assign players to other G League teams. Still, those clubs are at a disadvantage in a handful of ways.

NBA teams that control their own affiliates have hand-picked coaches to help develop their young players, and can ensure that the same systems are taught in both the NBA and the G League. When a team without an affiliate assigns a player to the G League, that player could end up with a different squad each time and won’t have the same sort of support system. Last season, for instance, Pelicans rookie Cheick Diallo spent time with the Austin Spurs, Greensboro Swarm, and Long Island Nets on various assignments.

Additionally, teams without a G League squad won’t have the opportunity to designate affiliate players when the regular season begins. Those affiliate players aren’t technically under control of an NBA team, but they often stick with a club’s G League squad after spending the preseason with that club.

Here are the four NBA teams without a G League affiliate for the 2017/18 season:

Denver Nuggets

Candidates for assignment: Malik Beasley spent some time in the G League last season and could do so again in 2017/18. 2017 first-rounder Tyler Lydon may also see some G League action, since Denver has a pretty deep roster and may not have room for him in the rotation.
Two-way players: Torrey Craig, SF; Monte Morris, PG
Timeline for affiliate: A report from October 2016 suggested the Nuggets were eying a possible G League affiliate for the 2017/18 season, but it didn’t happen. It’s clearly on the club’s radar, and I’d be surprised if Denver doesn’t have an affiliate in place within the next couple years.

New Orleans Pelicans

Candidates for assignment: As noted above, Diallo was a regular in the G League last year. He’s still raw and could see assignments again this season. Rookie guard Frank Jackson may also see G League action if he doesn’t crack the backcourt rotation in New Orleans.
Two-way players: Charles Cooke, SG; Jalen Jones, G/F
Timeline for affiliate: The Pelicans have reportedly narrowed their search for a G League home to two cities: Shreveport, Louisiana and Pensacola, Florida. The plan is to get a G League franchise in place for the 2018/19 season.

Portland Trail Blazers

Candidates for assignment: The Blazers added a pair of rookies in this year’s draft, snagging Zach Collins and Caleb Swanigan. Both guys have the potential to make an impact in year one, but could be sent to the G League if they don’t earn regular minutes out of the gate. Jake Layman is also a candidate to return to the G League this year.
Two-way players: C.J. Wilcox, SG
Timeline for affiliate: There have been no clear indications that the Blazers will have an affiliate ready to go for 2018/19. It’s hard to imagine the franchise will remain on the sidelines for too much longer though.

Washington Wizards

Candidates for assignment: If players like Sheldon Mac, Carrick Felix, or Daniel Ochefu make the opening night roster, they’ll be candidates for G League stints. Otherwise, this is a roster heavy on veterans — Chris McCullough might be the only other viable option for an assignment.
Two-way players: Devin Robinson, SF; Michael Young, F
Timeline for affiliate: The Wizards intend to set up a very local affiliate in time for the 2018/19 season, according to a June report.

Weekly Mailbag: 9/25/17 – 10/1/17

October 1st, 2017 at 12:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

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.

Did the Warriors’ level of concern in defending their title go up significantly with the Dwyane Wade signing? — Philip Malan, via Twitter

It’s hard to say if the Warriors are concerned about anything with so much talent on their roster, but Cleveland has been able to put together a very good offseason after a disastrous start. Wade adds more championship experience and figures to be energized after a wasted year in Chicago. It hasn’t been that long since he and LeBron James dominated the league in Miami, and their chemistry should redevelop quickly. The Cavaliers now have ridiculous depth on the wing that will be needed if they get into another Finals battle with Golden State. If Derrick Rose is playing as well as reports out of Cleveland indicate, the Cavs’ chances are as good as anyone’s to dethrone the champs.

Do you think LeBron will stay put next season now that his best buddy Dwayne Wade has joined the Cavs? — Greg Dizon

LeBron’s intentions will likely remain a mystery until he announces them next July. Having Wade on board can only help Cleveland’s chances, but he will be a free agent in nine months as well, so he and James could leave in a package deal. Or they could stay in Cleveland and try to recruit Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony to form the “Banana Boat” squad that James talked about two years ago. The future remains unpredictable in Cleveland, and Wade’s presence doesn’t change that equation.

Do my Spurs have a chance to compete with the power teams that are now in the Western Conference? Do we need another superstar looking into free agency next year? — greecosuave1

San Antonio seemed to stand still this summer as the rest of the West got better — Rudy Gay was their only significant addition — so it’s easy to forget how good this team is. The Spurs won 61 games last season and extended their playoff streak to 20 years. Kawhi Leonard will still be an elite two-way player when he returns from a quadriceps injury, and there’s a very good supporting cast around him. By spring, San Antonio will be in its usual spot as a top contender and a threat to the NBA title. Looking ahead, Tony Parker‘s $15.45MM contract will come off the books after this season, and LaMarcus Aldridge, Danny Green, Joffrey Lauvergne and Gay all have player options, which could free up close to $43MM. So expect the Spurs to be aggressive on the free agent market in a year where there will be plenty of big names to chase.

Community Shootaround: Thunder’s Big Three

September 30th, 2017 at 8:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

Thunder GM Sam Presti wrapped up an incredible offseason this week when Russell Westbrook signed a five-year, $205MM extension that ensures the reigning MVP will remain in Oklahoma City at least through the 2021-22 season.

Presti also added two of the best available players on the trade market in Paul George and Carmelo Anthony to bolster a team that won 47 games last season. OKC’s new Big Three figures to be one of the top scoring trios in the league, and many observers believe the Thunder are the top challenger to the Warriors in the West.

But now that Oklahoma City has its three stars, how long will they stay together? Westbrook will make more than $35.3MM next season when the extension kicks in, George is expected to opt out of a deal worth $20.7MM and become a free agent next summer, while Anthony has an early termination option on a nearly $28MM salary. ESPN’s Bobby Marks estimated that keeping all three would give the Thunder the first $300MM payroll, with $157MM going to salaries and $143MM in taxes.

George seemed like a lock to opt out and sign with the Lakers, but he said Westbrook’s extension may give him a reason to stay in OKC. Anthony, who will turn 34 in May, is unlikely to find a better deal in free agency, although he could be planning to join his “Banana Boat” friends in Cleveland, Los Angeles or somewhere else.

That brings us to tonight’s question: Will George and Anthony both be with Westbrook in Oklahoma City when training camp opens next year? Please share your thoughts in the space below. We look forward to your responses.

Hoops Rumors Originals: 9/24/17-9/30/17

September 30th, 2017 at 2:44pm CST by Dana Gauruder

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

Luke Adams took a closer look at Five Notable Free Agents still looking for jobs with training camps in full swing.
Our weekly mailbag answered questions on Carmelo Anthony‘s impact on the Thunder and the Knicks’ chances of shedding Joakim Noah‘s contract.
Our Offseason in Review series examined the Lakers, Suns, Pelicans, Raptors and Hornets.
We conducted polls for the win totals of the Grizzlies, Pistons and Pelicans. We also asked our readers to decide which team is the Warriors’ biggest threat this season.
Our Contract Extension Tracker is the best way to follow all the players who are eligible to receive extensions this fall.
If you don’t have it already, be sure to download the Trade Rumors app for iOS/Android and give it a try.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Five Notable Veteran Free Agents Still Available

September 29th, 2017 at 3:28pm CST by Luke Adams

While most noteworthy free agents came off the board in July, September brought with it a wave of pre-camp signings that saw the last few restricted free agents locked up, along with veteran unrestricted free agents like Tony Allen, Dante Cunningham, Aaron Brooks, and Shabazz Muhammad.

That wave of pre-camp signings created a scarcity of viable options on the list of 2017 free agents, but the shrinking group of available options still features a handful of intriguing vets. Here’s a breakdown of five names worth keeping an eye on:

Deron Williams, PG: While the former third overall pick is obviously no longer the player he was seven years ago – when he averaged 20+ PPG and 10+ APG – it was just last summer that he received $9MM from the Mavericks to be the club’s starting point guard. For the season, Williams averaged a respectable 11.0 PPG and 5.6 APG, with a .363 3PT% in 64 games for the Mavs and Cavs, but a disastrous showing in the NBA Finals against Golden State diminished his value heading into 2017/18. Still, he’s only 33 years old, and it would be surprising if he didn’t get an opportunity with an NBA team as a backup point guard this year.
Monta Ellis, SG: Ellis is facing a five-game suspension to start the 2017/18 season and is coming off his worst year (8.5 PPG) since his rookie season. He’s not far removed from a 2014/15 campaign in which he averaged 18.9 PPG though, and while he’ll likely never match that figure again, this is only his age-32 season. He should still have something in the tank and could appeal to a team seeking a scorer off the bench.
David Lee, PF: Like Ellis, Lee posted his worst scoring average since his rookie year last season, recording just 7.3 PPG. But Lee’s declining numbers were mostly a result of his new role in San Antonio — his .590 FG% was his best mark in a decade, and his per-minute averages weren’t far off from his career rates. Given how the value of offensive-minded, low-post bigs around the NBA has declined in recent years, however, it’s not a huge surprise that Lee has had trouble finding work.
Derrick Williams, PF: Williams, of course, hasn’t lived up to the hype that surrounded him when he was selected second overall in the 2011 draft. But he was a part of the Cavaliers team that went to the NBA Finals last season, and was solid when he saw action for the team, scoring 6.2 PPG on 50.5% shooting in 25 regular season contests. If former No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett can get a training camp invite from an NBA team, it seems like Williams should be on a roster too.
Spencer Hawes, C: Hawes’ contract made him an expendable piece in 2017, first in Charlotte and then in Milwaukee. After acquiring him at the trade deadline, the Bucks waived and stretched him in August to avoid the luxury-tax threshold. Like most of the other players on this list, Hawes’ best days are probably behind him, but his ability to knock down the occasional three-point shot (.350 career 3PT%) and to help out on the glass (9.0 career rebounds per 36 minutes) could make him a target for teams in need of frontcourt help.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2017 Offseason In Review: Toronto Raptors

September 28th, 2017 at 9:06pm CST by Austin Kent

Signings:

Kyle Lowry: Three years, $93MM. Includes unlikely incentives.
Serge Ibaka: Three years, $65MM.
C.J. Miles: Three years, $25MM. Third-year player option.
Lorenzo Brown: Two-way contract. One year, $50K guaranteed.
Malcolm Miller: Two-way contract. One year, $50K guaranteed.

Camp invitees:

Alfonzo McKinnie: Two years, minimum salary. $100K guarantee.
K.J. McDaniels: One year, minimum salary. $100K guarantee.
Kennedy Meeks: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract.
Kyle Wiltjer: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract.
Andy Rautins: One year, minimum salary. Exact terms not yet known.

Trades:

Acquired Magic’s 2018 second-round pick from the Magic in exchange for the right to hire Jeff Weltman.
Acquired Justin Hamilton from the Nets in exchange for DeMarre Carroll, the Raptors’ 2018 first-round pick (top-14 protected), and a 2018 second-round pick (less favorable of Lakers and Magic picks).
Acquired the draft rights to Emir Preldzic from the Pacers in exchange for Cory Joseph.

Draft picks:

1-23: OG Anunoby — Signed to rookie contract.

Departing players:

DeMarre Carroll
Cory Joseph
Patrick Patterson
P.J. Tucker

Other offseason news:

Promoted Bobby Webster to general manager after GM Jeff Weltman left to become Magic’s president of basketball operations.
Tendered qualifying offer to Nando De Colo to retain RFA rights.

Salary cap situation:

Operating over the cap and slightly under the tax. Hard capped. Carrying approximately $117MM in guaranteed salary. Full bi-annual exception ($3.29MM) still available.

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

Story of the summer:

The Raptors faced an existential fork in the road this summer and made the decision to keep their core in place. By re-signing Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka, the club doubled down on a formula that has delivered mixed results, depending on whom you ask.

Put simply, the Medium Three of DeMar DeRozan, Lowry, and Ibaka may not be enough to legitimately contend with the Cavaliers or Celtics, but it’s reasonably safe to say it’s enough to clinch home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs in the watered-down Eastern Conference.

To afford Lowry and Ibaka, owed $28.7MM and $20.1MM this season, Toronto needed to drastically limit future financial flexibility and also forego some of its peripheral core, including several prominent rotation pieces.

The jury is out on whether or not the Raps’ decision to stick with their stars as opposed to explore a more intensive overhaul was a smart one, but that’s a question for basketball philosophers.

Will the moves bring the franchise the success that it pines for? And what constitutes success for a fringe contender in the Super-Team Era anyway?

Key offseason losses:

The Raptors said farewell to four rotation players out of financial necessity this summer, and only one of them turned around and bad-mouthed the roster on his way out the door.

Don’t expect head coach Dwane Casey to lose sleep thinking of ways to replace DeMarre Carroll‘s 8.9 points per game. Rather, clearing out the depth chart at the three should open more of an opportunity for third-year man Norman Powell.

Patrick Patterson, however, will represent a more significant on-court loss. For years, Patterson stepped up as a reliable deep threat off the bench. He never consistently dominated ball games, hence his expendability, but he was a valuable option at the team’s disposal over the course of the last few seasons.

The loss of local boy Cory Joseph, a capable spot starter whenever called upon to fill in for Lowry, will be felt in the second unit, but could open an opportunity for Delon Wright.

Another veteran that will suit up elsewhere in 2017/18 is P.J. Tucker. The scrappy forward came over from the Suns at the deadline, but didn’t leave much of an impact during his brief stay in Canada.

Key offseason additions:

The Raptors added a potent perimeter threat through the draft this summer and there’s a chance he’ll find a way into the team’s rotation before the end of the 2017/18 season. Just last January, OG Anunoby was considered a possible top-10 pick, but a knee injury derailed his only season with Indiana and allowed the Raptors to snag him with the No. 23 pick.

The biggest free agent addition made by the Raptors this summer was C.J. Miles. Miles, a 12-year vet, will slot in on the perimeter as a potent three-and-D asset. Outside of his three-point shooting, he could contribute leadership and various other intangibles that the club hoped to get out of Carroll and Tucker last season.

Outlook for 2017/18:

The Raptors made a splash at the trade deadline last season by bringing in Ibaka, but the theme of the campaign still ended up being stagnancy. Not only did the team’s streak of consecutive seasons with improved win totals come to an end at five, but Toronto was systematically dismantled in the postseason by a Cavaliers team that barely even put a dent in the ultimate NBA champion.

The difference between this season and last, however, is that the obligatory turnover within the organization could usher in a semblance of change. On paper, the Raptors may be worse off than they were when they lost to the Cavs. However, a full season with Ibaka on board – coupled with all of the new opportunities their young rotation players will get – provides an element of excitement that wasn’t there this time last year.

Adding to the excitement is the possibility that this could be the year that the iso-heavy team finally adopts a new playing style, as Ujiri implied last May, although we’ll believe that when we see it.

Nonetheless, everybody knows what to expect out of Lowry, DeRozan and Ibaka by now — a solid regular season record and perhaps a trip to the second round. Now, Masai Ujiri and company are rolling the dice on their ability to build the rest of a contender from within.

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

2017 Offseason In Review: New Orleans Pelicans

September 27th, 2017 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

Signings:

Jrue Holiday: Five years, $131.1MM. Fifth-year player option. Includes unlikely incentives.
Darius Miller: Two years, $4.305MM. Second year non-guaranteed.
Rajon Rondo: One year, $3.3MM.
Dante Cunningham: One year, $2.3MM (reported).
Tony Allen: One year, minimum salary.
Ian Clark: One year, minimum salary.
Jalen Jones: Two-way contract. Two years.
Charles Cooke: Two-way contract. One year.

Camp invitees:

Cliff Alexander: One year, minimum salary. Exact terms not known.
Perry Jones: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract with exhibit nine.
Martell Webster: One year, minimum salary. Exact terms not known.

Trades:

Acquired the No. 52 overall pick from the Wizards in exchange for Tim Frazier.
Acquired the draft rights to Frank Jackson (No. 31 pick) from the Hornets in exchange for the draft rights to Dwayne Bacon (No. 40 pick) and cash ($1.8MM).
Acquired cash ($1MM) from the Pacers in exchange for the draft rights to Edmond Sumner (No. 52 pick).
Acquired the draft rights to Ater Majok from the Bulls in exchange for Quincy Pondexter, the Pelicans’ 2018 second-round pick, and cash ($2.5MM).

Draft picks:

2-31: Frank Jackson — Signed to three-year, minimum salary contract. Third year partially guaranteed ($506K).

Departing players:

Quinn Cook (waived)
Tim Frazier
Donatas Motiejunas
Quincy Pondexter
Axel Toupane (waived)

Other offseason news:

Retained head coach Alvin Gentry and general manager Dell Demps.
Hired Chris Finch as assistant coach.
Solomon Hill underwent surgery to repair torn hamstring, expected to miss most of season.
Frank Jackson underwent surgery to repair broken foot, expected to be out until at least December.
Reportedly narrowed search for G League home to two cities.

Salary cap situation:

Operating over the cap and slightly under the tax. Currently carrying approximately $115MM in guaranteed salary. Portion of mid-level exception ($2.19MM) and full bi-annual exception ($3.29MM) still available.

Check out the New Orleans Pelicans’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

Entering the 2017 offseason, there was no guarantee that general manager Dell Demps and head coach Alvin Gentry would be back with the Pelicans. The club has posted a 64-100 record during Gentry’s two seasons with the team, despite having arguably the NBA’s best big man in Anthony Davis. As for Demps, New Orleans won 46 games during his first year as GM back in 2010/11, but has topped 34 wins just once since then.

After pulling off a widely lauded trade for DeMarcus Cousins last winter though, Demps bought himself a little more time to see if the club can make the Davis/Cousins tandem work, and Gentry is sticking around too. Still, while the Pelicans didn’t make any leadership changes this offseason, the clock may be ticking on Demps and Gentry.

That ticking clock meant that the Pelicans entered the summer intent on building a win-now roster, but didn’t have the salary cap flexibility necessary to be as aggressive as the front office might have liked. The outcome? A potential overpay for Jrue Holiday, whose Bird rights were held by the team, and then a few smaller moves intended to fill in the gaps of the rotation.

The resulting roster looks stacked in certain areas and lacking in others, and will be under a lot of pressure to perform this season. If things go south in New Orleans, major changes could be in store for the Pelicans at the trade deadline or during the 2018 offseason.

Key offseason losses:

The Pelicans traded Tim Frazier for a second-round pick, then sold that pick for a modest $1MM on draft night, meaning Frazier essentially amounted to a salary dump. The young point guard had shown some promise last season as the club’s primary backup and occasional starter, but with luxury tax concerns looming and Rajon Rondo landing in New Orleans, jettisoning Frazier was probably the right call.

The club’s decision to trade Quincy Pondexter to Chicago in another salary dump was a little more questionable. The Pelicans sent their own 2018 second-round pick and $2.5MM in cash to the Bulls to complete the deal, which netted them nothing but cap savings.

Stretching Pondexter’s salary instead of trading him would have left New Orleans with an extra $1.28MM on its cap for 2017/18, and given the club’s proximity to both the tax line and the hard cap, it’s easy to see why management – and possibly ownership – felt clearing that money was necessary. But it was a steep price to pay to clear such a small cap hit, and raises larger questions about the Pelicans’ cap management.

The Pelicans’ other departing players – Donatas Motiejunas, Quinn Cook, and Axel Toupane – played small roles for the club last season. Losing them won’t have a significant impact on the roster.

Key offseason additions:

While I have serious questions about the Pelicans’ investment in Holiday, particularly since the addition of Rondo signals that Holiday may not even open the season as the starting point guard, the team did some solid work on the periphery of the free agent market this summer. For less than $11MM in guaranteed money, New Orleans picked up Rondo, Darius Miller, Dante Cunningham, Tony Allen, and Ian Clark.

Rondo has been one of the NBA’s biggest enigmas in recent years, but at a price of $3.3MM, it’s certainly worth rolling the dice to see how frequently he can be the player who looked dominant in leading the Bulls to a 2-0 series lead over the Celtics in the spring.

Cunningham, Allen, and Clark were all players I expected to land larger contracts in free agency this summer, so it was a coup for the Pelicans to re-sign Cunningham for $2.3MM and to land Allen and Clark for the minimum.

Of the Pelicans’ offfseason additions, Miller is perhaps the biggest wild card. Last seen in the NBA during the 2014/15 season, the former second-round pick was essentially a non-factor in his previous stint with New Orleans. However, the Pelicans clearly liked what they saw from him during his time with Brose Bamberg in Germany, having used part of their mid-level exception to sign him.

Miller shot 41.5% on threes last season for his German club, so he’ll join Clark and Cunningham as some of the only long-distance threats on the Pelicans’ roster. Neither Clark nor Cunningham attempted a ton of three-pointers last season, but they had good percentages, and will be relied upon to keep defenses honest and help space the floor, particularly if Allen and Rondo are on the court.

Outlook for 2017/18:

Although the combination of Cousins and Davis is a tantalizing one, the Pelicans will face an uphill climb in a daunting Western Conference. With Solomon Hill, Frank Jackson, and Omer Asik already battling health problems, New Orleans’ depth will be tested early, and the team will be under pressure to make both its frontcourt duo and its point guard pairing (Rondo and Holiday) work out of the gate.

There’s no questioning the talent on the roster, and it’s possible the Pelicans will find a way to make it work. But it’s not hard to imagine a worst-case scenario that looks something like the 2016/17 Magic, who made a similar win-now push after a 35-win showing, only to have their season blow up. Serge Ibaka was flipped to a new team months after Orlando acquired him, and the front office was overhauled at season’s end. That same fate could await Cousins and Pelicans management if the club’s new-look roster doesn’t deliver on-court success this season.

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

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