Hoops Rumors Originals: 9/30/17 – 10/7/17
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:
- Our Offseason in Review series, which sees us looking back at the biggest stories and roster moves of each team’s summer, continued this week with breakdowns of the following clubs:
- NBA teams have completed 39 trades this offseason, with all but one club involved in at least one deal. We examined the teams that made the most – and least – trades since the end of the 2016/17 season.
- There are a record-high 26 teams with G League affiliates this season, but that leaves four clubs without a squad of their own. Here’s what that means for those four clubs.
- We polled Hoops Rumors readers this week on the projected 2017/18 win totals for the Mavericks, Lakers, Magic, Pacers, Knicks, and Suns.
- Our Community Shootaround discussion topics this week were as follows:
- How long will the Thunder‘s new Big Three stay together?
- Which teams are you most excited to watch this season?
- Do you agree with the results of the annual NBA GM survey?
- In his weekly mailbag, Arthur Hill answered readers’ questions on the Spurs‘ outlook, LeBron James‘ future, and more. If you have a question you’d like to see included in the next installment of our mailbag, drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com.
2017 Offseason In Review: Milwaukee Bucks
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 Milwaukee Bucks.
Signings:
- Tony Snell: Four years, $44MM. Fourth-year player option.
- Jason Terry: One year, minimum salary.
- Jalen Moore: Two-way contract. Two years. $50K guaranteed. (Waived)
- Bronson Koenig: Two-way contract. Two years. (Waived)
Camp invitees:
- Brandon Rush: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract.
- Kendall Marshall: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract.
- Joel Anthony: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract with exhibit nine.
- Gerald Green: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract with exhibit nine.
- JeQuan Lewis: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract with exhibits nine and 10. (Waived)
- James Young: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract. (Waived)
- Xavier Munford: Exact details not yet known.
Trades:
- Acquired cash ($2MM) from the Clippers in exchange for the draft rights to Sindarius Thornwell (No. 48 pick).
- Acquired the draft rights to Sterling Brown (No. 46 pick) from the Sixers in exchange for cash ($1.9MM).
Draft picks:
- 1-17: D.J. Wilson — Signed to rookie contract.
- 2-46: Sterling Brown — Signed to three-year, minimum salary contract. Third year non-guaranteed.
Departing players:
- Michael Beasley
- Spencer Hawes (waived)
Other offseason news:
- Lost general manager John Hammond to Magic.
- Promoted Jon Horst to replace Hammond as GM.
- Hired Milt Newton as assistant general manager.
- Introduced new G League expansion team, the Wisconsin Herd.
Salary cap situation:
- Operating over the cap, but under the tax. Carrying approximately $116.8MM in guaranteed salaries. Most of mid-level exception ($7.59MM) and bi-annual exception ($3.29MM) available.
Check out the Milwaukee Bucks’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.
Story of the summer:
The Bucks’ offseason began with the loss of longtime general manager John Hammond, who elected to take a job in Orlando’s front office. Although the Bucks indicated at the time that they’d conduct a search for a replacement, the choice seemed clear. Assistant GM Justin Zanik had been brought to Milwaukee and groomed to be Hammond’s successor, and he was named the team’s interim GM while the team explored its options. His eventual promotion seemed inevitable.
Within a matter of weeks, the Bucks reportedly narrowed their options to Zanik and Nuggets executive Arturas Karnisovas, and when the Nuggets gave Karnisovas a promotion to keep him in Denver, Milwaukee’s choice once again seemed obvious. However, rather than promoting Zanik, the Bucks – whose co-owners were at odds over the decision – passed over the assistant GM to name director of basketball operations Jon Horst their new general manager.
It was a surprising decision, one that cost the team Zanik. The former Jazz executive – who had reportedly received support for the GM position from two of three Bucks co-owners and head coach Jason Kidd – decided to return to Utah after being passed over in Milwaukee.
While we don’t know all the details of the Bucks’ unusual GM search, we’ve heard enough to make me seriously question the club’s process. If it had happened in a major market (imagine the Knicks conducting a similar search after Phil Jackson‘s ouster), it would’ve been viewed as a sign of dysfunction, but it has flown mostly under the radar in Milwaukee.
It remains to be seen whether the front office shuffle represents a blip on the radar for the Bucks as they work their way up the Eastern Conference standings, or if it’s an omen of future problems. But the good news for the team is that there’s far less turnover on the roster than in the front office. Thirteen of the 15 players who finished last season with the Bucks – including nine of the club’s top 10 scorers – remain on the roster. That level of continuity is a great sign for a team that appeared to be coming into its own at the end of the 2016/17 campaign.
2017 Offseason In Review: Atlanta Hawks
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 Atlanta Hawks.
Signings:
- Dewayne Dedmon: Two years, $12.3MM. Second-year player option.
- Mike Muscala: Two years, $10MM. Second-year player option.
- Ersan Ilyasova: One year, $6MM.
- Luke Babbitt: One year, minimum salary. Partially guaranteed ($987K).
- Josh Magette: Two-way contract. One year. $50K guaranteed.
Camp invitees:
- Quinn Cook: Two years, minimum salary. First year partially guaranteed ($100K).
- Tyler Cavanaugh: One year, minimum salary. Partially guaranteed ($50K).
- Jeremy Evans: One year, minimum salary. Partially guaranteed ($50K).
- Jordan Mathews: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10.
- John Jenkins: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract with exhibit nine.
Waiver claims:
- Claimed Nicolas Brussino off waivers from the Mavericks.
Trades:
- Acquired Miles Plumlee, Marco Belinelli and the No. 41 overall pick from the Hornets in exchange for Dwight Howard and the No. 31 overall pick.
- Acquired cash ($75K) from the Rockets in exchange for Ryan Kelly.
- Acquired Jamal Crawford, Diamond Stone, the Rockets’ 2018 first-round pick (top-three protected), and cash ($1.3MM) in a three-way trade with the Clippers and Nuggets in exchange for the Wizards’ 2019 second-round pick.
- Notes: Wizards’ 2019 second-round pick sent to Nuggets; Crawford and Stone later waived.
- Acquired DeAndre Liggins and cash ($100K) from the Clippers in exchange for the Hawks’ own 2018 second-round pick (top-55 protected).
- Note: Liggins later waived.
Draft picks:
- 1-19: John Collins — Signed to rookie contract.
- 2-41: Tyler Dorsey — Signed to two-year, minimum salary contract.
- 2-60: Alpha Kaba — Stashed overseas.
Departing players:
- Jose Calderon
- Mike Dunleavy (waived)
- Tim Hardaway Jr.
- Dwight Howard
- Kris Humphries
- Ryan Kelly
- Paul Millsap
- Thabo Sefolosha
Other offseason news:
- Restructured front office, removing president of basketball operations title from Mike Budenholzer and re-assigning GM Wes Wilcox to special advisor role.
- Hired Warriors executive Travis Schlenk to be new general manager.
- Introduced new G League expansion team, the Erie BayHawks.
- Dennis Schroder arrested on battery charge.
Salary cap situation:
- Operating under the cap, but over the salary floor. Can create $4MM+ in cap room. Carrying approximately $94.2MM in guaranteed salaries. Room exception ($4.328MM) still available.
Check out the Atlanta Hawks’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.
Story of the summer:
After waffling on the idea of a full-on rebuild for at least a season, the Hawks finally dove in and accepted their fate. The franchise also shook up their front office, relieving head coach Mike Budenholzer of his executive duties and appointing Travis Schlenk the new general manager of the squad.
The fresh slate could serve the organization well as it had become abundantly clear that the lingering remnants of the Hawks team that won 60 games in 2014/15 just weren’t going to cut it as a contender in the current NBA landscape.
Put simply, the Hawks managed to get through the first summer of transition unscathed, with Schlenk’s staff wisely letting veterans Paul Millsap and Tim Hardaway Jr. pursue monster deals elsewhere. It’ll be a long road back to the top, sure, but they have to start somewhere.
2017 Offseason In Review: Philadelphia 76ers
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 Philadelphia 76ers.
Signings:
- J.J. Redick: One year, $23MM.
- Amir Johnson: One year, $11MM.
- James McAdoo: Two-way contract. One year, $50K guaranteed.
Camp invitees:
- James Blackmon Jr.: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10.
- Kris Humphries: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract with exhibit nine.
- Jacob Pullen: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract.
- Emeka Okafor: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract with exhibit nine.
Trades:
- Acquired the No. 1 overall pick from the Celtics in exchange for the No. 3 overall pick and the Lakers’ 2018 first-round pick (top-1 protected and 6-30 protected).
- Note: If Lakers’ 2018 first-round pick doesn’t convey, Celtics will instead acquire more favorable of Kings’ and Sixers’ 2019 first-round picks (top-1 protected).
- Acquired the draft rights to Anzejs Pasecniks (No. 25 pick) from the Magic in exchange for the Thunder’s 2020 first-round pick (top-20 protected) and the less favorable of the Knicks’ and Nets’ 2020 second-round picks.
- Note: Thunder pick is top 20-protected through 2022. If it doesn’t convey, Magic will instead acquire Thunder’s 2022 and 2023 second-round picks.
- Acquired the Rockets’ 2018 second-round pick and cash ($100K) from the Rockets in exchange for Shawn Long.
- Acquired cash ($3.2MM) from the Clippers in exchange for the draft rights to Jawun Evans (No. 39 pick).
- Acquired cash ($1.9MM) from the Bucks in exchange for the draft rights to Sterling Brown (No. 46 pick).
Draft picks:
- 1-1: Markelle Fultz — Signed to rookie contract.
- 1-25: Anzejs Pasecniks — Stashed overseas.
- 2-36: Jonah Bolden — Stashed overseas.
- 2-50: Mathias Lessort — Stashed overseas.
Draft-and-stash signings:
- Furkan Korkmaz (2016; No. 26) — Signed to rookie contract.
Departing players:
- Gerald Henderson (waived)
- Shawn Long
- Alex Poythress
- Sergio Rodriguez
- Tiago Splitter
Other offseason news:
- Hired Elton Brand as the general manager of the Delaware 87ers, their G League affiliate.
Salary cap situation:
- Operating under the cap and under the salary floor. Currently have about $15MM in cap space, plus full room exception ($4.328MM) still available.
Check out the Philadelphia 76ers’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.
Story of the summer:
Gone are the days of tanking, salary cap manipulation, and Philadelphians routing for their team to sink further down in the standings. Here are the nights of watching budding talent, employing a full squad of NBA players, and spotting Joel Embiid running down one-way streets in the City of Brotherly Love.
After years of intentionally taking steps back – or at least making no effort to move up in the standings – the Sixers are set to head into the 2017/18 season with a team that should be competitive in a weakened Eastern Conference. President of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo entered the offseason with plenty of flexibility and he completed an impressive series of summer moves without sacrificing that flexibility for the future.
Community Shootaround: GMs’ Predictions
Earlier today, we shared the results of an annual survey of NBA general managers offering their predictions for the upcoming season.
Few of their forecasts were surprising. Twenty-eight of the 30 GMs like the Warriors to repeat as champions, with the other two votes going to the Cavaliers. LeBron James was the MVP pick of half the GMs, followed by Kevin Durant at 29% and Kawhi Leonard at 11%.
In other major categories:
- Paul George was chosen as the offseason acquisition most likely to make the biggest impact with 59% of the vote. The Thunder acquired the four-time All-Star in a trade with the Pacers just before the start of free agency.
- Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns was chosen by 29% as the player they would most like to build a franchise around. The Bucks‘ Giannis Antetokounmpo was close behind at 21%.
- Paul Millsap‘s signing with the Nuggets is the most underrated acquisition of the offseason at 24%, followed by the Pistons‘ trade for Avery Bradley (17%).
- Mavericks point guard Dennis Smith Jr. was chosen as the biggest steal of the draft (37%), with Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball the favorite to be named Rookie of the Year (62%).
- The GMs picked the Wolves as the most improved team with 69% of the vote, far ahead of the second-place Sixers (17%).
That’s what the insiders think, but now we want to hear from you. In which of these categories did the GMs get it wrong, and who will the real winners be? Please share your thoughts in the space below. We look forward to your responses.
2017 Offseason In Review: Los Angeles Clippers
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 Los Angeles Clippers.
Signings:
- Blake Griffin: Five years, $171.175MM. Fifth-year player option.
- Danilo Gallinari: Three years, $64.763MM. Acquired in sign-and-trade.
- Milos Teodosic: Two years, $12.3MM. Second-year player option. Second year partially guaranteed ($2.1MM).
- Willie Reed: One year, minimum salary.
- Jamil Wilson: Two-way contract. Two years. $50K guaranteed.
Camp invitees:
- Marshall Plumlee: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10.
- Tyrone Wallace: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10.
- C.J. Williams: One year, minimum salary. Exhibits nine and 10.
- LaDontae Henton: One year, minimum salary. Summer contract.
Trades:
- Acquired the draft rights to Sindarius Thornwell (No. 48 pick) from the Bucks in exchange for cash ($2MM).
- Acquired Lou Williams, Patrick Beverley, Sam Dekker, Montrezl Harrell, DeAndre Liggins, Kyle Wiltjer, Darrun Hilliard, the Rockets’ 2018 first-round pick (top-three protected, and cash ($661K) from the Rockets in exchange for Chris Paul.
- Note: Wiltjer and Hilliard later waived.
- Acquired the draft rights to Jawun Evans (No. 39 pick) from the Sixers in exchange for cash ($3.2MM).
- Acquired Danilo Gallinari (sign-and-trade) in a three-way trade with the Hawks and Nuggets in exchange for Jamal Crawford, Diamond Stone, the Rockets’ 2018 first-round pick (top-three protected), and cash ($1.3MM).
- Note: All of Clippers’ outgoing pieces sent to the Hawks.
- Acquired the Hawks’ 2018 second-round pick (top-55 protected) from the Hawks in exchange for DeAndre Liggins and cash ($100K).
Draft picks:
- 2-39: Jawun Evans — Signed to three-year, minimum salary contract. Third-year team option.
- 2-48: Sindarius Thornwell — Signed to three-year, minimum salary contract. Third year non-guaranteed.
Departing players:
- Alan Anderson
- Brandon Bass
- Jamal Crawford
- Raymond Felton
- Luc Mbah a Moute
- Chris Paul
- Paul Pierce (waived; retired)
- J.J. Redick
- Marreese Speights
- Diamond Stone
Other offseason news:
- Promoted Lawrence Frank to president of basketball operations. Doc Rivers now just head coach.
- Hired Michael Winger as general manager.
- Hired Trent Redden as assistant general manager. Hired Mark Hughes as assistant GM.
- Hired former GM Dave Wohl as special advisor.
- Introduced new expansion G League team, the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario.
- Willie Reed charged with domestic battery.
Salary cap situation:
- Operating over the cap and very slightly under the tax. Carrying approximately $119MM in guaranteed salaries. Hard-capped. Small portion ($775K) of mid-level exception still available. Otherwise, only minimum salary exception available.
Check out the Los Angeles Clippers’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.
Story of the summer:
Following another disappointing first-round exit from the 2017 playoffs, the Clippers entered the offseason in a difficult spot. The Chris Paul-led squad of the last six years had never made it beyond the Western Conference Semifinals, and while injuries to key players at inopportune times created some tantalizing what-ifs in previous seasons, the 2016/17 Clippers didn’t look like a team on the verge of a breakthrough.
With Paul, Blake Griffin, and J.J. Redick all eligible for free agency, the possibility of re-signing the trio, blowing by the luxury tax line, and continuing to struggle in the early rounds of the postseason didn’t look like the right approach. But players like Paul and Griffin aren’t easy to replace, particularly given the Clippers’ lack of cap flexibility, and letting them go for nothing wouldn’t have made sense either.
In a somewhat fortunate turn of events, Paul ultimately made the decision simpler for the Clippers, deciding that he wanted a change of scenery. Instead of signing with the Rockets as a free agent though, Paul gave the Clips a heads-up on his intentions, allowing the team to work out a trade with Houston. That deal helped the Clippers add depth, gave the club a first-round pick to dangle in a subsequent trade, and created the cap flexibility necessary to lock up Griffin to a long-term contract while potentially avoiding the tax.
Of course, losing an All-NBA caliber guard is never ideal, but the Clippers were in need of a shake-up, and the team did an admirable job revamping the roster in the wake of CP3’s departure.
Community Shootaround: Top League Pass Teams
In a pair of pieces this week for ESPN.com, Zach Lowe continued his annual tradition of ranking all 30 NBA teams in terms of how much entertainment they’ll provide on League Pass during the 2017/18 season. Lowe’s highest-ranked teams score well in a number of categories, including zeitgeist appeal, style of play, highlight potential, and even uniform and court aesthetics.
Lowe’s rankings aren’t particularly shocking. Teams expected to land near the top of next year’s draft lottery – such as the Hawks, Suns, Bulls, Magic, and Pacers – round out the bottom of his list, while the Warriors, Thunder, Celtics, and Rockets are at the top.
Still, there are a handful of interesting results in Lowe’s list. The Sixers and Pelicans rank ahead of the Cavaliers in the top 10. The Trail Blazers, Timberwolves, and Nuggets also place highly for three teams either barely made the playoffs or missed out entirely last season. And despite the preseason buzz they’ve been generating, the Lakers don’t show up in the top half of Lowe’s list, coming in at No. 16.
While Lowe makes a strong case for his selections, we want to hear from you. Outside of the team you root for, which clubs do you expect to make an effort to watch this season?
Will you be keeping a close eye on perennial title contenders like the Warriors, Cavaliers, and Spurs, or are you more fascinated by up-and-coming teams like the Bucks, Timberwolves, and Nuggets? Maybe there are rebuilding lottery teams – perhaps the Kings, Lakers, Knicks, or Mavericks – that you’ll be excited to see in action?
Head to the comment section below to share your thoughts on your top League Pass picks for 2017/18.
29 Of 30 NBA Teams Made Trades In 2017 Offseason
The 2017 NBA offseason didn’t feature any stars like LeBron James or Kevin Durant signing with new teams in free agency, but it was still one of the most eventful summers in recent memory. Trades played a big part in the offseason excitement, with NBA teams completing a total of 39 swaps since the 2016/17 season ended.
Not all of those deals were blockbusters. The Rockets, for instance, made several moves that saw them pay cash to acquire players on non-guaranteed salaries in the hopes of flipping them in later trades — most of those players were ultimately waived.
Still, there was no shortage of big-name players on the move. Five Eastern Conference All-Stars changed teams in trades, with Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas involved in the same deal, and Paul George, Jimmy Butler, and Carmelo Anthony all being sent to new homes in the West.
With opening night just two weeks away, 29 of 30 NBA teams have completed at least one trade this offseason, leaving the Spurs as the only club not to make a deal. Of those 29 teams that made a trade, most completed more than one — the Cavaliers, Heat, Suns, Warriors, and Wizards each finalized just one deal apiece, while the league’s 24 other teams made multiple trades.
Here’s the breakdown of the teams that made the most trades this offseason:
- Houston Rockets (8): Houston’s total was artificially inflated by those aforementioned deals involving non-guaranteed contracts. Six of their eight trades saw the Rockets trade cash or a draft pick for a player with a non-guaranteed salary. The team did complete one massive deal though, acquiring Chris Paul from the Clippers.
- Los Angeles Clippers (5): The CP3 swap was the Clippers’ biggest move, but it was hardly their only trade. The team also acquired Danilo Gallinari in a sign-and-trade and acquire multiple second-round picks on draft night.
- Philadelphia 76ers (5): Most of the Sixers’ trades were draft-night deals, though the biggest one happened a few days earlier, when Philadelphia acquired the first overall pick from Boston in order to snag Markelle Fultz.
- Atlanta Hawks (4): The rebuilding Hawks made a handful of trades with an eye toward the future, including taking on Jamal Crawford‘s contract to land a first-round pick, and getting rid of Dwight Howard and his $23MM+ annual salary.
- New Orleans Pelicans (4): The Pelicans essentially completed a pair of salary dumps when they traded Tim Frazier to Washington and Quincy Pondexter to Chicago, since the pick acquired for Frazier was later sold. The team’s most notable deal came on draft night, when New Orleans traded up to No. 31 to select Frank Jackson.
The other NBA teams that made the most trades this offseason are as follows
- Boston Celtics (3)
- Brooklyn Nets (3)
- Chicago Bulls (3)
- Dallas Mavericks (3)
- Indiana Pacers (3)
- Memphis Grizzlies (3)
- Orlando Magic (3)
- Portland Trail Blazers (3)
- Toronto Raptors (3)
- Utah Jazz (3)
- Charlotte Hornets (2)
- Denver Nuggets (2)
- Detroit Pistons (2)
- Los Angeles Lakers (2)
- Milwaukee Bucks (2)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (2)
- New York Knicks (2)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (2)
- Sacramento Kings (2)
Note: The Magic sending the Raptors a draft pick for the right to hire Jeff Weltman and the Knicks sending a pick to the Kings for the right to hire Scott Perry are both considered trades for our purposes.
2017 Offseason In Review: Detroit Pistons
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.
2017 Offseason In Review: Minnesota Timberwolves
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 Minnesota Timberwolves.
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.
