Lakers Waive Elias Harris
4:45pm: Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles confirms (via Twitter) that the Lakers’ decision to release Harris was financially motivated, and not a signal that another player will be added to the roster.
4:10pm: The Lakers have officially released Elias Harris, the team announced today (Twitter link). The move reduces L.A.’s roster count to 14 players, one below the regular-season maximum.
Harris, 24, went undrafted out of Gonzaga in June before joining the Lakers’ summer league squad and eventually signing a partially guaranteed deal with the team. The 6’8″ forward appeared briefly in a pair of games with the Lakers this season, and also recorded 18 points in his only D-League game for the Los Angeles D-Fenders. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent, assuming he clears waivers.
As for the Lakers, while the move opens up a roster spot, it’s not immediately clear if the team plans to add a replacement for Harris. 10-day contracts can’t be inked until the new year, but the club could sign a player to a non-guaranteed contract, which wouldn’t become guaranteed until January 10th.
If the Lakers don’t intend to fill that 15th spot, Harris’ release likely represents a money-saving move. The team was already on the hook for Harris’ partial guarantee worth $100K, but that amount would have begun to increase next week, had he remained on the roster.
Pacific Notes: Bryant, Morris Twins, Warriors
Chris Paul exited early from the Clippers’ Wednesday night game against New York, but Broderick Turner of the LA Times reports that Paul plans on playing and starting in Friday night’s divisional match up versus the Kings. Sacramento currently resides in the cellar of the Pacific Division, but the Kings are hoping that recently acquired Derrick Williams will help turn their fortunes around. Let’s take a look at a couple tidbits from the Pacific..
- Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News suggests the value Kobe Bryant brings to the Lakers goes beyond his production on the hardwood. Goodwill states that Bryant is the face of the Lakers in the same way that Michael Jordan was the face of the Bulls, and that his ability to draw fans to games is a valuable asset. Bryant signed a controversial two-year, $48.5MM extension on Monday.
- Markieff Morris and Marcus Morris are both seeing career highs in MPG and PER for the Suns this season, and their increased production is an important part of Phoenix’s solid start to the year. Paul Coro of AZCentral sports details how it was the advice of Bill Self that brought the duo together in Phoenix.
- The offseason departures of Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry have hurt the Warriors’ depth, and Marcus Thompson of the San Jose Mercury News writes that Toney Douglas and Marreese Speights have yet to prove they can sufficiently replace them. With Andre Iguodala sidelined indefinitely, Thompson suggests Stephen Curry is left as the team’s sole reliable playmaker.
L.A. Notes: MWP, Odom, Kobe, Farmar
The West Coast was the best coast last night, as the NBA’s Los Angeles and New York teams squared off in a pair of contests. The Clippers handled the Knicks even after Chris Paul left the game early with a hamstring strain, and the Lakers edged the Nets in spite of Jason Kidd‘s best efforts. Here’s more out of L.A.:
- After he was amnestied by the Lakers in July, Metta World Peace seriously considered signing with the Clippers, as he tells Arash Markazi of ESPN Los Angeles. “I was at the Clippers’ facility the whole summer, but I just felt like the biggest challenge in the world is New York City,” said the Knicks forward. World Peace went on to say that he hopes to see former teammate Lamar Odom return to the NBA, whether it’s with the Clips or another club.
- The man formerly known as Ron Artest also had some thoughts on Kobe Bryant‘s extension with the Lakers, telling Markazi that he thinks Kobe could have secured a larger salary from the team: “He could have gotten whatever he wanted. Whatever he would have asked for, he would have probably gotten. It’s good because it leaves them money to bring in another player, so it was very smart of them.”
- Jordan Farmar, who took a pay cut this summer to leave Turkey and return to the NBA on a minimum-salary deal, has been a great bargain for the Lakers so far, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles. Farmar is only on a one-year contract, so if he keeps playing this well, it may prove difficult for L.A. to keep him beyond this season.
Kobe Bryant Defends Contract Extension
Many of the early reactions to Kobe Bryant‘s two-year, $48.5MM extension suggested that the contract could cripple the Lakers’ ability to construct a contending roster around him, and questioned whether he took a significant enough pay cut. After hearing much of that criticism, Kobe shot back last night in a series of tweets and in a conversation with Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, defending his deal.
“Most of us have aspirations for being businessmen when our playing careers are over,” Bryant told Wojnarowski. “But that starts now. You have to be able to wear both hats. You can’t sit up there and say, ‘Well, I’m going to take substantially less because there’s public pressure,’ because all of a sudden, if you don’t take less, you don’t give a crap about winning. That’s total bull—-.”
On Twitter, Kobe pointed out that it was the “billionaire owners” who pushed hard during the 2011 lockout to create a new CBA that restricted the earning power of superstars, creating public pressure for players to be “selfless.” In Bryant’s view, he’s fortunate to play for an organization that still finds a way to take care of its stars.
“Most players in this league don’t have that,” Bryant said. “They get stuck in a predicament – probably intentionally done by the teams – to force them to take less money. Meanwhile, the value of the organization goes through the roof off the backs of their quote, unquote selfless players. It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”
Kobe has a point, and the fact that he remains perhaps the most marketable player in the NBA supports his argument — as many observers have noted this week, even if he’s no longer worth $24MM+ based on talent alone, his value to the Lakers organization extends far beyond his on-court play. He certainly shouldn’t be obligated to negotiate a deal worth less than what the team offered. However, it’s also fair to wonder if spending $24MM+ per year on a 36-year-old coming off an Achilles injury is the best use of the Lakers’ cap space, no matter how those cap rules came to be.
Odds & Ends: Kobe, Bulls, Heat, Wizards
Kobe Bryant says he gave no thought to leaving the Lakers in free agency, and defended himself against criticism that his extension will hurt the team, as USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt observes. Most Hoops Rumors readers agree, believing the Lakers will sign another max free agent in either 2014 or 2015. Here’s more from the Association:
- The Bulls seem likely to get a disabled player exception after Derrick Rose‘s injury, but that doesn’t mean they’ll use it, as Salary Cap FAQ author Larry Coon explains (Twitter links).
- There’s no sign of any rift between LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and as the Cavs and others lurk in free agency, LeBron seems as much a part of the Heat as ever, writes Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald.
- Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld says he has no plans to make a roster move in the next two weeks while Bradley Beal recovers from a stress injury in his right leg, observes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Beal will miss at least that amount of time.
- Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report hears from a source that new Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger is getting “considerable direction” from the team’s ownership and front office. “They’re suggesting lineups,” said the source. “Aggressively.”
- In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Jeff Goodman makes the case for why Oklahoma State point guard Marcus Smart could receive some consideration as the first overall pick next June.
- Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports catches up with Josh Howard, who is playing with the D-League’s Austin Toros as he attempts to make his way back to the NBA.
- FIBA approved moving the 2018 basketball World Cup to 2019, as Lefteris Moutis of Eurohoops.net writes. Qualification will take place while most pro leagues are in session, a move that probably isn’t popular with the NBA.
- Mike Woodson made it clear to reporters today that the perception he doesn’t like Iman Shumpert is off base, as Frank Isola of the New York Daily News tweets.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
California Rumors: Kobe, Odom, Kings
The Kings are the only California-based team beneath .500, and after completing their trade with the Timberwolves today, they’re still trying to make moves and improve. Here’s more on them and a couple of their in-state rivals:
- Kobe Bryant says his two-year extension will “probably” be his final contract, as Bill Oram of the Orange County Register notes via Twitter. Bryant had been leaning toward retirement after the 2013/14 season before tearing his Achilles last spring, but admits that the injury pushed him to extend his career, Oram writes in a subscription-only piece.
- Clippers coach Doc Rivers says he’ll stay in touch with Lamar Odom, and the two could sit down for a meeting later this week, tweets Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. A source tells HoopsWorld’s Alex Kennedy that Odom has been “extremely positive” about his recent workouts and expects to sign soon.
- Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro tells Kennedy, for the same piece, that he sees newly acquired forward Derrick Williams as a “matchup problem” for other teams and is confident a fresh start can help the former No. 2 overall pick reach his potential.
Poll: Will Lakers Add A Max Free Agent?
Since Kobe Bryant signed a two-year extension with the Lakers yesterday, reactions have poured in, with many observers questioning whether the team will be able to build a championship-caliber roster around Kobe’s massive salary. GM Mitch Kupchak believes L.A. still has enough flexibility to put together a contender (Twitter link via Howard Beck of Bleacher Report), and Kobe’s deal still leaves the club with room for another max-salary free agent in 2014.
However, having the room to add a free agent doesn’t necessarily ensure one will sign in L.A. LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony are frequently cited as the team’s two likeliest targets, but LeBron currently looks like a long shot to leave Miami, and Carmelo would probably have to turn down more years and money from New York if he chose the Lakers.
Outside of those two stars, there are several other players who could be free agents in 2014, and could receive a salary at or near the max: Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Luol Deng, Rudy Gay, Eric Bledsoe, Greg Monroe, and Gordon Hayward are among them. But none of those players are assured of max deals, and many will be restricted free agents, meaning their current teams could match any offer sheets from the Lakers.
As Kevin Pelton observed today in an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, there may be better fits for the Lakers on the market in the summer of 2015. Kevin Love is expected to hit free agency at that point, and players like Brook Lopez and Rajon Rondo could be available as well. The Lakers won’t have the flexibility to add a max free agent in 2014 and another one in 2015, but if they hang on to their cap space for an extra year, they could make a big splash in ’15.
What do you think? Will the Lakers land a max free agent in 2014 or 2015? Or will they make do with several smaller, complementary pieces around Kobe until his new deal expires?
Will the Lakers add a max free agent?
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Yes, in 2014. 42% (346)
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Yes, in 2015. 30% (250)
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No, not before Kobe's contract expires in 2016. 28% (228)
Total votes: 824
Lakers Notes: Kobe, Nash, Gasol
On a day when Derrick Rose was ruled out for a second straight season and the Timberwolves agreed to trade 2011’s second overall pick to Sacramento, Kobe Bryant dominated NBA headlines. The Lakers star signed a two-year extension with the team worth $48MM+, ensuring that he’ll remain under contract through 2016. We passed along several reactions to the agreement last night, but updates continue to trickle in, so today’s round of Lakers notes focuses heavily on Kobe’s new deal. Let’s dive in….
- Bryant tells Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports that he and the Lakers didn’t really negotiate his extension. According to Bryant, the team proposed a deal and he “simply agreed to the offer.”
- Lakers executive vice president Jim Buss told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles that the Buss family felt like the extension was the “right thing to do.”
- Buss on the deal: “This wasn’t something I decided to do; this wasn’t something [general manager] Mitch Kupchak decided to do. This was a Buss family decision…. We made him the highest-paid player in the NBA because we felt like it was the right thing to do. This wasn’t about what somebody else would pay him or outbidding anyone for him.”
- It’s possible the Lakers will waive Steve Nash using the stretch provision next summer. But that would likely only happen if that extra $6MM+ in cap space would be the difference between the team signing or not signing a top target, says Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. Stretching Nash’s cap hit would give L.A. less flexibility in 2015 and 2016, which could discourage the club from going that route.
- Asked today if he’ll be the next Laker to sign an extension, Pau Gasol replied that he hasn’t talked to the team about it, and is keeping his focus on the court for now (Twitter links via Dave McMenamin of ESPNLA and Mike Bresnahan of the L.A. Times). Kupchak later confirmed that the team isn’t currently planning on an in-season extension for Pau (Twitter link via Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News).
- In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Kevin Pelton presents a few best-case scenarios for the Lakers in the wake of Kobe’s extension.
Odds & Ends: Rose, Williams, Kobe, Melo, Dirk
It’s deja vu for the Bulls as they’ll be without Derrick Rose for a while. The question now is whether they should keep this gang together in hopes of putting it all together late in the season upon Rose’s return, or cut bait and begin repurposing, writes Zach Lowe of Grantland. Breaking the team up could also have the added benefit of lightening this season’s tax bill in the process. Here’s more from around the Association..
- The Nets were linked to Derrick Williams before he was shipped to the Kings earlier tonight, but team sources tell Fred Kerber of the New York Post (on Twitter) that they weren’t among the interested clubs.
- Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com looks at how Kobe Bryant‘s new deal affects Knicks star Carmelo Anthony. Melo will hit the open market after the 2013/14 season and Los Angeles has been linked to him for quite some time. The question now is, will Anthony still be attracted to L.A. now that they likely would have to fill out the roster with minimum salary retreads.
- Meanwhile, Brad Townsend of the Dallas News wonders what an extension for Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki might look like in the wake of Kobe’s new deal.
- Heat veteran Rashard Lewis gave serious thought to retiring, but he’s very happy with his choice to continue, writes Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Lewis thought he was finished, but he now finds himself as a significant contributor in Miami.
Reactions To Kobe Bryant’s Extension
There are some trades and contracts that require black-and-white analysis, but Kobe Bryant‘s two-year, $48MM contract extension is not really one of those deals, writes Zach Lowe of Grantland. It’s a most unusual situation – Bryant is dealing with a level of health uncertainty he’s never faced before and he’ll be the highest-paid player in the league despite being nowhere near the best player in the league last season. Now, the Lakers’ dream of luring in two max-level stars is finished and they’ll be paper thin if they use their remaining cash on a max deal. Here’s more on Kobe and his new deal..
- Larry Coon of CBA FAQ says that if the Lakers follow through with their 2014 plan, keeping Pau Gasol will require him to take a steep discount. If they really go bare bones, they can create enough room for one max player, a player around the mid-level exception, and someone for the room mid-level exception of ~$2.7MM. This means letting free agents Gasol, Steve Blake, Jordan Farmar, Xavier Henry, Jordan Hill, Chris Kaman, and Jodie Meeks walk.
- Kobe is worth the $48MM deal and then some, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com says. A lot of that money amounts to a lifetime achievement award, but the idea of chasing a title with Bryant will be a major selling point for whoever they try and lure to L.A.
- The lucrative extension happened partially because of loyalty and was partially a risk on the Lakers’ part, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com. The deal means that Kobe now has the opportunity to go out as the highest paid player in the game and assures that he will play with only one franchise for his entire career, something that Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Shaquille O’Neal could not do.
- The deal could cripple the Lakers’ chances of retooling the roster via the free-agent market, writes Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times.
- Kobe took less than the max, but Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times wonders if he gave back enough cash.
- The Lakers are acting with heart and not logic in their new Kobe contract, writes Sports Illustrated’s Lee Jenkins.