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Community Shootaround: Eastern Conference Favorite

July 11th, 2017 at 6:08pm CST by Joshua Fischman

LeBron James and the Cavaliers have dominated the Eastern Conference playoffs for three consecutive seasons, advancing to the NBA Finals with ease each year. King James himself has represented the East for the past seven seasons in the the league championship.

Last season, however, the Celtics finished with the best record in the conference and have enjoyed a productive offseason. Boston landed prized free agent Gordon Hayward and drafted Jayson Tatum. In addition, Danny Ainge traded for Marcus Morris and signed Aron Baynes. While Boston did trade key two-way player, Avery Bradley, and lost Kelly Olynyk in free agency, the team may be prepared to contend for its first NBA Finals berth since 2010.

For Cleveland’s part, it re-signed Kyle Korver this offseason, inked veteran Jose Calderon to a one-year contract backing up Kyrie Irving at point guard, and brought in another vet in forward Jeff Green. Over their past three Eastern Conference Finals series, the Cavaliers have won 12 of 15 games.

Will the Cavs’ recent playoff domination continue or have the Celtics suddenly emerged as the favorite to represent the East in the Finals? Which team will finish with the better record this season and what, if anything, will home-court advantage mean if the teams face off in the postseason?

We look forward to reading your thoughts in the comments section.

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Community Shootaround: Most Improved Team

July 10th, 2017 at 5:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Some of the biggest names in the game have changed uniforms during this action-packed offseason. Some teams have made bold moves to become contenders or to improve their chances of making the Finals. Others have gone into full rebuild mode.

The Warriors clearly “won” the offseason last summer by signing superstar Kevin Durant, which led to their second championship in three seasons.

There are at least a handful of teams that can lay claim to that title, now that most of the big-name free agents are off the board. Here are some of the teams that obviously upgraded:

  • Rockets – The stunning trade by the Clippers that sent Chris Paul gave the Rockets a legitimate All-Star to pair up with James Harden. The also added a defensive-minded veteran forward in P.J. Tucker and re-signed Nene.
  • Celtics – Gordon Hayward hemmed and hawed but ultimately decided to ditch the Jazz in favor of the Celtics. The combination of Isaiah Thomas, Al Horford and Hayward gives them a more serious chance to unseat the Cavaliers in the East, even if they had to trade Avery Bradley to make it happen. They also picked up another future lottery pick by moving down from the top spot in the draft and the player they selected, Jayson Tatum, has impressed in summer-league action.
  • Timberwolves – The long-awaited Jimmy Butler trade came to fruition, giving Minnesota another star to join the duo of Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. They also signed Jeff Teague to replace Ricky Rubio, who was traded, and added veteran big man Taj Gibson.
  • Thunder – Russell Westbrook will no longer have to carry the entire load, thanks to the addition of Paul George. The Pacers traded away the disgruntled forward, providing Oklahoma City with an All-Star to share the scoring burden with Westbrook. They also fortified their frontcourt with the addition of Patrick Patterson.
  • Sixers – They moved up in the draft to snag the player they coveted, point guard Markelle Fultz. They also signed free agents J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson to provide a veteran presence to the locker room without sacrificing cap room for next summer, when they’re expected to pursue high-level free agents.

This leads us to our question of the day: Which team do you feel has improved the most during this offseason and why?

Please take to the comments section and provide your thoughts on this subject. We look forward to what you have to say.

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NBA Teams With Cap Room Remaining

July 10th, 2017 at 11:08am CST by Luke Adams

We’re only on the 10th day of the NBA league year, but already, the number of teams with cap room still available is dwindling.

Clubs without cap room remaining could create space at some point — the Knicks, for instance, used the last of their cap room to finalize Tim Hardaway‘s offer sheet, but may try to clear salary by trading Carmelo Anthony and/or Courtney Lee. For now though, only a handful of teams have a useful amount of cap space left.

Those teams with cap room are listed below, along with an informal breakdown of what their situation looks like. Many deals haven’t yet been finalized, so these figures our based on our projections, with the help of information from Basketball Insiders and HeatHoops.

Teams with cap room remaining:

  • Atlanta Hawks: With agreed-upon deals for Mike Muscala and Tyler Dorsey not yet official, the Hawks retain about $18-19MM in cap room. And that’s not counting whatever amount of money Jamal Crawford was willing to give up in his buyout, so that figure may creep a little higher.
  • Brooklyn Nets: The Nets remain in a holding pattern with Otto Porter, but after he officially moves over to the Wizards’ books and Brooklyn completes its trade for DeMarre Carroll, the team should have about $16-17MM in cap room. The Nets could create a little more space by waiving one or more non-guaranteed players.
  • Denver Nuggets: Once the Nuggets’ signing of Paul Millsap becomes official, the team won’t have much cap flexibility left, though that could change if Mike Miller is waived and/or Mason Plumlee is renounced. If both of those players remain on the cap, Denver will only have about $2MM in room. If they move on from both players, the Nuggets could get up to about $11MM+ in space.
  • Indiana Pacers: Assuming the Pacers stretch Monta Ellis‘ salary, as has been reported, they should have in the neighborhood of $7-8MM in remaining cap room, even after finalizing the acquisitions of Darren Collison, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Cory Joseph.
  • Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers have approximately $17MM in cap room left, though they’d have to renounce their remaining unrestricted free agents to make use of all that space.
  • Orlando Magic: The Magic could have retained their exceptions and cap holds and stayed over the cap, but it looks like they’re operating under the cap, signing Shelvin Mack with room instead of the mid-level exception. Orlando doesn’t have much space available, but could get up to $8MM+ in room by waiving C.J. Watson, and could increase that number a little more by cutting other non-guaranteed players.
  • Philadelphia 76ers: The Sixers’ remaining cap room will depend on the exact numbers for J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson, but it figures to be in the neighborhood of $16-17MM.
  • Phoenix Suns: Alex Len‘s $12MM+ cap hold is a significant factor in the Suns’ remaining cap room. If they were to renounce Len, the Suns could get up to about $23MM in room, with the ability to create even more by waiving non-guaranteed contracts. However, if they keep Len on the books, Phoenix’s cap room is below $11MM, and will be reduced further when Alan Williams‘ new deal becomes official.
  • Sacramento Kings: Deals for George Hill, Zach Randolph, Vince Carter, and Bogdan Bogdanovic will use up most of the Kings’ space, but the team should still have room in the $8-10MM range after those signings become official.

Teams that went under the cap, but have used all (or virtually all) of their room:

  • Boston Celtics
  • Miami Heat
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New York Knicks

These teams went below the cap this summer to accommodate big-money moves. In some cases, those deals aren’t yet official, but when they’re finalized, they’ll eliminate any cap room these teams have left. A couple of these clubs have already committed their room exception to certain players, with the Celtics on track to sign Aron Baynes and the Wolves lining up a deal with Jamal Crawford.

Teams that are operating over the cap, but could create some cap room:

  • Chicago Bulls
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Utah Jazz

These teams are currently operating as over-the-cap clubs in order to retain their full mid-level, bi-annual, and trade exceptions, but there could be scenarios in which it makes more sense to renounce those exceptions and dip below the cap.

In the Bulls’ and Mavs’ cases, it would likely only happen if they don’t retain top RFAs (Nikola Mirotic and Nerlens Noel, respectively). Meanwhile, the Jazz could only create up to about $12MM in room if they were to waive their non-guaranteed contracts  and wait to sign Joe Ingles.

Note: Items on Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic were edited after publication to adjust figures.

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Weekly Mailbag: 7/3/17 – 7/9/17

July 9th, 2017 at 4:57pm 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. Here are this week’s inquiries:

Which veteran free agent guard would best suit the Knicks, Derrick Rose or Rajon Rondo? — Charles Johnson, via Twitter

If we are to believe what the Knicks are saying, they want to get serious about building around a young core of Kristaps Porzingis, Willy Hernangomez, Frank Ntilikina and the newly acquired Tim Hardaway Jr. That means no long-term, big-money offers for veterans like the 31-year-old Rondo or the 28-year-old Rose. Things could always change, of course. A trade of Carmelo Anthony or Courtney Lee could free up cap room or David Griffin could make the case for some veteran leadership if he becomes the new GM, but for now count New York out of the race for Rondo and Rose.

Any closer to knowing what will happen with D-Rose? Are the Bucks still trying to clear space to get him, or has that passed? — Ben J. Fischer, via Twitter

Rose had a meeting with Milwaukee this week, but it looks like an awkward fit. The Bucks are already about $10MM over the cap, so the only way they could afford him is in a sign-and-trade with the Knicks, probably involving Greg Monroe, who is entering the final year of his contract. Also, Milwaukee spent heavily on a point guard last summer in Matthew Dellavedova, and Giannis Antetokounmpo runs the offense there anyway. Right now, there isn’t a clear landing spot for Rose unless he’s willing to take a short-term deal or drastically reduce his salary expectations.

What direction do the Grizzlies go in the offseason? How bad do they regret giving Chandler Parsons $94MM? — Hugh Austin

The first year of the Parsons deal was a disaster. He managed just 34 games and had another knee surgery, this time in March to repair a partial tear of his left medial meniscus. However, Parsons is only 28, is under contract for three more seasons and remains a very good player when healthy. Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace took an optimistic approach toward Parsons last month, saying the team expects him to be a full participant when training camp opens in September. But the Parsons contract does limit Memphis’ options in free agency, especially when combined with large deals for Mike Conley and Marc Gasol, giving them three players who will make more than $74MM next season. The Grizzlies will be limited to small deals as long as all three remain on the roster.

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Hoops Rumors Originals: 7/1/17 – 7/8/17

July 8th, 2017 at 10:00pm CST by Joshua Fischman

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

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Hoops Rumors’ 2017 NBA Free Agent Tracker

July 8th, 2017 at 12:26pm CST by Luke Adams

With the July moratorium over and news of contract agreements still coming in, Hoops Rumors is here to help you keep track of which players are heading to which teams this July. To that end, we present our Free Agent Tracker, a feature we’ve had each year since our inception in 2012. Using our tracker, you can quickly look up deals, sorting by team, years, salary, and a handful of other variables.

A few notes on the tracker:

  • Much of the information you’ll find in the tracker will reflect reported agreements, rather than finalized deals. As signings become official, we’ll continue to update and modify the data.
  • Similarly, contract years and dollars will be based on what’s been reported to date, so in many cases those amounts will be approximations rather than official figures. Listed salaries aren’t necessarily fully guaranteed either.
  • A restricted free agent who agrees to or signs an offer sheet will be included in the tracker, but the team won’t be specified until his original club matches or passes on the offer sheet, in order to avoid confusion.
  • Two-way contracts and draft pick signings aren’t included in the tracker.
  • Click on a player’s name for our full story on his deal.
  • If you’re viewing the tracker on mobile, be sure to turn your phone sideways to see more details.

Our 2017 Free Agent Tracker can be found anytime on the right sidebar under “Hoops Rumors Features,” and it’s also under the “Tools” menu atop the site. It will be updated throughout the offseason, so be sure to check back for the latest info. If you have any corrections, please let us know right here.

Our lists of free agents by position/type and by team break down the players who have yet to reach contract agreements.

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Community Shootaround: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

July 8th, 2017 at 11:06am CST by marksuleymanov

After the Pistons‘ acquisition of Avery Bradley from the Celtics, the team promptly renounced restricted free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The move puts Caldwell-Pope on the open market, free to sign with any NBA team and there has been no shortage of interest in the 24-year-old guard.

The Lakers are reportedly interested in Caldwell-Pope on a one-year commitment whereas the Nets have remained a suitor — and were expected to issue him an offer sheet before he hit unrestricted free agency. The Nets’ cap space is currently tied up after issuing a four-year, $101MM max offer sheet to Otto Porter. While the Wizards are believed to match the offer sheet, the Nets can continue their pursuit of KCP through discussion with his camp about a potential offer if and when Brooklyn retains cap space.

Los Angeles has about $17MM in cap space, which the team can use on a potential one-year deal. The Nets are more interested in long term pacts, especially after acquiring former second overall pick D’Angelo Russell from the Lakers. It’s ironic that the Lakers could have assembled a Caldwell-Pope/Russell back court and now the Nets are in a better position to do so.

In his fourth NBA season in 2016/17, Caldwell-Pope averaged 13.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.5 APG, and shot nearly 40% from the floor in 76 contests. His numbers have not seen a drastic improvement but – given his age and ability – his potential may outweigh his production as teams consider his worth.

One minor detail to remember for any team interested in Caldwell-Pope’s services is that he’s suspended for the first two games of the 2017/18 season. Therefore, he will be eligible for 80 out of 82 games but that will likely not impact any teams pursuit.

With all of this in mind, which destination is most ideal for Caldwell-Pope? Does a one-year investment or a long term teal make more sense for the 24-year-old? Which team would benefit most from plugging him into their starting lineup?

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Community Shootaround: Lakers Future

July 7th, 2017 at 10:55pm CST by Austin Kent

The Lonzo Ball Era has officially arrived in Los Angeles – well, Las Vegas technically – and the potential impact the No. 2 overall pick will have on the franchise can already be felt world-wide.

Sure the Lakers lost to the Clippers (in what Lavar Ball calls his son’s ‘worst game ever‘) but the rookie’s vision was on full display right from the onset of the first quarter.

Just over ten seconds into his NBA debut, Ball connected with Lakers 2016 first-round pick Brandon Ingram for a casual alley-oop.

Already the prospect of seeing Ball and the new-look Showtime squad has pushed the organization into new territory (or at least familiar territory that they haven’t seen in some time).

After years of Post-Prime-Kobe and consistent asset collection, the team has brought in a new executive staff, committed to a highly regarded young coach and laid out a framework for a roster that could remain in Los Angeles for years.

The result?

History. Sort of. As Ohm Youngmisuk detailed for ESPN – and we broke down here – the Las Vegas Summer League sold out their venue for Saturday’s entire session and had done so by noon today. That’s a first, Youngmisuk reports, reminding readers that the Thomas & Mack Center’s venue seats over 15,000 people.

The question, of course, is whether the franchise will live up to the hype or not. While there are several legitimate reasons to be genuinely optimistic about the future of the franchise, there was no shortage of hype this time last year either, when the team presented Ingram, D’Angelo Russell and then-new head coach Luke Walton as the pillars of the team’s future. Ball, then, hadn’t even yet suited up for a single Bruins game at that point.

We ask you, Lakers fans and haters alike, will this go down as the beginning of the next great Showtime dynasty? Are we finally seeing the core building blocks of the organization’s next great run? Or, for the pessimistic among us, will we simply be having an entirely different conversation this time next year?

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NBA’s July Moratorium Ends Today

July 6th, 2017 at 9:12am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s July moratorium will end on Thursday at 11:00 am central time, allowing teams to conduct official business beginning today. The July moratorium is the period from July 1 to July 6 when teams are permitted to agree to trades and free agent contracts, but can’t yet formally finalize them.

[RELATED: 2017 NBA Free Agent Tracker]

There are a number of types of deals that can be finalized during the moratorium, as we’ve seen this week. Teams can sign first-round picks to their rookie contracts, two-way contracts can be made official, and players signing minimum salary contracts can also finalize those deals. Restricted free agents are also permitted to sign offer sheets during the moratorium, though only one player – Otto Porter – has agreed to an offer sheet this week, and he hasn’t yet made it official with the Nets.

Although the end of the moratorium signals the beginning of official business for many teams, those teams aren’t obligated to immediately finalize deals reached during the moratorium. For instance, if the Celtics still haven’t found a taker for Jae Crowder, Avery Bradley, or Marcus Smart by 11:00 am CT today, it’s not as if their deal with Gordon Hayward will fall apart — Boston can take as much time as it needs to get its cap in order before making Hayward’s deal official, though I’m sure the team won’t want to drag out the process too long.

In some cases, trades that were agreed to in June before the new league year began still need to be officially finalized too. The Thunder‘s acquisition of Paul George from the Pacers is the most notable outstanding trade. However, a pair of draft-day deals involving the Sixers still need to be made official as well.

Philadelphia sold the 39th and 46th overall selections, but the team had reached its limit for cash received during the 2016/17 league year, so the Clippers and Bucks, respectively, agreed to postpone those deals until 2017/18, when the Sixers’ cash-received limit for the year will reset to $5.1MM.

[RELATED: 2017 NBA Offseason Trades]

Once the moratorium lifts, we’ll be updating our stories of contract and trade agreements to reflect when they become official. For top headlines from the last week, like the deals for Hayward, Paul Millsap, Blake Griffin, and other big-name free agents, we’ll bump those stories to the top of the site so you don’t miss news of them becoming official. However, since we don’t want to bury new news amidst confirmation of old news, our stories on smaller deals won’t be moved to the top of our feed unless there are new developments or details.

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Top NBA Free Agents Still Available

July 5th, 2017 at 11:12am CST by Luke Adams

Five days into the 2017/18 league year, most of the NBA’s top free agents are off the board. And while players like Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Blake Griffin, and Kyle Lowry stayed put, there has been some interesting movement at the top of the free agent board. Gordon Hayward is headed to Boston, Paul Millsap will be a Nugget, George Hill is joining the Kings, and Danilo Gallinari is signing with the Clippers.

Cap room is becoming increasingly scarce around the league, but many clubs still have exceptions available, and sign-and-trades are always a possibility, so we should still see more lucrative deals agreed upon in the coming days.

Which players are the strongest candidates to receive those lucrative deals? Let’s dive in and round up some of the most noteworthy free agents still on the board.

Here are 20 key unrestricted free agents who remain unsigned, listed in alphabetical order:

In addition to those players, veterans like Dirk Nowitzki, Manu Ginobili, Pau Gasol, and Zaza Pachulia don’t have formal agreements in place, though they’re all considered likely to return to their respective clubs. Euroleague star Milos Teodosic has also yet to find an NBA home, and as cap space dries up around the league, it will be interesting if he ends up sticking with CSKA Moscow.

While there are plenty of notable names on the unrestricted free agent market, the restricted market is getting even more intriguing. Otto Porter was able to land a big offer sheet, but many of the players listed below won’t have the same luck, as teams no longer have the flexible to overpay RFAs in an effort to pry them away. That means many of these guys will likely stay with their current teams, and some may even sign their qualifying offers. It’s possible that some of these situations may drag out too.

Here are the remaining RFAs:

For the full list of remaining free agents, click here.

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