Hoops Rumors Originals

Typically, a few of the top restricted free agents linger on the market, as incumbent teams use the dual hammer of their right to match against dwindling cap space for would-be suitors. That was the case last year with Greg Monroe, who eventually pulled off a power play and signed his qualifying offer, and with Eric Bledsoe, who finally got the Suns to budge and wound up with a five-year, $70MM deal.

This year, only Tristan Thompson lingers among top-flight free agents, and a key deadline looms Thursday. That’s the last day teams can withdraw qualifying offers without the player’s consent. The Cavs almost certainly won’t pull their qualifying offer to Thompson either before or after the deadline, but that might happen for some of the other remaining restricted free agents. If a player gives his permission after the deadline passes, the team loses his Bird rights.

Here’s a look at where each remaining restricted free agent stands:

• Tristan Thompson — The Rich Paul client is by far the most intriguing name left in restricted free agency. His deal was supposed to get done before Cleveland re-signed LeBron James, but LeBron signed a week ago. Thompson and the Cavs were reportedly close to a deal for more than $80MM on the first day of free agency, but even as the sides seemingly maintain amicable relations, the talks have bogged down. Thompson reportedly asked for $85MM, pointing to the deal that Draymond Green received, but while initial reports indicated Green would get that much, he wound up with $82MM instead.
• Norris Cole — The Pelicans are only willing to go so far for their backup point guard, but they apparently remain interested. The Sixers, with max-level cap room to give, are also reportedly in the hunt, and while Philly surely won’t be offering him the max, the team has the power to float an offer sheet large enough to give New Orleans pause. Cole is a Rich Paul client, like Thompson, but while the Cavs were reportedly interested in trading for Cole at the deadline, they can’t pay him a starting salary of any better than $1.276MM, which is all they have left on their taxpayer’s mid-level after signing Mo Williams.
• Matthew Dellavedova — The Cavs and their own backup guard seemingly made progress early in free agency, but the movement seemed to stall, and while GM David Griffin recently reiterated his interest in keeping Dellavedova, the undrafted gem is apparently seeking $4MM annual salaries on a multiyear deal. That would entail a total bill of an estimated $18MM in combined salary and tax penalties, given Cleveland’s soaring payroll.
• K.J. McDaniels — Last year’s 32nd overall pick bet on himself when he signed the Sixers’ required minimum-salary tender instead of a four-year contract, and even though he didn’t see much action after a midseason trade to the Rockets, it sounds like he’s about to cash in. The Rockets are reportedly targeting him for the $5.464MM mid-level exception, though I wouldn’t be surprised if Houston is trying to get him to take only a portion of that. The Knicks, limited to their $2.814MM room exception at this point, reportedly expressed interest at the start of free agency.
• Ognjen Kuzmic — Judging by the mere presence of his qualifying offer, Golden State’s desire to keep its championship team intact extends even to Kuzmic, who’s played more D-League games than NBA games the past two seasons. Negotiations appear to be slow-going, at best, given the dearth of reports about him, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see Kuzmic, a native of Bosnia and Herzegovina, end up back overseas.
• Nando De Colo — Surprisingly, the Raptors made a qualifying offer to the guard even though he spent this past season playing overseas with CSKA Moscow. It doesn’t appear as though the sides have made any progress toward a deal, so the guess here is that Toronto will rescind the qualifying offer before Thursday’s deadline.

Next year’s free agent class won’t be nearly as star studded as it could have been, as Bleacher Report’s Ethan Skolnick examines. The preponderance of long-term deals ran counter to the logic that players would flock instead to one-year contracts to take advantage of the surging salary cap next summer, projected to come in at $89MM, a giant leap from this year’s $70MM. A few notable exceptions are apparent among the free agents signing one-year contracts this month, but in large measure, players chose to lock in money for the long-term rather than bet on the 2016 market.

Other free agents made a modified play for the short term. Those who negotiated player options for 2016/17 in their contracts have two seasons of salary coming their way if they want, but, if their performance doesn’t decline and they stay healthy, they’ll be in position to opt out and receive a chunk of the vast sums that teams will have to give. The first name on this list will almost certainly take advantage of that, as LeBron James is in line for a projected max salary of $29.3MM in 2016/17. The names of all the free agents who signed contracts this month that include player options for 2016/17 are below, with the values of their respective player options, rounded to the nearest $1K, in parentheses.

• LeBron James, Cavaliers ($24.004MM)
• Arron Afflalo, Knicks ($8MM)
• Deron Williams, Mavericks ($5.6MM)
• Tim Duncan, Spurs ($5MM, estimated)
• Derrick Williams, Knicks ($4.598MM)
• Austin Rivers, Clippers ($3.344MM)
• Brandon Bass, Lakers ($3.135MM)
• Manu Ginobili, Spurs ($2.941MM)
• Jeremy Lin, Hornets ($2.235MM)
• Mo Williams, Cavaliers ($2.195MM)
• Wayne Ellington, Nets ($1.568MM)
• Andrea Bargnani, Nets ($1.551MM)
• Caron Butler, Kings ($1.551MM, estimated)
• Shane Larkin, Nets ($1.5MM)
• Alonzo Gee, Pelicans ($1.375MM, estimated)
• Cole Aldrich, Clippers ($1.227MM)
• Wesley Johnson, Clippers ($1.227MM)
• Thomas Robinson, Nets ($1.051MM)

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

Free agent signees, trade acquisitions, and signees from last month’s draft are the most common additions to NBA rosters this month. However, a handful of players have come via the draft-and-stash route, as teams have finally brought aboard players drafted in previous years. More such signees figure to come as the offseason continues, with the Thunder reportedly expected to sign Josh Huestis, who was last year’s 29th overall pick, and rumors that the Nets are talking to the Cavs about Sasha Kaun, still who’s unsigned from the 2008 draft. Other draft-and-stash players making positive impressions in summer league, heightening the chances that they sign NBA deals, too.

While we wait for more, here’s a look at the draft-and-stash signees so far this month, categorized by team:

Updated 10-1-15

Cavaliers

• Sasha Kaun (drafted 56th overall in 2008): The 6’11” center finally signed an NBA deal, inking with the Cavs on a two-year contract worth $2,609,420 via the taxpayer’s mid-level exception. The Russian who played college ball at Kansas finished his tenure with CSKA Moscow in 2014/15.

Hawks

• Lamar Patterson (drafted 48th overall in 2014): The Hawks signed the 6’5″ shooting guard to a deal worth the minimum salary that covers two seasons, with a partial guarantee of $75K for this season. Atlanta used the minimum-salary exception on the former University of Pittsburgh standout who played for Tofas Bursa of Turkey in 2014/15.
• Edy Tavares (drafted 43rd overall in 2014): Atlanta used cap space to gave the 7’2″ center a contract worth more than $3.01MM over three years. The final season is non-guaranteed. Tavares spent this past season with Gran Canaria of Spain.

Jazz

• Raul Neto (drafted 47th overall in 2013): The Jazz signed the 6’1″ point guard via cap space to a deal worth $2,852,546 over three years, with the third year non-guaranteed. Neto came from Murcia of Spain.
• Tibor Pleiss (drafted 31st overall in 2010): Utah’s other draft-and-stash signee also came from the Spanish ACB league, as Pleiss had been playing for Barcelona. The 7’2″ center signed for three years and $9MM, with the Jazz taking him into cap space, too.

Knicks

• Thanasis Antetokounmpo (drafted 51st overall in 2014): The Knicks signed the 6’6″ small forward for two years at the minimum salary with a $75K partial guarantee for this season. Antetokounmpo spent 2014/15 with New York’s D-League affiliate.

Nuggets

• Nikola Jokic (drafted 41st overall in 2014): The 6’11” center, who spent this past season with Mega Leks in Serbia, signed a deal worth $5.551MM over four years with a team option on the final season. Denver used cap room to facilitate the contract.

Sixers

• Jordan McRae (drafted 58th overall in 2014): The 6’5″ shooting guard signed his required tender with the Sixers. That means he took a one-year deal for the minimum salary without any guaranteed money. He split 2014/15 between Melbourne of Australia and Philadelphia’s D-League affiliate.

Spurs

• Deshaun Thomas (drafted 58th overall in 2013): Just like McRae, Thomas is a former No. 58 pick who signed his required tender, as he put pen to paper on a deal with the Spurs that covers one year at the minimum salary without a guarantee, according to terms that Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders lists. He spent the past season with Barcelona of Spain.

Thunder

• Josh Huestis (drafted 29th overall in 2014): Huestis and the Thunder made an unprecedented pact before the 2014 draft: The Thunder would take Huestis, who wasn’t widely considered a first-round prospect, at No. 29 overall, and he would play for Oklahoma City’s D-League team instead of signing a rookie scale contract last year. The 6’7″ small forward from Stanford waited his turn, played for the D-League Oklahoma City Blue, and finally signed a rookie scale contract this summer. He’s set to make nearly $5.818MM over four years.

Timberwolves

• Nemanja Bjelica (drafted 35th overall in 2010): The reigning Euroleague MVP signed a deal reportedly worth $11.7MM over three years, a value that indicates the Timberwolves used part of their mid-level exception. Bjelica, a 6’10” forward, had been playing for Fenerbahce Ulker in Turkey.