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2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Miami Heat

June 5th, 2017 at 3:18pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat started the 2016/17 season with a 7-12 record, then had a pair of wild swings, losing 18 of their next 22 games before winning 30 of their final 41. There’s reason to believe that Miami’s strong second half is a positive sign of things to come, but a few of the club’s key players from that run are now eligible for free agency. That will create some uncertainty going forward, but with Chris Bosh‘s $25MM+ salary no longer on their books, the Heat will have a little more room to maneuver this offseason.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Heat financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2017:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

  • None

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Restricted Free Agents

  • None

Cap Holds

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $38,232,519

  • Taking into account their five guaranteed contracts, plus cap holds for a first-round pick and six empty roster spots, the Heat have a team salary of $62,767,481. However, that would mean waiving all their non-guaranteed players, including Richardson and McGruder, which is very unlikely — still, since those players are on veteran minimum salaries, they won’t cut into Miami’s cap room in a major way.

Footnotes:

  1. Ellington’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 6.
  2. Richardson’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30.
  3. McGruder’s salary becomes partially guaranteed ($452,625) after August 1.
  4. White’s salary becomes partially guaranteed ($226,312) after July 1. Partial guarantee increases to $452,624 after August 1.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post.

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Players Eligible For Rookie Scale Extensions In 2017

June 5th, 2017 at 12:38pm CST by Luke Adams

July 1 marks the start of the NBA’s new league year. At that point, players eligible for free agency will be able to begin negotiating and reaching contract agreements with suitors. In addition to those free agents, another group of players will also become eligible to sign new deals.

For players who are entering the fourth and final year of their rookie scale contracts, July 1 is the first day that they can sign rookie scale extensions. Those players, who are – for the most part – 2014 first-round selections, will have until the start of the 2017/18 regular season to finalize long-term deals with their current teams.

Players eligible for rookie scale extensions can sign new deals that run at least four years, with those contracts taking effect to start the 2018/19 season. If they don’t sign extensions during this offseason, those players will be eligible for restricted free agency in the summer of 2018.

A year ago, eight players eligible for rookie scale extensions signed new deals between July 1 and October 31. Here are the players eligible to sign rookie scale extensions this year, beginning on July 1:

The following players were selected in the first round of the 2014 draft along with most of the players above, but aren’t eligible for rookie-scale extensions this year:

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Community Shootaround: Media Obligations

June 4th, 2017 at 11:04pm CST by Austin Kent

Displeased with how the media scheduling has been set up in the NBA Finals, LeBron James opted out of speaking at the podium after Game 2, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. James also chose to bypass the podium after practice on Saturday.

Per Vardon, James wasn’t happy having to wait for the Warriors to finish their own interviews before he could give his own following the Game 1 loss last Thursday. Instead, on Sunday, James opted to speak to the media in the team’s locker room as soon as he was available to do so.

This begs the question of whether James’ response is appropriate given the situation. We’d like to hear what readers have to say about it in the comments section below.

Should athletes like James, paid handsomely to serve as professional athletes (a role that comes with inherent media obligations) speak whenever they’re scheduled by the league’s media department? Or does James have a point here?

In contrast, should the league’s media department be more sensitive to the fact that frustrated players aren’t likely to be enthused by the thought of sitting around waiting just to answer questions?

Ultimately the majority of fans acknowledge the media commitments that come with playing in the NBA but perhaps there’s a compromise that would appease all parties.

Weigh in below!

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Weekly Mailbag: 5/29/17 – 6/4/17

June 4th, 2017 at 11:50am 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:

How big will Dion Waiters‘ contract be? — LG3, via Twitter

Waiters has opted out of a deal worth more than $3.2MM next season and will be one of the top shooting guards in free agency. The 25-year-old averaged 15.8 points in 46 games this season and shot a career-best 39.5% from 3-point range. In an April article on The Players Tribune, Waiters expressed a desire to remain in Miami, saying team president Pat Riley helped him revive his career. But that will likely mean taking less money than he could get on the open market. The Nets offered Allen Crabbe four years at $75MM last summer and Tyler Johnson four years at $50MM, so a team may be willing to give Waiters something in that neighborhood, even though he was limited to about half a season because of injuries. The Heat won’t have full Bird rights on Waiters for another year, and Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel suggested last month that he might agree to a two-year, $20MM deal to stay in Miami with an option year to maximize his earnings next summer. Waiters’ salary will depend on how patient he is and how strongly he wants to remain with the Heat.

With the numerous second-rounders that they have this year, can you see the Celtics trying to turn them into a late first-rounder to snatch someone like Harry Giles if he’s still on the board? Before the knee trouble he was the first pick on practically every GM’s board. They need front court help/depth, and his athleticism came through at the combine. Medical concerns may put [president of basketball operations] Danny Ainge off, but they could get a steal for a minimum price. Then if the Nets fail in free agency and tumble in the standings again, the Celtics could target Deandre Ayton in 2018 as a long-term replacement for Al Horford. — Chris Hawkins

Ainge has the assets to make almost any move he wants, though it will probably take more than the Celtics’ three second-rounders [Nos. 37, 53 and 56] to move into the first round. Giles goes 20th in the latest mock published by DraftExpress, and some team might gamble on him even higher if it believes his knees can hold up. Roster spots are another concern in Boston, which has 10 players under contract for next season, not including free agents Kelly Olynyk, Jonas Jerebko, Amir Johnson, Gerald Green and James Young, draft-and-stash prospects Guerschon Yabusele and Ante Zizic and whatever they do with the No. 1 pick. Ainge may not want to bring another rookie with a guaranteed contract into that mix, especially if it involves a medical gamble like Giles.

I really want the Mavericks to take Jonathan Isaac or Dennis Smith Jr. with the ninth pick. I feel New York is going to select Frank Ntilikina with the eighth pick, so if they are not available does Dallas have interest in trading its pick to Denver for Emmanuel Mudiay and the 13th pick? At No. 13, Dallas can select OG Anunoby or Isaiah Hartenstein or Lauri Markkanen if there’s a miracle and he’s still available. Don’t forgot Mudiay is only 21 years old, he has time to learn to shoot and I heard the Mavs have a very good shooting coach. — Jason Tom

The question is whether the Mavericks believe any shooting coach can fix what’s wrong with Mudiay. He was a highly touted prospect who was taken with the seventh pick two years ago, but his NBA career has been a major disappointment so far. Denver would jump at the chance to move up four spots and get rid of Mudiay, who fell completely out of the rotation at midseason. He’s still young and he’s the type of player worth taking a chance on, but the Mavericks could probably pick him up much cheaper if they’re interested.

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Hoops Rumors Originals: 5/27/17 – 6/3/17

June 3rd, 2017 at 12:56pm 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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Community Shootaround: Klay Thompson’s Struggles

June 3rd, 2017 at 11:33am CST by marksuleymanov

The Warriors blew out the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, and received little offensive help from sharpshooter Klay Thompson. Thompson posted just six points on 3-of-16 shooting as teammates Kevin Durant (38 points) and Stephen Curry (28 points) picked up the slack. Despite his shooting, Thompson’s impact was felt on on the defensive side of the ball.

Thompson’s defense on LeBron James, J.R. Smith, and Kevin Love helped Golden State in its 113-91 win, entering Sunday’s Game 2 with an early series lead. However, Thompson’s struggles with shooting in the playoffs have been evident; one half of the Splash Brothers is shooting 36.6 percent from the field, 33.8 percent from beyond the arc, and hasn’t posted a 20-point game since Game 4 of the Semifinals against the Jazz on May 8. The reason could be a prolonged slump or it could be the addition of Durant disrupting his role on offense. Either way, Dennis Chambers of Basketball Insiders feels that the 76ers should pursue the 27-year-old shooting guard.

During a recent interview on Philadelphia ESPN radio affiliate, 97.5 The Fantatic, Thompson’s father and former first overall pick Mychal Thompson spoke highly of the Sixers’ evolving core.

“Yes, [former general manager] Sam Hinkie was right,” Thompson told host Mike Missanelli. “The talent that he amassed there with Ben [Simmons] and Joel [Embiid], as long as those two guys stay healthy Philadelphia is the team of the future in the Eastern Conference. No doubt about that. They’re going to be better than Washington, better than Atlanta, better than Toronto. Love that roster that you have there in Philly right now.”

The elder Thompson also added that Philadelphia is “one shooter” away from being a complete team, mentioning soon-to-be free agent J.J. Redick as a target. However, Redick is 32 years old and is closer to the end of his prime whereas Thompson is in the midst of his. Thompson is no stranger to trade rumors as his name was connected to a possible Love deal years ago before the Cavaliers — the Warriors’ opponent in the NBA Finals the last three years — snagged the talented big man. Thompson told Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post last January how much those rumors motivated him.

“A little bit. I was very happy. But I did take it as motivation,” Thompson said. “I had to prove they made the right decision. But I also look at the bright side of everything. It also meant that I’m wanted. It did motivate me to prove them right, and show them they made the right decision, and just keep working.”

For his part, Thompson enjoyed a strong regular season, posting 22.3 PPG while shooting .468 percent from the field and .414 percent from three. Any trade talks for Thompson with the 76ers would likely include the team’s third overall pick and other young assets.

That brings up a few questions: Is trading Thompson something the Warriors should explore this offseason? What should the team look to acquire in such a scenario? Could Kevin Durant‘s hefty salary in the future be a good reason to deal Thompson now?

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Community Shootaround: Re-evaluating The NBA’s Age Limit

June 2nd, 2017 at 10:57pm CST by Austin Kent

As we wrote about earlier today, Adam Silver has an interest in raising the NBA’s age limit from 19 to 20. The commissioner says that the current system in place hasn’t done enough to adequately prepare prospects for life in the pros considering how many simply use the NCAA as a one-and-done launchpad for the NBA Draft.

The player’s union, however, is opposed to the age limit just as they were when the original was implemented over 10 years ago. Doing so restricts young players from dictating when and how they begin careers even though they’re legally old enough to vote or enlist in the army.

Essentially, the two parties have every reason to disagree but sooner or later they’ll have to agree on something. If this is a battle that Silver ultimately wins, we could see players waiting two years before declaring for the draft. The question is, would that be any better? Would student athletes end up being significantly more motivated to see their college programs through to completion if they’ve already logged two years as opposed to just one?

Alternatively, it’s hard not to empathize with the player’s union when they talk about players running the risk of injuring themselves in college and jeopardizing million-dollar careers all because of an arbitrary decision that some young prospects aren’t prepared enough to succeed in the pros.

A compromise would be ideal but it’s hard to gauge what that may look like. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer recently suggested that the league could follow Major League Baseball’s lead and let players choose one of two paths. On one hand players could opt to jump straight out of high school, on the other they could commit to playing at least two seasons of college ball if they choose to accept an NCAA scholarship.

What do you think about all of the options presented? Are there any other compromises that could give all parties what they want?

Weigh in with the comments section below!

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2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Denver Nuggets

June 2nd, 2017 at 3:10pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets missed the postseason for a fourth straight season this year, but they took steps in the right direction and unearthed a franchise-type center in Nikola Jokic. Set to earn the minimum salary in 2017/18, Jokic will be perhaps the NBA’s best bargain. He won’t be this inexpensive forever, but while he is, Denver has a great opportunity to attempt to take advantage of the flexibility by adding talent around him.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Nuggets financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2017:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

  • None

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Restricted Free Agents

  • Mason Plumlee ($4,588,840 qualifying offer / $5,821,325 cap hold)
  • Total: $5,821,325

Cap Holds

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $43,170,506

  • With 11 guaranteed salaries on their books and a cap hold for their first-round pick, the Nuggets have a modest team salary of $57,829,494. If the club intends to make a serious effort to re-sign Gallinari, that figure will grow, reducing cap flexibility. But if Gallinari departs and Denver makes a trade or two, the team could create even more cap room.

Footnotes:

  1. Miller’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 12.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post.

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Hoops Links Vol. 7: Fan Loyalty, International Coups, More

June 2nd, 2017 at 1:01pm CST by Austin Kent

After joyously celebrating Smush Parker‘s June 1 birthday, we’re back to honor the best NBA content from around the blogosphere a day later than typically scheduled. This week we shine a light on what’s going on the league in a 100% Warriors– and Cavaliers-free link dump.

If you have a feature you think deserves recognition, hit me up on Twitter this week (@AustinKent) or send your tips directly to Hoops Rumors at HoopsRumorsTips@Sports.ws. Remember, the best submissions are almost always about Darko Milicic unique and entertaining.

Anthony Davis DeMarcus Cousins verticalThe Pelicans would be wise to bring in certified hard-ass Sam Mitchell to lead Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins to new heights, Oleh Kosel of The Bird Writes suggests. Mitchell has a reputation for being sharply outspoken and unafraid to challenge his most talented players. The connection to Kevin Garnett, Kosel adds, could further help the highly anticipated frontcourt duo improve in 2017/18.

Rating: 9 out of 10 Alleged Vince Carter Body Slams
Author: Oleh Kosel – @RedHopeful
Link: Sam Mitchell should coach the Pelicans

Findings from a recent Harvard study suggest that the Mavericks may have the most loyal fan base in the NBA. Per John Howe of Mavs Moneyball, the results don’t definitively put the organization on a pedestal but do reveal that attendance at the American Airlines Center across the last 15 seasons is the least dependent on winning percentage in the league. The club on the other end of the spectrum? According to the Harvard Sports Analysis Collective: the Clippers.

Rating: 8 out of 10 Promotional Mark Cuban Schemes
Author: John Howe – @JohnHowe_NBA
Link: NBA fan loyalty

It’s hard to get a good read on Tim Hardaway Jr.‘s potential and as a result it’s hard to gauge what sort of deal he might land in free agency. Xavier Cooper of Soaring Down South recently noted that the swingman has made strides over the course of the past few seasons, most recently with the Hawks, and appears as committed to improving as ever. One question remains, however: what is the streaky guard’s ceiling?

Rating: 7 out of 10 Run TMC Progeny
Author: Xavier Cooper – @XQuartezCooper
Link: Tim Hardaway Jr. improvement

When given the opportunity to play a meaningful role in the Raptors rotation, Lucas Nogueira showed that he was up to the task, providing many of the things that his predecessor Bismack Biyombo did during Toronto’s 2015/16 playoff run. The Serge Ibaka deal, however, bumped the 24-year-old down the organization’s depth chart and into a form of professional limbo. Count Blake Murphy of Raptors Republic among those high on the third-string center, but skeptical that he’ll see a bigger role in Toronto any time soon.

Rating: 9 out of 10 Unique Ways To Tuck In Your Jersey
Author: Blake Murphy – @BlakeMurphyODC
Link: Lucas Nogueira Raptors depth chart

Dwyane Wade verticalThe Bulls should start talking to Dwyane Wade about stepping into a sixth man role prior to his player option deadline later this month, Tyler Pleiss of Blog a Bull suggests. If Fred Hoiberg waits to have that conversation until after he commits, unnecessary friction could spill over into the 2017/18 campaign. Chicago, don’t forget, went on their late-season surge to the postseason with Wade on the sidelines altogether.

Rating: 8 out of 10 Awkward Conversations
Author: Tyler Pleiss – @Tyler_Pleiss
Link: Dwyane Wade sixth man role

The Lakers made a mistake signing Luol Deng to a four-year, $72MM contract last season and now the new executive regime in Los Angeles can try to fix it. In the eyes of Nick Ziegler of Lake Show Life, Deng’s presence only impedes Brandon Ingram‘s progress, and the veteran forward should be dealt even if it involves dangling other assets as bait in a possible salary dump.

Rating: 7 out of 10 Mulligans
Author: Nick Ziegler – @NickZiegler20
Link: Lakers should trade Luol Deng

There are plenty of ways to quantify Aron Baynes‘ impact on the Pistons, but skewing his value as free agency approaches are a lower-than-expected 2017/18 salary cap and the lackluster results of the reserves who signed big contracts last summer, Duncan Smith of Piston Powered writes. Baynes can pick up his player option to remain with the Pistons at $6.5MM or decline it and look for more on the open market.

Rating: 9 out of 10 Unfortunate Hairstyles
Author: Duncan Smith – @DuncanSmithNBA
Link: Pistons free agent Aron Baynes

The most underrated story line in the NBA this year is that of Enes Kanter and his relationship with Turkey. We’re not just talking about the recent passport cancellation either. On Thursday, Yaron Weitzman published a must-read Bleacher Report feature that breaks down the saga that has played out between the Thunder big man and his home country over the course of the past year.

Rating: 10 out of 10 Geopolitical Homework Assignments
Author: Yaron Weitzman – @YaronWeitzman
Link: Enes Kanter and Turkey

The Nets should make a push to land free agent Danilo Gallinari this offseason, Leo Mar of Nothin’ But Nets writes. Head coach Kenny Atkinson worked previously with the Italian forward during Gallinari’s rookie season back in 2008. More importantly, Mar adds, Gallinari’s offense would pair well with Brook Lopez‘s so long as he is able to stay reasonably healthy.

Rating: 8 out of 10 Roosters
Author: Leo Mar – @Leo_Mar8824
Link: Nets should sign Danilo Gallinari

Having agreed to part ways with the Heat, Chris Bosh will set his sights on suiting up for another NBA team in 2017/18. Kevin Haswell of Hot Hot Hoops, however, doesn’t think that the big man will find his way into a team’s lineup despite his established talent. Haswell cites a David Aldridge feature that gauged the interest league executives had in the free-agent-to-be.

Rating: 7 out of 10 Moral Dilemmas
Author: Kevin Haswell – @KevinRHaswell
Link: Will anybody sign Chris Bosh?

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Five Key Offseason Questions: Philadelphia 76ers

June 2nd, 2017 at 11:21am CST by ChrisCrouse

In year one post-Sam Hinkie, the Sixers managed to increase the excitement surrounding the team without substantially improving the on-court product. The club never expected to push for the playoffs, but rather, it looked to give its young nucleus a chance to work together and grow for the future. Injuries to Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid robbed Philadelphia of that opportunity, though in a small sample size Embiid provided the franchise with hope for the future.

Here are five questions facing the Sixers as they enter the offseason…

1. Should the front office offer Embiid an extension this summer?NBA: Philadelphia 76ers at Milwaukee Bucks

Embiid dominated in limited minutes this season, flashing potential as a franchise-saving big man. He scored 20.2 points per contest with a player efficiency rating of 24.1, figures that are only matched by six other rookies who played at least 25 minutes per game. Everyone else on that list is currently in the Hall of Fame, though on average, they each played around four times as many minutes in their rookie season than Embiid did.

Embiid’s talent is clear, but will he ever be able to play a full 82-game season? That’s something that will be baked into contract negotiations over the next year. He’s eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer and it’ll be interesting to see whether he opts for long-term security or bets on his health during the final year of his rookie contract.

2. What should the Sixers do with Jahlil Okafor?

Okafor seems to be perpetually on the trade block. The Sixers made a conscious effort to showcase him on multiple occasions this season with the hope of enticing a suitor, and he was nearly dealt to Portland after the team sat him for several games. The Pelicans were also linked to the Duke product, as were the Pacers. The Bulls appeared interested in bringing the Chicago native home, but no deal materialized.

Okafor’s place in the league seems to be in question. He hasn’t taken any drastic steps forward on defense and his offense appears to have plateaued. However, as we’ve seen throughout history, some players simply need a change of scenery and that’s likely the case with Okafor, as I suggested in his Trade Candidate piece earlier this season.

Read more

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