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Hoops Rumors Originals: 4/22/17 – 4/29/17

April 29th, 2017 at 6:15pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Hoops Rumors team produced a lot of original content again this week. Take a look at some of our favorite pieces and give us your response.

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Community Shootaround: Dwight Howard

April 28th, 2017 at 9:49pm CST by Arthur Hill

After slipping from 60 wins and a spot in the Eastern Conference finals in 2014/15 to 48 wins and a second-round playoff ouster last season, the Hawks knew they needed an impact move.

They gave Dwight Howard $70.5MM over three years to come to Atlanta, but the early results aren’t encouraging. The Hawks slipped to 43-39 and were eliminated in the first round tonight by Washington.

More disturbing is the fact that Howard barely made an impact in the series. He averaged 26.8 minutes per night through the first five games as the Hawks increasingly leaned on a smaller lineup. He saw just 22 minutes of action in tonight’s closeout game and never left the bench in the fourth quarter.

If there’s good news for Atlanta, it’s that Howard seems to have gotten over his recent history of back issues. He appeared in 74 regular season games, averaging 13.5 points and 12.7 rebounds and giving the Hawks the interior presence they were hoping for.

The bad news is that Howard eats up a ton of cap room over the next two seasons, making $23.5MM next year and more than $23.8MM in 2018/19. All-Star forward Paul Millsap is very likely to opt out this summer. If he re-signs with Bird rights, the Hawks will have about $14MM to spend in the free agent market. If Millsap leaves, Atlanta will have to rebuild around Howard, Dennis Schroder and a very young roster.

That brings us to tonight’s question: Did Atlanta make a mistake in signing Howard? Considering the NBA’s trend toward floor spacing and away from traditional big men, could that money have been put to better use? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.

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2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Milwaukee Bucks

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

On the day that Jabari Parker was diagnosed with a torn ACL, the Bucks were 22-29 and appeared to be on track for a spot in the lottery. However, the team came into its own down the stretch of the 2016/17 season, finishing on a 20-11 run and giving the Raptors all they could handle in the first round of the playoffs. This is a team on the rise, led by MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo, but Milwaukee isn’t typically a destination for top free agents, and the club likely won’t have much spending flexibility this summer anyway. The Bucks may ultimately continue to rely on the trade market and the draft, where they’ve struck gold in recent years.

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

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Restricted Free Agents

  • Tony Snell ($4,588,840 qualifying offer / $5,920,818 cap hold)
  • Total: $5,920,818

Cap Holds

  • Greg Monroe ($22,289,589) — If player option is declined
  • Spencer Hawes ($9,523,137) — If player option is declined
  • Michael Beasley ($1,471,382)
  • Jason Terry ($1,471,382)
  • No. 17 overall pick ($2,135,040)
  • Total: $36,890,530

Trade Exceptions

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $14,598,033

  • With their nine players on guaranteed contracts, their first-round pick, and two empty roster spot charges, the Bucks have $86,401,967 in projected salary for 2017/18, giving the team a little breathing room under the cap. However, that’s probably not a realistic scenario, since it would mean renouncing Snell and all their trade exceptions, not to mention Monroe and Hawes both turning down their player options. It’s much more likely that the Bucks will remain over the cap this offseason.

Footnotes:

  1. Payton’s 2017/18 salary believed to be non-guaranteed, per Basketball Insiders. The Vertical lists it as guaranteed.

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

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2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Oklahoma City Thunder

April 27th, 2017 at 2:40pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2016/17 campaign was a banner season for Russell Westbrook, who may take home his first MVP award after averaging a triple-double. It was about as successful a year as the Thunder could have expected after losing Kevin Durant, but players like Steven Adams and Victor Oladipo didn’t take big steps forward after signing long-term deals, as the team might’ve hoped. Heading into the summer, the Thunder are over the cap and will have to get creative to further bolster their roster.

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

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

  • None

Team Options

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Restricted Free Agents

  • Andre Roberson ($4,588,840 qualifying offer / $5,457,681 cap hold)
  • Total: $5,457,681

Cap Holds

Trade Exceptions

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: –$12,453,256

  • After Durant departed in free agency last July, the Thunder’s books looked wide open for the foreseeable future, creating a number of different paths the team could go down. However, in the subsequent months, Oklahoma City finalize lucrative extensions for Westbrook, Oladipo, and Adams. Those new deals will count for more than $72MM on the Thunder’s books for 2017/18, limiting the club’s flexibility, barring trades. With nine guaranteed salaries, the cap hold for their first-rounder, and two empty roster charges, the Thunder are carrying $113,453,256 in projected salary for ’17/18, and that’s assuming they renounce all their free agents, including Roberson. They won’t have cap room.

Footnotes:

  1. Christon’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 8.

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

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Hoops Links Vol. 2: The Next MJ, McGee’s Reign, More

April 27th, 2017 at 10:23am CST by Austin Kent

It’s here. The second installment of our revamped Hoops Links feature. If you missed last week’s debut, you can check it out now. This week, we have an entirely new batch of the best posts and pieces published from all around the blogosphere.

Before you read on, remember that we’re looking for original NBA content from all around the internet. The next time you read an article that you think could make the cut, send it to Austin Kent on Twitter (@AustinKent) or at HoopsRumorsTips@Sports.ws.

Michael Jordan verticalThe NBA has evolved so much over the course of the past 10 years that gone are the days where any 6’6″ swingman capable of flushing a highlight reel dunk was touted as the “Next Michael Jordan.” Howard Beck of Bleacher Report takes a good long look at how Jordan’s legacy has changed over the course of the past two decades.
Rating: 8 out of 10 Harold Miner Posters
Author: Howard Beck – @HowardBeck
Link: The Next Michael Jordan

If the Grizzlies weren’t already the most affable and relatable team capable of contending in the Western Conference, they are after ESPN cameras captured Mike Conley and Marc Gasol hugging following their Game 4 win. This week, Ross Jarrar of Grizzly Bear Blues wrote about how and why the gesture has resonated so much.
Rating: 8 out of 10 Public Bromances
Author: Ross Jarrar – @ASAPRockyTop
Link: Mike Conley and Marc Gasol hug

There’s no denying that the best Shaquille O’Neal rap album analysis is unsolicited Shaquille O’Neal rap album analysis, so when PopGates‘ Charlie Wooley journeyed back to the early nineties and broke down the big man’s musical debut, we took notice.
Rating: 8 out of 10 Triple Threats
Author: Charlie Wooley – @WooleyCharlie
Link: Shaq Diesel review

It wasn’t the only ill-conceived trade in the NBA this season, but Charlotte’s move to take on Miles Plumlee and his bloated contract may have been the worst of the bunch, says Jerry Stephens of Swarm and Sting. Stephens ruminates on the desperate decision the Hornets made to ship Roy Hibbert and Spencer Hawes to the Bucks mid-season and how it’s already impacting the team’s wallet.
Rating: 6 out of 10 Reddit Memes
Author: Jerry Stephens – @JR_StephNBA
Link: Nebulous Miles Plumlee trade

Former NBA commissioner David Stern gives the Nets the benefit of the doubt that they may not have fully understood the impact their decision to rest players in the final game of regular season would have on the playoff picture. Still, he isn’t afraid to call out the only franchise with absolutely zero incentive to rest players for inexplicably letting the Bulls waltz uncontested into the postseason. Henry Bushnell discusses the details at Ball Don’t Lie.
Rating: 7 out of 10 Disappointed Grandfathers
Author: Henry Bushnell – @HenryBushnell
Link: Stern criticizes Nets for resting players

There was plenty of skepticism over Brad Stevens‘ decision to put Gerald Green in the Celtics‘ starting lineup after two surprising losses to the Bulls in their first round playoff series, but the move has significantly changed the outlook of that series. Tim MacLean breaks down the impact the 31-year-old Green has had on Boston’s matchups and floor-spacing for Celtics Blog.
Rating: 8 out of 10 Birthday Candles
Author: Tim MacLean – @MacLeanNBA
Link: Starting Gerald Green

Norman Powell horizontalFor the second year in a row, Norman Powell has emerged as a driving force behind the Raptors‘ playoff success, so what keeps on happening and why doesn’t Dwane Casey just employ him this way year-round? Shyam Baskaran of Raptors Republic writes about how the space on the wing Toronto freed up for Powell by trading Terrence Ross was quickly swallowed up by the additions of veterans Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker.
Rating: 7 out of 10 Dwane Casey Rotation Changes
Author: Shyam Baskaran – @ShyamBaskaran
Link: Norman Powell in the playoffs

Although he was widely lauded as an elite defensive prospect (among other things), Andrew Wiggins‘ first three seasons of NBA action don’t exactly support the hypothesis that he could be a lockdown perimeter threat. With Wiggins’ value still high, given his raw athleticism and offensive output, could it be the perfect time for the Timberwolves to move him? Erik Voldness of The Blog That Boredom Built suggests as much.
Rating: 6 out of 10 Maple Jordans
Author: Erik Voldness
Link: Trade Andrew Wiggins now?

No matter how you look at it, JaVale McGee‘s game-altering impact has given the Warriors a devastating new weapon. And, believe it or not, this isn’t just some hastily scribbled fan fiction published by a mysterious dude on the internet named Pierre. What McGee’s athleticism and length brings to the Dubs’ second-unit is profound. However, as Scott Rafferty writes for The Step Back, let’s not thrust him into a starting role with 30-plus minutes per game just yet.
Rating: 9 out of 10 Awkward Cross-Generational NBA Feuds
Author: Scott Rafferty – @CrabDribbles
Link: JaVale McGee, Warriors secret weapon

If Paul George to the Lakers is an inevitability, which a cursory look at the rumor mill seems to suggest, somebody ought to take a peek at what a trade might actually look like. Ryan Magdziarz of Sir Charles In Charge recently patched together a possible scenario that could land George in Los Angeles while sending a pair of young Lakers to the Pacers.
Rating: 6 out of 10 Hours Spent On The Trade Machine
Author: Ryan Magdziarz – @RyanMagdziarz
Link: Paul George’s future

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Community Shootaround: Blake Griffin

April 26th, 2017 at 8:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

With the Clippers on the verge of elimination, the franchise is moving closer to addressing the tough decisions it will face this summer. J.J. Redick is definitely headed toward free agency, and Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are almost certain to opt out and join him, leaving owner Steve Ballmer to decide how much it’s worth to keep the current team together.

A recent report suggests that a five-year extension for Paul is a done deal. Redick is a valuable starter, but not a franchise-altering player. So L.A.’s most important choice will be what to do about Griffin.

At age 28, Griffin remains one of the most talented power forwards in the league. He averaged 21.6 points per game this season, topping the 20-point threshold for the sixth time in his seven NBA seasons. He’s a five-time All-Star who will be among the biggest draws on the open market.

But re-signing Griffin won’t be a slam-dunk decision. Injuries, behavior and finances will all factor in, as will the Clippers’ long string of playoff disappointments.

Griffin managed just three playoff games this year before being sidelined for the rest of the postseason with an injured toe. It’s the second straight season that the Clippers have lost Griffin in the first round, as both he and Paul were unavailable at the end of last year’s ouster against Portland. Griffin appeared in just 61 regular-season games, losing part of the season to arthroscopic knee surgery in December.

A year ago, he managed just 35 games and broke his right hand in a fight with equipment manager Matias Testi. Griffin apologized to teammates and fans, but the incident reportedly soured some members of the front office about his future in the organization.

Giving max deals to keep both Paul and Griffin would push the Clippers’ payroll among the highest in the league. Ballmer would be faced with a sizable luxury tax and a huge repeater tax on top of it. Vertical insider Adrian Wojnarowski wrote this morning that it wouldn’t be “realistic” to expect that kind of commitment after another early playoff exit.

One option if Griffin isn’t retained is to revisit a deal for Carmelo Anthony. The Clippers were one of the teams that the Knicks contacted before the deadline. Anthony could at least replace Griffin’s scoring and give L.A. a new Big Three with Paul and DeAndre Jordan.

That brings us to tonight’s question: Should the Clippers re-sign Griffin this summer, and if they don’t, where will he end up? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.

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2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Portland Trail Blazers

April 26th, 2017 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After an unexpected second-round playoff run a year ago, the Trail Blazers underwhelmed in 2016/17, sneaking into the playoffs as a No. 8 seed and failing to win a single postseason game. The Blazers did unearth a gem when they acquired Jusuf Nurkic in a February trade, but the team’s cap situation will make it very difficult for the front office to make major upgrades to the roster this summer.

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

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

  • None

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

  • Festus Ezeli ($6,733,000) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.1
  • Pat Connaughton ($1,471,382)2
  • Tim Quarterman ($1,312,611)
  • Total: $9,516,993

Restricted Free Agents

  • None

Cap Holds

  • No. 15 overall pick ($2,365,560)
  • No. 20 overall pick ($1,859,400)
  • No. 26 overall pick ($1,465,920)
  • Total: $5,690,880

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: –$38,119,655

  • Portland has an extraordinary amount of money tied up in guaranteed salaries for next season. If the Blazers were to waive all their players on non-guaranteed salaries, the club’s remaining salaries for 2017/18 – along with cap holds for first-round draft picks – would total $139,119,655, a figure that would be well above the tax line. Trades to clear some salary are possible, but the Blazers are a virtual lock to remain over the cap this offseason.

Footnotes:

  1. Ezeli’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30.
  2. Connaughton’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 25.

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

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2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Indiana Pacers

April 25th, 2017 at 3:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers made some big splashes on the trade market and in free agency a year ago, but the new-look roster didn’t take the step forward the team was hoping for. Heading into the 2017 offseason, Indiana finds itself in a tough spot, with the future of star forward Paul George – who has just one guaranteed year left on his contract – up in the air.

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

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

Team Options

Non-Guaranteed Salary

  • Kevin Seraphin ($1,974,159)3
  • Glenn Robinson III ($1,471,382)4
  • Joe Young ($1,471,382)5
  • Rakeem Christmas ($1,421,382) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.2
  • Georges Niang ($1,212,611) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.1
  • Total: $7,550,916

Restricted Free Agents

  • None

Cap Holds

  • Jeff Teague ($13,200,000) — UFA
  • C.J. Miles ($8,708,555) — If player option is declined
  • Lavoy Allen ($7,600,000) — If team option is declined
  • Aaron Brooks ($3,240,000) — UFA
  • No. 18 overall pick ($2,028,360)
  • Total: $34,776,915

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $32,491,518

  • If the Pacers were to waive all their players on non-guaranteed salaries, decline their team option on Allen, have Miles turn down his player option, and renounce their UFAs, they would have $64,430,407 on their cap for seven roster spots (six guaranteed salaries and a first-round pick). The team would also have to account for five minimum-salary roster charges for empty roster spots. The total on their books in that scenario would be $68,508,482.

Footnotes:

  1. Niang’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after either July 1 or July 15 (conflicting information available).
  2. Christmas’ salary becomes fully guaranteed after either July 1 or August 1 (conflicting information available).
  3. Seraphin’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after August 1.
  4. Robinson’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 1.
  5. Young’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 1.

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

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NBA Salary Guarantee Dates For Summer 2017

April 25th, 2017 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

Nearly every NBA team has at least one player on their books with a non-guaranteed salary or a partially guaranteed salary for the 2017/18 season. In the majority of those cases, the team has the ability to waive the player and get off the hook for that entire salary before it becomes guaranteed. However, many of those decisions will be due well before next year’s regular season gets underway.

Below, we’ve broken down the upcoming salary guarantee dates for many players currently on non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed contracts for 2017/18. Not every player on a non-guaranteed deal is included here — if a player’s contract doesn’t include any early salary guarantee dates, and won’t become fully guaranteed until January 2018, we’ll look at his deal at a later date.

For now, we want to get a better idea of which teams will have to make decisions on salary guarantees during or before the free agent period. So if a player’s non-guaranteed contract becomes fully or partially guaranteed during the months of June, July, or August, that’s noted below.

When his deadline date passes, we’ll note below if a player was waived. If he remained on the roster, receiving his guarantee, that’s noted with a ✔️ symbol. However, since teams and players can agree to push back guarantee dates, we’ll wait for confirmation one way or the other on those guarantees — if a player simply remains on the roster, without any updates, we won’t necessarily assume his deal has become guaranteed.

With the help of contract information from The Vertical and Basketball Insiders, here are this summer’s upcoming salary guarantee dates by team:

Atlanta Hawks

  • Mike Dunleavy: $5,175,000 salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 1. Currently partially guaranteed ($1,662,500). (Waived)

Boston Celtics

Brooklyn Nets

  • Joe Harris: $1,524,305 salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30. (✔️)
  • Sean Kilpatrick: $1,524,305 salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30. (✔️)
  • Quincy Acy: $1,709,538 salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 16. (✔️)

Charlotte Hornets

Read more

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Weekly Mailbag: 4/17/17 – 4/23/17

April 23rd, 2017 at 11:43am 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:

Do the Pacers have any interest in adding Carmelo Anthony to help Paul George stay in Indiana? I will trade Thaddeus Young, Monta Ellis and a future first-round pick for Carmelo. — Jason Tom

The Knicks haven’t gotten any better offers that we’ve heard about, so let’s examine your proposal. Ellis’ trade value is down after a subpar year. Plus, he’s signed for $11.23MM for next season and has a player option worth $11.7MM for 2018/19. Young will make nearly $14.8MM next year and has an option worth nearly $13.8MM for the following season. But he’s only 28 and wouldn’t be a bad fit next to Kristaps Porzingis. The future first-rounder could carry some value if George leaves in free agency after next season. Substitute C.J. Miles (if he opts in) or Lavoy Allen for Ellis, and the Knicks might have some interest. Of course, the bigger question is whether Anthony would waive his no-trade clause to go to Indiana, and the answer is probably not, unless he becomes desperate to get out of New York.

If the Sixers get the Lakers’ pick at No. 4, which player would you go for? — Babyboy, via Twitter
This would be the worst-case scenario for the Lakers, and the best for the Sixers, who own L.A.’s pick if it falls out of the top three. It will also be an indication of how much Philadelphia believes in Ben Simmons running the point. Both Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress and Chad Ford of ESPN.com have Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball and Josh Jackson as their top three picks. That leaves De’Aaron Fox and Dennis Smith, both highly regarded point guards, along with international prospect Frank Ntilikina. The Sixers will also have their own pick later in the lottery, so it’s likely they would take the best player available at No. 4. Jayson Tatum is a possibility, but Malik Monk would fill a long-time need in the backcourt.

Is NBA expansion happening? Are the SuperSonics set to return? — Scott, via Twitter

The latest news on the Sonics is that the Los Angeles-based Oak View Group has a $564MM plan for renovations to KeyArena, the team’s former home. The project could be completed by October of 2020, in time to host an NBA or NHL team for the 2020/21 season. The 55-year-old arena is expected to be named a historic landmark this year, according to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times, which means its unique roof and other elements would have to be retained in any renovation. A committee will make a recommendation in June whether to renovate the arena or throw its support behind a new facility. The city is willing to invest to bring the SuperSoncis back, and NBA commissioner Adam Silver recognizes the value of the Seattle market. The only obstacle is that the league has no immediate or long-term plans for expansion. But when it happens, Seattle is almost guaranteed to get its team back.

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