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Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 3/1/16

March 1st, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Outspoken Mavericks team owner Mark Cuban has never been shy about voicing his opinions about the state of the NBA and his latest idea involves moving back the 3-point line, as he told ESPN during Friday night’s win over the Nuggets (h/t Tim McMahon of ESPN.com). Cuban, prompted by watching the two teams launch a combined 58 3-point attempts that night, had this to say: “It’s getting too close. Guys are shooting a foot behind it anyways. That’s something we should look at. It’s worth looking at. I don’t think the number of shots would decline, but I think it would reward skill and open up the court some more. So guys would still take [3-point] shots if it’s seven inches back or whatever, but at the same time, it opens up the court for more drives, more midrange game.”

While many will automatically assume this stance is motivated by the unreal shooting range of Golden State’s Stephen Curry, the Mavs owner insisted this change would benefit players by opening up other scoring opportunities. “I think it’d open it up more so guys with different skill sets could play,” Cuban said. “It would open up play for more drives. Guys with midrange games would be rewarded and that would stay in the game. There would be more diversity of offensive action in the game. You’d see a little bit of decline in the 3. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing that we shoot so many 3s, but it’s worth it in the D-League to see what happens [with a deeper 3-point line].”

This brings me to the topic for today: Should the NBA adjust the distance of the 3-point line?

Is this simply an overreaction to Curry’s play, or is there an issue with the game that needs to be addressed? As a basketball purist at heart, I often lament the decline of the midrange jumper and miss the days when skilled big men would dominate the paint area. While I certainly appreciate the athleticism displayed by the NBA’s top stretch-fours and perimeter-oriented big men, a major part of me still longs for the days of Hakeem Olajuwan, David Robinson and Patrick Ewing battling it out in the post. The 3-point shot has never been used more freely than it has been this season, with players currently on pace to nail 58,477 in total, which would easily shatter the league record of 55,137, as McMahon notes.

But what say you? Should the 3-point line be adjusted, or is the game fine with the current layout? Are there any other changes that you suggest be made to help make a more exciting and diverse on-court product? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.

2015/16 Salary Cap Update: Dallas Mavericks

March 1st, 2016 at 9:34pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The NBA’s salary cap for 2015/16 is set at $70MM, which is good for an 11% increase from last season, and the luxury tax line is fixed at $84.74MM. With the February 18th cutoff date for trades now past and the de facto deadline of March 1st for buyouts now upon us, we at Hoops Rumors are in the process of updating the salary cap commitments for each NBA franchise for the 2015/16 campaign. Here’s the cap breakdown for the Dallas Mavericks, whose regular season roster can be viewed here:

2015/16 Salary Cap= $70,000,000
2015/16 Luxury Tax Line= $84,740,000
Fully Guaranteed Salary Commitments= $73,096,861*
Remaining Cap Room= –$3,096,861
Amount Below Luxury Tax Line= $11,091,228

*Note: This amount includes the $315,759 owed to Gal Mekel, the $525,094 owed to Maurice Ndour, the $1,499,187 due Samuel Dalembert, plus the $50K owed to both Jamil Wilson and Brandon Ashley, as well as the $10K owed to Jarrid Famous, all of whom were waived by the team.

**Note: Charlie Villanueva‘s salary for tax purposes is $1,499,187.

Cap Exceptions Available:

None

Cash Available to Send Out In Trades= $3,400,000

Cash Available to Receive Via Trade= $3,400,000

Note: Despite the trade deadline having passed, the NBA season technically doesn’t end until June 30th. Teams are able to again make trades upon the completion of the regular season or when/if they are eliminated from the playoffs, whichever comes later. So these cash limits still apply.

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/29/16

March 1st, 2016 at 12:00am CST by Dana Gauruder

The NBA season is entering the homestretch with approximately six weeks to go in the regular season. With most teams near or at the 60-game mark, it’s not too early to call some of them underachievers.

Glancing at the standings, there are six teams that best fit that category. The Rockets certainly qualify, as they head into the week one game under .500. No one could have expected a team led by superstars James Harden and Dwight Howard to be floundering.

The other Western Conference team that easily qualifies as a major disappointment is the Pelicans. They were supposed to be on the upswing with Anthony Davis leading the way and Alvin Gentry taking over as head coach, but they’re currently 12 games under .500.

The Eastern Conference has its share of disappointments as well. The Hawks entered last season’s playoffs as the conference’s top seed but they’ve come back to the pack this year with a 33-27 record.

The Bulls are loaded with big-name veterans but it’s been a rocky campaign in the Windy City. They head into their final 24 games just two games above the .500 mark and in some danger of missing the postseason.

Any team with John Wall at the controls should be better than the Wizards’ current 28-30 mark. Washington is on the outside looking in for a playoff berth.

Entering training camp, it seemed like the Bucks were on the upswing with young pieces surrounding free agent prize Greg Monroe. Instead, Milwaukee is wallowing at the bottom of the Central Division, 11 games under the .500 mark.

This leads us to our question of the day: Which team has been the biggest underachiever this season?

Please take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say.

What Each Team Has To Spend In Buyout Market

February 29th, 2016 at 10:59am CST by Chuck Myron

The wave of buyouts that follows the NBA trade deadline commonly provides the most fertile free agent market since the summer. Most players who come free via buyout sign for the minimum salary, but some, like David Lee, sign for more than that. Lee reportedly received a prorated portion of the Mavs’ room exception, which Dallas didn’t spend in the offseason. Some teams use up all their exceptions amid their summer spending, while others hang back, knowing they might be able to snag a contributor in the late going.

Exceptions depreciate over time. Some, like the minimum salary exception, prorate beginning with the first day of the regular season. The mid-level, room and biannual exceptions prorate starting January 10th. Each goes down by 1/170th each day, representing the 170 days in the regular season. Disabled player exceptions don’t prorate, but they expire March 10th.

Here’s a look at what the minimum salary is worth today for players of each level of experience. These amounts will go down by 1/170th every day until season’s end. Note that teams aren’t responsible for any more than the two-year veteran’s amount, as the league picks up the rest for longer-tenured vets.

Rookie: $135,906
One year: $218,721
Two year: $245,177
Three year: $253,996
Four year: $262,815
Five year: $284,862
Six year: $306,909
Seven year: $328,955
Eight year: $351,002
Nine year: $352,750
10-plus year: $388,025

Below are the exceptions available to each team. Note that some teams will have different values for the same exceptions because they’ve used partial amounts. Note also that teams can also use their trade exceptions to claim players off waivers, but they can’t use them to sign free agents.

*Bucks — Room exception: $1,164,800 (goes down $9,788 daily); minimum salary exception
Bulls — Taxpayer’s mid-level exception: $788,200 (goes down $6,624 daily); minimum salary exception
Cavaliers — Minimum salary exception
Celtics — Room exception: $1,969,800 (goes down $16,553 daily); minimum salary exception
Clippers — Minimum salary exception
Grizzlies — Minimum salary exception
Hawks — Room exception: $1,969,800 (goes down $16,553 daily); minimum salary exception
Heat — Taxpayer’s mid-level exception: $1,995,635 (goes down $16,770 daily); minimum salary exception
Hornets — Non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception: $3,824,800 (goes down $32,141 daily); minimum salary exception
Jazz — Cap room: $5,182,127; room exception: $1,969,800 (goes down $16,553 daily); minimum salary exception
Kings — Room exception: $1,969,800 (goes down $16,553 daily); minimum salary exception
Knicks — Minimum salary exception
Lakers — Room exception: $1,969,800 (goes down $16,553 daily); minimum salary exception
**Magic — Room exception: $1,969,800 (goes down $16,553 daily); minimum salary exception
Mavericks — Minimum salary exception
Nets — Non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception: $1,724,800 (goes down $14,494 daily); disabled player exception: $3.15MM (doesn’t depreciate but expires March 10th); minimum-salary exception
Nuggets — Minimum salary exception
Pacers — Room exception: $1,969,800 (goes down $16,553 daily); minimum salary exception
***Pelicans — Biannual exception: $1,497,300 (goes down 12,582 daily); disabled player exception: $1,691,012 (doesn’t depreciate but expires March 10th); minimum salary exception
Pistons — Room exception: $1,969,800 (goes down $16,553 daily); minimum salary exception
Raptors — Minimum salary exception
****Rockets — Non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception: $891,944 (goes down $5,247 daily); minimum salary exception
Sixers — Cap room: $9,630,651; room exception: $1,969,800 (goes down $16,553 daily); minimum salary exception
Spurs — Minimum salary exception
Suns — Room exception: $1,969,800 (goes down $16,553 daily); $5.464MM disabled player exception (doesn’t depreciate but expires March 10th); minimum salary exception
Timberwolves — Non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception: $1,059,799 (goes down $8,906 daily); biannual exception: $1,497,300 (goes down 12,582 daily); minimum salary exception
Thunder — Taxpayer’s mid-level exception: $2,363,200 (goes down $19,859 daily); minimum salary exception
Trail Blazers — Cap room: $7,739,113; room exception: $1,969,800 (goes down $16,553 daily); minimum salary exception
Warriors — Taxpayer’s mid-level exception: $613,200 (goes down $5,153 daily); minimum salary exception
Wizards — Non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception: $1,024,800 (goes down $8,612 daily); $2,806,750 disabled player exception (doesn’t depreciate but expires March 10th); minimum salary exception

* — Assumes that the Bucks signed Steve Novak for the minimum salary.

** — The Magic can renounce their trade exception to open as much as $6,484,419 in cap room.

*** — The Pelicans may also have a small amount left on their mid-level exception, depending on how much they spent on their latest contract for Bryce Dejean-Jones.

**** — The Rockets are only $524,148 shy of their hard cap, so they can’t spend beyond that amount no matter the value of their exceptions.

The Basketball Insiders salary pages, The Vertical and Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ were used in the creation of this post.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

2015/16 Salary Cap Update: Cleveland Cavaliers

February 28th, 2016 at 2:59pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The NBA’s salary cap for 2015/16 is set at $70MM, which is good for an 11% increase from last season, and the luxury tax line is fixed at $84.74MM. With the February 18th cutoff date for trades now past and the de facto deadline of March 1st for buyouts rapidly approaching, we at Hoops Rumors are in the process of updating the salary cap commitments for each NBA franchise for the 2015/16 campaign. Here’s the cap breakdown for the Cleveland Cavaliers, whose regular season roster can be viewed here:

2015/16 Salary Cap= $70,000,000
2015/16 Luxury Tax Line= $84,740,000
Fully Guaranteed Salary Commitments= $106,877,492
Remaining Cap Room= –$36,877,492
Amount Above Luxury Tax Line= $23,241,314*

*Note: James Jones‘ and Richard Jefferson‘s salaries for tax purposes are $1,499,187.

Cap Exceptions Available:

Trade Exception= $2,854,940 (Mike Miller. Expires July 30th, 2016)
Trade Exception= $845,059 (Joe Harris. Expires January 12th, 2017)
Trade Exception= $9,638,554 (Anderson Varejao. Expires February 18th, 2017)
Trade Exception= $947,276 (Jared Cunningham. Expires February 18th, 2017)
Trade Exception= $2,329,471 (Brendan Haywood. Expires July 30th, 2016)

Cash Available to Send Out In Trades= $2,465,386

Cash Available to Receive Via Trade= $3,325,000

Note: Despite the trade deadline having passed, the NBA season technically doesn’t end until June 30th. Teams are able to again make trades upon the completion of the regular season or when/if they are eliminated from the playoffs, whichever comes later. So these cash limits still apply.

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/27/16

February 27th, 2016 at 11:35pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat scored the biggest prize on the buyout market when they reached an agreement with Joe Johnson. Owner Micky Arison announced the news with a tweet shortly after Johnson cleared waivers at 4pm Central, adding that Johnson will be in uniform for Sunday night’s game with the Knicks.

Johnson hit the open market on Thursday when he agreed to a buyout with the Nets. Even at age 34, he remains a productive player, averaging 11.8 points in 57 games with Brooklyn and shooting 37.1% from 3-point range. That number is especially important to the Heat, who have been searching for long-distance shooting all season and ranked 28th in 3-pointers made entering Saturday.

The addition of Johnson brings some good news to a roster that has been beset by injury. Forward/center Chris Bosh may have to sit out the rest of the season with a blood-clot issue in his left calf. Backup point guard Beno Udrih is expected to miss three months after having surgery on his right foot. And combo guard Tyler Johnson is in danger of missing the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery, though he hopes to return in April.

The signing of Johnson has been drawing praise inside and outside the organization. Shooting guard Dwyane Wade welcomed the addition, saying, “To put somebody on the floor that can shoot the ball, can score in different areas of the floor and make plays, just adds to what we’re trying to do.” LeBron James of the Cavaliers, who along with the Hawks were among the finalists to land Johnson, said, “He’s a great piece for any team.”

That brings me to today’s question: Does Joe Johnson make the Heat a real threat to win the Eastern Conference? Miami is currently fourth in a crowded East race at 32-26. They sit two games behind the third-place Celtics, but only three ahead of the ninth-place Pistons. Can Johnson spark the Miami offense with his 3-point shooting, playmaking and veteran pedigree or will the potential loss of Bosh be too much to overcome?

Please take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on Johnson and the Heat. We look forward to what you have to say.

2015/16 Salary Cap Update: Charlotte Hornets

February 27th, 2016 at 1:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The NBA’s salary cap for 2015/16 is set at $70MM, which is good for an 11% increase from last season, and the luxury tax line is fixed at $84.74MM. With the February 18th cutoff date for trades now past and the de facto deadline of March 1st for buyouts rapidly approaching, we at Hoops Rumors are in the process of updating the salary cap commitments for each NBA franchise for the 2015/16 campaign. Here’s the cap breakdown for the Charlotte Hornets, whose regular season roster can be viewed here:

2015/16 Salary Cap= $70,000,000
2015/16 Luxury Tax Line= $84,740,000
Fully Guaranteed Salary Commitments= $78,231,465*
Remaining Cap Room= –$8,231,465
Amount Below Luxury Tax Line= $5,641,391**

*Note: This amount includes the $80K owed to Elliot Williams, who was waived.

**Note: Al Jefferson‘s salary for tax purposes is $12,886,364, Marvin Williams‘ is $6,985MM, and Tyler Hansbrough‘s is $1,185,784

Cap Exceptions Available:

Mid-Level Exception= $5,464,000
Trade Exception= $646,250 (Matt Barnes. Expires June 25th, 2016)
Trade Exception= $548,000 (Luke Ridnour. Expires June 25th, 2016)

Cash Available to Send Out In Trades= $3,400,000

Cash Available to Receive Via Trade= $2,857,286

Note: Despite the trade deadline having passed, the NBA season technically doesn’t end until June 30th. Teams are able to again make trades upon the completion of the regular season or when/if they are eliminated from the playoffs, whichever comes later. So these cash limits still apply.

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

Hoops Rumors Originals 2/20/16-2/27/16

February 27th, 2016 at 12:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Here’s a look back at the original analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this past week…

If you missed the week’s live chat, you can view the transcript here.
Zach Links highlighted some of the better basketball blogs around in his weekly installment of Hoops Links.
Chuck Myron ran down the list of players who have recently hit waivers as well as those who are available to sign with NBA clubs now that their Chinese Basketball Association season has come to an end.
Will Joseph answered reader questions in our Weekly Mailbag.
I ran down the updated 2015/16 salary cap numbers for the Nets, Celtics and Bulls.
Chuck reviewed the number of trades each team made this season.
If you missed any of our daily reader-driven discussions, be sure to check out the Community Shootaround archives.
Here’s how you can follow Hoops Rumors on social media and RSS feeds.
Chuck looked at the financial impact of the trade deadline and buyout market moves made by the teams of the Southwest and Pacific Divisions.
You can keep track of where your favorite team currently stands in relation to the 2016 NBA Draft lottery with our reverse standings tracker.
We reviewed our commenting policy. Play nice everyone.
Here’s how you can follow specific players on Hoops Rumors.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 2/26/16

February 26th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony has been through four coaches and three general managers since being acquired from Denver five years ago in a blockbuster deal that was supposed to change the tide of New York basketball for the better. Unfortunately for the team and its fanbase, the results have been less than stellar since Anthony arrived in the Big Apple. The franchise has essentially had one standout season during Anthony’s tenure — the 54-win 2012/13 campaign that saw the Knicks reach the second round of the playoffs only to fall in six games to the Pacers. It’s hardly the return the organization envisioned when it gutted the roster to acquire the talented scorer from the Nuggets.

With the 2015/16 campaign rapidly spiraling out of control for the Knicks, there are rumblings that perhaps Anthony wants out of New York and wants greener pastures as his career winds down. The small forward hasn’t been shy about expressing his displeasure at the state of the franchise lately, which only serves to fuel the speculation that Melo’s tenure in New York is coming to an end. “It’s been tough. It’s challenging,” Anthony said. “It’s challenging to kind of stay strong and positive through all this. You can’t control that. When you look at it, how many different coaches? Four different coaches. [A lot of] different players. I mean, that’s a lot to go through.” Several teams reportedly believe that if New York doesn’t make much progress in its rebuilding by the middle of July, Anthony would be willing to waive his no-trade clause for a better chance at competing for an NBA title with another franchise.

The Knicks will have the opportunity to improve themselves via free agency this summer, though top-tier players certainly haven’t been falling over themselves to join the Knicks the past few years. This certainly casts some doubt on team president Phil Jackson‘s ability to add the second star player that Anthony has been clamoring for this offseason. Rookie big man Kristaps Porzingis certainly has the potential to evolve into a superstar, but that may take a few more seasons to come to fruition. With Anthony most certainly in his decline phase at 31 years of age, there’s no guarantee that he will still be considered a star by the time Porzingis is ready to carry the franchise.

This brings me to the topic for today: Should Carmelo Anthony waive his no-trade clause and push for a deal that would get him out of New York? What team would be the best fit?

Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.

2015/16 Salary Cap Update: Chicago Bulls

February 26th, 2016 at 7:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The NBA’s salary cap for 2015/16 is set at $70MM, which is good for an 11% increase from last season, and the luxury tax line is fixed at $84.74MM. With the February 18th cutoff date for trades now past and the de facto deadline of March 1st for buyouts rapidly approaching, we at Hoops Rumors are in the process of updating the salary cap commitments for each NBA franchise for the 2015/16 campaign. Here’s the cap breakdown for the Chicago Bulls, whose regular season roster can be viewed here:

2015/16 Salary Cap= $70,000,000
2015/16 Luxury Tax Line= $84,740,000
Fully Guaranteed Salary Commitments= $87,116,711*
Remaining Cap Room= –$17,116,711
Amount Above Luxury Tax Line= $2,376,711

*Note: This amount includes the $333,333 owed to Richard Hamilton, who was waived via the stretch provision.

Cap Exceptions Available:

Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception: $1,126,000
Trade Exception: $2,854,940 (Kirk Hinrich. Expires February 18th, 2017)

Cash Available to Send Out In Trades= $3,400,000

Cash Available to Receive Via Trade= $3,400,000

Note: Despite the trade deadline having passed, the NBA season technically doesn’t end until June 30th. Teams are able to again make trades upon the completion of the regular season or when/if they are eliminated from the playoffs, whichever comes later. So these cash limits still apply.

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.