The Beat: Ben Bolch On The Clippers
Nobody knows NBA teams better than beat writers, save for those who draw paychecks with an NBA owner’s signature on them. The reporters who are with the teams they cover every day gain an intimate knowledge of the players, coaches and executives they write about and develop sources who help them break news and stay on top of rumors.
We at Hoops Rumors will be chatting with beat writers from around the league and sharing their responses to give you a better perspective on how and why teams make some of their most significant moves. Last time, we spoke with Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post about the Wizards. Click here to see all the previous editions of this series.
Today, we gain insight on the Clippers from Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @latbbolch, and check out his stories right here.
Hoops Rumors: Have you noticed any changes in DeAndre Jordan or the way the team regards him in the wake of his near-defection to the Mavs this summer?
Ben Bolch: Jordan has seemed a touch more serious than in recent seasons, perhaps a sign of his maturity and increased leadership role. His offensive game seems about the same, though, and that’s fine because the Clippers don’t need him to score more than he does. He just needs to continue being the defensive captain and rebound-grabbing force that has made him one of the league’s most coveted big men. His rebounding is down a bit from recent seasons but it’s still too early in the season to think those numbers won’t go up.
Hoops Rumors: Lance Stephenson unexpectedly won a spot in the opening-night starting lineup. What has he done that’s impressed Doc Rivers?
Ben Bolch: Well, he lost that spot against the Pistons and it will be interesting to see whether he starts going forward once the entire roster is back intact. Rivers thought Stephenson was a better fit with the starters and it helped the second unit’s rhythm as well. I’m not sure that’s been the case through the season’s first few weeks. My take is that Stephenson is best with the ball in his hands and the floor spaced so he can attack the basket, something he can’t do with Blake Griffin and Jordan on the court. He might be best utilized with the second unit.
Hoops Rumors: Jamal Crawford‘s minutes are down, but he seems OK with it so far, even though he appeared to hint at dissatisfaction over the summer and is entering a contract year. How have the Clippers convinced him to stay engaged?
Ben Bolch: Crawford’s immense value was never clearer than in the game against the Pistons where he scored 37 points in a spot start. He’s done a great job of staying patient and professional amid the reduced playing time and will be an important part of whatever success the Clippers have this season. It was interesting to note that Crawford’s best game came with Stephenson barely playing — less than two minutes. One of the big questions coming into the season was whether Crawford and Stephenson could coexist as contributors and it hasn’t been answered.
Hoops Rumors: Paul Pierce was a locker room leader for the Wizards, but the Clippers have others to fill that role, Chris Paul in particular. What sort of approach is Pierce taking on this team?
Ben Bolch: He’s been vocal. Doc Rivers said he’s entered the locker room on several occasions to find Pierce addressing the team and saying things that Rivers had planned to say. That’s a big boost for the coaching staff and the players to have that voice of someone who has won a championship. Paul said he welcomes it.
Hoops Rumors: Josh Smith is the only big man off the bench in the rotation thus far, but even he hasn’t seen that many minutes. Have the Clippers had success with all their small ball lineups, or are they just trying to keep up with what their opponents are doing?
Ben Bolch: The Clippers’ second unit has been hit and miss. They have tried to match up at times and tried to exert their own will at others. The small-ball lineups haven’t terrorized opponents as some thought before the season, but they have been moderately effective in stretches. Wesley Johnson and Smith have been effective at times playing alongside Austin Rivers, Crawford and Pierce. It just hasn’t all come together yet.
Hoops Rumors: The Clippers haven’t gone with a traditional point guard to back up Chris Paul too much this year, either. How well has Austin Rivers handled those duties so far?
Ben Bolch: He’s been solid defensively but a little erratic offensively, especially with the jump shot that he worked so hard to improve during the summer. He hit a big 3-pointer late in the game against Detroit, though, so maybe things are starting to turn in a better direction for him. Austin is usually at his best attacking the basket, something the Clippers hope he does more than becoming largely a jump shooter.
Spurs, Hawks Have Fewest Ex-Lottery Picks In NBA
So much of a team’s fate in the NBA is tied to its ability to land superstar talent. So much superstar talent comes through the top end of the draft that many organizations base their rebuilding philosophy around the draft lottery. The success of the Spurs and Hawks largely stands in defiance of that idea.
Every team in the league has at least three former lottery picks on its roster, aside from San Antonio and Atlanta. It’s undeniable that one of those lottery picks on the Spurs, Tim Duncan, is a generational talent and foundational player who helped mold the franchise into what it is today. But Duncan is 39, and while still productive, he’s no longer capable of carrying a team by himself. Offseason free agent signee LaMarcus Aldridge is the other former lottery pick on the Spurs, but the team has compiled its 7-2 record — second best in the Western Conference heading into today — without anyone else with a lottery pedigree.
The Hawks are the same way, thanks in large measure to coach/president of basketball operations Mike Budenholzer and former GM Danny Ferry, both of whom have strong ties to the Spurs. Al Horford has been a mainstay, but while Thabo Sefolosha has been a key part of the team’s success, no one would mistake him for a superstar. Those are the only two former lottery picks on the Hawks, and yet they’re 8-3, and began today in second place in the Eastern Conference, the same position in which the Spurs find themselves in the West.
The assortment of teams with a league-high eight former lottery picks demonstrates the capriciousness of the draft. Three of them make sense, as the Clippers, Thunder and Warriors are all expected to contend, and Golden State is threatening to run away with the regular season’s best record for the second year in a row. The Hornets and Trail Blazers are sub-.500 teams with little expectation of winning this year, especially now that Charlotte has lost former No. 2 overall pick Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to injury.
Indeed, not all former lottery picks are created equal. Injuries keep some from helping their teams, while age hampers others. No. 1 picks have a greater chance of success than No. 14 picks do. Still, it’s telling that two of the most successful organizations in the NBA can rise to that level almost entirely without players from the lottery.
Here’s a look at the former lottery picks on every team, categorized by the volume of them on each roster:
Eight lottery picks
- Clippers (Cole Aldrich, Jamal Crawford, Blake Griffin, Wesley Johnson, Chris Paul, Paul Pierce, J.J. Redick, Austin Rivers)
- Hornets (Tyler Hansbrough, Spencer Hawes, Frank Kaminsky, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Jeremy Lamb, Kemba Walker, Marvin Williams, Cody Zeller)
- Thunder (Steven Adams, D.J. Augustin, Nick Collison, Kevin Durant, Enes Kanter, Cameron Payne, Dion Waiters, Russell Westbrook)
- Trail Blazers (Al-Farouq Aminu, Ed Davis, Gerald Henderson, Chris Kaman, Meyers Leonard, Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum, Noah Vonleh)
- Warriors (Harrison Barnes, Andrew Bogut, Stephen Curry, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Brandon Rush, Jason Thompson, Klay Thompson)
Seven lottery picks
- Timberwolves (Kevin Garnett, Zach LaVine, Andre Miller, Shabazz Muhammad, Ricky Rubio, Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins)
- Wizards (Bradley Beal, Drew Gooden, Kris Humphries, Nene, Otto Porter, John Wall, Martell Webster)
Six lottery picks
- Bucks (Jerryd Bayless, Michael Carter-Williams, John Henson, O.J. Mayo, Greg Monroe, Jabari Parker)
- Bulls (Mike Dunleavy, Pau Gasol, Kirk Hinrich, Doug McDermott, Joakim Noah, Derrick Rose)
- Jazz (Trey Burke, Alec Burks, Dante Exum, Derrick Favors, Gordon Hayward, Trey Lyles)
- Raptors (Anthony Bennett, Bismack Biyombo, DeMar DeRozan, Patrick Patterson, Terrence Ross, Jonas Valanciunas)
- Suns (Devin Booker, Tyson Chandler, Brandon Knight, Alex Len, Markieff Morris, T.J. Warren)
Five lottery picks
- Cavaliers (Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Richard Jefferson, Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson)
- Heat (Chris Bosh, Luol Deng, Amar’e Stoudemire, Dwyane Wade, Justise Winslow)
- Kings (Caron Butler, Willie Cauley-Stein, DeMarcus Cousins, Rudy Gay, Ben McLemore)
- Magic (Channing Frye, Aaron Gordon, Mario Hezonja, Victor Oladipo, Elfrid Payton)
- Mavericks (Raymond Felton, Devin Harris, Dirk Nowitzki, Charlie Villanueva, Deron Williams)
- Nets (Andrea Bargnani, Joe Johnson, Brook Lopez, Thomas Robinson, Thaddeus Young)
- Pistons (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Andre Drummond, Brandon Jennings, Stanley Johnson, Marcus Morris)
- Sixers (Joel Embiid, Kendall Marshall, Nerlens Noel, Jahlil Okafor, Nik Stauskas)
Four lottery picks
- Grizzlies (Vince Carter, Mike Conley, Jeff Green, Brandan Wright)
- Nuggets (Randy Foye, Danilo Gallinari, Mike Miller, Emmanuel Mudiay)
- Pelicans (Anthony Davis, Tyreke Evans, Jimmer Fredette, Eric Gordon)
- Rockets (Corey Brewer, James Harden, Dwight Howard, Jason Terry)
Three lottery picks
- Celtics (Kelly Olynyk, Marcus Smart, Evan Turner)
- Knicks (Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick Williams)
- Lakers (Kobe Bryant, Julius Randle, D’Angelo Russell)
- Pacers (Paul George, Jordan Hill, Myles Turner)
Two lottery picks
- Hawks (Al Horford, Thabo Sefolosha)
- Spurs (LaMarcus Aldridge, Tim Duncan)
2015/16 Salary Cap: Orlando Magic
The NBA’s salary cap for 2015/16 has been set at $70MM, which is an 11% increase from this past season, and the luxury tax line will be $84.74MM. The last cap projection from the league had been $67.1MM, and the projection for the tax line had been $81.6MM.
With the October 26th cutoff date to set regular season rosters now past, we at Hoops Rumors are in the process of running down the current salary cap commitments for each NBA franchise for the 2015/16 campaign. Here’s the cap breakdown for the Orlando Magic, 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= $68,110,002
- Partially Guaranteed Salary Commitments= $350,000*
- Non-Guaranteed Salary Commitments= $0
- Total Salary Cap Commitments= $68,460,002
- Remaining Cap Room= $1,539,998
- Amount Below Luxury Tax Line= $16,279,998
*Note: This amount includes the $100,00 due both Jordan Sibert and Keith Appling, as well as the $150,000 owed to Melvin Ejim, all of whom were waived by the team.
Cap Exceptions Available:
- Room Exception= $2,814,000
Cash Available to Send Out In Trades= $3,400,000
Cash Available to Receive Via Trade= $2,221,300
Last Updated: 11/14/15 @5:15pm
The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.
Hoops Rumors Weekly Mailbag 11/8/15-11/14/15
In addition to our weekly chat, which Chuck Myron facilitates every Wednesday, we have a second 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 me a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com or @EddieScarito on Twitter. This week, in a continued effort to change things up a bit, I’ve once again invited some of the other staff members to join in on the fun. Now for this week’s inquiries:
“How much will the Heat miss Mario Chalmers, especially if Gerald Green were to miss more time this season? Do you really thing Tyler Johnson is the answer at backup point guard?” — Vinnie
Chris Crouse: The Heat will miss Chalmers. He was playing pretty well this season and with his departure, the door has opened for Tyler Johnson to receive more touches. However, the team seems to be going with Beno Udrih as the backup point guard. That role doesn’t come with the burden of a traditional point guard because of how coach Erik Spoelstra staggers the minutes of Goran Dragic and Dwyane Wade and how much they both handle the rock. Both players should dominate the ball even more as a result of this trade. It’ll really hurt the Heat in games that Wade doesn’t play. Those should be the games where we see Johnson running the offense and probably taking too many shots for a player of his caliber.
“Now that this season’s extension deadline has passed, which player who didn’t agree to an extension will make his team regret it the most? Why?” — Sam
Will Sammon: A handful of guys, notably Andre Drummond and Bradley Beal, are expected to ink deals with their current clubs after not agreeing to an extension. By the end of the season, Evan Fournier could very well make the Magic regret not being able to extend him before the deadline. Fournier is an excellent perimeter defender and is now consistently attacking the rim on offense. He’s an important player right now for the Magic and it will be interesting how Orlando’s offseason shapes up if Fournier ends up not returning.
“Give me your three most under-the-radar free agents for next summer who will make the GMs who sign them look like geniuses. I’ll hold you to these by the way….” — Isaac
Chuck Myron: No pressure, huh? Well, a lot depends on how much you sign a guy for. The genius signing for $5MM is the foolish signing for $15MM. Anyway, Courtney Lee, though he’s off to a slow start this year, has always fit in well for the right team at the right price, so if someone can get him for the mid-level exception next summer, that’ll be a bargain. Alan Anderson, who seems to have exceeded expectations wherever he’s gone, could be available on the cheap if he doesn’t bounce back quickly from his injury. Miles Plumlee, who started for the 48-win Suns team that barely missed the playoffs in 2013/14, is buried on the bench in Milwaukee and is set for restricted free agency. I think he’ll succeed if given minutes somewhere.
“Which rookie(s) have impressed you the most so far this season?” — Billy
Eddie Scarito: I’ve been pleasantly surprised by a number of this year’s crop of rookies, and I’m beginning to believe that the 2015 draft may end up being looked back upon as one of the deeper ones in recent years. I’m glad you allowed me to choose more than one player, since there are a few who have caught my eye. Here are some rookies who I think have stood out from the rest of the pack thus far:
- Karl-Anthony Towns: Sure, he’s the No. 1 overall pick, and that honor always comes with a set of lofty expectations based on talent level. But after playing just one season at Kentucky, and playing limited minutes while there thanks to the team’s depth, Towns is looking like the real deal for Minnesota. When I say real deal, I mean he appears to have the capability of being a top five player in the league in just a few seasons.
- Rondae Hollis-Jefferson: Brooklyn did rather well for itself on draft night by nabbing Hollis-Jefferson. Sure, he’s still as raw as freshly butchered steak, but there is no denying that the Nets are a better, more exciting team when he’s on the court. Defensively, he’s already a stud, and Hollis-Jefferson is a highlight reel waiting to happen when running the break. If he can ever develop a passable jump shot, GM Billy King should be lauded for maximizing the No. 23 overall pick he acquired from Portland in exchange for Mason Plumlee.
- Myles Turner: Turner is another would-be project who has surpassed initial expectations and snagged himself a rotation slot early in his rookie campaign. His fractured left thumb will keep him out of action for roughly a month, which is unfortunate. But the Pacers have to be happy with what the big man has shown them thus far. He looks like he has the makings of a solid stretch-four, and if he can improve his defense, the franchise landed itself a starting-caliber player in this year’s draft.
- Kristaps Porzingis: Porzingis’ selection was met with quite a bit of skepticism (myself included), but he’s making Phil Jackson look very wise for snagging him at No. 4 overall. I have been very impressed with his rebounding and defense thus far, and the Latvian has shown flashes of greatness on the offensive end at times. After Towns, Porzingis could end up being the second best player in the entire draft. The Knicks finally catch a break and land a player the franchise can build around. What a world.
- T.J. McConnell: McConnell is the only undrafted player on this list, but he’s held his own thus far, and is averaging a stellar 7.7 assists per game for the Sixers. I’m not sure that he can sustain his production over the course of a full season (probably not), and his playing time will likely take a hit once Tony Wroten and Kendall Marshall return to the lineup. But for now, he’s a great early season storyline, and for Sixers fans struggling to cope with yet another awful start, he’s one of the few reasons to cheer on a nightly basis.
Well, that’s all the space we have for this week. Thanks again to all those who sent in their inquiries. Keep them coming, and we’ll be back next Saturday with more responses.
2015/16 Salary Cap: Oklahoma City Thunder
The NBA’s salary cap for 2015/16 has been set at $70MM, which is an 11% increase from this past season, and the luxury tax line will be $84.74MM. The last cap projection from the league had been $67.1MM, and the projection for the tax line had been $81.6MM.
With the October 26th cutoff date to set regular season rosters now past, we at Hoops Rumors are in the process of running down the current salary cap commitments for each NBA franchise for the 2015/16 campaign. Here’s the cap breakdown for the Oklahoma City Thunder, 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= $97,157,411
- Partially Guaranteed Salary Commitments= $0
- Non-Guaranteed Salary Commitments= $0
- Total Salary Cap Commitments= $97,157,411
- Remaining Cap Room= -$27,157,411
- Amount Above Luxury Tax Line= $12,417,411
Cap Exceptions Available:
- Non-Taxpayer’s Mid-Level Exception= $3,376,000
Cash Available to Send Out In Trades= $1,900,000
Cash Available to Receive Via Trade= $3,400,000
Last Updated: 11/14/15 @11:25am
The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.
Hoops Rumors Originals 11/8/15-11/14/15
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.
- As a part of our continuing series, “The Beat,” Chuck Myron interviewed Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post.
- I broke down the 2015/16 salary cap figures for the Grizzlies, Lakers, Pelicans, Heat, Timberwolves, Bucks, and Knicks.
- Zach Links highlighted some of the better basketball blogs around in his weekly installment of Hoops Links.
- Chuck looked back at the offseasons for the Suns, Celtics, Pelicans and Cavaliers, Will Sammon looked at the Heat, Dana Gauruder broke down the Pistons, and I examined the Pacers, Hornets and Wizards.
- We ran down the complete list of trades that have taken place in November over the last 10 years in the wake of the Mario Chalmers deal, the earliest November trade since 2008.
- If you missed any of our daily reader-driven discussions, be sure to check out the Community Shootaround archives.
- Chuck ran down the list of rookies currently on NBA rosters.
- Here’s how you can follow Hoops Rumors on social media and RSS feed.
- We answered reader questions in our Weekly Mailbag.
- Chuck ran down the list of undrafted players on teams’ rosters this season.
- We reviewed our commenting policy. Play nice everyone.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 11/13/15
An NBA executive who spoke with Chris Mannix of SI.com raised a hypothetical scenario in which the Timberwolves would trade Ricky Rubio during the offseason and then sign Rajon Rondo, who’s on a one-year contract with the Kings, and who will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. Kevin Garnett reportedly has a strong relationship with Rondo, his former Celtics teammate, and Garnett has a ton of pull with the Wolves organization, Mannix pointed out in his article.
Here’s today’s topic: Would trading Ricky Rubio and signing Rajon Rondo improve the Timberwolves?
While this chain of events was merely posited by a league source, it isn’t outside the realm of possibility, seeing as Rubio has been a disappointment thus far during his time in Minnesota, and it would likely take a significant turn of events for Rondo to remain in Sacramento given the team’s unstable locker room and coaching situation. But I don’t think Rondo joining a young team like Minnesota would be a wise move, seeing how the veteran has a reputation of being difficult to coach, as well as not having the patience to deal with on-court mistakes very well. Teams need to be extremely careful when developing younger players, and adding Rondo would be a major risk for Minnesota in my opinion.
But what do you think? Would this be a wise move for Minnesota, or do you agree with me that the risks far outweigh the potential rewards? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say.
2015/16 Salary Cap: New York Knicks
The NBA’s salary cap for 2015/16 has been set at $70MM, which is an 11% increase from this past season, and the luxury tax line will be $84.74MM. The last cap projection from the league had been $67.1MM, and the projection for the tax line had been $81.6MM.
With the October 26th cutoff date to set regular season rosters now past, we at Hoops Rumors are in the process of running down the current salary cap commitments for each NBA franchise for the 2015/16 campaign. Here’s the cap breakdown for the New York Knicks, 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= $72,660,545
- Partially Guaranteed Salary Commitments= $715,000*
- Non-Guaranteed Salary Commitments= $405,059
- Total Salary Cap Commitments= $73,780,604
- Remaining Cap Room= -$3,780,604
- Amount Below Luxury Tax Line= $10,550,526
*Note: This amount includes the $75K each owed to Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Wesley Saunders, and Darion Atkins, as well as the $50K owed to Travis Trice, all of whom were waived.
Cap Exceptions Available:
- None
Cash Available to Send Out In Trades= $3,300,000
Cash Available to Receive Via Trade= $3,400,000
Last Updated: 11/13/15 @ 9:00pm
The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.
Offseason In Review: Washington Wizards
Hoops Rumors is in the process of looking back at each team’s offseason, from the end of the playoffs in June right up until opening night. Trades, free agent signings, draft picks, contract extensions, option decisions, camp invitees and more will be covered as we examine the moves each franchise made over the last several months.
Signings
- Alan Anderson: One year, $4MM. Signed via mid-level exception.
- Drew Gooden: Two years, $6.847MM. Signed via Early Bird rights. Second year is non-guaranteed.
- Gary Neal: One year, $2.1MM. Signed via biannual exception.
- Jaleel Roberts: One year, $525K. Signed via minimum-salary exception. Partially guaranteed for $10K. Waived.
Extensions
- None
Trades
- Acquired the draft rights to Kelly Oubre Jr. (No. 15 overall) from the Hawks in exchange for the draft rights to Jerian Grant (No. 19 overall) and Washington’s 2016 and 2019 second round picks.
- Acquired Jared Dudley from the Bucks in exchange for Washington’s 2020 second round pick (top-55 protected).
Waiver Claims
- None
Draft Picks
- Kelly Oubre (Round 1, 15th overall). Signed via rookie exception to rookie scale contract.
- Aaron White (Round 2, 49th overall). Signed overseas.
Camp Invitees
- Josh Harrellson — waived.
- Jaron Johnson — waived.
- Toure’ Murry — waived.
- Ish Smith — waived.
Departing Players
Rookie Contract Option Decisions
- Otto Porter (fourth year, $5,893,981) — exercised
The last two seasons for the Wizards have ended with the team ousted in the second round of the playoffs, which raises legitimate concerns about the current state of their roster as well as the overall direction of the franchise. The window of contention can be fleeting in the NBA, and Washington is in danger of remaining stuck in the difficult position of being good enough to make the playoffs, but not necessarily talented enough to advance to the Conference Finals and beyond.
After what was a rather low-key offseason, the team returns the bulk of its core from 2014/15, with the most significant change being the departure of Paul Pierce, who opted to sign a three year deal worth approximately $10MM with the Clippers. While Pierce is no longer the player that he was in his heyday with Boston, he certainly provided the team with a strong veteran presence, and he was a reliable clutch performer. For that, he will surely be missed. But now that Pierce has departed, it opens the door for Otto Porter, the No. 3 overall selection in the 2013 NBA draft, to step up and prove his value to the club. The Wizards predictably exercised Porter’s fourth-year rookie option, giving him two seasons to establish himself as a player in the league, and as a part of the Wizards’ rotation, in advance of his next contract.
The franchise spent the bulk of the summer looking ahead, not to the 2015/16 season, but rather the summer of 2016, which is when Washington, D.C., native Kevin Durant is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent. While this tactic may end up making this season seem like a bit of an afterthought for the team, it will certainly be looked back on as an extremely wise plan if Durant does indeed end up with the Wizards. A trio of John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Durant would instantly become one of the most electric offensive units in the league, and that dream is certainly worth chasing for the team and its fans.
A key facet of the Wizards’ plan to snare Durant is the timing of when the team inks Beal to a new contract. The 22-year-old was eligible to sign a rookie scale extension prior to this year’s November 2nd deadline, but no deal was worked out, and the franchise opted for cap flexibility rather than the security of knowing the up-and-coming shooting guard was locked down for the long-term. The shooting guard believes he is worth the maximum salary, and Washington fully intends to re-sign Beal for the max next summer, as Sean Deveney of The Sporting News wrote.
With Beal not signing an extension, the Mark Bartelstein client will be able to negotiate with other teams next summer when he becomes a restricted free agent, but the Wizards can match any offer sheet he might agree to. Beal could also take the drastic, and unlikely, step of signing his qualifying offer, which would be worth approximately $7.471MM, but that would represent a significant discount from his projected maximum salary of $20.4MM. Beal had gone on record saying that he was confident about working out a deal with the Wizards before the extension deadline but would be OK with either outcome, and he has no desire to play for another team, as he told Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports.
The Wizards are apparently using the same strategy that the Spurs employed with Kawhi Leonard that allowed them to sign LaMarcus Aldridge this past offseason, and one that the Pistons and Andre Drummond are also pursuing. Both franchises had decided against extensions for their young stars in an effort to preserve cap flexibility for next summer. Beal’s cap hold for the coming offseason will be $14.2MM, and that number will remain on the team’s books until the two sides sign a new contract. If the team had signed Beal to a max extension prior to the deadline, it would have added roughly an additional $6MM to Washington’s cap figure, a significant impediment if the team hopes to land Durant and supplement its roster with a respectable supporting cast. Now, thanks to Beal remaining unsigned, the Wizards could sign other free agents next summer via cap space and then use Bird rights to re-sign Beal or to match an offer sheet for him.
The franchise didn’t completely ignore this year’s squad, signing combo guard Gary Neal and swingman Alan Anderson to one-year, team friendly deals. While both players are solid veterans who provide the team with depth, neither are game-changers for the Wizards. Anderson has yet to play during the regular season, thanks to undergoing a procedure late in training camp to address a nagging issue in his left ankle. The swingman is expected to be out until December and may have already lost his expected spot in the rotation thanks to the strong early play of Porter, though Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post told us that it’s more likely Anderson takes over the minutes that Garrett Temple and Kelly Oubre Jr. are seeing.
Washington also attempted to compensate for the loss of Pierce with the acquisition of Jared Dudley from the Bucks in exchange for a heavily protected 2020 second-round pick, and with Oubre, the No. 15 overall pick in this year’s NBA draft. Dudley was a wise addition, with the veteran certainly capable of providing solid minutes if he can remain healthy. Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld also made a solid move in acquiring Oubre’s draft rights from the Hawks in exchange for two future second-rounders and the No. 19 overall pick. Oubre is a project who will take some time to develop, but he also possesses lottery-level talent, and he could evolve into a two-way force if the front office and the coaching staff show proper patience.
Washington is a franchise with enough talent to be a factor in the Eastern Conference this season, though the team likely doesn’t have enough firepower to beat the Cavaliers without a generous amount of good fortune coming its way. That’s a major reason why the franchise is anxiously awaiting its shot at luring Durant, whose presence alongside Wall and Beal would instantly make the Wizards a force to be reckoned with. The danger is in focusing too much on Durant, who isn’t necessarily going to depart Oklahoma City, and not doing all that it can to upgrade the roster this season.
The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.
Offseason In Review: New Orleans Pelicans
Hoops Rumors is in the process of looking back at each team’s offseason, from the end of the playoffs in June right up until opening night. Trades, free agent signings, draft picks, contract extensions, option decisions, camp invitees and more will be covered as we examine the moves each franchise made over the last several months.
Signings
- Alexis Ajinca: Four years, $19.5MM. Signed via Early Bird rights.
- Omer Asik: Five years, $52.978MM. Signed via Bird rights.
- Luke Babbitt: Two years, $2.328MM. Signed via minimum salary exception. Second year is partially guaranteed for $200K.
- Norris Cole: One year, $3.037MM. Signed qualifying offer.
- Dante Cunningham: Three years, $8.935MM. Signed via mid-level exception. Third year is a player option.
- Bryce Dejean-Jones: Three years, $2.414MM. Signed via mid-level exception. First year is partially guaranteed for $50K. Subsequently waived.
- Chris Douglas-Roberts: Two years, $2.501MM. Signed via minimum salary exception. Subsequently waived.
- Alonzo Gee: Two years, $2.699MM. Signed via mid-level exception. Second year is a player option.
- Kendrick Perkins: One year, $1.499MM. Signed via minimum salary exception.
- Nate Robinson: One year, $1.499MM. Signed via minimum salary exception. Non-guaranteed. Subsequently waived.
Extensions
Trades
- Acquired $630K from the Clippers in exchange for the rights to Branden Dawson, the No. 56 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.
Waiver Claims
Draft Picks
- Branden Dawson (Round 2, 56th overall). Draft rights traded to the Clippers.
Camp Invitees
- Jeff Adrien — Waived.
- Mirza Begić — Waived.
- Sean Kilpatrick — Waived.
- Jerome Jordan — Waived.
- Bo McCalebb — Waived.
- Corey Webster — Waived.
Departing Players
Rookie Contract Option Decisions
- None
The Pelicans roster was a jumble to start the season, though it’s difficult to pin blame on executive VP of basketball operations Mickey Loomis or GM Dell Demps. Injuries either knocked out or limited six Pelicans during the preseason, not including offseason signee Kendrick Perkins, who recently went down with a right pectoral injury that’s expected to cost him three months. The other injured Pelicans should be back by then, if they’re not already, but the spate of injuries nonetheless altered the composition of the team and has seemingly had much to do with a disappointing 1-7 start.
This was to be the season that New Orleans solidified itself as a postseason certainty for the present and years into the future. No longer were the Pelicans to sneak into the playoffs on the final night of the regular season, as they did this past spring. The continued improvement of Anthony Davis and the offensive bona fides of new coach Alvin Gentry were supposed to lift the team into the Western Conference elite, and though it’s early, it takes only a few losses to exceed the thin margin for error in the West. Still, the team is in a better spot than it was at the end of last season thanks largely to a move that eases the consequences of any shortcomings this year.
Davis is firmly entrenched as a Pelican in the wake of his new five-year extension, and the swiftness with which he agreed to sign it, in the first hour of his extension-eligibility window, speaks to his satisfaction with the direction of the franchise. Of course, the extension was the sensible financial play for the Wasserman Media Group client, since it’s a five-year max deal. Still, if Davis yearned to play elsewhere, the second jump in the salary cap, from a projected $89MM in 2016/17 to a $108MM projection for 2017/18, would have given Davis a chance to offset a significant portion of the financial sacrifice he’d undertake if he signed his qualifying offer next summer. Davis could also have pursued that strategy to stay in New Orleans but only on a series of two-year contracts with player options, a la LeBron James with the Cavs, a leverage play that Davis’ vast talent would probably have granted him if he wanted it.
Instead, he’s tied up for the long haul, and so too is Gentry, though the coach is just on a four-year deal with a team option on the final season. Gentry nonetheless seems well-positioned, given his role in Golden State’s 67-win championship team last season and the possibilities that abound with Davis and the team’s other offensive talents. The Pelicans reportedly interviewed Jeff Van Gundy, and Tom Thibodeau was frequently mentioned in connection to the job, though Demps was apparently in no mood to knock heads with such a hard-charging personality as the ex-Bulls coach. The Pelicans were instead reportedly looking for an exciting, up-tempo approach, and even before his tenure with the Warriors was over, Gentry got the New Orleans job.
The Pelicans clearly felt as though the switch from ousted former coach Monty Williams to Gentry, along with continued improvement from Davis, was the jolt the team needed to take the next step, since New Orleans made retaining the bulk of its roster a priority over the summer. The team’s only trade involved the divestment of second-round pick Branden Dawson in exchange for cash, and the Pelicans re-signed five out of their seven free agents. Chief among them was Omer Asik, whose presence allows Davis to play power forward. Asik has sharp limitations offensively, and while he has a strong reputation as a stout defender, he ranked only 38th among centers in ESPN’s Defensive Real Plus Minus metric. He’s nonetheless on a deal that’s fairly cheap for a starting-caliber center, with an average of little more than $10MM per season, only about $2MM more per year than top-flight backup Kosta Koufos will make on his deal with the Kings.
New Orleans also invested in Asik’s backup, Alexis Ajinca, further underscoring their commitment to using Davis at the four. A salary of about $5MM a year to a player who saw just 14.1 minutes per game last season, and only 10 minutes total in the playoffs, is a steep price. His playing time has declined in both of his full seasons in New Orleans since the Pelicans signed him in the middle of the 2012/13 season and gave him his first NBA action in nearly three years.
The Pelicans wound up with a relative bargain to back up at another position, as point guard Norris Cole signed his qualifying offer after lingering in restricted free agency until September. It wasn’t entirely surprising to see the Rich Paul client stay on the market so long, nor was it a shock that he took the qualifying offer, a tool that will allow him to reach to unrestricted free agency in 2016 and the rising salary cap that comes with it. The Sixers, Knicks and Lakers were reportedly interested suitors, but it appears no long-term proposals came about either from them or from the Pelicans that Cole deemed strong enough to dissuade him from going the short-term route. Comments from Gentry and Davis and the team’s lengthy deals with Asik, Ajinca and Dante Cunningham suggest the Pelicans would have preferred to sign him to a longer contract, though, as John Reid of The Times Picayune wrote, the team was only willing to go so far to re-sign him.
Cole’s decision to take the one-year qualifying offer may turn out to help the Pelicans more than they would have figured, as waiver claim Ish Smith has stepped in more than admirably while Cole is out with a high left ankle sprain. Smith is fourth in the league in assists per game so far, with 8.4, a continuance of his strong late-season performance with the Sixers last year. It’s early, and Smith is also on a one-year deal, but the Pelicans may well have picked a gem out of the dust they kicked up amid their many preseason moves.
Their fellow Western Conference heavies in Memphis have already swung a trade this season and appear to have quickly grown concerned about their poor start, but the Pelicans can afford to be patient. They have a 22-year-old superstar and a new coach with championship credentials. It probably won’t all come together for the Pelicans this year, but that’s OK after an offseason in which they bought some time.
Eddie Scarito contributed to this post. The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of it.
What do you think of the offseason the Pelicans had? Leave a comment to tell us.