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Unsigned Draft Picks: Southeast Division
As the 2016 NBA draft rapidly approaches the term draft-and-stash will be mentioned quite often in regard to international players and late second-rounders. While some of these athletes will eventually sign with an NBA team, it seems like the majority of them stay overseas and never make it to the league. Those players in the latter category aren’t without value as they become trade assets for the teams holding their rights.
While many players fail to work out the way teams expect them to, they can at least become tradeable assets for teams that don’t want to part with a future second-round pick in a deal. Each team must give up something in a trade, which is why many swaps include top-55 protected second-round picks. Older draft rights held players who clearly will never come over to the NBA are essentially the same as flipping those heavily protected second-rounders, for all intents and purposes.
Listed below are the current unsigned draftees for the teams of the Southeast Division:
Atlanta Hawks
- Dimitrios Agravanis — Selected No. 59 overall in 2015.
- Augusto Binelli — Selected No. 40 overall in 1986.
- Alain Digbeu — Selected No. 49 overall in 1997.
- Marcus Eriksson — Selected No. 50 overall in 2015.
- Sergey Gladyr — Selected No. 49 overall in 2009.
Charlotte Hornets
- None
Miami Heat
- Roberto Duenas — Selected No. 58 overall in 1997.
- George Banks — Selected No. 46 overall in 1995.
Orlando Magic
- Fran Vazquez — Selected No. 11 overall in 2005.
- Tyler Harvey — Selected No. 51 overall in 2015.
- Janis Timma — Selected No. 60 overall in 2013.
- Ramon Van De Hare — Selected No. 52 overall in 2003.
- Rashard Griffith — Selected No. 38 overall in 1995.
Washington Wizards
- Aaron White — Selected No. 49 overall in 2015.
- Tomas Satoransky — Selected No. 32 overall in 2012.
Offseason Outlook: Denver Nuggets
Hoops Rumors is looking ahead to offseason moves for all 30 teams. We’ll examine free agency, the draft, trades and other key storylines for each franchise as the summer approaches.
State Of the Franchise
For the third straight year the Nuggets ended the season with a sub-.500 record and a trip to the NBA draft lottery. But despite the lack of success in the standings, Denver is a team on the rise, stocked with a deep roster, ample cap room, three first round picks in this year’s draft and a solid head coach in Michael Malone.
It’s difficult to gauge just how talented Denver can be as a team, given the myriad injuries suffered by the team’s top players the past few years. The Nuggets’ three highest-paid players, Danilo Gallinari, Kenneth Faried and Wilson Chandler, each missed some – or all – of the 2015/16 campaign due to injuries. While Faried has been a relatively healthy player during his career, it has gotten to the point where it would be foolish to bank on either Gallinari or Chandler playing a full season’s worth of games given their respective track records. While there’s no denying that the pair are talented players who can light up the scoreboard when they are on the court, it may time for the franchise to consider moving on from one or both players in order to foster greater roster/rotation stability and continuity.
The Nuggets are also still seeking a star player to build around, not having had a true alpha since dealing away a disgruntled Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks during the 2010/11 campaign. While the team weathered his departure reasonably well the two seasons following the trade, the NBA has always been a star-driven league and despite their solid depth, the Nuggets were never true threats to bring home an NBA title during those years. If the team is to truly move forward as an organization, Denver will need to add a star-caliber player this offseason via free agency, the trade market or the draft.
What To Do With the Manimal?
Faried is a high-energy player whose style of play endeared him to fans and led team management to ink him to a four-year, $50MM extension in 2014. While that pact is likely to look like a bargain after this summer’s free agent deals are handed out, there is a question of fit for Faried. With the NBA moving further away from traditional big men who patrol the paint, Faried’s skill set doesn’t quite fit with the times. He is still a solid rebounder and hustle player in the paint, but his offensive game has not evolved since he arrived in the league back in 2011/12. This past season, Faried played his fewest minutes since his rookie campaign while seeing his scoring, rebounding and defense decline slightly from his previous seasons.
The 26-year-old’s lack of a perimeter game wouldn’t be as big an issue if his teammates were better at connecting on their outside shots, which would then allow Faried to do what he does best — create havoc in the paint area with his energy and rebounding. Full seasons from Gallinari and Chandler would certainly go a long way toward this end, but as I previously mentioned, counting on that duo to remain on the court isn’t a realistic approach.
It may be in the team’s best interests to explore the trade market for the Manimal. Faried can be a valuable contributor on the right team, but the Nuggets may not be the best spot for him any longer. Denver has other frontcourt combinations it can try, including playing Chandler (if healthy) at the four spot, which would give the squad an interesting stretch-four option. I cannot envision Faried being content with a sixth man role in Denver, but he may be amenable to doing so for a contending team. Trading away Faried may be the best option for both the Nuggets and the player in the long run.
Free Agent Targets
Even if Darrell Arthur opts out of his contract, the Nuggets will have just three unrestricted free agents from this year’s roster – Arthur, D.J. Augustin, and Mike Miller – and none of them are crucial, long-term pieces. That leaves Denver with 12 contracts (nine guaranteed) on its books for 2016/17 and no glaring holes to fill, but there’s still plenty of room for the club to get involved in free agency if opportunities arise.
The Nuggets will have enough cap flexibility this offseason to add a max salary player, but with the team not being seen as contenders and Denver not a destination city for free agents, doing so will be a tall order. One realistic target for the team is Ryan Anderson, who is perhaps the best stretch-four on the open market this summer. Anderson is almost assuredly going to be overpaid on his next deal and it may make sense for Denver to be the ones to do so. If the bidding on Anderson becomes too intense, or the player decides he doesn’t want to come to Denver, Hornets unrestricted free agent Marvin Williams would be a good (and cheaper) fallback option.
Denver also needs to add wing players who can stretch the floor with their outside shooting, especially if Emmanuel Mudiay is unable to improve his perimeter game. The team could try to navigate the waters of restricted free agency and make a run at signing Bradley Beal or Evan Fournier, though the likelihood of landing either is remote. Also, Beal has his own set of injury concerns and the Nuggets may not want to risk adding another player likely to spend significant time in street clothes during games. The draft is a more likely avenue for the team to address this need.
Draft Targets
There isn’t likely going to be a star-caliber player available at pick No. 7, so Denver should seriously consider trying to move up in the draft. Both Boston (No. 3) and Phoenix (No. 4) are reportedly considering trading down, though it is unclear just how much the Nuggets would need to give up to make the jump into the top five. If Denver stands pat, I believe it will target backcourt help, unless Dragan Bender or Jaylen Brown are still on the board at No. 7 overall, then all bets are off. But that’s a development not likely to come to pass given the pre-draft buzz surrounding both of those players.
If the Nuggets stay where they are at in the first round, their two top targets will almost certainly be Buddy Hield and Jamal Murray. Hield should be ready to contribute from day one and would fit alongside Mudiay rather nicely. He would certainly provide the outside shooting the team desperately needs, though I don’t see him developing into a star player during the course of his career. Murray has a higher upside and can play both backcourt spots, but he will take longer to develop and contribute than Hield will. Denver could also look to add a stretch four if the top guards are off the board and Marquese Chris, Henry Ellenson and Skal Labissere are all viable candidates for that role.
In Conclusion
There’s plenty of reasons to be optimistic if you are a Nuggets fan. While the team, barring an unexpected free agent windfall, isn’t expected to make the playoffs in 2016/17, better things are ahead in the Mile High City. Mudiay, Jusuf Nurkic and Gary Harris are a solid young core to build around, Malone appears to be the right man for the job and the franchise has some enticing pieces to use as trade bait. Injuries will always be a concern and the team may be better served to part ways with one or more of the injury prone players on its roster. But this a club that has plenty of viable and realistic options to explore in order to improve itself, which should make for an exciting summer in Denver.
Guaranteed Salary
- Danilo Gallinari ($15,050,000)
- Kenneth Faried ($12,078,652)
- Wilson Chandler ($11,233,146)
- Jameer Nelson ($4,540,525)
- Will Barton ($3,533,333)
- Emmanuel Mudiay ($3,241,800)
- Jusuf Nurkic ($1,921,320)
- Gary Harris ($1,655,880)
- Nikola Jokic ($1,358,500)
- (Nick Johnson $980,431)
- Total: $55,593,587
Player Options
- Darrell Arthur ($2,940,630)
Team Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Joffrey Lauvergne ($1,709,719)
- JaKarr Sampson ($980,431)
- Axel Toupane ($874,636)
- Total: $3,564,786
Restricted Free Agents (Qualifying Offers/Cap Holds)
- None
Unrestricted Free Agents (Cap Holds)
- D.J. Augustin ($3,900,000)
- Mike Miller ($980,431)
- Total: $4,880,431
Other Cap Holds
- No. 7 pick ($2,675,700)
- No. 15 pick ($1,656,200)
- No. 19 pick ($1,356,100)
- Total: $5,688,000
Projected Salary Cap: $94,000,000
The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.
Poll: 2016 Community Mock Draft (Pick No. 25)
The results of the 2016 NBA Draft lottery are in and the Sixers finally landed the elusive No. 1 overall pick after missing out the past two seasons. Now that the exact draft order is locked in, teams can begin targeting specific players who are likely to still be on the board when it is their time to choose. Drafting players is far from an exact science, and many a GM has been second-guessed for his draft night decisions. I’m willing to bet that every team executive has at least one pick that he would like a mulligan for. We at Hoops Rumors thought it would be fun to give our readers the chance to predict the results of this June’s draft, which is what we are doing with a series of polls.
We are now well on our way to completing the first round and have come to the Clippers. Readers, you are now on the clock! Cast your vote for Los Angeles’ selection and check back Sunday for the results, as well as to cast your vote for who the Sixers will select with the No. 26 overall pick. But don’t limit yourself to a simple button click. Take to the comments section below and share your thoughts on the No. 25 overall pick and why you voted the way that you did.
- Sixers — Ben Simmons (LSU)
- Lakers — Brandon Ingram (Duke)
- Celtics — Dragan Bender (Maccabi Tel Aviv)
- Suns — Jaylen Brown (California)
- Timberwolves — Buddy Hield (Oklahoma)
- Pelicans — Kris Dunn (Providence)
- Nuggets — Jamal Murray (Kentucky)
- Kings — Henry Ellenson (Marquette)
- Raptors — Marquese Chriss (Washington)
- Bucks — Jakob Poeltl (Utah)
- Magic — Skal Labissiere (Kentucky)
- Jazz — Denzel Valentine (Michigan State)
- Suns — Domantas Sabonis (Gonzaga)
- Bulls — Deyonta Davis (Michigan State)
- Nuggets — Timothe Luwawu (Mega Leks)
- Celtics — Thon Maker (Australia)
- Grizzlies — Wade Baldwin (Vanderbilt)
- Pistons — Tyler Ulis (Kentucky)
- Nuggets — Furkan Korkmaz (Anadolu Efes)
- Pacers — Demetrius Jackson (Notre Dame)
- Hawks — Taurean Prince (Baylor)
- Hornets — Brice Johnson (North Carolina)
- Celtics — Malachi Richardson (Syracuse)
- Sixers — Malik Beasley (Florida State)
For Trade Rumors app users: [Direct Link]
Hoops Rumors Originals 6/12/16-6/18/16
Here’s a look back at the original analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this past week.
- We looked at the offseasons ahead for the Bulls, Suns, Bucks, Magic and Celtics.
- I ran down the 2015/16 D-League usage for the league.
- We broke down the cap situations heading into the offseason for the Jazz, Cavaliers and Warriors.
- Will Joseph highlighted some of the better basketball blogs around in his weekly installment of Hoops Links.
- We ran down the unsigned draftees for the teams of the Atlantic and Central Divisions.
- If you missed any of our daily reader-driven discussions, be sure to check out the Community Shootaround archives.
- As a part of our Community Mock Draft, we asked readers to vote on picks No. 20, No. 21, No. 22, No. 23 and No. 24.
- Here’s how you can follow Hoops Rumors on social media and RSS feeds.
- We reviewed our commenting policy. Play nice everyone.
- Here’s how you can follow specific players on Hoops Rumors.
Salaries For 2016 First-Round Picks
The 2016 NBA draft is less than a week away, and once teams make those picks, they’ll have to account for how to fit their newly-drafted rookies into their salary cap for next season. Cap holds for draft picks are almost always lower than those players’ eventual salaries, so many teams will take care of their other offseason business before officially locking up their first-round rookies and increasing their cap hits.
While the cap hold for a first-round pick is equivalent to the rookie scale amount for that draft slot, teams nearly always pay their first-round picks 120% of the scale amount, the maximum they’re allowed to give. So the Sixers’ first overall pick will count for $4,919,300 against the cap initially, but Philadelphia will likely pay that player a $5,903,160 first-year salary, 120% of the scale amount.
Taking into account slotted annual raises, Philadelphia’s No. 1 overall pick will likely sign a four-year rookie contract worth $26,620,450, but most first-rounders will make significantly less than that. By the time the Warriors’ 30th overall selection rolls around, Golden State’s first-round rookie will be on track to earn a little under $6MM on his four-year deal, or less than a quarter of what the No. 1 pick will make.
Here, using the scale amounts from Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ, are the expected salaries for each pick of this year’s first round at the standard 120% of scale, from No. 1 to No. 30. The salary for each season in the four-year rookie contract is listed below, along with the total value of the projected contract:
Offseason Outlook: Orlando Magic
Hoops Rumors is looking ahead to offseason moves for all 30 teams. We’ll examine free agency, the draft, trades and other key storylines for each franchise heading into the summer.
State Of The Franchise
The Magic find themselves in a familiar spot this summer. They’re stuck in the lottery after coming off another last-place finish, searching to find ways to turn things around and hoping a new coach will make a difference.
Orlando did win 10 more games this past season than in 2014/15 but that still left it 12 games under .500. The frequent trips to the lottery haven’t produced an All-Star talent, a clearcut No. 1 scoring option or an unquestioned leader.
The front office thought it could accelerate the rebuilding process by hiring a no-nonsense, defensive-minded coach last summer in Scott Skiles. But the Magic’s defense improved only marginally, finishing 20th in defensive field-goal percentage and 18th in points allowed. Skiles didn’t connect with his young players, clashed with GM Rob Hennigan and ultimately resigned after the season.
By hiring ex-Pacers coach Frank Vogel as his replacement, Orlando’s front office mitigated the damage caused by Skiles’ sudden departure. The task at hand now is to acquire some impact players to get the Magic back into the postseason after a four-year drought.
Money Is No Object
The Magic have made their objective clear — they want to land top-flight free agents. They have enough salary-cap space to make that happen.
Orlando has the ability to free up as much as $46MM to spend on free agents and make trades, thanks to a couple of deadline deals that more than doubled its potential salary-cap space.
It quickly soured on forward Tobias Harris, who re-signed with the club as a restricted free agent last summer, and acquired two veterans from the Pistons (Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova) that it can clear off its books prior to free agency. Sending reserve forward Channing Frye to the Cavaliers for a future draft choice freed up more money.
“We’ve been very open about what we’ve been going through and the fact that we’ve been building through the draft,” CEO Alex Martins told the Orlando Sentinel. “I think we’re being very open about the fact that in order to take that next step we have to inject veteran leadership.”
The tricky part is to sell free agents on a franchise that has been spinning its wheels since the end of the Dwight Howard–Stan Van Gundy era.
Free Agent Targets
Orlando’s biggest need is to fill the vacancy created by the Harris trade, preferably with a top-notch veteran. That could be either a power or small forward, since Aaron Gordon can play either spot. Gordon showed he could do more than just dunk after the All-Star break, averaging 12.0 points and 7.3 rebounds.
Forget about Kevin Durant, who’s not going to consider a rebuilding team. The Magic might have a shot at another All-Star level forward, or at least a proven veteran.
They made a strong push to sign Paul Millsap last summer and came up empty. They will undoubtedly make a big run this summer at Millsap’s frontcourt partner in Atlanta, Al Horford. He would instantly turn them into a playoff contender with his all-around skills and leadership.
If that fails, they could chase prolific outside shooter such as Ryan Anderson, Chandler Parsons or Marvin Williams, though it’s highly questionable whether Anderson would consider a second stint with Orlando after the team dealt him to New Orleans four years ago in a sign-and-trade.
Another intriguing possibility is Horford’s ex-University of Florida teammate, Bulls power forward/center Joakim Noah. He’d provide the defensive presence the team has sorely lacked in recent years.
Even if the team plans on a Victor Oladipo–Elfrid Payton pairing for the long-term, they need to fortify their backcourt with a veteran shooter and/or ballhandler. The pool of backcourt free agents isn’t as deep as the frontcourt options and they may have to fill those needs via the trade route.
Free Agent Decisions
The team will likely decline its option on Ilyasova’s $8.4MM contract for next season. Jennings and reserve forward Jason Smith will become unrestricted free agents and they’re nothing more than fallback options.
Orlando has to decide whether to extend qualifying offers to three players. They plan to make those offers to swingman Evan Fournier and center Dewayne Dedmon, which would make them restricted free agents. It’s unclear whether they have a similar interest in retaining Andrew Nicholson. Hennigan has stated that re-signing Fournier is a top priority. The caveat is they may have to pay a hefty price, since it’s quite conceivable he could receive a eye-popping offer sheet designed to pry him away.
Potential Trades
The Magic’s desire to make trades will depend upon how successful they are in the free agent market. They’d probably have to trade away a starter or last year’s lottery pick, Mario Hezonja, to make something big happen.
Draft Outlook
- First-round pick: No. 11
- Second-round pick: No. 41
- Second-round pick: No. 47
The Magic will lean toward adding a frontcourt piece if they don’t deal away their lottery pick. Current mock drafts by ESPN.com’s Chad Ford and Draft Express’ Jonathan Givony have the Magic selecting Kentucky freshman power forward Skal Labissiere, who would at least provide some much-needed shot blocking.
Coaching Outlook
Vogel received a four-year, $22MM contract and seems like a better fit to nurture the team’s young talent than the abrasive Skiles. Vogel wants to make better use of the team’s versatility and athleticism by employing more small-ball lineups.
Final Take
The Magic have failed repeatedly in the lottery to find a superstar but they have accumulated enough talent to get back in the playoff hunt. It’s all predicated on convincing at least one high-level free agent to sign on the dotted line. If they strike out and have to fill out the roster with veteran role players, there’s a good chance they’ll be right back in the lottery next summer.
Guaranteed Salary
- Nikola Vucevic ($11,750,000)
- Victor Oladipo ($6,552,960)
- C.J. Watson ($5,000,000)
- Aaron Gordon ($4,351,320)
- Mario Hezonja ($3,909,840)
- Elfrid Payton ($2,613,600)
- Shabazz Napier ($1,350,120)
- Ersan Ilyasova ($400,000) — Partial guarantee; non-guaranteed portion listed below1
- Total: $35,927,840
Player Options
- None
Team Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Ersan Ilyasova ($8,000,000) — Partial guarantee; guaranteed portion listed above1
- Devyn Marble ($980,431)
- Total: $8,980,431
Restricted Free Agents (Qualifying Offers/Cap Holds)
- Evan Fournier ($4,433,683/$5,720,513)
- Andrew Nicholson ($3,394,726/$5,951,483)
- Dewayne Dedmon ($1,215,696/$1,215,696)
- Totals: $9,044,105/$12,887,692
Unrestricted Free Agents (Cap Holds)
- Brandon Jennings ($12,516,746)
- Jason Smith ($5,160,000)
- Total: $17,676,746
Other Cap Holds
- No. 11 pick ($2,033,500)
- Fran Vazquez ($2,033,500)
- Total: $4,067,000
Projected Salary Cap: $92,000,000
Footnotes:
- Ilyasova’s full $8,400,000 salary will become guaranteed if he’s still on the roster on July 1st.
The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.
Poll: 2016 Community Mock Draft (Pick No. 24)
The results of the 2016 NBA Draft lottery are in and the Sixers finally landed the elusive No. 1 overall pick after missing out the past two seasons. Now that the exact draft order is locked in, teams can begin targeting specific players who are likely to still be on the board when it is their time to choose. Drafting players is far from an exact science, and many a GM has been second-guessed for his draft night decisions. I’m willing to bet that every team executive has at least one pick that he would like a mulligan for. We at Hoops Rumors thought it would be fun to give our readers the chance to predict the results of this June’s draft, which is what we are doing with a series of polls.
We are now well on our way to completing the first round and have once again come to the Sixers. Readers, you are now on the clock! Working under the assumption that the team will keep the pick, cast your vote for Philadelphia’s selection and check back Saturday for the results, as well as to cast your vote for who the Clippers will select with the No. 25 overall pick. But don’t limit yourself to a simple button click. Take to the comments section below and share your thoughts on the No. 24 overall pick and why you voted the way that you did.
Previous Selections
- Sixers — Ben Simmons (LSU)
- Lakers — Brandon Ingram (Duke)
- Celtics — Dragan Bender (Maccabi Tel Aviv)
- Suns — Jaylen Brown (California)
- Timberwolves — Buddy Hield (Oklahoma)
- Pelicans — Kris Dunn (Providence)
- Nuggets — Jamal Murray (Kentucky)
- Kings — Henry Ellenson (Marquette)
- Raptors — Marquese Chriss (Washington)
- Bucks — Jakob Poeltl (Utah)
- Magic — Skal Labissiere (Kentucky)
- Jazz — Denzel Valentine (Michigan State)
- Suns — Domantas Sabonis (Gonzaga)
- Bulls — Deyonta Davis (Michigan State)
- Nuggets — Timothe Luwawu (Mega Leks)
- Celtics — Thon Maker (Australia)
- Grizzlies — Wade Baldwin (Vanderbilt)
- Pistons — Tyler Ulis (Kentucky)
- Nuggets — Furkan Korkmaz (Anadolu Efes)
- Pacers — Demetrius Jackson (Notre Dame)
- Hawks — Taurean Prince (Baylor)
- Hornets — Brice Johnson (North Carolina)
- Celtics — Malachi Richardson (Syracuse)
For Trade Rumors app users: [Direct Link]
Unsigned Draft Picks: Central Division
As the 2016 NBA draft rapidly approaches the term draft-and-stash will be mentioned quite often in regard to international players and late second-rounders. While some of these athletes will eventually sign with an NBA team, it seems like the majority of them stay overseas and never make it to the league. Those players in the latter category aren’t without value as they become trade assets for the teams holding their rights.
While many players fail to work out the way teams expect them to, they can at least become tradeable assets for teams that don’t want to part with a future second-round pick in a deal. Each team must give up something in a trade, which is why many swaps include top-55 protected second-round picks. Older draft rights held players who clearly will never come over to the NBA are essentially the same as flipping those heavily protected second-rounders, for all intents and purposes.
Listed below are the current unsigned draftees for the teams of the Central Division:
Chicago Bulls
- Tadija Dragicevic — Selected No. 53 overall in 2008.
- Milovan Rakovic — Selected No. 60 overall in 2007.
- Vladimir Veremeenko — Selected No. 48 overall in 2006.
Cleveland Cavaliers
- Edin Bavcic — Selected No. 56 overall in 2006.
- Ilkan Karaman — Selected No. 57 overall in 2012.
- Milan Macvan — Selected No. 54 overall in 2011.
- Cedi Osman — Selected No. 31 overall in 2015.
- Sir’Dominic Pointer — Selected No. 53 overall in 2015.
- Ejike Ugboaja — Selected No. 55 overall in 2006.
Detroit Pistons
- None
Indiana Pacers
- Stanko Barac — Selected No. 39 overall in 2007.
- Andrew Betts — Selected No. 50 overall in 1998.
Milwaukee Bucks
- Andrei Fetisov — Selected No. 36 overall in 1994.
- Albert Miralles — Selected No. 39 overall in 2004.
- Eurelijus Zukauskas — Selected No. 54 overall in 1995.
Offseason Outlook: Milwaukee Bucks
Hoops Rumors is looking ahead to offseason moves for all 30 teams. We’ll examine free agency, the draft, trades and other key storylines for each franchise heading into the summer.
State Of The Franchise
The Bucks came into the 2015/16 season with high expectations after finishing at .500 the previous year, reaching the playoffs and then signing coveted free agent center Greg Monroe during the summer. Instead of meeting those expectations, the Bucks took a big step backward, wallowing in last place in the Central Division and winding up 16 games under .500.
Milwaukee does have some quality young players pieces to build around, most notably Giannis Antetokounmpo. The 6’11” Antetokounmpo was a revelation after becoming the team’s primary ballhandler, recording five triple-doubles after the All-Star break. Having a 21-year-old point guard as tall as a center makes him a matchup nightmare for opponents, though Antetokounmpo needs to improve his shooting.
The second pick in the 2014 draft, Jabari Parker, bounced back from a season-ending knee injury during his rookie campaign to average 18.9 points and 6.6 rebounds after the All-Star break. The shooting guard spot is also in good, young hands, as Khris Middleton averaged a career-high 18.2 points and shot 39.6% on 3-point attempts.
Now, GM John Hammond must find better pieces to surround his budding stars. There are plenty of areas for improvement. The Bucks need to develop a defensive mindset, upgrade their perimeter shooting, become a better rebounding team, and add veteran savvy to the mix. They finished 17th in defensive field-goal percentage, 21st in 3-point percentage, and 25th in rebounding.
Big Man Dilemma
The Bucks were eager to upgrade their frontcourt last summer and were thrilled when Monroe chose to sign a three-year max deal with them. They soon learned that Monroe’s shortcomings often outweigh the positives he brings to the table.
Monroe is a solid low-post scorer and rebounder, but lacks the foot speed and athleticism to guard the paint or pick-and-rolls effectively. He also doesn’t block shots. Monroe often sat during crunch time while Miles Plumlee closed out games.
“We got him to help score, and he did that,” head coach Jason Kidd recently told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel’s Charles F. Gardner. “He delivered. I think with our defense, we’ve got to do a better job.”
The best solution would be to move Monroe and find a better rim protector. Milwaukee reportedly shopped Monroe to the Pelicans prior to the trade deadline but couldn’t get the package it wanted for him. The Bucks will surely continue to pursue deals involving Monroe, hoping to find a team willing to live with his deficiencies.
Plumlee is a restricted free agent and the Bucks have expressed their desire to re-sign him. But he’s nothing more than a complementary piece and the Bucks will still need a starter to replace Monroe if they’re successful in moving him and his $17.14MM salary for next season.
Free Agent Targets
With approximately $61.6MM committed to guaranteed salaries next season, the Bucks have plenty of cap room to sign free agents. Dwight Howard and Hassan Whiteside will be the top big men available, though it would be a big surprise if either would want to spend their winters in Milwaukee.
The Bucks could certainly use a forward with a consistent long-distance stroke to improve spacing. Ryan Anderson, Marvin Williams or Harrison Barnes could fill that need but they’ll all come with hefty price tags.
It’s more likely Milwaukee will chase second-tier free agents. The Bucks had one of the worst benches in the league last season and have vowed to improve it. They especially need to find shooters — Middleton and oft-injured point guard Jerryd Bayless were their only reliable 3-point threats last season.
The Bucks have to decide whether to pursue any of their unrestricted free agents, a quartet of backcourt players who had injury issues last season — Bayless, O.J. Mayo, Steve Novak and Greivis Vasquez. They will reportedly try to retain Bayless and Novak while letting Mayo and Vasquez find new homes.
Potential Trades
Besides Monroe, the Bucks must figure out what to do with Michael Carter-Williams, who is now in an awkward situation with Antetokounmpo essentially taking his job. Carter-Williams is a subpar shooter, so playing him off the ball doesn’t work. He’s still on his rookie contract, so a potential suitor could acquire the 24-year-old to audition him at the point without committing to him beyond next season.
Draft Outlook
- First-round pick: No. 10
- Second round picks: Nos. 36, 38
The Bucks could go any number of ways with their lottery pick, but the smart money has them taking a big man. Jakob Poertl and Skal Labissiere are the top centers expected to go in the bottom half of the lottery. Should they target a stretch four, Marquette product Henry Ellenson and/or Domantas Sabonis could still be on the board when their pick comes up.
Coaching Outlook
Anyone who thought the Bucks might sour on Kidd after their subpar season were proven wrong when the team agreed to a contract extension with him this week. Kidd still has one year left on his original deal before that new three-year, $18MM extension kicks in.
Final Take
The Bucks aren’t a typical last-place team. They have some real hope of getting back into the playoff picture next season, thanks to the talented young trio of Antetokounmpo, Parker and Middleton. But they’ll need to make shrewd decisions while restructuring their roster around those players. Milwaukee must find a defensive stalwart in the middle and more perimeter threats. Monroe and Carter-Williams don’t seem like a part of the long-term plan and need to be moved. The Bucks also need to acquire some veterans who can help nurture the talented young core
Guaranteed Salary
- Greg Monroe ($17,145,838)
- Khris Middleton ($15,200,000)
- John Henson ($12,267,606)
- Jabari Parker ($5,374,320)
- Michael Carter-Williams ($3,183,526)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo ($2,995,421)
- (Larry Sanders $1,865,547) — Salary remaining from release via stretch provision
- Rashad Vaughn ($1,811,040)
- Tyler Ennis ($1,733,880)
- Total: $61,577,178
Player Options
- None
Team Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Damien Inglis ($980,431)
- Johnny O’Bryant ($980,431)
- Total: $1,960,862
Restricted Free Agents (Qualifying Offers/Cap Holds)
- Miles Plumlee ($3,113,318/$5,273,235)
Unrestricted Free Agents (Cap Holds)
- O.J. Mayo ($12,000,000)
- Greivis Vasquez ($9,900,000)
- Jerryd Bayless ($3,900,000)
- Steve Novak ($980,431)
- Total: $26,780,431
Other Cap Holds
- No. 10 pick ($2,140,500)
Projected Salary Cap: $92,000,000
The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.