Hoops Rumors Originals

NBA Team Option Decisions For 2017/18

May 15th, 2017 at 11:41am CST by Luke Adams

Having created a post last week to track this offseason’s player option decisions, we’re turning our attention today to team options. In the coming weeks, we’ll use the space below to keep tabs on all the team options for 2017/18, making note of whether they’re picked up or declined.

True team options are somewhat rare in the NBA, since teams have typically preferred to include a non-guaranteed year or two in player contracts. Non-guaranteed salaries are less restrictive and provide a little more flexibility than team options, which clubs must act upon by a specific date (June 29) each year.

Still, there are several team options around the NBA for the 2017/18 season, as detailed below. We’ll keep this list updated through the end of June to note the latest decisions.

Here’s the current breakdown:

Point Guards

Yogi Ferrell, Mavericks ($1,312,611): Exercised
Ramon Sessions, Hornets ($6,270,000): Declined

Shooting Guards

DeAndre Liggins, Mavericks ($1,577,230): Exercised
David Nwaba, Lakers ($1,312,611): Exercised
Wayne Selden, Grizzlies ($1,312,611): Declined

Small Forwards

Robert Covington, Sixers ($1,577,230): Exercised
Jerami Grant, Thunder ($1,524,305): Exercised
K.J. McDaniels, Nets ($3,476,873): Declined

Power Forwards

Lavoy Allen, Pacers ($4,000,000): Declined
Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks ($25,000,000): Declined
Christian Wood, Hornets ($1,471,382): Declined

Centers

None

Five Key Offseason Questions: Oklahoma City Thunder

May 15th, 2017 at 8:57am CST by ChrisCrouse

Russell Westbrook received an opportunity to be the clear leader of a team for the first time in his career this past season and he delivered one of the greatest statistical seasons in recent memory. He averaged a triple-double, something that hasn’t been done since Oscar Robinson accomplished the feat in 1962, and he’s likely to take home the MVP award as a result.

The Thunder remained a major story this season because of the milestone, but they were clearly not legitimate title contenders; Kevin Durant‘s departure removed them from that elite class. Westbrook was able to put up numbers post-Durant, but he was unable to elevate the team beyond the first round of the NBA playoffs. His season ended at the hands of the Rockets in a series that highlighted team play over individualism.

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

1. How will the front office upgrade the roster around Westbrook?

A lack of flexibility plagues GM Sam Presti, and the roster is filled with over-priced ancillary parts.

Extensions for Steven Adams and Victor Oladipo kick in this summer and for the next four years, the team will pay on average $46MM per season for two players who are unlikely to ever make an All-Star team. Enes Kanter, who saw a total of 45 minutes of playing time this postseason, will take home nearly $18MM during the 2017/18 campaign and Kyle Singler, who owned a paltry 5.9 player efficiency rating this season, will eat up nearly $4.7MM.

In all, the Thunder have roughly $110MM in guaranteed salaries on the books for the 2017/18 season against an estimated $101MM salary cap. The team owns the No. 21 overall pick in the upcoming draft and it will have the mid-level and bi-annual exceptions, as well as a trade exception worth approximately $4.9MM, available for use. Those tools don’t inspire much hope for an improved roster and with the team’s lack of flexibility, making substantial changes will require Presti to perform some wizardry.

2. Which of their own free agents will the Thunder retain?

Oklahoma City has Bird rights for Taj Gibson and Nick Collison, so it can go over the cap to retain their services, and it can match any offer that restricted free agent Andre Roberson receives. Despite the ability to keep all three, the Thunder will likely see at least one of their players sign elsewhere due to the team’s financials. The luxury tax line is expected to come in around $121MM next season and it’s hard to envision the front office going into tax territory for a team that isn’t a legitimate title contender.

Collison has been with the team since he was drafted in 2003. He played in just 20 games this past season and it wouldn’t be surprising if the team brought him back on a minimum salary deal.

Presti recently said that if another team extends Roberson an offer, it “decreases the chances” that he returns. He and Gibson will likely each see new deals with annual salaries in the eight-figure range which means it could come down to keeping one or the other. Bringing them both back will certainly take the Thunder over the tax line, though they have until the end of next season to shed salary and duck back under it, should they take that route.

3. Can Presti re-balance the roster?

Five of the Thunder’s top 10 players this past season belonged in the frontcourt. Adams and Kanter can’t play meaningful minutes alongside each other in the league’s new pace-and-space environment. Gibson and Domantas Sabonis arguably are best-suited to play the five in small ball lineups while Jerami Grant has the potential to be a solid stretch four, but he’ll need frontcourt minutes to hone his skills.

The team needs help on the wing and in the backcourt behind Westbrook. Simply letting Gibson walk to free up frontcourt minutes will only address half of the problem. The franchise must find a way to turn its frontcourt depth into wing and backcourt talent.

4. Who will be traded?

A Kanter trade seems likely. During the team’s playoff series against the Rockets, coach Billy Donovan appeared to mouth “can’t play Kanter” to his assistant coach after the former No. 3 overall pick failed to executive a defensive assignment. The big man thrived offensively this season, but he struggled mightily on the defensive end (0nly three centers were worse than Kanter on that end of the floor, per ESPN’s Defensive Real Plus/Minus).

Centers who don’t protect the rim don’t have a ton of value in the modern NBA, and Kanter’s inflated salary only compounds the issue of finding a decent return on the trade market. However, getting back a rotation player at a position of need may be enough for the franchise and at least one team should see that price tag as a reasonable haul for the 24-year-old center.

5. Can the Thunder sign Westbrook to another extension?

The most important objective for the Thunder heading into the offseason is getting Westbrook to sign on the dotted line for the second consecutive year. Normally, teams cannot sign players to extensions in back-to-back seasons. However, the Thunder can lock up Westbrook for an additional five seasons via a provision in the new CBA that was specifically designed for him and James Harden.

The new agreement will grandfather the pair of MVP candidates into the pool of players eligible for the new designated player extension since their respective teams wouldn’t have known this tool would be available when they signed the players to extensions last summer.

Westbrook declared that Oklahoma City is where he wants to be and the team has said it hopes to keep him there. The UCLA product could reach free agency in 2018 should he remain on his current deal. That means this offseason is essentially the only one the franchise has to upgrade the talent around him before he has an opportunity to flirt with other clubs.

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

Guaranteed Salary

Russell Westbrook ($28,530,608)
Steven Adams ($22,471,911)
Victor Oladipo ($21,000,000)
Enes Kanter ($17,884,176)
Alex Abrines ($5,725,000)
Kyle Singler ($4,666,500)
Doug McDermott ($3,294,994)
Domantas Sabonis ($2,550,000)
Ronnie Price ($2,442,455) — Waived
Josh Huestis ($1,471,382)
Total: $110,037,026

Player Options

None

Team Options

Jerami Grant ($1,524,305)
Total: $1,524,305

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Semaj Christon ($1,312,611)¹
Total: $1,312,611

Restricted Free Agents

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

Cap Holds

Taj Gibson ($13,425,000)
Nick Collison ($7,125,000)
Norris Cole ($1,471,382)
No. 21 overall pick ($1,785,000)
Total: $23,806,382

Trade Exceptions

Ersan Ilyasova TPE ($4,936,529) — Expires 11/1/17

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: –$12,453,256

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 2017/18, and that’s assuming they renounce all their free agents, including Roberson. They won’t have cap room.

Footnotes:

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. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Community Shootaround: Patty Mills

May 14th, 2017 at 2:27pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The 2016/17 campaign brought a changing of the guard on the Spurs. Tony Parker may have started 63 games for the club, but Patty Mills earned the distinction of best point guard on the team this season with his accurate 3-point stroke and his ability to create offense for his teammates.

How long Mills reigns with that unofficial title depends on the front office. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and he’ll have no shortage of suitors once his camp begins to take meetings.

Coach Gregg Popovich doesn’t want to make a big deal of Mills’ play. “I don’t want to talk too much about Patty Mills because the more good things I say, the more we’re going to have to pay him,” Pop said (via Michael Lee of The Vertical).

The Spurs have roughly $73MM on the books for the 2017/18 campaign against a projected $101MM salary cap. The team could offer Mills a sizable deal, but that would preclude them from making a big splash in free agency.

What do you think? What kind of deal should the Spurs offer Mills and if he decides to go elsewhere, which rival team would make a good fit for the Australian point guard?

Let us know what you think in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!

Weekly Mailbag: 5/8/17 – 5/14/17

May 14th, 2017 at 12:00pm 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:

So Tracy McGrady is in this year’s Hall of Fame class, and while I think he deserves it and I am a fan of his game I know some people found it a bit surprising. Out of the recent retirees [2000s era] and active players who aren’t considered obvious first-ballot choices, i.e. Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan, etc., who do you think might be a surprise pick when they are eligible? — Grant Weddle

If you thought McGrady was controversial, just wait until Dwight Howard gets in. He has a similar record of playoff failures, outside of his run to the 2009 Finals, and is a very polarizing figure whose success never quite matched expectations. Even so, he has been one of the top centers in the league for 13 seasons. He is only 31 and appears to have conquered his injury problems, playing 71 and 74 games the past two seasons. He is signed for two more years in Atlanta, then will probably seek another long-term deal, so there’s plenty of time to add to his career totals of 16,652 points and 12,089 rebounds. There will be howls of protest when it happens, but Howard is headed for the Hall of Fame someday. For a more under-the-radar choice, how about Ben Wallace? He played for one of the best teams of the last decade, winning a title in 2004, and was named Defensive Player of the Year four times. He only averaged 5.7 points per game throughout his career, but he was such a defensive force that he has earned a spot in Springfield.

It’s unlikely but with the Knicks’ Kristaps Porzingis situation, can you see Dallas trying to tempt the Knicks to trade him as it would give the Texans an heir to Dirk’s throne? What would they have to give up, as it’s unlikely they’d want to give up their 2017 first-rounder as they could have a top PG like Dennis Smith Jr. or Frank Ntilikina? — Chris Hawkins

While Porzingis would be a perfect successor to Nowitzki in Dallas, it’s hard to see how he ever winds up there. First, any rumors about him leaving New York were greatly exaggerated and popped up in reaction to a missed exit meeting last month. Porzingis and his brother have both issued statements saying he wants to stay in New York. Even if the Knicks made him available for trade, a lot of teams are in position to outbid the Mavericks. Any offer would have to start with this year’s pick, along with some future selections, a re-signed Nerlens Noel and possibly Harrison Barnes.

Why is the lottery held in the back and not out where it can be viewed? — HmmmmGood, via Twitter

Despite frequent accusations, there’s nothing nefarious going on behind the curtains. It’s a complex process that doesn’t make for good television. First, each lottery team is assigned a series of four-number combinations. Then there are four drawings of ping-pong balls numbered one through 14. Once the four numbers are in place, everyone has to consult a 10-sheet handbook containing each possible combination to find out who won. It’s much more dramatic to open sealed envelopes on live TV, even if everyone on stage already knows the results.

Five Key Offseason Questions: Chicago Bulls

May 13th, 2017 at 7:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

Whether “Three Alphas” were too many or too few, this season didn’t turn out the way the Bulls hoped when they signed Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo to team with Jimmy Butler. After spending much of the year teetering on the edge of disaster, Chicago put together a late-season surge to claim the East’s final playoff spot.

Now the Bulls have to decide if they want to go through it all again. There’s no guarantee that Wade, Rondo or Butler will still be in Chicago next season, but there’s also a decent chance that they might all come back. If they do return, the Bulls need to spend the summer finding the right pieces to put around them, something that never happened this season. The other option is a complete rebuilding project, which some in the front office reportedly favor, but which Bulls fans may not be ready to accept.

Here are five key questions as Chicago embarks on an unpredictable offseason:

1. Is Butler a franchise player?

It’s not often you hear an All-Star-level professional athlete get upset about a preposition, but Butler reportedly become angry when VP of basketball operations John Paxson said, “We are building with Jimmy right now.” Butler planned to make it clear in a post-season meeting with management that he is the type of player to build around, not just with.

Regardless of the wording, Butler is the key to Chicago’s future. He is under contract for the next two seasons at nearly $18.7MM and $19.9MM before entering an option year in 2019/20. So the Bulls can try to piece together a title contender, or they can trade him and start rebuilding. The Celtics, who may own the top pick in this year’s draft, were very interested last summer, as were the Timberwolves, who are run by Butler’s former Chicago coach, Tom Thibodeau.

The Bulls have a lot of dominoes that could fall in a lot of different directions this offseason, but the decision that will affect all others is whether to blow up the current team and take the best deal for Butler or keep him as the centerpiece to build around (or with).

2. What could be better than $23.8MM?

That’s the question facing Wade, who will make that salary from the Bulls next season if he doesn’t opt out. The dilemma facing Wade is where else could he go and would anybody be willing to pay him more? He was one of the beneficiaries of last summer’s league-wide spending spree, which might continue this year as the salary cap rises another $7MM. But Wade turned 35 in January and has the wear and tear of 14 NBA seasons. He played just 60 games this year and his scoring average of 18.3 points per game was the lowest since he was a rookie.

Taking his talents back to South Beach might make for a touching story, but it would force the Heat to either give up on signing free agents Dion Waiters and James Johnson or find a way to trade some other salary. We can assume that Wade would only want to join a contending team, but there are few contenders with the cap space to offer a near-max deal to a 35-year-old who may not be a difference maker any more.

3. Rondo: Another year, another team?

After spending nearly the first decade of his career in Boston, Rondo has become an NBA journeyman. He was traded to Dallas midway through the 2014/15 season, then spent one season in Sacramento and another in Chicago. He could be on the move again if the Bulls don’t want to cough up $13.397MM on a contract that only has a $3MM guarantee through June 30th.

It seemed like an obvious decision back in January when Rondo was pulled from the rotation and had to work out at a local school to stay in shape. However, that benching experience lasted just five games and Rondo became a productive player again before a playoff wrist injury finished his season. The Bulls appear to have completely changed their stance on Rondo, with Paxson saying in a postseason media session that there’s a “really good chance” he will be kept for another year.

In addition to Rondo’s performance, the Bulls were probably influenced by the failure of several young point guards who were acquired over the past year. Chicago traded for Jerian Grant, Michael Carter-Williams and Cameron Payne, none of whom handled the job better than Rondo.

4. Fire Hoiberg?

That was the demand from the fans at the United Center who hung around for the final minutes of the Game 6 loss to Boston. Head coach Fred Hoiberg has been an embattled figure almost from the time he left Iowa State two summers ahead to take the reins of the Bulls. Butler fired the first salvo in December of 2015, suggesting that Hoiberg wasn’t coaching the team hard enough. Since then, there has been a steady stream of dirty laundry being aired in public, giving the impression that Hoiberg doesn’t have control of his locker room.

On the other hand, the Bulls’ front office still loves Hoiberg, with Paxson saying last week that he will definitely return to coach another season. A rebuilding project could be the best move for Hoiberg’s job security, as he would probably be given time to develop the type of up-tempo, floor-spacing team he envisions. If all the veterans return next season and the Bulls aren’t winning, Hoiberg’s coaching seat could get very hot very quickly.

5. Are two Paxsons better than one?

“Subtle” front office changes are reportedly being considered in Chicago, which could result in more power for Paxson, along with a role for his brother Jim, a former GM with the Cavaliers. John Paxson and GM Gar Forman are both believed to be safe, as the Reinsdorf family still has faith in them, even if many Bulls fans do not after winning 42 and 41 games in successive seasons.

No matter who gets to make the decisions, there are a lot of them to be faced. Without counting Wade, Chicago has five significant free agents in Carter-Williams, Nikola Mirotic, Cristiano Felicio, Anthony Morrow and Joffrey Lauvergne. Wade’s fate may be out of the hands of the front office, but the choices on Butler and Rondo aren’t. The wind could blow either way this summer in the Windy City. It’s time to choose a direction.

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

Guaranteed Salary

Jimmy Butler ($18,696,918)
Robin Lopez ($13,788,500)
Rajon Rondo ($3,000,000) — Partial guarantee. Non-guaranteed portion noted below.¹
Cameron Payne ($2,203,440)
Denzel Valentine ($2,186,400)
Jerian Grant ($1,713,840)
Bobby Portis ($1,516,320)
Paul Zipser ($1,312,611)
Isaiah Canaan ($200,000) — Partial guarantee. Non-guaranteed portion noted below.²
Total: $44,618,029

Player Options

Dwyane Wade ($23,800,000)
Total: $23,800,000

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Rajon Rondo ($10,397,000) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.¹
Isaiah Canaan ($1,377,230) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.²
Total: $11,774,230

Restricted Free Agents

Nikola Mirotic ($7,228,063 qualifying offer / $10,986,655 cap hold)
Michael Carter-Williams ($4,187,598 qualifying offer / $7,958,815 cap hold)
Joffrey Lauvergne ($2,137,149 qualifying offer / $3,248,466 cap hold)
Cristiano Felicio ($1,671,382 qualifying offer / $1,671,382 cap hold)
Total: $23,865,318

Cap Holds

Dwyane Wade ($27,840,000) — If player option is declined
Anthony Morrow ($6,627,200)
No. 16 overall pick ($2,247,480)
Total: $36,714,680

Trade Exceptions

Taj Gibson TPE ($5,462,000) — Expires 2/23/18

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $50,872,031

With only two sizable guaranteed contracts on their books for next season, the Bulls could clear a significant chunk of cap room. However, it would require waiving Rondo and Canaan, not to mention renouncing all their exceptions and free agents, including Wade (assuming he turns down his player option). In that scenario, the Bulls’ remaining guaranteed salary, the cap hold for their first-round pick, and a few cap charges for empty roster spots would total $50,127,969.

Footnotes:

Rondo’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30.
Canaan’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 Rumors Originals: 5/7/17 – 5/13/17

May 13th, 2017 at 1:22pm 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:

Stay current with Hoops Rumors’ player option decision tracker.
Luke Adams helps you comprehend team’s specific salary cap landscapes with three more analyses in his Salary Cap Digest series: the Jazz, Raptors, and Rockets.
Luke Adams also contributed three more installments to his Five Offseason Questions series: the Blazers, Hawks, and Grizzlies.
Which free agents are raising their stock most this postseason? Chris Crouse has the details.
Arthur Hill talks Dwane Casey, Gordon Hayward, and under-the-radar free agents in his weekly Sunday mailbag. Submit your questions via Twitter (@HoopsRumors) or by sending us an email (hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com).
In our weekly Hoops Links roundup of interesting articles from around the blogosphere, Austin Kent shares pieces on a Kristaps Porzingis conspiracy theory and a lack of accountability from Andre Drummond and Chandler Parsons.
Luke Adams breaks down why NBA sign-and-trades are rare.
Interested in rookie scale salaries for 2017 first-round picks? Luke Adams has you covered.
Here are the questions we asked you in our Community Shootaround discussions and polls this week:
- Where do you think Kyle Lowry ends up?
- Is Serge Ibaka worth a long-term investment?
- Who would give the Warriors a tougher battle in the Western Conference Finals: the Rockets or Spurs?
- Can fatigue be blamed for James Harden‘s poor Games 5 and 6?
- Who will emerge victorious: the Celtics or the Wizards?
- Who will win the Spurs–Rockets series?
Last, but certainly not least: Please check out our new Trade Rumors App for IOS/Android.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Community Shootaround: James Harden’s Endurance

May 13th, 2017 at 11:06am CST by marksuleymanov

After a 39-point loss in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Spurs, Rockets‘ point guard James Harden has been scrutinized for his poor performance in the series-clinching game. Harden posted just 10 points on 2-of-11 shooting with six turnovers, one game after he posted similar totals of 10 points (3-of-11 shooting) and six turnovers in the second half and overtime of a 110-107 loss in Game 5.

Harden enjoyed a historic regular season, averaging 29.1 points, 11.2 assists and 8.1 rebounds per game. He is in the conversation for the Most Valuable Player award with fellow point guard Russell Westbrook, who became the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double for an entire season. Now, looking back at Harden’s two clunkers, fatigue from a strenuous season may have set in.

Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni said in his exit interview with reporters, including ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, that perhaps resting Harden more next season will keep him sharper.

“All great players think they can do everything,” D’Antoni said. “Maybe he does need to take a game off here and there. ‘Hey, you’re nicked up a little bit, don’t play, maybe.’ Something to talk about, but that’s also his greatness, too. So it’s hard. It’s very delicate.”

Harden played in 81 regular season games, his third consecutive season of at least 81 games. If Harden’s playoff games over the last three years are added, he has played in 277 total games. Both D’Antoni and general manager Daryl Morey indicated that getting Harden, who turns 28 in August, more rest will be a goal next season.

“The offense will get better,” D’Antoni added.“I can get him off the ball some. I can save his legs a little bit and have more confidence [in other ball handlers]. Pat Beverley can run the team a little bit. We can do different things.”

That leaves a few things to be considered: Was fatigue to blame in Harden’s poor Game 5 and Game 6 outings or was it just a few off nights? Also, does it makes sense for the Rockets to rest him more frequently next season despite his tremendous offensive production?

Share your thoughts on Harden in the comments section below!

Five Key Offseason Questions: Memphis Grizzlies

May 12th, 2017 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies entered the 2016/17 season with high expectations, having hired David Fizdale to replace former head coach Dave Joerger and having locked up Chandler Parsons to a lucrative new four-year contract. However, 2016/17 looked a lot like 2015/16 for the Grizzlies, who increased their win total from 42 to 43 and managed to take the Spurs to six games in the first round instead of four.

In Mike Conley and Marc Gasol, Memphis has two cornerstone pieces, both of whom were at their best this past season, establishing new career-highs in scoring. But the Grizzlies have been unable to find the right complementary players necessary to take the next step — or at least have been unable to keep those players healthy.

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

1. Can the Grizzlies count on Chandler Parsons to be a legit contributor?

A year ago, the Mavericks decided not to bring back Parsons on a max deal, opting instead for Harrison Barnes. That decision raised some eyebrows at the time, but Dallas knew better than anyone that Parsons’ injury history was a red flag, as the Grizzlies saw first-hand during his first season in Memphis.

Parsons appeared in just 34 games for the Grizzlies in 2016/17, and even when he was able to get on the court, he struggled badly, shooting just 33.8% from the field and 26.9% on three-pointers. Both marks were career worsts by far.

Parsons was a career 38.0% three-point shooter before arriving in Memphis, and if he can regain his old form, he’d be an ideal threat on the wing to help take the scoring load off Conley and Gasol. But if Parsons continues to battle injuries, his contract – which is guaranteed for $72MM+ over the next three years – will be an albatross on Memphis’ cap, limiting the team’s flexibility to add other pieces.

2. Is this the end of an era for Zach Randolph and/or Tony Allen?

Randolph and Allen didn’t start their respective NBA careers in Memphis, but it’s hard to imagine them playing anywhere else at this point. Randolph was traded to the Grizzlies way back in 2009, and Allen signed with the club as a free agent a year later. The duo has helped epitomize the “Grit ‘n’ Grind” era in Memphis, but they’ll be free agents this summer, and there’s no guarantee they’ll both be back.

For his part, Allen has expressed a strong desire to remain with the Grizzlies, and has indicated he’s not looking to “break the bank” in free agency. The veteran guard has never earned more than about $5.5MM in a season, and deserves a raise, but if he’s willing to take a hometown discount to remain in Memphis, it would help the team re-sign Randolph or add another free agent.

Randolph’s situation is a little more complicated, in part because the power forward who replaced him in the starting lineup this season is also a free agent, which brings us to our next question…

3. Will the Grizzlies re-sign JaMychal Green?

The Grizzlies inserted Green into their starting lineup on a full-time basis in 2016/17, figuring that his skill-set made him a better fit in the frontcourt with Gasol. That bet paid off, as Green enjoyed a modest breakout year, averaging 8.9 PPG and 7.1 RPG with a shooting line of .500/.379/.802.

Those numbers don’t exactly jump off the page, but Green was a reliable and consistent performer in the Grizzlies’ frontcourt, providing solid defense, rebounding, and the ability to hit the occasional outside shot. He’ll turn 27 next month, so unlike Randolph, he’s still very much in his prime, and after earning the minimum salary in 2016/17, he should be in line for a substantial raise as he enters restricted free agency.

The Grizzlies have Green’s Bird rights, meaning they can go over the cap to re-sign him, and they also hold the right of first refusal, allowing them to match another team’s offer sheet. Still, if the Grizzlies commit to a raise for Allen and want to use their mid-level exception to bring in another player, the club may be forced to choose between Green and Randolph unless ownership is willing to approach the tax line.

4. Are Jarell Martin and/or Wade Baldwin ready for larger roles?

If the Grizzlies aren’t able to retain both Randolph and Green, they’ll need to fill a hole in their frontcourt rotation. The most logical in-house candidate for an increased role would be Martin, a 2015 first-round pick who turns 23 later this month. The LSU product looked solid in limited minutes during his rookie season, but failed to take a step forward in his second year, as his field goal percentage dipped from .466 to .384. If Memphis isn’t confident in Martin’s ability to provide productive minutes, that puts more pressure on the team to bring back its two free agent power forwards or to seek outside help.

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies have had trouble finding a backup for Conley in recent years, prompting them to use 2016’s 17th overall pick on Baldwin. The rookie guard played more minutes in the D-League than he did in the NBA in his first year, and even his D-League stats weren’t all that impressive — he averaged 12.9 PPG and 5.3 APG with a .433/.311/.748 shooting line in 33 games. If Baldwin isn’t ready to assume backup duties behind Conley, the team may end up targeting a veteran point guard using its MLE.

5. Will Vince Carter finish his career in Memphis?

With Randolph, Allen, and Green all eligible for free agency this offseason, Carter probably won’t be the top priority for the Grizzlies, but the 18-year veteran continues to be a key part of Memphis’ rotation. He averaged 24.6 minutes per game for the club in 2016/17, making 1.5 threes per game (37.8%). He also wants to play for two more seasons.

Presumably, the Grizzlies would love to have Carter back if he’s willing to sign for the minimum. And if a couple of Memphis’ other free agents leave, the team would have the ability to offer him more than the minimum. However, if another team makes a strong pitch to Carter when free agency opens on July 1, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him head elsewhere, creating another hole to fill in the Grizzlies’ rotation.

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

Guaranteed Salary

Mike Conley ($28,530,608)
Chandler Parsons ($23,112,004)
Marc Gasol ($22,642,350)
Brandan Wright ($5,955,760)
Troy Daniels ($3,408,520)
James Ennis ($3,028,410)
Wade Baldwin ($1,874,400)
Jarell Martin ($1,471,382)
Deyonta Davis ($1,312,611)
Andrew Harrison ($1,312,611)
Jamaal Franklin ($163,296) — Waived via stretch provision
Total: $92,811,952

Player Options

None

Team Options

Wayne Selden ($1,312,611)
Total: $1,312,611

Non-Guaranteed Salary

None

Restricted Free Agents

JaMychal Green ($2,820,497 qualifying offer / $2,820,497 cap hold)
Total: $2,820,497

Cap Holds

Zach Randolph ($15,542,168)
Tony Allen ($10,460,674)
Vince Carter ($8,101,708)
Wayne Selden ($1,312,611) — If team option is declined
Total: $35,417,161

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $6,556,818

With no cap hold for a first-round draft pick to worry about, the Grizzlies would have $94,443,182 on their books if they only kept their players on guaranteed salaries, plus a pair of empty roster cap charges. In that scenario though, their projected cap room would be less than the mid-level exception, and it would mean renouncing free agents like Green, Randolph, Allen, and Carter. As such, Memphis is far more likely to stay over the cap and make an effort to re-sign at least a couple of those players.

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: Houston Rockets

May 12th, 2017 at 12:32pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets outperformed expectations in 2016/17, with James Harden receiving MVP consideration and Mike D’Antoni entering the Coach of the Year discussion as the club set records for three-point shooting. However, the season ended on a sour note, and Daryl Morey won’t have as much cap flexibility to make roster additions this summer as he did a year ago, when Houston landed Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon.

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

Guaranteed Salary

James Harden ($28,299,399)
Ryan Anderson ($19,578,455)
Eric Gordon ($12,943,020)
Trevor Ariza ($7,420,912)
Lou Williams ($7,000,000)
Patrick Beverley ($5,513,514)
Clint Capela ($2,334,528)
Sam Dekker ($1,794,600)
Montrezl Harrell ($1,471,382)
Chinanu Onuaku ($1,312,611)
Total: $87,668,421

Player Options

None

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Kyle Wiltjer ($1,312,611)¹
Isaiah Taylor ($1,312,611)
Total: $2,625,222

Restricted Free Agents

Bobby Brown ($1,724,305 qualifying offer / $1,724,305 cap hold)
Troy Williams ($1,512,611 qualifying offer / $1,512,611 cap hold)
Total: $3,236,916

Cap Holds

Nene ($3,477,600)
Total: $3,477,600

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $11,700,349

With more than $87MM on their 2017/18 cap in the form of guaranteed salaries, the Rockets would have a team salary of $89,299,651 if they added a couple cap charges for empty roster spots to that total. That would give the club about $11.7MM in cap room, which isn’t much more than what the mid-level exception is expected to be worth. In order to clear out additional space, a trade would be necessary.

Footnotes:

Wiltjer’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after August 1.

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

NBA Player Option Decisions For 2017/18

May 12th, 2017 at 10:22am CST by Luke Adams

A number of NBA contracts include player options in the final year. Those option years give the player the opportunity to either opt into the final year of his deal, finishing out his contract, or to opt out and hit the free agent market a year early.

A year ago, 29 veterans held player options on their contracts for 2016/17, and 26 of those players declined to pick up those options, choosing instead to enter free agency. The three players that exercised their options were Tim Duncan, Caron Butler, and Mo Williams — none of the three played a single NBA minute this past season.

In other words, if you had a player option on your contract last year, declining it was a no-brainer, unless you didn’t expect to land another contract. Even someone like Shane Larkin, who spent the season overseas playing ball in Spain, turned down a player option for that opportunity.

This year’s player option decisions will likely follow a similar pattern, with a few exceptions. Although the salary cap won’t make the same leap in 2017 that it did in 2016, there’s still plenty of money available out there for free agents, so guys with player options may turn them down in search of a longer-term contract that will pay more overall.

This year’s player options are detailed below. We’ll keep this list updated through the end of June to note the latest decisions.

Point Guards

Langston Galloway, Kings ($5,434,000): Opting out
Kyle Lowry, Raptors ($12,000,000): Opted out
Chris Paul, Clippers ($24,268,959): Opted in*

Shooting Guards

C.J. Miles, Pacers ($4,772,675): Opting out
Dwyane Wade, Bulls ($23,800,000): Opted in
Dion Waiters, Heat ($3,028,410): Opting out

Small Forwards

Kevin Durant, Warriors ($27,734,405): Opting out
Danilo Gallinari, Nuggets ($16,100,000): Opting out
Rudy Gay, Kings ($14,263,566): Opted out
Gordon Hayward, Jazz ($16,736,710): Opted out
Luc Mbah a Moute, Clippers ($2,302,135): Opted out
Nick Young, Lakers ($5,668,667): Opted out

Power Forwards

Dante Cunningham, Pelicans ($3,106,500): Opting out
Blake Griffin, Clippers ($21,373,952): Opted out*
David Lee, Spurs ($2,328,652): Opted out
Josh McRoberts, Heat ($6,021,175): Opted in
Paul Millsap, Hawks ($21,472,407): Opted out
Willie Reed, Heat ($1,577,230): Opting out

Centers

Aron Baynes, Pistons ($6,500,000): Opted out
Dewayne Dedmon, Spurs ($3,028,410): Opting out
Pau Gasol, Spurs ($16,197,500): Opting out
Spencer Hawes, Bucks ($6,021,175): Opted in
Greg Monroe, Bucks ($17,884,176): Opted in
Marreese Speights, Clippers ($2,116,955): Opted out

* Note: Paul and Griffin have early termination options on their contracts. These aren’t technically player options, but practically speaking, they serve the same function.

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