Hoops Rumors Originals

2014/15 Salary Rankings: Centers

December 13th, 2014 at 2:43pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Hoops Rumors is in the process of ranking the cap hit for each NBA player by position. I’ve already posted the point guard, shooting guard, small forward, and power forward salary rankings for the 2014/15 campaign. The next spot on the hardwood that I’ll be looking at is the center position for the 2014/15 season.

All told, NBA teams have committed a total of $383,653,157 in cap hits this season to the men tasked with patrolling the paint around the league. The average hit for the five spot this season is a more than respectable $5,048,068, with the Rockets’ Dwight Howard topping the list with a salary of $21,436,721.

It should be noted that teams won’t necessarily pay out every dollar listed here. There are quite a few players who have non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed contracts. Some of those players will be sweating it out all the way until January 7th. That’s when teams must waive players with no specific guarantee date written into their contracts to avoid having to guarantee their salaries for the rest of the season. Most salaries align with cap hits, but that’s not the case for a player like Jeremy Lin, who’s getting close to $15MM from the Lakers this season even though his cap hit is little more than half that amount, because of the contract he signed through the Gilbert Arenas Provision. In addition, incentive clauses that a player either triggers or fails to meet can leave a player with more or less money than his cap hit reflects.

Still, the purpose of this list is to show the relative pay scale by position, which is why all contracts are included in this post. The only deals which were omitted were for players with non-guaranteed deals who were already waived.

The league’s centers are listed below, in descending order of salary:

Dwight Howard (Rockets) $21,436,721
Marc Gasol (Grizzlies) $15,829,688
Brook Lopez (Nets) $15,719,062
Roy Hibbert (Pacers) $14,898,938
Tyson Chandler (Mavs) $14,846,887
DeMarcus Cousins (Kings) $14,746,000
Al Jefferson (Hornets) $13.5MM
Andrew Bogut (Warriors) $12,972,973
Joakim Noah (Bulls) $12.7MM
Nikola Pekovic (Wolves) $12.1MM
Al Horford (Hawks) $12MM
DeAndre Jordan (Clippers) $11,440,123
JaVale McGee (Nuggets) $11,250,000
Larry Sanders (Bucks) $11MM
Marcin Gortat (Wizards) $10,434,782
Anderson Varejao (Cavs) $9,704,545
Kendrick Perkins (Thunder) $9,654,342
Jordan Hill (Lakers) $9MM
Omer Asik (Pelicans) $8,374,646
Robin Lopez (Blazers) $6,124,729
Chuck Hayes (Raptors) $5,958,750
Enes Kanter (Jazz) $5,694,674
J.J. Hickson (Nuggets) $5,381,750
Chris Andersen (Heat) $5,375,000
Spencer Hawes (Clippers) $5,305,000
Zaza Pachulia (Bucks) $5.2MM
Chris Kaman (Blazers) $4.8MM
Timofey Mozgov (Cavs) $4,650,000
Joel Embiid (Sixers) $4,427,640
Samuel Dalembert (Waived by Knicks) $4,051,527
Cody Zeller (Hornets) $4,030,560
Ian Mahinmi (Pacers) $4MM
Kevin Seraphin (Wizards) $3,898,693
Bismack Biyombo (Hornets) $3,873,398
Joel Anthony (Pistons) $3.8MM
Jonas Valanciunas (Raptors) $3,678,360
Alex Len (Suns) $3,649,920
Jason Smith (Knicks) $3,278,000
Joel Freeland (Blazers) $3,013,512
Kosta Koufos (Grizzlies) $3MM
Nikola Vucevic (Magic) $2,751,260
Udonis Haslem (Heat) $2,732,000
Andre Drummond (Pistons) $2,568,360
Meyers Leonard (Blazers) $2,317,920
Brendan Haywood (Cavs) $2,213,688
Steven Adams (Thunder) $2,184,960
Vitor Faverani (Celtics) $2,090,000
Kelly Olynyk (Celtics) $2,075,760
DeJuan Blair (Wizards) $2MM
Lucas Nogueira (Raptors) $1,762,680
Jusuf Nurkic (Nuggets) $1,762,680
Tyler Zeller (Celtics) $1,703,760
Ronny Turiaf (Wolves) $1.5MM
Gorgui Dieng (Wolves) $1,413,480
Mason Plumlee (Nets) $1,357,080
Pero Antic (Hawks) $1.25MM
Clint Capela (Rockets) $1,189,200
Miles Plumlee (Suns) $1,169,880
Rudy Gobert (Jazz) $1,127,400
Festus Ezeli (Warriors) $1,112,880
Alexis Ajinca (Pelicans) $981,784
Cole Aldrich (Knicks) $915,243
Ryan Hollins (Kings) $915,243
Nazr Mohammed (Bulls) $915,243
Robert Sacre (Lakers) $915,243
Henry Sims (Sixers) $915,243
Greg Stiemsma (Raptors) $915,243
Dewayne Dedmon (Magic) $816,482
Justin Hamilton (Heat) $816,482
Jerome Jordan (Nets) $816,482
Ognjen Kuzmic (Warriors) $816,482
Jeff Withey (Pelicans) $816,482
Hassan Whiteside (Heat) $769,881
Alex Kirk (Waived by Knicks) $507,336
Fab Melo (Waived by Grizzlies) $437,080
Miroslav Raduljica (Waived by Clippers) $300K

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

2015 NBA Draft Prospect Power Rankings

December 13th, 2014 at 10:43am CST by Eddie Scarito

The 2015 NBA draft is still a long way away, and the remaining four months of NCAA action will play a major part in determining the fates of the 20 players whose names appear on the list below, as well as those who haven’t made the cut just yet. Still, front offices and scouting departments throughout the NBA are already hard at work trying to determine which players they will pin the future of their franchises on, and Hoops Rumors will be doing the same all the way up until June’s draft.

Keep in mind that this list includes both underclassmen and players from overseas, neither of whom are guaranteed to declare for the draft. But just like the NBA scouting departments, we’ll need to be prepared for the possibility that all of these players will be available to hear their names called by commissioner Adam Silver in what will be his second opportunity to be on the stage during the first round.

Here are the current top 20 players in descending order:

1 Jahlil Okafor-C (Duke/Freshman)

-6’11”, 272 pounds

–DraftExpress Rank: No. 1

–ESPN Rank: No. 1

–Stats: 17.1 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 1.5 BPG. .646/.000/.520.

Okafor has certainly lived up to the hype that surrounded him before he set foot on Duke’s campus. A true center, he has excellent athleticism and is remarkably polished on offense for a freshman big man. He has an NBA-ready body and should continue to develop into an absolute monster down in the paint. His defense will need work when he gets to the pros, which isn’t uncommon, but his potential is off the charts. It will take quite a bit to knock him out of the top slot in the upcoming draft.

2 Karl-Anthony Towns-PF/C (Kentucky/Freshman)

-7’0″, 250 pounds

–DraftExpress Rank: No. 3

–ESPN Rank: No. 3

–Stats: 9.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 2.8 BPG. .538/.200/.714.

Towns may end up being better in the long run than Okafor, but for now, he is still a project on the offensive end. He can get by in college using his superior athleticism, but he’ll need to develop his post game if he wants to become a star in the NBA. Towns will be fun to watch on the fast break, but in half-court sets he’ll be reduced to alley-oops and putbacks during his rookie campaign. He’s already an intimidating defender, which will translate nicely to the next level, although Towns will need to become more disciplined, or else he’ll be foul-prone, and end up spending more time on the bench than on the hardwood.

3 Emmanuel Mudiay-PG (Guangdong)

-6’5″, 200 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 2

-ESPN Rank: No. 2

-Stats: 18.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 6.3 APG. .493/.321/.586

Mudiay took the less conventional route when he passed up a chance to attend SMU and signed with Guangdong of the Chinese Basketball Association instead. Mudiay is easily the most talented guard in the draft, and his size and speed are NBA-ready. The injury to his ankle may shut him down for the rest of the CBA season, since his family has hinted that Mudiay might leave China early to prepare himself for the NBA draft as well as to avoid any further injuries that could damage his draft stock. The 18-year-old could easily become the top pick in the draft, depending on how the ping-pong balls drop when determining the lottery order.

4 Justise Winslow-SF (Duke/Freshman)

-6’6″, 221 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 4

-ESPN Rank: No. 6

-Stats: 12.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 2.1 APG. .456/.385/.600.

Winslow is a fast riser on many draft boards thanks to his fantastic athleticism. He’s not a great perimeter scorer, which is a negative for a wing player, though he’s shown the ability to knock down three-pointers thus far this season. Winslow has a solid frame, and he projects as a potentially elite defender. Couple that with his maturity and leadership abilities, and it’s easy to see why so many scouts are so high on this freshman.

5 Stanley Johnson-SF (Arizona/Freshman)

-6’7″, 237 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 6

-ESPN Rank: No. 9

-Stats: 13.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 1.7 SPG. .468/.385/.714.

Johnson is an absolute man-child with an NBA-ready body and excellent strength. He reminds me a bit of Larry Johnson (no relation), though he is nowhere near as polished on the offensive end as Johnson was coming out of UNLV. The biggest knock on Stanley Johnson is his severely limited outside game. There isn’t much call in the league these days for wings who can’t stretch the floor, so Johnson will need to show significant improvement as the season wears on, or he’ll risk dropping out of the top 10. But I love his aggressiveness, defense, and rebounding.

6 Kristaps Porzingis-PF (Baloncesto Sevilla)

-7’0″, 220 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 9

-ESPN Rank: No. 4

-Stats: 9.5 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 1.3 BPG. .472/.436/.737.

I have only seen limited film on Porzingis, but all the scouting reports that I have read laud the 19-year-old’s offensive skills. I’ve grown to be immediately skeptical of European big men who are projected as lottery picks, due to the large number of draft busts among their ranks, and that holds true for Porzingis. He has an excellent three-point stroke and is surprisingly athletic. He projects as a stretch four who can also play small forward, but Porzingis will struggle mightily on the defensive end. He’s not even close to being strong enough to hold his ground in the post, and he isn’t quick enough to stay with faster wings on the perimeter. Porzingis is a project with an extremely high upside, but I would think twice about taking him in the top five. My first instinct was to rank him outside the top 10, but judging by the buzz around him, Porzingis will likely be selected much higher than that.

7 Kevon Looney-PF (UCLA/Freshman)

-6’9″, 220 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 8

-ESPN Rank: No. 5

-Stats: 13.9 PPG, 11.2 RPG, and 1.8 BPG. .473/.154/.662.

Looney is rising swiftly up the draft boards thanks to his athleticism and strong early season production. He is quickly becoming one of my favorite players in the draft. Looney’s a bit of a tweener, similar to Aaron Gordon a year ago in that respect. Looney has decent outside range, which I think will improve with practice and coaching. He’s also an excellent rebounder and a plus defender at either forward position, though he’ll need to add some bulk to guard NBA power forwards. I’ve also been impressed with his ball-handling and passing, and both are skills that will translate well to the pros. Looney might not crack the top five selections, but if that is the case, whichever team he falls to could be getting a steal.

8 Myles Turner-C (Texas/Freshman)

-6’11”, 242 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 12

-ESPN Rank: No. 7

-Stats: 11.4 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 2.9 BPG. .509/.308/.853.

Turner is a project, but he’s one who could pay dividends for a patient team. He’s a good scorer with range out to the three-point line, but he lacks aggressiveness. Turner is a solid shot blocker, but he needs to improve as a rebounder if he wants to be more than just a rotation player in the NBA. There are also some legitimate concerns regarding his knees due to his odd way of running. Big men tend to break down faster than players at other positions, so long-term health is a definite concern with Turner. But his upside is too good for him to go outside the top 10.

9 Cliff Alexander-PF/C (Kansas/Freshman)

-6’9″, 254 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 15

-ESPN Rank: No. 13

-Stats: 9.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 1.4 BPG. .550/.000/.702.

Alexander is a bit undersized for his position, but he makes up for it with his 7’3″ wingspan. He possesses a tantalizing mixture of strength and athleticism, and he’s a rampaging beast in the paint. Alexander lacks a mid-range game, and he also doesn’t have a great grasp of nuances yet, which will slow his learning curve down a bit. But he has a ceiling similar to that of Lakers rookie Julius Randle, without the concerns on the defensive end that followed the Kentucky product into the NBA prior to his season-ending injury. Look for Alexander to continue to rise in the draft projections as the season progresses.

10 Willie Cauley-Stein-C (Kentucky/Junior)

-7’0″, 244 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 10

-ESPN Rank: No. 16

-Stats: 10.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 1.6 BPG. .618/.000/.633.

Cauley-Stein surprised many when he elected to return to Kentucky for his junior season, especially with the influx of talent the university had arriving this season. But the move should pay off for the 7-footer who reminds me quite a bit of a young Tyson Chandler. Cauley-Stein is very limited on the offensive end, mostly relying on putbacks to score his points. He isn’t as good a rebounder as he should be, though I suspect he’ll improve over time. A team needing a rim protector could do a lot worse than plugging Cauley-Stein into its rotation next season.

11 D’Angelo Russell-SG (Ohio State/Freshman)

-6’5″, 176 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 11

-ESPN Rank: No. 10

-Stats: 18.0 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 5.4 APG. .482/.442/.750.

Russell is already a polished scorer with a lethal outside touch. The lefty has excellent ball-handling skills, and he’s very effective off the dribble, though he needs to improve upon his ability to finish at the rim if he wants to be an effective pro. Russell also has the ability to play the point for stretches, which will serve to increase his value as a rotation piece at the NBA level. The two main knocks against Russell are that he needs to get stronger and that he has a tendency to disappear for long stretches during games and coast. He has a nice upside and should turn into a solid NBA player in a few seasons.

12 Mario Hezonja-SG (Barcelona Regal)

-6’7″, 200 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 5

-ESPN Rank: No. 8

-Stats: 4.7 PPG, 1.8 RPG, and 1.2 APG. .483/.357/.692.

Here’s another foreign player whom I have seen limited tape on. Hezonja is a projected lottery pick, but I’m not sold on his long-term future in the NBA. He’s a possible draft-and-stash pick, which could benefit him since he needs more development before making the jump to the NBA. Hezonja is very athletic and can light it up from the outside, but he’s a poor defender. There have also been some red flags raised about his attitude, ability to accept coaching, and overall maturity. These concerns could serve to lower Hezonja’s draft stock around the league.

13 Montrezl Harrell-PF (Louisville/Junior)

-6’8″, 243 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 17

-ESPN Rank: No. 15

-Stats: 16.8 PPG, 9.6 RPG, and 1.3 APG. .614/.214/.574.

It was surprising to see Harrell return to Louisville for his junior season, but the move will likely reward him with a higher draft selection than he would have garnered in 2014. There’s a lot to like about Harrell’s game, but he bears the dreaded tweener tag. He’s neither a true power forward nor a classic small forward. He can score from almost anywhere on the floor and has a high motor. He’s also a very good rebounder and a physical defender. But Harrell lacks a defined NBA position, which could end up lowering his draft stock as well as his ceiling as a player.

14 Chris McCullough-PF (Syracuse/Freshman)

-6’9″, 200 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 24

-ESPN Rank: No. 11

-Stats: 14.4 PPG, 8.9 RPG, and 2.4 BPG. .563/1.000/.545.

McCullough is another player shooting up the draft boards after arriving at Syracuse with minimal fanfare and hype. He is extremely athletic, boasts a 7’3″ wingspan, and can jump out of the gym. He’s also a very strong rebounder and should become a defensive force as he matures. I like McCullough a lot, and expect him to finish the year much higher on this list.

15 Rondae Hollis-Jefferson-SF (Arizona/Sophomore)

-6’6″, 212 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 19

-ESPN Rank: No. 22

-Stats: 12.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 1.9 APG. .585/.300/.745.

There’s a lot to like about Hollis-Jefferson’s game and draft potential. As a player, he reminds me of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and not just because of the hyphenated last name. Hollis-Jefferson is extremely athletic, exciting in transition, a good rebounder for his size, and a good defender. But he does come with limitations similar to Kidd-Gilchrist’s, mainly in his lack of a reliable outside game. While he boasts a decent mid-range jump shot, he makes his living attacking the basket, an aspect that doesn’t always translate to the NBA, thanks to the far superior athleticism college players face when making the jump to the pros.

16 Frank Kaminsky-C (Wisconsin/Senior)

-7’0″, 242 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 14

-ESPN Rank: No. 18

-Stats: 16.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, and 2.1 BPG. .539/.424/.683.

Kaminsky isn’t likely to become a star in the NBA, nor even an effective starter. But he’ll be able to contribute on the offensive end immediately for whichever team selects him. Kaminsky reminds me quite a bit of the Celtics’ Kelly Olynyk offensively, which isn’t a bad thing at all. Unfortunately, he also shares Olynyk’s weaknesses as a rebounder and defender. As a mid first-rounder, Kaminsky will be a solid pick, though he will have a limited ceiling thanks to his athletic shortcomings.

17 Caris LeVert-SG (Michigan/Junior)

-6’7″, 200 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 13

-ESPN Rank: No. 17

-Stats: 17.7 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 4.1 APG. .453/.489/.833.

LeVert is reaping the benefits of Nik Stauskas having departed Michigan for the NBA, and he has the potential to rise up the draft rankings rather quickly if he continues to improve as the season wears on. LeVert is an excellent athlete, has a solid outside game, and can play either wing position. His defense will definitely need some work, and he’ll need to get stronger if he hopes to be able to survive and thrive in the NBA. Still, I wouldn’t be the least bit shocked if LeVert sneaks into the lottery when all is said and done.

18 Dakari Johnson-C (Kentucky/Sophomore)

-6’11”, 263 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 25

-ESPN Rank: No. 25

-Stats: 9.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 1.0 BPG. .646/.000/.542.

Johnson’s draft stock will suffer because of Kentucky’s ridiculous depth the last two seasons, but he’s a player who could help quite a few NBA teams in the long run. Johnson isn’t afraid to mix it up in the post area, and he’s an excellent and ferocious rebounder. His post defense is decent enough, though he’s not a great shot-blocker. Johnson is competent around the rim on offense, but he has a very limited array of post moves. He’ll be a serviceable backup in the NBA, but he’ll require significant time in the D-League during his rookie season in order to develop.

19 Kelly Oubre-SF (Kansas/Freshman)

-6’6″, 204 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 7

-ESPN Rank: No. 12

-Stats: 2.8 PPG, 2.1 RPG, and 0.5 APG. .333/.286/.800.

Oubre’s draft stock has taken a hit since the beginning of the season. He hasn’t gained Kansas coach Bill Self’s confidence yet and is only seeing limited minutes. Oubre has looked every bit like a freshman when he has played, and he’s often appeared lost on the court. But he’s a tremendous athletic talent who I believe will figure things out by the end of the season, and he should end up a top-10 pick when all is said and done. Oubre simply has too much talent to slide too far in the draft, though he’s a player who would benefit greatly from another year in school, however unlikely that scenario is.

20 Tyus Jones-PG (Duke/Freshman)

-6’1″, 184 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 21

-ESPN Rank: No. 29

-Stats: 10.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, and 5.8 APG. .462/.360/.844.

Jones creeps into the top 20 thanks to his fantastic six-to-one assist-to-turnover ratio and the lack of quality point guards at the top of this draft class, aside from Mudiay. The 18-year-old Jones has shown remarkable poise as a freshman, and he reminds me quite a bit of Tyler Ennis, another player I was extremely high on heading into the 2014 draft. Jones lacks elite athleticism, needs to work on his outside shot, and won’t be ready to play significant minutes his rookie season. But his court vision and basketball IQ will make him a potential lottery sleeper pick.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2014/15 Salary Rankings: Power Forwards

December 12th, 2014 at 8:21pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Hoops Rumors is in the process of ranking the cap hit for each NBA player by position. I’ve already posted the point guard, shooting guard, and small forward salary rankings for the 2014/15 campaign. The next spot on the hardwood that I’ll be looking at is the power forward position for the 2014/15 season.

All told, NBA teams have committed a total of $510,052,423 in cap hits this season to the men traditionally tasked with scoring in the paint and snagging rebounds around the league. The average hit for the four spot this season is a respectable $4,722,708, with Amar’e Stoudemire of the Knicks topping the list with a more than robust $23,410,988.

The league’s power forwards are listed below, in descending order of salary:

Amar’e Stoudemire (Knicks) $23,410,988
Chris Bosh (Heat) $20,644,400
Blake Griffin (Clippers) $17,674,613
Zach Randolph (Grizzlies) $16.5MM
LaMarcus Aldridge (Blazers) $16,256,000
Kevin Love (Cavs) $15,719,062
David Lee (Warriors) $15,012,000
Nene (Wizards) $13MM
Derrick Favors (Jazz) $12,950,000
Serge Ibaka (Thunder) $12,350,000
Kevin Garnett (Nets) $12MM
David West (Pacers) $12MM
Andrea Bargnani (Knicks) $11,500,000
Tim Duncan (Spurs) $10,361,446
Paul Millsap (Hawks) $9.5MM
Thaddeus Young (Wolves) $9,410,869
Tiago Splitter (Spurs) $9.25MM
Channing Frye (Magic) $8,579,088
Ryan Anderson (Pelicans) $8,491,500
Boris Diaw (Spurs) $8MM
Taj Gibson (Bulls) $8MM
Dirk Nowitzki (Mavs) $7,974,482
Ersan Ilyasova (Bucks) $7.9MM
Pau Gasol (Bulls) $7,128,000
Amir Johnson (Raptors) $7MM
Marvin Williams (Hornets) $7MM
Brandon Bass (Celtics) $6.9MM
Glen Davis (Waived by Magic) $6.6MM
Carl Landry (Kings) $6.5MM
Derrick Williams (Kings) $6,331,404
Jason Thompson (Kings) $6,037,500
Patrick Patterson (Raptors) $5,831,326
Anthony Davis (Pelicans) $5,607,240
Anthony Bennett (Wolves) $5,563,920
Greg Monroe (Pistons) $5,479,935
Josh McRoberts (Heat) $5,305,000
Nikola Mirotic (Bulls) $5,305,000
Tristan Thompson (Cavs) $5,138,430
Trevor Booker (Jazz) $5MM
Brandan Wright (Suns) $5MM
Luis Scola (Pacers) $4,868,499
Jonas Jerebko (Pistons) $4.5MM
Luc Mbah a Moute (Sixers) $4,382,575
Kris Humphries (Wizards) $4,250,000
Aaron Gordon (Magic) $3,992,040
Al Harrington (Waived by Magic) $3,804,900
Thomas Robinson (Blazers) $3,678,360
Marreese Speights (Warriors) $3,657,500
Darrell Arthur (Nuggets) $3,457,149
Mike Scott (Hawks) $3,333,333
Tyler Hansbrough (Raptors) $3,326,235
Nerlens Noel (Sixers) $3,315,120
Carlos Boozer (Lakers) $3,251,000
Anthony Tolliver (Suns) $3MM
Julius Randle (Lakers) $2,997,360
Markieff Morris (Suns) $2,989,239
Marcus Morris (Suns) $2,943,221
Noah Vonleh (Hornets) $2,524,200
James Johnson (Raptors) $2.5MM
Kenneth Faried (Nuggets) $2,249,768
Nick Collison (Thunder) $2,242,003
Aron Baynes (Spurs) $2,077,000
Elton Brand (Hawks) $2MM
John Henson (Bucks) $1,987,320
Adreian Payne (Hawks) $1,855,320
Jeff Ayres (Spurs) $1,828,750
Anthony Randolph (Waived by Magic) $1,825,359
Reggie Evans (Kings) $1,768,653
Ryan Kelly (Lakers) $1,650,000
Terrence Jones (Rockets) $1,618,680
Andrew Nicholson (Magic) $1,545,840
Donatas Motiejunas (Rockets) $1,483,920
Jared Sullinger (Celtics) $1,424,520
Mitch McGary (Thunder) $1,400,040
Victor Claver (Blazers) $1,370,000
Shavlik Randolph (Suns) $1,227,985
Cartier Martin (Pistons) $1,145,685
Perry Jones III (Thunder) $1,129,200
Ed Davis (Lakers) $981,084
Jon Leuer (Grizzlies) $967,500
Joey Dorsey (Rockets) $948,163
Greg Smith (Mavs) $948,163
Quincy Acy (Knicks) $915,243
Lavoy Allen (Pacers) $915,243
Lou Amundson (Waived by Knicks) $915,243
Matt Bonner (Spurs) $915,243
Glen Davis (Clippers) $915,243
Drew Gooden (Wizards) $915,243
Jason Maxiell (Hornets) $915,243
Khris Middleton (Bucks) $915,243
Kyle O’Quinn (Magic) $915,243
Ekpe Udoh (Clippers) $915,243
Charlie Villanueva (Mavs) $915,243
Brandon Davies (Sixers) $816,482
Grant Jerrett (Thunder) $816,482
Tony Mitchell (Pistons) $816,482
Mike Muscala (Hawks) $816,482
Jarnell Stokes (Grizzlies) $725,000
Dante Cunningham (Pelicans) $716,043
Johnny O’Bryant (Bucks) $600K
Cameron Bairstow (Bulls) $507,336
Tarik Black (Lakers) $507,336
Cory Jefferson (Nets) $507,336
Eric Moreland (Kings) $507,336
Dwight Powell (Mavs) $507,336
JaKarr Sampson (Sixers) $507,336
Shayne Whittington (Pacers) $507,336
Drew Gordon (Sixers) $468,540

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

Sixers Veteran Trade Acquisitions Rarely Stick

December 12th, 2014 at 3:51pm CST by Chuck Myron

It’s no secret that draft considerations have served as the centerpiece for many of the trades that Sam Hinkie has made during his tenure as Sixers GM, which began in May 2013. His deal with the Pelicans in June 2013 that netted the rights to Nerlens Noel was the first significant signal of the rebuilding effort that Hinkie has undertaken in the nearly 18 months since. Still, what’s happened with the 15 players who were already on NBA contracts when the Sixers acquired them is as instructive as any other measure of the scope of Philadelphia’s future-focused approach.

Nine of those 15 players wound up on waivers, including Jorge Gutierrez, whom the team released today after having acquired him Thursday in the Andrei Kirilenko trade. Kirilenko seemed destined to join those ranks, too, though the Sixers are holding on to him for now, making him one of five veterans whom Hinkie’s Sixers still retain post-trade. One other player the Sixers traded for, Byron Mullens, became a free agent this summer and signed to play in China.

Royce White is the only trade acquisition in the Hinkie era whom the Sixers waited more than a month to release, as Philadelphia brought him to camp last year after acquiring him during the summer. It’s been much more common for players to hit waivers within days of having been traded to the Sixers, as was the case with Gutierrez. The Sixers released Travis Outlaw and Earl Clark on the same day that they traded for them.

Hinkie clearly didn’t intend to keep many of the veteran players he’s acquired through trade, as he’s allowed teams to unload guaranteed salaries they no longer wanted into the cap space that the Sixers have kept over most of this season and last. For this service, the Sixers have usually charged the price of a second-round draft pick or two, as even many of Hinkie’s veteran acquisitions are made with an eye on tomorrow. That was the case in the Kirilenko-Gutierrez trade, one in which Philadelphia wound up with a second-rounder from the Nets and the right to swap second-rounders with Brooklyn in another draft.

Here’s a list of all 15 players who were signed to NBA contracts when the Sixers traded for them, along with an explanation of what happened next:

Keith Bogans — Acquired September 27th from Cavaliers. Waived October 7th, 2014.
Earl Clark — Acquired February 20th, 2014 from Cavaliers. Waived February 20th, 2014.
Danny Granger — Acquired February 20th, 2014 from Pacers. Waived February 26th, 2014.
Jorge Gutierrez — Acquired December 11th, 2014 from Nets. Waived December 12th, 2014.
Andrei Kirilenko — Acquired December 11th, 2014 from Nets. Still with team.
Eric Maynor — Acquired February 20th, 2014 from Wizards. Waived March 17th, 2014.
Luc Mbah a Moute — Acquired August 23rd, 2014 from Timberwolves. Still with team.
Byron Mullens — Acquired February 20th, 2014 from Clippers. Left as free agent for China in summer 2014.
Travis Outlaw — Acquired October 27th, 2014 from Knicks. Waived October 27th, 2014.
Alexey Shved — Acquired August 23rd, 2014 from Timberwolves. Still with team.
Henry Sims — Acquired February 20th, 2014 from Cavaliers. Still with team.
Marquis Teague — Acquired October 24, 2014 from Nets. Waived October 27th, 2014.
Hasheem Thabeet — Acquired August 26th, 2014 from Thunder. Waived September 1st, 2014.
Royce White — Acquired July 13th, 2013 from Rockets. Waived October 24th, 2013.
Tony Wroten — Acquired August 22nd, 2013 from Grizzlies. Still with team.

2014/15 Salary Rankings: Small Forwards

December 11th, 2014 at 9:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Hoops Rumors is in the process of ranking the cap hit for each NBA player by position. I’ve already posted the point guard and shooting guard salary rankings for the 2014/15 campaign. The next spot on the hardwood that I’ll be looking at is the small forward position for the 2014/15 season.

All told, NBA teams have committed a total of $392,677,538 in cap hits this season to the versatile men tasked with manning the small forward position around the league. The average cap hit for the three spot this season is a respectable $4,674,733, with Joe Johnson of the Nets topping the list with an impressive $23,180,790.

The league’s small forwards are listed below, in descending order of salary:

Joe Johnson (Nets) $23,180,790
Carmelo Anthony (Knicks) $22,458,401
LeBron James (Cavs) $20,644,400
Rudy Gay (Kings) $19,317,326
Kevin Durant (Thunder) $18,995,624
Paul George (Pacers) $15,925,680
Gordon Hayward (Jazz) $14,746,000
Chandler Parsons (Mavs) $14.7MM
Josh Smith (Waived by Pistons) $13.5MM
Nicolas Batum (Blazers) $11,765,500
Tyreke Evans (Pelicans) $11,265,416
Danilo Gallinari (Nuggets) $10,854,850
Gerald Wallace (Celtics) $10,105,855
Luol Deng (Heat) $9,714,461
Jeff Green (Grizzlies) $9.2MM
Trevor Ariza (Rockets) $8,579,089
Tayshaun Prince (Celtics) $7,707,865
Wilson Chandler (Nuggets) $6,757,913
P.J. Tucker (Suns) $5.7MM
Andrew Wiggins (Wolves) $5,510,640
Martell Webster (Wizards) $5,381,750
Paul Pierce (Wizards) $5,305,000
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Hornets) $5,016,960
Chase Budinger (Wolves) $5MM
Nick Young (Lakers) $4,994,420
Jabari Parker (Bucks) $4,930,560
Kostas Papanikolaou (Rockets) $4,591,066
Caron Butler (Pistons) $4.5MM
Otto Porter (Wizards) $4,470,480
Thabo Sefolosha (Hawks) $4,150,000
Steve Novak (Jazz) $3,445,947
Matt Barnes (Clippers) $3,396,250
Mike Dunleavy (Bulls) $3,326,235
Andrei Kirilenko (Sixers) $3,326,235
Chris Copeland (Pacers) $3,135,000
Dorell Wright (Blazers) $3,135,000
Harrison Barnes (Warriors) $3,049,920
Kawhi Leonard (Spurs) $2,894,059
Terrence Ross (Raptors) $2,793,960
Mike Miller (Cavs) $2,732,000
DeMarre Carroll (Hawks) $2,442,445
Tobias Harris (Magic) $2,380,594
Doug McDermott (Bulls) $2,277,960
Danny Granger (Heat) $2,077,000
John Salmons (Pelicans) $2MM
Shabazz Muhammad (Wolves) $1,971,960
T.J Warren (Suns) $1,953,120
Maurice Harkless (Magic) $1,887,840
Jeremy Evans (Jazz) $1,794,871
Luigi Datome (Pistons) $1,750,000
Tony Snell (Bulls) $1,472,400
Bruno Caboclo (Raptors) $1,458,360
Solomon Hill (Pacers) $1,302,840
Rodney Hood (Jazz) $1,290,360
Shawne Williams (Heat) $1,227,985
Damjan Rudez (Pacers) $1.1MM
Kyle Anderson (Spurs) $1,093,680
Kyle Singler (Pistons) $1,090,000
Xavier Henry (Lakers) $1,082,000
Austin Daye (Spurs) $1,063,384
Robert Covington (Sixers) $1MM
Al-Farouq Aminu (Mavs) $981,084
Luke Babbitt (Pelicans) $981,084
Rasual Butler (Wizards) $915,243
Omri Casspi (Kings) $915,243
Jae Crowder (Mavs) $915,243
Alonzo Gee (Nuggets) $915,243
Draymond Green (Warriors) $915,243
Richard Jefferson (Mavs) $915,243
Wesley Johnson (Lakers) $915,243
James Jones (Cavs) $915,243
Shawn Marion (Cavs) $915,243
Jeff Taylor (Hornets) $915,243
Lance Thomas (Waived by Knicks) $915,243
Hedo Turkoglu (Clippers) $915,243
Jerami Grant (Sixers) $884,879
Damien Inglis (Bucks) $820K
Glen Rice Jr. (Waived by Wizards) $816,482
Jeff Adrien (Waived by Wolves) $742,962
Cleanthony Early (Knicks) $507,336
James Ennis (Heat) $507,336
Joe Ingles (Jazz) $507,336
K.J. McDaniels (Sixers) $507,336
Travis Wear (Knicks) $507,336

Note: A number of players on this list also spend time at shooting guard. I used the positions listed on the official team rosters in compiling these rankings.

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

2015 Free Agent Power Rankings

December 10th, 2014 at 1:05pm CST by Chuck Myron

Most NBA teams have played between 20 and 22 games so far this season, so we’ve hit the quarter pole of this year’s 82-game trek. It’s also been precisely a month since the inaugural edition of the Hoops Rumors 2015 Free Agent Power Rankings, so the time is right for an update. There’s been a bit of shuffling in the order, and the newest name on the list made no subtle impression to earn his way on it. Let’s break down this month’s rankings:

LeBron James (player option) — The four-time MVP isn’t leaving Cleveland again, lest he be permanently cast in the villain’s role that fit him so poorly during his early days in Miami. But, his ability to hit the market and put pressure on the Cavs to continue to surround him with a roster capable of competing for championships defines “free agent power” and casts him at the top figure in this ranking. Last month: No. 1
Kevin Love (player option) — The 26-year-old’s numbers are down, predictably, as more talented teammates than he’s ever had surround him in Cleveland, but he’s still an otherworldly talent. Love continues to insist that he has no plans of leaving the Cavs, though he said he’s talked in passing with Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony about playing together someday. He also called the Knicks “a great franchise to be a part of”, and Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports wrote this month that it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Love would end up on the Lakers next season. Last month: No. 2
Marc Gasol — Re-signing Gasol is job one for the Grizzlies, according to GM Chris Wallace, and central to the team’s ability to do that will be the strength of its commitment to winning, Gasol says. That makes team’s 17-4 start an even more auspicious sign than it otherwise would be, and Gasol’s been a major catalyst, having upped his scoring average to 19.5 points per game, nearly five points better than his career high. All that success has the Knicks pessimistic about their chances to lure him to New York. Last month: No. 4
LaMarcus Aldridge — New York reporters failed in their attempts to coax free agency chatter out of another logical Knicks target when the Blazers were in town recently, and while Knicks faithful may cling to the idea that Aldridge didn’t rule out leaving Portland, that seems a long shot. The Arn Tellem client said this past offseason that he intends to sign a new five-year deal with Portland this coming summer, and he spoke this month of his comfort with Portland and the Blazers. Last month: No. 3
Jimmy Butler (restricted) — No soon-to-be free agent has lifted his stock during the first quarter of the NBA season as much as Butler has. The most significant flaws in his game last season were on offense , but he’s suddenly become Chicago’s leading scorer at 21.7 PPG, 8.6 PPG better than last year’s career high. Several executives around the league believe that the Happy Walters client will command the maximum salary if he keeps this up, though the Bulls seem poised to match any offers he receives. Last month: Unranked
Kawhi Leonard (restricted) — The Spurs also appear ready to pounce should Leonard draw a maximum-salary offer sheet. The Brian Elfus client’s game is expanding again this year, as he’s seeing double-digit shot attempts per night for the first time, helping him to a career-best 14.8 PPG. He’s also putting up his best per-game marks in assists, rebounds and steals. Last month: No. 6
Rajon Rondo — The ninth-year veteran has always struggled with his shot, but Rondo’s shooting percentage is down from every range outside of three feet from the basket, according to Basketball-Reference. He’s also scoring fewer than 10 points per game for the first time since he was a rookie. Still, Rondo is again leading the league in assists per game, and there appears to be mutual interest between Rondo and the Lakers, though Boston remains No. 1 on his list. A move to L.A. doesn’t appear the most likely outcome at this point, however, as the Celtics continue to value Rondo highly. Last month: No. 5
Al Jefferson (player option) — The Hornets are off to a dreadful start, and much of the blame has fallen at the feet of Lance Stephenson, the team’s latest marquee free agent acquisition. But Jefferson’s numbers are down, and particularly his rebounding, as he’s grabbing just 7.8 boards per night after pulling down 10.8 RPG last year. The memory of his franchise-changing season last year will linger for quite some time, but with his 30th birthday looming next month, there’s cause for concern. Last month: No. 7
Greg Monroe — It’s even uglier in Detroit than it’s been in Charlotte so far this season, but Monroe has soldiered on, with most of his per-36-minute marks holding steady even as he sees slightly fewer minutes in a crowded Pistons frontcourt. He’ll have a chance to be an unquestioned starter elsewhere next season, and the Hawks and Knicks are ready to pursue him. He’s also playfully spoken of playing with Celtics forward Jeff Green, though it’d be tough for him to land with Boston if Rondo is still there, and Atlanta would be an odd fit unless soon-to-be free agent Paul Millsap doesn’t re-sign. Last month: No. 9
Goran Dragic (player option) — It’s no shock that Dragic hasn’t produced quite the way he did last season, and not just because 2013/14 was a career year. The backcourt logjam in Phoenix has reduced Dragic’s minutes and taken away some of his shot attempts, and his efficiency during his time on the floor, as measured by his PER, has returned to the level he displayed in 2012/13. Eric Bledsoe was injured much of last season and Isaiah Thomas was in Sacramento, so Dragic had free reign. The Suns will face pressure to convince him that sacrificing that to work for the greater collective is truly the choice he should make come July. Last month: No. 8

Dropped out: DeAndre Jordan (Last month: No. 10)

Offseason In Review Series

December 9th, 2014 at 7:11pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Hoops Rumors has spent the past few weeks taking an in-depth look back at how each NBA franchise fared this past offseason. We covered all of the trades, free agent signings, draft picks, contract extensions, option decisions, camp invitees, and more as we examined the moves each team made over the last several months. These posts covered all of the activity that occurred from the end of the playoffs in June right up until the first jump ball on opening night.

Here is a team-by-team recap of the series:

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

Central Division

Southeast Division

Western Conference

Northwest Division

Pacific Division

Southwest Division

Few 2014 First-Rounders Seeing Heavy Minutes

December 9th, 2014 at 12:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

The stock of the 2014 draft class has been on a steady decline for the past year. It was billed before the beginning of the 2013/14 college season as a landmark group of prospects capable of changing the game, but thanks to an array of underwhelming performances, the draft soon became regarded as well-stocked but bereft of franchise-changing players. The broken foot that Joel Embiid suffered just weeks before the draft, when he was the leading candidate for the No. 1 overall pick, helped take the class down another notch. Now, a quarter of the way into the season, the performances that this year’s first-round picks have delivered suggest that the draft class was below average, at best.

Of course, there’s still plenty of time to go before any reasonable final judgments can be made on the field, which has the potential to live up to at least some of the expectations attached to it. Nonetheless, the minutes that each first-rounder is seeing paint a grim picture so far. Only a third of the 30 first-round picks are seeing at least 15 minutes per game, and two of those 10 have missed significant time with injuries. The rookie seeing the next most minutes per night, Julius Randle, posted that total in just one game, the contest in which he broke his leg and was lost for the rest of the season. Six first-rounders have yet to make their NBA debuts, including Embiid, two overseas players, and Josh Huestis, who’s on a D-League contract. Injuries have also helped to forestall the debuts of Adreian Payne and Mitch McGary, though both have gone on D-League assignment this year.

Here’s a look at how much each first-round pick is playing, ranked by minutes per game, with their respective draft positions in parentheses and additional notes where appropriate:

More than 20 minutes per game

Jabari Parker, Bucks (No. 2) — 30.0
Andrew Wiggins, Timberwolves (No. 1) — 29.5
Elfrid Payton, Magic (No. 10) — 24.7
Zach LaVine, Timberwolves (No. 13) — 23.6
Shabazz Napier, Heat (No. 24) — 23.3

Between 15-20 minutes per game

Marcus Smart, Celtics (No. 6) — 18.6: Returned from injury, appeared in just eight games
Dante Exum, Jazz (No. 5) — 17.8
Rodney Hood, Jazz (No. 23) — 17.2
P.J. Hairston, Hornets (No. 26) — 15.5
Aaron Gordon, Magic (No. 4) — 15.0: Injured, out for as much as five more weeks.

Between 10-15 minutes per game

Julius Randle, Lakers (No. 7) — 14.0: Injured, expected to miss rest of season. Has played only one game.
Nik Stauskas, Kings (No. 8) — 13.9
Gary Harris, Nuggets (No. 19) — 13.0
Bruno Caboclo, Raptors (No. 20) — 12.0: Has played only one game.
Kyle Anderson, Spurs (No. 30) — 11.9
Doug McDermott, Bulls (No. 11) — 11.6
T.J. Warren, Suns (No. 14) — 10.5
Jordan Adams, Grizzlies (No. 22) — 10.3: Has played only four games.

Between 5-10 minutes per game

Tyler Ennis, Suns (No. 18) — 8.8
Jusuf Nurkic, Nuggets (No. 16) — 8.6
Noah Vonleh, Hornets (No. 9) — 8.0: Hampered by preseason hernia surgery. Has played only three games.

Fewer than 5 minutes per game

C.J. Wilcox, Clippers (No. 28) — 4.5: Has played only two games.
Clint Capela, Rockets (No. 25) — 3.7: Hampered by preseason groin injury. Has played only three games, but has played extensively in D-League.
James Young, Celtics (No. 17) — 3.6: Has played extensively in D-League.

Haven’t played NBA games

Joel Embiid, Sixers (No. 3) — 0: Injured, has yet to make debut.
Dario Saric, Sixers (No. 12) — 0: Playing overseas.
Adreian Payne, Hawks (No. 15) — 0: Hampered by plantar fasciitis. Has played extensively in D-League.
Mitch McGary, Thunder (No. 21) — 0: Hampered by broken foot suffered in preseason. Has played in D-League.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, Suns (No. 27) — 0: Playing overseas.
Josh Huestis, Thunder (No. 29) — 0: Playing in D-League on D-League contract.

Trade Candidate: Corey Brewer

December 8th, 2014 at 3:11pm CST by Chuck Myron

The chatter surrounding Corey Brewer has quieted down over the past few weeks, but the 28-year-old swingman remains one of the most intriguing trade candidates in the league. It would be no surprise if talk picks back up after a week from today, when most offseason signees become eligible for inclusion in trades. Wolves coach/executive Flip Saunders insisted recently that Brewer is too valuable for his team to give up for now, a statement that largely prompted rumors surrounding Brewer to cease. But as the injury-wracked Timberwolves slowly return to health in the weeks ahead, the specter of a trade will grow. Still, unless Brewer begins to play better, it would be in spite of the performance the former seventh overall pick has displayed this season, and not because of it.

Brewer has made his reputation on defense over the course of his career, but his numbers this season haven’t backed it up. His defensive box plus/minus, a Basketball-Reference metric, is negative 0.2, well off from his career high of 1.2 last year. The Timberwolves give up an egregious 113.7 points per 100 possessions when Brewer is on the floor this season, and only 107.1 when he’s not, according to NBA.com. Of course, those points per possession numbers have as much, if not more, to do with the four other players on the floor with Brewer, and it’s obvious that the Timberwolves, at 4-15 this season, don’t have much with which to surround him. Such analytics have given greater insight into just how well players are performing on defense, but defense remains tricky to measure. Ill-advised gambling too often shows up in a positive light in a traditional metric like steals per game, but by that measure, Brewer is matching what he did last season, when he recorded a career high 1.9 SPG, and he’s creating those turnovers in fewer minutes this time around.

There’s little debating that Brewer’s shot has been off so far this year, however. He’s just 5 for 31 from three-point range, though the long ball has never been a strength for the career 29.1% three-point shooter. Wisely, he’s taken fewer three-pointers this year, but he appears to have replaced them mostly with long twos, as Basketball-Reference shooting data shows. He’s shooting just 15.2% from between 16 feet from the basket and the three-point line, according to that data. Brewer is never going to help an offense with its spacing, but his outside shooting so far this year has been an hindrance to his team. Brewer’s made up for it in some measure with a career-high 1.4 offensive rebounds per game, but many teams place little value in offensive rebounding, preferring instead that their players hustle back and set up defensively.

It was somewhat odd to see Houston emerge as a more likely destination for Brewer than Cleveland at one point late last month. The Rockets trail only the Grizzlies in stinginess when it comes to points allowed per possession, according to NBA.com, so Brewer’s defense, assuming it perks up, would only add to a strength. His poor outside shooting would also run counter to Houston’s organizational emphasis on the three-pointer, and his choice to shoot more long two-pointers so far this season would certainly meet with resistance were he to don red.

Still, the Rockets had reportedly been anxious to make a move to bolster their depth after a summer of moves that depleted it, and it seems as though they’ve held aspirations of acquiring a rotation-caliber player whom they can package in another trade at the deadline. It’s not impossible to package players together in a trade without aggregating their salaries, but aggregation makes it a lot simpler, and it’s a tool the Rockets would only be able to use with Brewer if they acquire him by December 19th, two months before the trade deadline. So, in that regard, it makes more sense for Houston to trade for Brewer, though the team would still risk getting stuck with a player who doesn’t fit if GM Daryl Morey can’t find a deadline deal to his liking that involves Brewer. Even so, Minnesota’s need for healthy players in the short term might not lapse in time to meet that December 19th timeframe, and Morey seemed to back off an aggressive pursuit of a similar swap that would have sent out Omer Asik two months before last year’s trade deadline.

Cleveland seems a more natural home for Brewer. Reports have indicated that the Cavs have shown interest in Tayshaun Prince and Andrei Kirilenko in addition to Brewer, signaling Cleveland’s apparent interest in a wing defender. The presence of Kevin Love and Mike Miller would help offset Brewer’s lack of outside shooting, and Kyrie Irving is hitting treys at a sizzling 42.2% clip in 90 attempts so far this season. Still, it seems Cleveland’s primary focus is on finding a rim-protector, making Brewer a secondary target.

The Rockets and Cavs have trade exceptions they can use to absorb Brewer’s nearly $4.703MM salary for this season, but the Kings and Celtics are the only other teams with trade exceptions large enough to use on him. The Lakers and Pacers have disabled player exceptions sizable enough to accommodate his salary, but the presence of his $4.905MM player option would nix that, since disabled player exceptions may only be used to acquire players on expiring contracts. Teams would reportedly like Brewer to waive that player option, but that seems a long shot unless he were to have the chance to head to a contending team.

The Mavs give up the most points per possession among teams with reasonable title chances this year, followed closely by the Raptors and then the Cavs, so perhaps Brewer would be attractive to Dallas and Toronto, assuming his defensive slip isn’t a long-term phenomenon. Brewer has been with Dallas once before, as a largely forgotten presence on the 2011 title team, and the Mavs lack a swingman who has provided consistent minutes at both the shooting guard and small forward positions so far this season. The Raptors would receive the immediate benefit of plugging Brewer in for the injured DeMar DeRozan, but he might prove too much of a drain on minutes for Louis Williams and James Johnson. Of course, there haven’t been reports linking Brewer to either the Raptors or the Mavs, so they’re merely speculative suitors.

The Wolves seem destined for the lottery this season, and while Brewer is indeed valuable as a stopgap for now who can can provide Andrew Wiggins with a veteran presence and mentor him on the finer parts of NBA defense, he doesn’t appear to be a long-term asset for the team. Brewer’s statistical declines might already be dampening interest from around the league, but it seems that he’s nonetheless a wanted commodity. It would behoove Saunders to strike upon this prior to the deadline if he can net a return capable of accelerating the rebuilding process in Minnesota.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Offseason In Review: Sacramento Kings

December 8th, 2014 at 11:00am CST by Chuck Myron

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

Darren Collison: Three years, $15.041MM. Signed via mid-level exception.
Ramon Sessions: Two years, $4.247MM. Signed via biannual exception.
Eric Moreland: Three years, $2.333MM. Signed via mid-level exception. First year is partially guaranteed for $200K. Second and third years are non-guaranteed.
Ryan Hollins: One year, $1.31MM. Signed via minimum-salary exception.
Omri Casspi: One year, $1.063MM. Signed via minimum-salary exception.

Extensions

Rudy Gay: Three years, $40MM. Third year is player option.

Trades

Acquired the rights to Alex Oriakhi from the Suns in exchange for Isaiah Thomas (sign-and-trade).
Acquired Wayne Ellington, Jeremy Tyler, and the removal of the protection that existed on New York’s 2016 second-round pick (which the Knicks owed Sacramento from a previous trade) from the Knicks in exchange for Quincy Acy and Travis Outlaw. Ellington and Tyler were subsequently waived.
Acquired Alonzo Gee and Scotty Hopson from the Rockets in exchange for Jason Terry, Sacramento’s 2015 second-round pick if it falls anywhere from No. 31 through No. 49, and New York’s unprotected 2016 second-round pick. Gee and Hopson were subsequently waived.

Waiver Claims

None

Draft Picks

Nik Stauskas (Round 1, eighth overall). Signed via rookie scale exception to rookie scale contract.

Camp Invitees

Sim Bhullar
Deonte Burton
Trey Johnson
David Wear

Departing Players

Quincy Acy
Jared Cunningham
Aaron Gray
Travis Outlaw
Willie Reed
Jason Terry
Isaiah Thomas

Rookie Contract Option Decisions

Ben McLemore (third year, $3,156,600) — Exercised

Three players averaged more than 20 points per game for the Kings last season, and while it seemed Sacramento didn’t mind losing one of them this summer, the team focused an inordinate amount of attention on keeping another. The Kings made a hard push and an elaborate presentation to Rudy Gay in hopes that he would opt in for this season, one in which he’s making more than $19.317MM. The team put an unusual amount of effort into ensuring that a player who’s talented but less than a superstar would be on the books for a salary usually reserved for the NBA’s truly elite. It was yet another sign of owner Vivek Ranadive’s faith in a player whom the analytics community had roundly criticized and who was playing some of the most inefficient ball of his career at the time of the trade that brought him from Toronto to Sacramento a year ago. Ranadive and GM Pete D’Alessandro made trading for Gay one of their first priorities when they took their respective posts during the 2013 offseason, and since they accomplished that, Gay has proven the Kings wise with increased efficiency and production in numbers both simple and arcane.

Gay picked up his player option, but Sacramento’s ultimate plan was to secure him for a longer period of time. Talks started and stopped over the summer, but the Octagon Sports client finally signed an extension in the season’s first month that will keep him under the control of the Kings through 2016/17, with a player option for 2017/18. The now 28-year-old small forward will make salaries more in line with his market value on the extension after his lucrative payday this year. Gay will see an average of more than $14.829MM over four years, taking both the opt-in and the extension into account and assuming he once more opts in with the Kings in 2017. That’s not cheap, by any means, but it slots him second behind DeMarcus Cousins in the team’s salary structure, mirroring the pecking order on the court. It also gives Sacramento the chance to enter 2016 with Cousins and Gay locked in and max-level cap flexibility to go with them, though there are plenty of variables the team will have to resolve between now and then.

One of those variables won’t involve Isaiah Thomas, whom the Kings removed from the equation when they saw him off to the Suns with a sign-and-trade deal. D’Alessandro and company seemingly ensured they wouldn’t be bringing Thomas back when they struck a deal with fellow point guard Darren Collison, as Thomas later said he felt like that move was a signal that the Kings were pushing him out the door. In any case, Thomas and the Suns did the Kings a favor, perhaps to ensure that Sacramento wouldn’t match Phoenix’s offer for the restricted free agent, when they agreed to make it a sign-and-trade rather than a straight signing. That allowed the Kings to come away with a trade exception worth nearly $7.239MM, one of the largest still-valid exceptions in the league. It’s far too valuable for the Kings to let it go unused, particularly given D’Alessandro’s propensity for trades, even if he’s holding off on any moves for the time being.

The Kings committed nearly their entire $5.305MM exception to Collison’s starting salary for this year, wisely leaving a sliver just large enough to tack a third year onto Eric Moreland‘s contract for the rookie minimum, thus giving Sacramento greater power to retain Moreland. The outlay for Collison, coupled with the Gay opt-in, nonetheless left the Kings in a salary crunch that would influence much of the rest of their offseason.

Collison had spent 2013/14 making just $1.9MM while rehabilitating his value with the Clippers. He started 56 of the 66 games the Pacers played during the lockout-shortened 2011/12 season, helping the team to a 42-24 mark, but he lost his job to George Hill for the playoffs, and Indiana traded Collison the following summer to the Mavs. The former 21st overall pick cratered in his year in Dallas, where he watched 37-year-old Mike James start ahead of him by season’s end. So it was off to the Clippers last year, and the BDA Sports Management client proved his worth as a backup and injury replacement for Chris Paul, just as Collison had done as a rookie when he and Paul were teammates in New Orleans. Collison has been stuck between starting and the bench for much of his career, so the Kings have to hope that as the 27-year-old enters his prime, they’ll benefit from his best work.

Ultimately, Collison is paid like an upper-tier backup on the mid-level deal, so the price is right, and just low enough for the Kings to avoid crossing the luxury tax threshold. Giving Thomas the same deal he received from the Suns would have put the Kings in tax territory, though backloading that Thomas contract rather than frontloading it would have allowed the Kings to have paid him the same money while just barely ducking the tax line. Still, Sacramento wouldn’t have had the space available beneath the tax for Omri Casspi, as the Kings were able to scrape together just enough for a one-year offer for the minimum salary. Casspi is playing 18.6 minutes a night for the Kings with a new offensive game that relies much less on three-point shooting and more on scoring in the paint. His PER to 16.9, 3.8 points better than his previous career high.

The Kings afforded themselves the chance at more slightly more breathing room beneath the tax when they pulled off a trade that sent Quincy Acy and Travis Outlaw to the Knicks for Wayne Ellington and Jeremy Tyler. The exchange of salaries itself lessened Sacramento’s payroll by only about $196K, and Tyler’s non-guaranteed salary was $33K greater than Acy’s non-guaranteed pay, so the Kings gained slightly more flexibility in that regard, too. They also saved about $76K more when they used the stretch provision to waive Ellington instead of doing the same with Outlaw. Yet perhaps the most important benefit that the Knicks trade gave the Kings was the removal of the protection on the 2016 second-round pick that Sacramento later used to sweeten the pot in the trade that sent Jason Terry and his salary of more than $5.85MM to Houston. The Kings received only non-guaranteed salaries in that exchange and promptly waived them to pocket the savings.

D’Alessandro used some of that extra wiggle room beneath the tax line to ink Ramon Sessions and Ryan Hollins, strengthening the Kings’ bench. The addition of Sessions, to whom Sacramento committed its biannual exception, seems particularly key, since it gives the Kings a measure of insurance in case Collison fails to prove worthy of the starting job. Sessions, too, has floated between starting and reserve roles, but he played well down the stretch last season for the Bucks, and it wasn’t long ago that his 2012 trade deadline acquisition was to have given the Lakers the missing piece they lacked for another title run.

Still, the decision the Kings had to make with the eighth overall pick in this year’s draft was perhaps as important as any in front of the team this offseason, aside from what to do with Gay. Thus, it’s perplexing to have seen Sacramento use a lottery selection on a shooting guard for the second straight year. The Kings immediately pledged their support for Ben McLemore, last year’s pick, after seemingly drafting Nik Stauskas as his replacement this year and in spite of a draft-night report that indicated that Sacramento and the Celtics were in talks about a potential trade involving McLemore. The seventh overall pick from 2013 has proven the Kings wise to have hung onto him, as he’s shooting much better from just about every point on the floor than he did in his rookie season, according to Basketball-Reference. That appears to have come at the cost of playing time for Stauskas, who’s yet to find his shooting stroke amid just 13.1 minutes per night. Sacramento risks stunting his growth, lowering his trade value, or both if it can’t give him either more playing time or a new home.

The Kings are still a work in progress two offseasons into the Ranadive-D’Alessandro era. They secured Cousins, their superstar, last year on a long-term extension that’s already paying dividends as he continues to mature on and off the court. They acquired Gay, watched him become a top-flight complement to Cousins, and this year made sure that he, too, would be around for the long term. There are a few signs of hope elsewhere on the roster, one that nonetheless includes too many players who are either poor fits or not skilled enough to contribute significantly to a playoff-caliber team. Sacramento’s optimism appeared misplaced when the team entered the regular season with the intention of competing for a playoff spot in the rugged Western Conference, but more than a month in, the Kings are in the thick of the race for the eighth seed. There’s a long way to go in this season and an even longer road ahead in Sacramento’s journey to relevance in the title picture, but the Kings are making progress.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

Load More Posts