Hoops Rumors Originals

List Of Early Extrants Exceeds Draft Spots

The deadline for NCAA players to withdraw their names after declaring for the draft passed on Wednesday evening. The number of American early-entry candidates that opted to officially leave school and stay in the draft exceeded the 60-player draft that the NBA will conduct next month.

While no official list has been released, we count 63 NCAA early-entry prospects who will be waiting for their name to be called. Our updated list can be found here. The final draft list will be set after the early entrant withdrawal deadline for international and other non-NCAA players passes on June 12.

One of the recent surprises among players remaining in the draft was North Carolina State freshman big man Ted Kapita. He is not listed among the Top 100 draft prospects by DraftExpress.

Among the late withdrawals who were in DraftExpress’ Top 60 included Maryland small forward Justin Jackson (No. 31), Kentucky shooting guard Hamidou Diallo (No. 42) and Texas point guard Andrew Jones (No. 54). (Twitter link).

Other players who made late decisions to remove their names from the draft include USC’s Shaqquan Aaron, Xavier’s Trevon Bluiett, Florida’s John Egbunu, Arkansas’ Daryl Macon, Kansas’ Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, and Stetson’s Divine Myles and Derick Newton.

Five Key Offseason Questions: Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves were one of the most disappointing teams in the league during the 2016/17 campaign. Blessed with two of the league’s top young players in Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, the Tiimberwolves made a bold move after last season and hired Tom Thibodeau as their coach and president of basketball operations.

Long considered a defensive guru, Thibodeau was supposed to greatly improve the club’s mindset and turn its fortunes around quickly. It didn’t happen, as the Timberwolves finished at 31-51 — just two games better than the previous season — and finished 28th in defensive field-goal percentage at 47.5%.

While Thibodeau’s first season with the franchise didn’t go as planned, there’s still plenty of optimism that he’ll guide the Timberwolves into the postseason as soon as next season. However, he’s got a lot of work to do this summer to make that happen.

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

Apr 11, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard <a rel=1. Will the Wolves finally trade Ricky Rubio?

Rubio’s name has circulated around the rumor mill ever since Thibodeau took charge. The rumors only intensified when Thibodeau drafted Kris Dunn as his future floor leader last June.

The Knicks, Pistons, Mavericks and Kings are among the teams that have been mentioned as possible trade destinations for Rubio. To his credit, Rubio didn’t seem to be affected by the talk once he took the court. He averaged career highs with 11.1 PPG and 9.1 APG but it doesn’t make sense to keep this awkward situation in place for another year.

Thibodeau may be having second thoughts about Dunn but it won’t affect his desire to make a change at point guard. He reportedly plans to target Knicks point guard Derrick Rose in free agency.

Whether the club is successful in landing Rose or opts to give Dunn a shot to prove himself, the Timberwolves need to move on from Rubio. The flashy European still has two years and approximately $29MM left on his contract but that shouldn’t be a major impediment, considering the going rate for a starting point guard these days.

2. Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine are eligible for rookie extensions. What should the Wolves do?

The Wolves will probably have to max out Wiggins to keep him. As long as they view him as the second- or third-best player on a perennial contender, they should do everything possible to make that happen. Wiggins averaged 23.6 PPG in his third season and improved his 3-point shooting to a respectable 35.6%.

Negotiations with LaVine figure to be much trickier. He was enjoying a breakout season, averaging 18.9 PPG and 3.0 APG, when he tore his ACL in a February game at Detroit. There’s no word whether LaVine will be ready for the start of next season, but even if he doesn’t miss much time, it’s fair to wonder whether he’ll be the same explosive and ultra-athletic player.

The Timberwolves could take a wait-and-see approach with LaVine and then try to re-sign him when he enters restricted free agency after next season. However, if LaVine and his reps are willing to give the team a discount in the $15MM per year range, instead of betting that he’ll be the same player after the injury, then the sides could come to an agreement.

3. What are Minnesota’s greatest needs on the trade and free agent market?

Thibodeau said just after the season that he’ll be targeting wing defenders, shot-blockers and shooters.

Of course, if the club pursues Rose, the budget to fill all those other needs will shrink.

It’s also quite possible that Thibodeau will try to do something bolder — perhaps package Rubio or Dunn and the No. 6 overall pick to see if he can pry Jimmy Butler from the Bulls or a similar All-Star level player.

If Nikola Pekovic retires as expected, the Wolves would have up to $32MM to sign Rose or another solid starter, as well as fortify their bench. Danilo Gallinari, J.J. Redick, Nikola Mirotic or Dion Waiters would give the club the quality outside shooter Thibodeau covets. P.J. Tucker would be a great fit as a wing defender, while Taj Gibson or Serge Ibaka would help Minnesota’s interior defense.

4. Should the Wolves re-sign Shabazz Muhammad?

Thibodeau said that he wants to retain the swingman, who has been one of their main reserves over the past three seasons. He’ll be a restricted free agent once the Timberwolves extend a qualifying offer.

While the Timberwolves can match any offer sheet, it’s doubtful they’ll go completely overboard to keep him with the need to lock up Wiggins and Towns in the near future.

The Nets reportedly are interested in Muhammad, a solid scorer but subpar 3-point shooter. Given the money the Nets threw at Donatas Motiejunas, Tyler Johnson, and Allen Crabbe — only to see those offer sheets matched — the Timberwolves could have a tough call if Brooklyn or another suitor tries similar tactics with Muhammad.

5. Which player could the Wolves choose with the No. 7 pick?

Kentucky’s Malik Monk would fill the need for a big-time shooter who can score in bunches. Monk averaged nearly 20 PPG in his only season with the Wildcats and shot 39.7% from long range. With the uncertainty surrounding LaVine’s health, he could step right in at the shooting guard spot if LaVine is slow to recover.

Florida State’s combo forward Jonathan Isaac would be an intriguing choice, considering the athleticism and length he brings to the table. He has the ability to guard multiple positions, filling a major need for a defensively-challenged club.

Gonzaga’s Zach Collins would be a bit of a reach at this point of the draft but he would complement Towns’ skill set with his size and shot-blocking prowess.

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

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

  • None

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Restricted Free Agents

  • Shabazz Muhammad ($4,187,598 qualifying offer / $7,615,748 cap hold)
  • Total: $7,615,748

Cap Holds

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $32,037,943

  • Although Pekovic remains on the Timberwolves’ books, medical retirement appears likely for him. If that becomes official, the Wolves could remove Pekovic’s charge from their cap, leaving the team with nine guaranteed salaries, a cap hold for a first-round pick, and two cap hits for empty roster spots, totaling $68,962,057. That would leave enough room to offer a maximum-salary contract to any free agent with less than 10 years of NBA experience.

Footnotes:

  1. Hill’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30.

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

Hoops Links Vol. 6: Coleman Flashbacks, Biedrins Flashbacks, More

Welcome back to Hoops Links. Here we round up some of our favorite blog content that we come across over the course of the week. As always, we’d like to encourage writers to send us their best stuff for possible inclusion in future editions. Remember, what we’re looking for is unique, entertaining material that showcases why the internet is so gosh darn fun.

Send your best pieces to HoopsRumorsTips@Sports.ws or simply yell at me on Twitter (@AustinKent). Similarly, you can flag down any Hoops Rumors staffer at a grocery store and immediately hit them up with a choreographed dance routine explaining why your Jared Dudley hot take deserves top recognition in next week’s link dump.

Note: We typically publish Hoops Links on Thursday, but next week’s edition will be published on Friday (June 2). This will be a one-time change so that we can all observe Smush Parker‘s birthday privately with our families. We’ll slide back to Thursday for Hoops Links Vol. 7 on June 8.


Ben Simmons verticalThe skill set that Ben Simmons has shown and the college numbers he produced during his one year at LSU are on par with some of the greatest of our generation. Much of his success, however, will come down to circumstance. Can the Sixers ensure that Simmons is in a situation to live up to his potential? Or, as Kwame Fisher-Jones of the 76er Files cautions, is he destined to underachieve like similarly versatile former Sixers forward Derrick Coleman?

Rating: 8 out of 10 NBA Jam Legends
Author: Kwame Fisher-Jones – @MrJonesNBA
Link: Ben Simmons’ potential


When LeBron James clanged a wide open dunk off the back of the rim in Game 4 of the CavaliersCeltics series, it robbed Kevin Love of a potential Assist of the Year. Not surprisingly, Carter Rodriguez of Fear the Sword has put the wheels in motion to file a formal petition to credit the big man with a much deserved assist anyway. What even is an assist when you think about it, man?

Rating: 9 out of 10 They Have A Points…
Author: Carter Rodriguez – @Carter_Shade
Link: Kevin Love’s outlet assist


In a world where nearly everything that takes place on a basketball court is trackable, the one thing that experts can’t seem to quantify is the impact team chemistry has on success. Brian Freeman of Blazer’s Edge explored the gaps in our understanding of team chemistry and suggests what might play a role in successful organizations capitalizing on it.

Rating: 8 out of 10 Intangibles
Author: Brian Freeman – @BrianFreeman_NBA
Link: Team chemistry in the NBA


The Warriors are the team NBA fans love to hate. Eric He of Blue Man Hoop, however, thinks that everybody needs to slow down, quit hating and actually appreciate the franchise. Given Golden State’s role in revolutionizing the league, he does have a point. Can’t we just be happy for the organization less than five years removed from giving Andris Biedrins a standing ovation for hitting a pair of free throws?

Rating: 8 out of 10 Monta Ellis Scooters
Author: Eric He – @EricHeSports
Link: Appreciating the Golden State Warriors


If Chris Bosh is able to fully part ways from the Heat and work his way back onto a basketball court, the Clippers should take a look at him as a possible reserve big man, Blake Harris of Clipperholics writes. Though his health will always be the most important consideration, Bosh could very well be a major steal for whichever club takes a chance on him.

Rating: 7 out of 10 Mo Speights Replacements
Author: Blake Harris – @BlakeHHarris
Link: Chris Bosh and the Clippers


There’s no denying that Kemba Walker has stepped up as the greatest New Generation Hornets player, but is he wasting his prime toiling away in mediocrity? For Swarm and Sting, Elijah Edwards discusses the idea of letting the point guard pursue success elsewhere if the franchise isn’t able to surround him with the help he needs to compete.

Rating: 7 out of 10 Miles Plumlee Contracts
Author: Elijah Edwards
Link: Trading Kemba Walker


Gordon Hayward verticalWhen Gordon Hayward hits free agency this summer, he’ll do so as perhaps the most coveted, reasonably attainable option on the market. Evan Dyal of Sir Charles in Charge took a good long look at the five most likely destinations for Hayward, delving beyond simply the Celtics and Jazz, two clubs regarded as frontrunners for his services.

Rating: 8 out of 10 Professional StarCraft Circuits
Author: Evan Dyal – @EvanDyal
Link: Gordon Hayward free agency


After his first year at the helm, Hawks point guard Dennis Schroder showed that he’s a worthy starter with plenty of room to grow. Thomas Jenkins of Peachtree Hoops recently broke down what might be in store for the 23-year-old, suggesting that so long as Schroder continues to develop, the club’s future looks bright.

Rating: 8 out of 10 Blonde Patches
Author: Thomas Jenkins – @TJenkins122
Link: Dennis Schroder potential


Admit it, you knew that it wouldn’t be long before the thorough analysis would come regarding whether or not the Celtics truly need Isaiah Thomas. For Nylon Calculus, Ian Levy broke down the situation, including Boston’s improbable Game 3 victory and the squad’s all-around improvement on the defensive end of the ball when Thomas is sidelined. The C’s don’t need to oust Thomas any time soon but they could afford to spare him if the right opportunity arose.

Rating: 9 out of 10 Scatter Plots
Author: Ian Levy – @HickoryHigh
Link: The Celtics without Isaiah Thomas


Don’t expect the fourth pick in the NBA Draft to turn things around for the Suns, Valley of the Suns contributor Robert Neal writes. So how does the franchise, then, figure out where to go after a tanked season gone awry? Neal explores ways the Suns can tangibly improve their roster without relying on a rookie.

Rating: 7 out of 10 #FreeChriss Campaigns
Author: Robert Neal – @RobertN4110
Link: Phoenix Suns offseason

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Orlando Magic

The Magic’s 2016 offseason, which saw them add Serge Ibaka, Bismack Biyombo, and Jeff Green while giving up Victor Oladipo and their lottery pick, received mixed reviews at best. Critics of the team’s moves were ultimately proven right, as Orlando landed in the lottery again, moving Ibaka prior to the trade deadline in an attempt to salvage last summer’s deal before he reached free agency. The Magic’s roster isn’t exactly overflowing with talent, but the club has a pair of first-round picks and a little cap flexibility heading into the summer.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Magic 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

  • Damjan Rudez ($1,724,305 qualifying offer / $1,724,305 cap hold)
  • Total: $1,724,305

Cap Holds

  • Jeff Green ($18,000,000)
  • Jodie Meeks ($12,426,000)
  • No. 6 overall pick ($4,186,320)
  • No. 25 overall pick ($1,516,200)
  • Total: $36,128,520

Trade Exceptions

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $15,751,170

  • Orlando’s eight guaranteed salaries, cap holds for two first-round picks, and cap charges for two empty roster spots total $85,248,830 in team salary. The Magic aren’t likely to waive all their non-guaranteed players, but they don’t have any free agents they badly needs to bring back, so renouncing those FAs and getting close to their maximum cap room is possible.

Footnotes:

  1. Watson’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 10.
  2. Zimmerman’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 6.

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

Community Shootaround: Knicks’ Coaching Decisions

With Kristaps Porzingis at odds with ownership, the Knicks made a questionable decision to part ways with popular development coach and Porzingis favorite, Joshua Longstaff. The 34-year-old had traveled to Latvia to work with Porzingis last summer and was expected to do the same this year, in addition to possibly holding down an assistant coaching role with the Latvian national team.

Curiously, the Knicks have decided to retain assistant coach Dave Bliss, sources tell Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Both Bliss and Longstaff were brought in under former head coach Derek Fisher and now, Bliss is the final holdover from Fisher’s staff. Coincidentally, during a recent chat with USA Today, Porzingis spoke of his satisfaction with both coaches.

“I’m happy for the coaches that we have, the development coaches. They’re doing an unbelievable job with us, the young guys, working really hard. Josh [Longstaff], Dave [Bliss] — those are my guys,’’ Porzingis said. “I’m getting better. It’s great to have coaches like that.”

Now, one of those coaches is gone and Bliss remains, almost as symbol of the Knicks’ dwindling relationship with their franchise star. Team president Phil Jackson has indicated his preference for superstar Carmelo Anthony to waive his no-trade clause; the same day Jackson initially made his stance on Anthony public, Porzingis elected to skip his exit interview with the team.

A recent meeting between Porzingis’ representation (older brother Janis Porzingis) and Jackson reportedly did little to resolve the apparent issues, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. Janis has indicated his brother wants to remain in New York but he also wants to win.

In his first two NBA seasons, Porzingis has been a force; he increased his scoring from 14.3 to 18.1 PPG last season despite battling several nagging injuries. The 7’3″ forward has shown himself to be a potent shooter, scorer, and defender — a lethal triumvirate of skills that makes him a building block for the team.

This leaves several things to be considered: Did the Knicks make the wrong decision to fire Porzingis’ favorite coach amid their own issues with the Latvian forward?  Should the team have let Bliss go as well or was keeping him a compromise? Have the last few months caused irreparable damage to the Knicks-Porzingis relationship?

Share your thoughts on the Knicks’ moves below!

2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Minnesota Timberwolves

A popular sleeper pick to earn a playoff spot in the West heading into the 2016/17 season, the Timberwolves got off to a terrible start and never recovered, proving that they weren’t quite ready to make that leap. Nonetheless, Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins continue to improve, and Tom Thibodeau now has a year under his belt with his new team. With another top-seven pick on the way and some cap space available, the Wolves are in position to continue improving their roster and perhaps to get back to the postseason in 2017/18.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Timberwolves 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

  • Shabazz Muhammad ($4,187,598 qualifying offer / $7,615,748 cap hold)
  • Total: $7,615,748

Cap Holds

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $32,037,943

  • Although Pekovic remains on the Timberwolves’ books, medical retirement appears likely for him. If that becomes official, the Wolves could remove Pekovic’s charge from their cap, leaving the team with nine guaranteed salaries, a cap hold for a first-round pick, and two cap hits for empty roster spots, totaling $68,962,057. That would leave enough room to offer a maximum-salary contract to any free agent with less than 10 years of NBA experience.

Footnotes:

  1. Hill’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30.

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

Community Shootaround: Paul Millsap

The news that Hawks forward Paul Millsap will foresake the last $21.4MM on his current contract and become a free agent this summer was expected. Considering the lack of quality big men around the league and the recent jump in the salary cap, Millsap should do well in the open market and get several more years of guaranteed money.

Like former teammate and current Celtics big man Al Horford, Millsap will not turn a franchise around but he could help a playoff team get deeper into the postseason. Millsap, 32, posted career highs in scoring (18.1 PPG) and assists (3.7 APG) this season. He shot a career-low 44.2%, largely due to an increase in 3-point attempts.

The Hawks’ front office is in a state of flux, which could influence Millsap’s decision whether to re-sign with Atlanta or join forces with another playoff team. According to The Vertical’s Shams Charania, the Hawks regard Millsap as their top offseason priority.

The team that lands Millsap will not only get a versatile scorer and solid rebounder, they’ll also get an unselfish player who can guard multiple positions.

Which teams might make a run at Millsap? The Celtics might consider reuniting Millsap and Horford, considering the they don’t have an impact player alongside Horford and small forward Jae Crowder. The Raptors could be in the mix, depending upon what their own free agents decide to do. Same goes for the Clippers, with their top two players Chris Paul and Blake Griffin hitting the market at the same time.

The Spurs have become a haven for veteran free agent big men the last couple of seasons, so they could be a darkhouse in the Millsap sweepstakes. It would stand to reason that the Jazz could try to find another quality big man to insert between Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert, provided that Hayward doesn’t sign elsewhere.

There will also be plenty of other fringe playoff teams with cap space (Bulls, Heat, Nuggets, Pacers) that could make a run at Millsap.

That leads us to our question of the day: What team do you think would be the best fit for Paul Millsap?

Please take the comments section and share your thoughts. We look forward to your opinion on this topic.

2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Brooklyn Nets

Still reeling from the 2013 trade with Boston that cost them a handful of first-round picks, the Nets entered the 2016/17 season as the odds-on favorite to lose the most games of any team. Sure enough, they delivered, posting a 20-62 mark as their top free agent addition (Jeremy Lin) battled injuries for most of the year.

With the Celtics still in control of Brooklyn’s first-round picks in 2017 and 2018, the Nets will be hard-pressed to add star talent, but GM Sean Marks will look to continue adding young pieces with a pair of draft picks in the 20s — and with the team’s max-level cap room.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Nets 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

  • None

Cap Holds

  • Randy Foye ($3,000,000)
  • No. 22 overall pick ($1,713,720)
  • No. 27 overall pick ($1,423,560)
  • Total: $6,137,280

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $33,209,882

  • With eight guaranteed salaries, two cap holds for first-round picks, and a pair of cap charges for empty roster spots, the Nets would have a team salary of $67,790,118. Their available cap room will dip a little if they keep some of their players with non-guaranteed salaries, as is expected, but they’d still have more than enough room to aggressively pursue at least one major free agent — perhaps an RFA, if they follow 2016’s blueprint.

Footnotes:

  1. Acy’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 16.
  2. Harris’ salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30.
  3. Kilpatrick’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30.

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

Weekly Mailbag: 5/15/17 – 5/21/17

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:

With only a second round pick in this year’s draft [52nd] and Bojan Bogdanovic as a free agent, who should the Wizards target in free agency/trade to help improve their bench? — Nick Elliston

The bench was an enormous issue for Washington in the playoffs, but with little cap room and just one draft pick, it might be even worse next year. The Wizards have more than $94MM committed for next season without figuring in Bogdanovic or Otto Porter, who appears headed for an extension. They traded their first-rounder to Brooklyn for Bogdanovic, who will want a long-term deal worth significantly more than the $3.73MM he made this season. Point guards Trey Burke and Brandon Jennings are both free agents, with Burke seeming certain to leave and Jennings expected to get much better offers than the $1.2MM he took home this year. Washington will be shopping for bargains on the free agent market and hoping for luck in the draft, which is no way to rebuild a bench. They might be able change the equation by finding a taker for center Marcin Gortat, who will make $12.78MM next season is unhappy with the organization once again.

Celtics coach Brad Stevens has said the Cavaliers have the “perfect roster” around LeBron James. Do you believe that’s true? — CavsFan, via Twitter

Theoretically, the perfect roster would include 11 other guys with LeBron’s skillset, but this might be the best group of teammates he has ever had. There’s plenty of shooting to space the floor for his drives to the baskets, and everyone seems to be comfortable in a complementary role. GM David Griffin has done a remarkable job of assembling players who fit well alongside LeBron, and the Cavs would be in an even better position to defend their title if Andrew Bogut hadn’t suffered a season-ending injury in his first game after joining the team. If Griffin winds up in Orlando or Atlanta, it will be interesting to see how well he can build a team without a superstar like LeBron as the foundation.

Which of the Spurs’ veterans will be back with the team next season? — Grant Lawson

Start with Pau Gasol, who will turn 37 in July. He has a player option worth nearly $16.2MM for next season and announced back in January that he plans to opt in. Gasol has found a good situation in San Antonio and would probably be open to a new deal next summer. Tony Parker has one season left on his contract, but could miss training camp and the start of the season while recovering from a ruptured quadriceps tendon. Manu Ginobili has considered retirement over the past two offseasons. He has been effective in the playoffs, but will turn 40 this in July. It could be another late-summer decision. David Lee turned 34 in April and has a $1.6MM option for next season. Assuming he recovers from what appears to be a torn patellar tendon in his left knee, he should be back for another year. Joel Anthony will be 35 in August and is playing for the veteran’s minimum. The Spurs will look for better options at backup center.

Hoops Rumors Originals: 5/13/17 – 5/20/17

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: