Hoops Rumors Originals

Community Shootaround: LeBron James’ Future

June 8th, 2017 at 11:22am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers are one game away from being swept by the Warriors, and Chris Mannix of The Vertical makes the case that Cleveland won’t have a legit chance to knock off Golden State anytime soon. In fact, Mannix suggests that if they hadn’t won last year’s Finals, the Cavs would likely be headed for a Buffalo Bills-esque run — good enough to come out of their conference, but not to win the championship.

With that in mind, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer explores the idea that LeBron’s second stint in Cleveland may not be permanent. James came back to the Cavs with a goal of bringing a title to Cleveland, and did so last year, meaning there likely wouldn’t be as much animosity if elected to take his talents elsewhere for a second time.

According to O’Connor, there are rumblings around the NBA about the possibility of LeBron heading out west when he becomes eligible to opt out of his contract in 2018. Multiple league sources that spoke to O’Connor suggests that Los Angeles is a potential destination for the reigning Finals MVP, with both the Lakers or Clippers as viable possibilities.

O’Connor lays out both of those hypothetical scenarios, writing that LeBron could theoretically team with Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Paul George for the Lakers, or with his “Banana Boat” friends – Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, and Carmelo Anthony – for the Clippers.

At this point, both of those outcomes seem like long shots. Either L.A. team would have to complete a series of challenging roster moves to put together the groups O’Connor mentions, and there’s certainly no guarantee that LeBron will leave Cleveland anyway when he has the opportunity to reach free agency next summer. Heading west also wouldn’t necessarily improve his chances of toppling the Warriors, since he’d be in their division rather than in another conference.

Still, with the Cavs on the verge of defeat in this year’s Finals, it’s an interesting subject of speculation. What do you think? Will LeBron finish his career with the Cavaliers, or do you expect to see him eventually change teams again? If he heads elsewhere, are the Lakers and Clippers the most likely landing spots?

Weigh in below in the comments section with your thoughts!

Five Key Offseason Questions: Washington Wizards

June 7th, 2017 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards’ 2016 offseason, which included a five-year max contract for Bradley Beal, pricey multiyear investments in Ian Mahinmi, Andrew Nicholson, and Jason Smith, and the hiring of Scott Brooks, was met with skepticism by many league observers. However, while most of the team’s free agent additions didn’t pay major dividends, Brooks’ arrival and Beal’s breakout season helped buoy Washington to a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Wizards were just one win away from knocking off the top-seeded Celtics and earning a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals, but this team isn’t a finished product. There are several areas the Wizards will need to address and a handful of questions the club will need to answer in order to make another deep playoff run a year from now.

Here are several key questions facing the Wizards as they enter the offseason:

1. Will Otto Porter be re-signed?

John Wall and Beal are the Wizards’ stars, but if anyone on the roster qualifies as the third piece of a Big Three, it’s Porter. He enjoyed the best season of his four-year career in 2016/17, averaging 13.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 1.5 SPG, with an extremely efficient .516/.434/.832 shooting line. He’s also just 24 years old, and is eligible for restricted free agency this summer.

When Beal reached restricted free agency a year ago, there was little doubt that the Wizards would retain him, despite his injury history. Porter isn’t quite a lock to be brought back — he’ll almost certainly draw enough rival interest that Washington will be forced to go up to the max for him, and he’d be making more than both Beal and Wall in that scenario. Still, letting him go wouldn’t create a ton of cap flexibility for the Wizards, and it would leave the club with a huge hole in its lineup, so I’d expect Porter to stay in D.C.

2. Will Bojan Bogdanovic be re-signed?

Like Porter, Bogdanovic provided reliable outside shooting for the Wizards this season and is eligible for restricted free agency. Bogdanovic, who was acquired at the trade deadline, isn’t as strong an all-around player as Porter, but he’s a very solid scorer off the bench on a team that had a hard time finding production from its second unit.

Assuming they tender Bogdanovic a qualifying offer, as they should, the Wizards will have the opportunity to match any offer sheet the veteran forward signs. But if Porter is re-signed, Washington won’t have a ton of flexibility to match a lucrative offer for Bogdanovic unless the team is willing to go into the tax. Depending on how aggressively suitors pursue Bogdanovic, it might make sense for the Wizards to let him go.

3. How will the Wizards fortify their bench without a first-round pick or cap room?

The Wizards traded their 2017 first-round pick for Bogdanovic earlier this year, leaving them with only the No. 52 overall pick in this year’s draft. And if they re-sign Porter, they’ll be well over the cap, leaving them without a ton of resources to address their depth. Wall has called for the club to reinforce its second unit, so how might Washington do it?

Over-the-cap teams have the mid-level and bi-annual exceptions available, and those will be worth about $8.4MM and $3.3MM respectively. That could be enough to add two decent pieces in free agency, though those exceptions won’t be available if the Wizards go over the luxury tax apron — in that case, they’d have the more modest taxpayer MLE ($5.2MM), and wouldn’t be able to use the BAE.

With no obvious way of getting back into the first round or creating cap room, the Wizards may have to consider a trade or two in order to acquire some talent and create flexibility to add more.

4. Will Marcin Gortat be traded?

Gortat expressed frustration at season’s end about his role with the Wizards, suggesting that he may seek a trade this summer. Even if the veteran center doesn’t formally ask to be moved, he looks like one of the most logical trade chips on the roster.

Gortat is less expensive and has a shorter-term deal than fellow center Mahinmi, meaning he should have a little more trade value as well. Gortat and Mahinmi have similar skill-sets — they can rebound, block the occasional shot, and score in the post, but they don’t shoot from outside, and there’s little reason for both of them to get major minutes in the Wizards’ rotation.

Even if the Wizards aren’t able to get a ton of value in return for Gortat, moving his $12.78MM salary could be hugely beneficial if the team doesn’t have to take much salary back. Moving Gortat’s contract wouldn’t necessarily create cap room, but it could create the flexibility to comfortably sign Porter – and perhaps Bogdanovic – while still having room below the tax to use the full MLE and BAE. I’d expect the Wizards, at the very least, to gauge Gortat’s value in the coming weeks.

5. Who will back up John Wall?

Brandon Jennings and Trey Burke are unlikely to be back with the Wizards next season, with neither player having established himself as a reliable backup for Wall at the point (Burke had perhaps his best season as a pro, but played limited minutes and remains more of a scorer than a distributor). If they have the opportunity to dedicate some of their exception money to the point guard position, the Wizards could add a solid veteran.

Obviously, players like George Hill and Jrue Holiday aren’t realistic targets, and even second-tier free agent point guards like Patty Mills will likely be out of the Wizards’ price range. Still, the club should have the chance to land a player a little further down on free agent boards, such as Shaun Livingston, Darren Collison, Raymond Felton, Aaron Brooks, or Deron Williams.

None of those players should be counted on to be a difference-maker, but being able to rely on a veteran point guard to run the offense for 15-20 minutes per game would be valuable for a club that has often seen a massive drop-off in production at that position when Wall sits.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Wizards financially:

Guaranteed Salary

Bradley Beal ($23,775,506)
John Wall ($18,063,850)
Ian Mahinmi ($16,661,641)
Marcin Gortat ($12,782,609)
Markieff Morris ($8,000,000)
Jason Smith ($5,225,000)
Tomas Satoransky ($3,000,000)
Kelly Oubre Jr. ($2,093,040)
Chris McCullough ($1,471,382)
Martell Webster ($833,333) — Waived via stretch provision
Total: $91,906,361

Player Options

None

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Sheldon Mac ($1,312,611)¹
Daniel Ochefu ($1,312,611)²
Total: $2,625,222

Restricted Free Agents

Otto Porter ($7,732,904 qualifying offer / $14,734,953 cap hold)
Bojan Bogdanovic ($4,663,316 qualifying offer / $7,088,241 cap hold)
Trey Burke ($4,187,598 qualifying offer / $8,466,495 cap hold)
Total: $30,289,689

Cap Holds

Brandon Jennings ($1,440,000)
Total: $1,440,000

Trade Exceptions

Andrew Nicholson TPE ($2,515,973) — Expires 2/22/18

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $6,646,794

Renouncing all their free agents and waiving their non-guaranteed salaries would leave the Wizards with nine guaranteed contracts and three cap charges for empty roster slots, totaling $94,353,206. That doesn’t leave the Wizards much room to work with, so it makes more sense for the team to stay over the cap, which would allow for possible deals with RFAs like Porter and/or Bogdanovic.

Footnotes:

Mac’s salary becomes partially guaranteed ($50,000) after July 1.
Ochefu’s salary becomes partially guaranteed ($50,000) after July 1.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: San Antonio Spurs

June 7th, 2017 at 2:03pm CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs won 60+ games for the third time in four years in 2016/17, but any chance they had of knocking off the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals was stymied when Kawhi Leonard re-injured his ankle in Game 1 against Golden State. Even though San Antonio was the second- or third-best team in the NBA this past season, additional roster pieces may be needed to seriously challenge the historically dominant Warriors.

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

Guaranteed Salary

LaMarcus Aldridge ($21,461,010)
Kawhi Leonard ($18,868,625)
Tony Parker ($15,453,126)
Danny Green ($10,000,000)
Kyle Anderson ($2,151,704)
Tim Duncan ($1,881,250) — Waived via stretch provision.
Davis Bertans ($1,312,611)
Dejounte Murray ($1,312,611)
Livio Jean-Charles ($1,035,200) — Waived.
Total: $73,476,137

Player Options

Pau Gasol ($16,197,500)
David Lee ($2,328,652)
Total: $18,526,152

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Bryn Forbes ($1,312,611)¹
Total: $1,312,611

Restricted Free Agents

Jonathon Simmons ($1,671,382 qualifying offer / $1,671,382 cap hold)
Total: $1,671,382

Cap Holds

Manu Ginobili ($21,000,000)
Patty Mills ($6,800,001)
Dewayne Dedmon ($3,477,600) — Player option declined.
Joel Anthony ($1,471,382)
No. 29 overall pick ($1,404,600)
Total: $34,153,583

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $22,856,803

With seven guaranteed contracts, plus cap holds for a first-round pick and four empty roster spots, the Spurs’ team salary is $78,143,197. That figure doesn’t include Gasol or Lee, who could pick up player options, and also doesn’t include Ginobili, Mills, or Simmons, all free agents. Even if none of those players return, San Antonio would still have work to do to clear enough room for a maximum salary player like Chris Paul.

Footnotes:

Forbes’ salary becomes partially guaranteed ($100,000) after August 1.

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

Five Key Offseason Questions: Sacramento Kings

June 6th, 2017 at 4:22pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings entered the 2016/17 season with playoff aspirations, and flirted with the No. 8 spot for much of the first half, with new head coach Dave Joerger opting to lean on his veterans at the expense of regular minutes for many of the team’s young players. After Rudy Gay went down with an Achilles injury and DeMarcus Cousins was traded to the Pelicans, Sacramento’s rebuild began in earnest, and Joerger will likely make sure his youngsters see more action in 2017/18.

The Cousins trade was widely viewed as a mistake by the Kings at the time, with many pundits arguing that the club dumped the All-NBA center for 25 cents on the dollar. However, Buddy Hield looked good down the stretch, and the Pelicans’ inability to make a late-season run ensured that Sacramento landed a second top-10 pick as a result of the deal. Even if neither Hield nor this year’s No. 10 pick develop into the sort of impact player that Cousins has become, they can be solid building blocks for the new-look Kings.

With the rebuild underway, here are five key questions facing the Kings this offseason:

1. Is the front office stable?

Reports on the Kings’ front office in recent years have suggested that there are too many cooks in the kitchen, with rival teams uncertain of who to call to discuss trades and who has the authority to sign off on moves.

The team’s handling of the Cousins situation reflected that front office uncertainty — the move came shortly after Cousins’ camp was assured he wouldn’t be going anywhere, and reports indicated that Hield was acquired because of owner Vivek Ranadive‘s fondness for him, despite the fact that GM Vlade Divac ostensibly has the final say on basketball decisions.

The Kings solidified their front office a little in April by adding respected veteran exec Scott Perry to the mix as an executive VP of basketball operations. Perry is believed to be taking over some day-to-day duties from Divac, and it’s worth wondering if his presence has contributed to the Kings getting a few more first-round prospects in for workouts this spring than they have in past years.

2. What will the Kings do with their two top-10 picks?

Speaking of first-round prospects, the Kings will be considering a number of them this year, since they’ll have the opportunity to nab two top players in what’s viewed as a strong draft class. Still, there aren’t necessarily any perfect fits for Sacramento with the 5th and 10th overall selections.

The Kings reportedly like De’Aaron Fox a lot, and he’d certainly be an ideal choice to plug in at point guard. But Fox’s stock has been on the rise since a strong March Madness showing, and there’s a good chance he’ll be off the board by the time the Kings are on the clock at No. 5.

With a pair of lottery picks in hand, Sacramento certainly has the ammunition available to trade up and grab Fox if they really like him — and as we saw with Hield, the Kings may be willing to sacrifice some value in order to land a player they want badly. But that would be a high price to pay, particularly when there are other good options available, including at point guard.

If the draft goes as expected, the Kings should have the chance to choose from players like Jayson Tatum, Jonathan Isaac, Malik Monk, and Dennis Smith Jr. at No. 5, and perhaps guys like Frank Ntilikina and Donovan Mitchell at No. 10.

3. Will Bogdan Bogdanovic arrive stateside this season?

In addition to deciding what to do with this year’s first-round picks, the Kings will also have to determine how to handle one of 2014’s first-rounders. Bogdanovic was one of the players Sacramento acquired in a draft-day deal with Phoenix, and he has a chance to make an impact right away, having shot 43.0% on three-pointers in Euroleague action this past season.

Of course, since it has been three years since he was drafted, Bogdanovic also isn’t obligated to sign a rookie scale contract, meaning the Kings will likely have to dip into their cap room to sign him. Considering the club could have upwards of $50MM+ in space this season, that shouldn’t be a problem, and we should see Bogdanovic in a Kings uniform in a matter of months.

4. What will the Kings do with their cap room?

Even if they sign Bogdanovic, the Kings should have a significant chunk of cap room available this season, especially if Arron Afflalo is waived and Langston Galloway opts out of his contract.

Sacramento will have to reach the salary floor one way or another, but top free agents won’t have the Kings high on their wish lists, and the Kings shouldn’t be going after pricey free agents anyway. Divac should look to the 2016 Lakers – who spent big on Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov – as a lesson in what not to do with cap room during a rebuild. There’s no need for the Kings to invest in long-term deals for veteran role players when they’re still multiple years from being a legit contender.

Instead, the Kings should be searching for any opportunity they can to acquire another team’s bad contract, with an asset of value attached to it. The Trail Blazers are one potential trade partner, since Portland has three first-round picks and $132MM+ in guaranteed salary on its 2017/18 cap. If the Kings could get one of of those picks along with Evan Turner‘s pricey contract, that would be a good use of cap room — Turner could even be a useful, albeit overpriced, rotation piece, replacing Afflalo. The Hornets, Pistons, and Thunder may be among the other teams willing to attach assets to bad contracts.

5. Will any Kings free agents be back?

Gay has opted out of his contract already, and Galloway could follow suit. In addition to those players, Tyreke Evans, Darren Collison, and Ty Lawson will be unrestricted free agents, while Ben McLemore is eligible for restricted free agency.

Gay, who has publicly expressed frustration with the organization in the past, is almost certainly gone, but what about the others? With the rebuilding process underway, many of those veterans may prefer to head to a contender, but rebuilding clubs often find value in keeping a couple vets around for locker room purposes.

McLemore is a trickier case. He’s still just 24 years old, is a former seventh overall pick, and received rave reviews from the Kings’ coaching staff last preseason. However, he didn’t get a ton of opportunities to prove his worth during the regular season, averaging a career-low 19.3 MPG in 61 contests. McLemore’s .382 3PT% was a career best and it’s not like the Kings can’t afford to retain him, but it remains to be seen if he’s part of the team’s long-term plans.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Kings financially:

Guaranteed Salary

Kosta Koufos ($8,393,000)
Garrett Temple ($8,000,000)
Willie Cauley-Stein ($3,704,160)
Buddy Hield ($3,675,480)
Georgios Papagiannis ($2,301,360)
Matt Barnes ($2,133,542) — Waived via stretch provision.
Anthony Tolliver ($2,000,000) — Waived.
Malachi Richardson ($1,504,560)
Arron Afflalo ($1,500,000) — Partial guarantee. Non-guaranteed portion noted below.¹
Skal Labissiere ($1,312,611)
Caron Butler ($517,220) — Waived via stretch provision.
Total: $35,041,933

Player Options

Langston Galloway ($5,434,000)
Total: $5,434,000

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Arron Afflalo ($11,000,000) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.¹
Total: $11,000,000

Restricted Free Agents

Ben McLemore ($4,187,598 qualifying offer / $10,022,205 cap hold)
Total: $10,022,205

Cap Holds

Rudy Gay ($20,000,000) — Player option declined.
Tyreke Evans ($15,991,931)
Darren Collison ($9,935,963)
No. 5 overall pick ($4,609,200)
No. 10 overall pick ($3,057,240)
Ty Lawson ($1,471,382)
Bogdan Bogdanovic ($1,423,560)
Total: $56,489,276

Trade Exceptions

Omri Casspi TPE ($2,963,814) — Expires 2/20/18

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $55,844,782

The Kings have cap holds for a pair of top-10 draft picks to account for, but their guaranteed contracts don’t amount to much. Taking into account their draft picks, guaranteed salaries, and three cap charges for empty roster spots, the Kings would have just $45,155,218 in team salary. However, that would hinge on Galloway turning down his player option, Afflalo being waived, every free agent leaving, and Bogdanovic not being signed this season, so Sacramento is unlikely to have quite that much room heading into free agency.

Footnotes:

Afflalo’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 23.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Boston Celtics

June 6th, 2017 at 10:11am CST by Luke Adams

As was the case for all the Eastern teams that looked to knock off the Cavs in the postseason, the Celtics’ year ended on a demoralizing note, but it was a positive season for the franchise on the whole. Landing a No. 1 seed and a No. 1 pick in the same year is virtually unheard of, and will allow Boston to add another core piece to an already talented roster. The team also still has more draft picks and players stashed away, and has the flexibility to add another piece or two in free agency.

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

Guaranteed Salary

Al Horford ($27,734,405)
Avery Bradley ($8,808,989)
Jae Crowder ($6,796,117)
Isaiah Thomas ($6,261,395)
Jaylen Brown ($4,956,480)
Marcus Smart ($4,538,020)
Terry Rozier ($1,988,520)
Demetrius Jackson ($650,000) — Partial guarantee. Non-guaranteed portion noted below.¹
Total: $61,733,926

Player Options

None

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Tyler Zeller ($8,000,000)²
Jordan Mickey ($1,471,382)³
Demetrius Jackson ($734,750) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.¹
Total: $10,206,132

Restricted Free Agents

Kelly Olynyk ($4,187,598 qualifying offer / $7,735,033 cap hold)
Total: $7,735,033

Cap Holds

Amir Johnson ($15,600,000)
Jonas Jerebko ($9,500,000)
No. 1 overall pick ($7,026,240)
James Young ($2,803,507)
Guerschon Yabusele ($2,247,480)
Ante Zizic ($1,645,200)
Gerald Green ($1,471,382)
Total: $40,293,809

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $26,796,789

The Celtics lucked out when they landed the No. 1 pick, but the cap hold for that selection adds $7MM+ to their team salary, reducing their flexibility a little. For our max cap room calculation, we assumed the C’s will keep their seven guaranteed contracts plus Jackson (whose non-guaranteed portion is cheaper than an empty roster slot), and accounted for cap holds for the No. 1 pick, Yabusele, Zizic, and an empty roster spot. That works out to $74,203,211, which doesn’t leave enough room for a max salary for someone like Gordon Hayward. However, Boston could create more cap space by stashing Yabusele and/or Zizic for another year, or by making a trade.

Footnotes:

Jackson’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 15.
Zeller’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 2.
Mickey’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after either July 1 or July 15 (conflicting information available).

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

Five Key Offseason Questions: Detroit Pistons

June 5th, 2017 at 9:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Detroit Pistons were a massive disappointment this season and enter the offseason with plenty of tough decisions to make.

Coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy committed to the core group of players he assembled the past two years by handing out multiyear contracts to his two top players, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson, and adding some expensive pieces.

The Pistons, who made the playoffs for the time since the 2008/09 season the previous year, sank out of contention as virtually everyone on the roster underachieved. Their longest winning streak was a meager three games. Drummond and Jackson both had subpar seasons and heard their names bandied about in trade rumors.

Van Gundy now heads into a pivotal summer seeking to make roster upgrades despite an unpalatable cap situation.

Here’s a look at the major questions confronting the club this offseason:

1. Should the Pistons hold onto restricted free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at all costs?

It’s expected that locking up Caldwell-Pope will require a contract in excess of $20MM per year.

Caldwell-Pope is the team’s best perimeter defender and he’s entering his prime years. If the team’s curve continued on an upward arc this season, it would a pretty easy decision to match any offer.

The team’s cap situation and Caldwell-Pope’s spotty offense changes that dynamic. They’ll be perilously close to the luxury tax threshold if they re-sign him to a big number and he’s not a consistent offensive threat. In 31 of the 76 games he played this season, Caldwell-Pope scored 10 or fewer points.

Van Gundy wants to keep Caldwell-Pope, but he shouldn’t take an “at any cost” approach to the shooting guard’s free-agency foray.

2. Should Reggie Jackson be given a mulligan or do the Pistons need to trade for another point guard?

Jackson wasn’t the same explosive force he was in the 2015/16 campaign due to knee tendinitis. He missed the first 21 games and once he returned, he couldn’t get to the rim with the same verve. That took a heavy toll on the team’s offense, which revolves around Jackson-Drummond pick-and-rolls.

Van Gundy basically shut down Jackson the last month and by the end of the season, Jackson looked like his old self in practices. Considering Jackson’s contract — he has three years and $51MM left — and reduced value on the trade market, Van Gundy may have little choice but to hope Jackson stays healthy and enjoys a bounce-back season.

3. Would it be wise to trade Andre Drummond?

Drummond made the All-Star team in 2015/16 season, but instead of taking another step forward, he became a source of frustration after his big extension kicked in.

Drummond’s scoring and rebounding averages dropped, his defensive intensity waned and his free throw shooting remained painful to watch, though he’s still one of the top young big men in the league and the NBA’s best offensive rebounder.

Jackson’s issues affected Drummond above all else and it stands to reason that a healthier Jackson will lead to a more productive Drummond. Van Gundy doesn’t consider Drummond an untouchable but he’d need to get an All-Star level player in return. The whole scheme revolves on Drummond being a dominant force and it’s doubtful that they’d find a suitable offer for him if they’re truly in a win-now mode.

4. What should the Pistons do with the No. 12 pick?

By all accounts, the Pistons are trying to shop their lottery pick. While the draft is stronger than last season’s crop and Detroit’s selection is six slots higher, the team would rather add proven veterans who can jump into the rotation.

Their first-rounder last year, power forward Henry Ellenson, shuttled between the D-League and the end of the bench.

It’s quite possible they’ll look to trade this pick for a starter-quality shooting guard that can replace Caldwell-Pope if they’re unsure they’ll re-sign him.

5. What can the Pistons do in free agency?

Van Gundy seems resigned to losing backup center Aron Baynes, who is expected to opt out of his contract. The club believes Baynes will receive generous offers that will price them out of his market.

They may need to add another backup in that case, though Boban Marjanovic was productive when they gave him a chance to play.

More importantly, a team that finished 28th in three-point percentage desperately needs another shooter or two. The club can use its mid-level exception to address that issue, perhaps even splitting it up among two role players. Pacers swingman C.J. Miles has already been mentioned as a player they’ll target in July.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Pistons financially:

Guaranteed Salary

Andre Drummond ($23,775,506)
Tobias Harris ($16,000,000)
Reggie Jackson ($16,000,000)
Jon Leuer ($10,497,319)
Boban Marjanovic ($7,000,000)
Ish Smith ($6,000,000)
Josh Smith ($5,331,729) — Waived via stretch provision.
Marcus Morris ($5,000,000)
Stanley Johnson ($3,097,800)
Henry Ellenson ($1,780,800)
Michael Gbinije ($500,000) — Partial guarantee. Non-guaranteed portion noted below.¹
Total: $94,983,154

Player Options

Aron Baynes ($6,500,000)
Total: $6,500,000

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Darrun Hilliard ($1,471,382)²
Michael Gbinije ($812,611) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.¹
Total: $2,283,993

Restricted Free Agents

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($4,958,374 qualifying offer / $9,195,798 cap hold)
Reggie Bullock ($3,313,542 qualifying offer / $5,639,110 cap hold)
Total: $14,834,908

Cap Holds

Aron Baynes ($8,450,000) — If player option is declined
No. 12 overall pick ($2,759,280)
Beno Udrih ($1,471,382)
Total: $12,680,662

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $1,626,336

Taking into account their nine guaranteed salaries and cap charges for a first-round pick and two empty roster spots, the Pistons have a team salary of $99,373,664. That would involve renouncing Caldwell-Pope, Baynes, and Bullock, and still doesn’t create any real cap room, making it an unlikely scenario. So unless they make a cost-cutting trade or two, the Pistons will be an over-the-cap team this offseason.

Footnotes:

Gbinije’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 15.
Hilliard’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 1.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Community Shootaround: Game 3

June 5th, 2017 at 6:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The third installment of the Warriors–Cavaliers Finals promised plenty of drama and tight finishes. Instead, it’s looking more like a Golden State coronation, as the Western Conference champions dominated the first two games.

Cleveland seems helpless in slowing down the Warriors and their turbo-boost attack, fueled by Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. Curry is averaging 30 PPG, 8 RPG and 10.5 APG, while Durant is posting 35.5 PPG, 11 RPG and 7 APG in the series.

Meanwhile, the Cavaliers have a multitude of issues, particularly regarding the role players around their Big 3. Two of their starters, shooting guard J.R. Smith and center Tristan Thompson, have provided nothing but angst for Cavaliers supporters. Smith has scored three points in 42 minutes and is still looking for his first assist and steal. Thompson has grabbed a total of eight rebounds in 43 minutes and hasn’t blocked a shot.

Cleveland’s bench, fortified by a variety of front office moves this season, has also not helped the cause. Veteran point guard Deron Williams has not scored in 33 minutes. Long-range specialist Kyle Korver is 1-for-6 on 3-point attempts. None of the other reserves have made a significant impact.

LeBron James has 12 turnovers, a sign that he may be trying to do too much while his teammates are doing too little. However, fans must be reminded that the Warriors only did what they were supposed to do — win at home. With the series shifting to Cleveland, the Cavaliers should put up much more resistance.

In any case, no team with LeBron James should be underestimated. The Cavaliers were counted out by virtually everyone last year after falling behind 3-1 in the series.

There are rumblings that Smith will be replaced in the lineup by Iman Shumpert for Game 3. It could be just one of several tweaks coming for the Cavs.

That brings us to today’s question: What moves should Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue make for Game 3 of the Finals in order to get his club back on track?

Please take to the comments section to voice your opinion. We look forward to what you have to say.

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

Hassan Whiteside ($23,775,506)
Goran Dragic ($17,000,450)
Josh McRoberts ($6,021,175) — Exercised player option.
Tyler Johnson ($5,881,260)
Justise Winslow ($2,705,040)
Total: $55,383,431
Note: Chris Bosh‘s $25,289,390 salary removed from cap due to medical ruling.

Player Options

None

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Wayne Ellington ($6,270,000)¹
Josh Richardson ($1,471,382)²
Rodney McGruder ($1,312,611)³
Okaro White ($1,312,611)⁴
Total: $10,366,604

Restricted Free Agents

None

Cap Holds

Udonis Haslem ($7,600,000)
James Johnson ($4,800,000)
Dion Waiters ($3,477,600) — Player option declined.
No. 14 overall pick ($2,490,360)
Luke Babbitt ($1,471,382)
Willie Reed ($1,471,382) — Player option declined.
Total: $21,310,724

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:

Ellington’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 6.
Richardson’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30.
McGruder’s salary becomes partially guaranteed ($452,625) after August 1.
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.

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:

Kyle Anderson (Spurs)
Bruno Caboclo (Raptors)
Clint Capela (Rockets)
Joel Embiid (Sixers): Extended
Dante Exum (Jazz)
Aaron Gordon (Magic)
Gary Harris (Nuggets): Extended
Rodney Hood (Jazz)
Zach LaVine (Bulls)
Doug McDermott (Bulls)
Shabazz Napier (Trail Blazers)
Lucas Nogueira (Raptors)
Jusuf Nurkic (Trail Blazers)
Jabari Parker (Bucks)
Elfrid Payton (Magic)
Julius Randle (Lakers)
Marcus Smart (Celtics)
Nik Stauskas (Sixers)
Noah Vonleh (Trail Blazers)
T.J. Warren (Suns): Extended
Andrew Wiggins (Timberwolves): Extended

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:

Jordan Adams: Waived in 2016.
Bogdan Bogdanovic: Has yet to sign rookie contract.
Tyler Ennis: Fourth-year option declined in 2016.
P.J. Hairston: Third-year option declined in 2015.
Josh Huestis: Signed rookie contract in 2015 (extension-eligible in 2018).
Mitch McGary: Waived in 2016.
Adreian Payne: Fourth-year option declined in 2016.
Dario Saric: Signed rookie contract in 2016 (extension-eligible in 2019).
C.J. Wilcox: Fourth-year option declined in 2016.
James Young: Fourth-year option declined in 2016.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

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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