Lakers Amnesty Metta World Peace
The Lakers have announced that they will use their amnesty provision on Metta World Peace, reports Dave McMenamin of ESPN LA (via Twitter). World Peace opted into his 2013/14 contact with the Lakers in late June, which was worth about $7.73MM, making this move all but inevitable. We heard earlier this week the move was likely to happen before July 16th, the deadline for NBA teams to utilize their amnesty provision.
The Lakers signed Nick Young earlier today, which ramped up speculation that World Peace would soon be amnestied. On Tuesday, we heard that World Peace is interested in joining the Knicks, Clippers, Nets, Bulls, Heat, Thunder, Spurs, and Pacers, in that order. Ian Begley of ESPN New York tweets that the Knicks will have interest. According to Ken Berger of CBS, teams with cap room can put in a waiver claim over the next 48 hours to pick up a portion of World Peace's salary, with the highest bid winning. If no team bids, he will become an unrestricted free agent and teams like the Knicks can sign him (Twitter links).
The move is just the latest in what has been a tumultuous offseason in Los Angeles. After the news broke, World Peace tweeted thanking Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak for calling him before he alerted the media. Kupchak released a statement regarding the move, tweeted by Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register:
"It's tough to say goodbye to a player such as Metta, who has been a significant part of our team the past four seasons. For anyone who’s had the opportunity to get to know him, it’s impossible not to love him. He has made many contributions to this organization, both in his community work as well as in our games; perhaps no more so than in his clutch play in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals in helping to lead us over the Celtics in one of the greatest playoff wins in Lakers history. We thank Metta for all his contributions and wish him the best of luck in the future."
Kobe Talks Rehab, Howard, Lakers, Future
Kobe Bryant isn't prepared to take a massive pay cut next summer, but doesn't think that his desire to negotiate the best deal possible will affect his return to the Lakers. Kobe tells Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com that he intends to wait until the dust settles on the Lakers' other offseason moves before broaching the subject of an extension, while Shelburne notes that the Lakers' plans to approach Kobe on the same topic had been tabled until he gets further along on his Achilles rehab.
In addition to talking to Shelburne, Bryant also participated in a Q&A with Melissa Rohlin of the Los Angeles Times. Here are a few of the highlights from that conversation:
On how his Achilles rehab is progressing:
"I'm far ahead, far ahead. Surprisingly so, but really ahead of schedule."
On whether he was disappointed that Dwight Howard didn't re-sign with the Lakers:
"No, I was pretty dead center. It's his decision and whichever path he goes, I know this organization is going to figure out the best thing going forward. One way or the other, it just seems like this is one of the franchises that always lands on its feet. So whatever happens, is what was supposed to happen."
On observers who believe 2013/14 could be a wasted year for the Lakers:
"Maybe they're right, maybe they're wrong. We don't know. That's the beauty of competition. That's the beauty of trying to prove people wrong. Maybe they're right, maybe they aren't, but we're going to try and shut them up."
On how much longer he hopes to continue playing before retirement:
"I've always kind of said that it's nearing the end, and this is the last chapter, and it is. How many pages in that last chapter, I don't know. But it's definitely the last chapter. I've been rejuvenated somewhat by the injury and inspired by watching what San Antonio was able to accomplish this year, so I'm ready to go for at least another three."
On what the Lakers need to do to return to championship contention:
"I think just adding the right pieces. We got certain guys on the team that do things very well and we have certain holes [where] we're lacking that we need to shore up in terms of length and speed and shooting. If we can do that with a couple of guys, obviously Ryan Kelly is a big addition, if we can find a couple of guys who have length and speed, we'll be fine."
Chris Copeland Signs Pacers’ Offer Sheet
JULY 11TH, 10:22am: Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com tweets that Copeland officially signed his offer sheet with the Pacers yesterday. I assume that even though the Knicks can't legally match the offer, the three-day period still must expire before Copeland formally becomes a Pacer.
JULY 5TH, 9:05pm: The precise figure of Copeland's two year deal is close to $6.2MM, a source tells Shams Charania of RealGM.com, who also hears that no other team offered nearly as much as the Pacers (Twitter link).
7:27pm: The deal is fully guaranteed, Begley also tweets. Presumably, the Pacers are using a portion of their mid-level to get the deal done.
7:13pm: The deal is a two-year agreement worth $6MM, tweets Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com, so the Knicks can't match.
7:00pm: The Pacers and Chris Copeland are finalizing an agreement on a two-year deal, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Since he's a restricted free agent, the Knicks will have three days to match once the deal becomes final next week, following the end of the league's July Moratorium. However, since the Knicks only have about $1.75MM left on their mini mid-level exception after committing a portion of it to Pablo Prigioni, the Pacers have the ability to make Copeland an offer New York can't match.
There were several teams in play for the John Spencer client. Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com today added the Grizzlies to the list of suitors for Copeland, tweeting that the Lakers, Bucks, Jazz, and Pelicans all remained in the mix along with the Pacers. The Nuggets and Cavs were also among the teams involved, Spencer tells Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (Twitter link).
Pacific Notes: Kobe, Ellis, Kings, Boylan
Let's round up a few overnight links from out of the Pacific Division….
- Asked if he'd be willing to take a significant pay cut next season to help the Lakers create as much cap space as possible, Kobe Bryant wasn't overly enthusiastic about the idea, telling Serena Winters of Lakers Nation that he still intends to negotiate the best deal possible.
- Although the Kings talked to Monta Ellis, it never escalated to the point where the two sides were close on a deal, says Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee, pointing out that other roster moves would now be necessary to accommodate Ellis (all four Twitter links).
- Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee makes the case for why the Kings should avoid signing Ellis.
- The Lakers have been linked to Josh Powell, Sasha Vujacic and Lamar Odom, but Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register doesn't expect those ex-Lakers to follow Jordan Farmar back to the team (Twitter link).
- After their success with a late-summer signing of Matt Barnes in 2012, the Clippers are again taking a patient approach with the back end of their roster, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- Joe Boylan will join the Warriors coaching staff, as the team notes in a press release that also confirms the hiring of new assistant coach Brian Scalabrine.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Kobe’s Delay Of Retirement Irked Dwight Howard
Kobe Bryant appears more open to the idea of playing beyond next summer than he was before his Achilles injury, but his plans to stick around longer didn't sit well with Dwight Howard, according to Ramona Shelburne and Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Howard was having a difficult time envisioning himself as the star of the team with Bryant still present, sources tell Shelburne and Stein, and that appears to have persuaded the big man to sign with the Rockets instead of the Lakers.
Howard's camp apparently asked the Lakers if they were considering an amnesty of Bryant, a scenario that could have made it easier for the team to clear room for both Howard and Chris Paul. The Lakers weren't open to that idea, and they were also unwilling to make a coaching change to appease Howard, who asked the team to hire Phil Jackson during this past season.
The All-Star center and Dan Fegan client was also upset with the Lakers' marketing plan for him, as Stein and Shelburne write. Howard's closest confidant on the team was GM Mitch Kupchak, and he intended to meet with the executive to tell him in person on Friday that he had chosen to sign with the Rockets. With word out in the media that he had already picked Houston, Howard elected to simply call Kupchak instead.
Odds & Ends: Kings, Tolliver, Lakers, Ellis
After a bid to relocate the NBA's Kings failed, Seattle-based investors also reportedly explored the possibility of moving the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes to the city. Although the franchise appears to be staying put in Phoenix, Seattle wasn't the only city interested in relocating it. According to Dwight Jaynes of CSNNW.com, Paul Allen and the Trail Blazers were also interested in buying the Coyotes and moving the team to Portland's Rose Garden.
Here are more odds and ends from around the NBA on a very busy Wednesday:
- The Kings have named high-ranking NBA executive Chris Granger as their new team president, according to Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee. Granger, who had been the executive VP of team marketing and business operations for the NBA, will oversee the team's role in the development of a new downtown sports arena and its business operations, says Lillis. It doesn't sound like Granger will be involved much, if at all, in the Kings' basketball operations.
- Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports (via Twitter) that Anthony Tolliver is in talks with five teams, including the Hawks, and hopes to make a decision soon.
- The Lakers have had conversations with Josh Powell's representative, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com. McMenamin adds in a second tweet that the team has also spoken to a couple more former Lakers: Sasha Vujacic and Lamar Odom.
- As Monta Ellis continues to seek a free agent deal, there doesn't appear to be a clear favorite to sign him, writes Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. News broke today that Ellis has parted ways with his longtime agent.
- Elton Brand and Brandan Wright are still talking to the Mavericks about a potential return, but Rodrigue Beaubois is almost certainly headed elsewhere, as GM Donnie Nelson told reporters today, including Bryan Gutierrez of ESPNDallas.com.
- Before he agreed to sign with the Bobcats, Al Jefferson received interest from the Mavericks and Pelicans, tweets Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
2012/13 Taxpaying Teams
As teams get their books in order for the 2013/14 season, navigating the salary cap and the luxury tax threshold, Marc Stein of ESPN.com takes a look back at the league's 2012/13 finances. Stein shares the official list of teams that paid the luxury tax in 2011/12, along with the amount each club paid. The list is as follows:
- Los Angeles Lakers: $29,259,739
- Miami Heat: $13,346,242
- Brooklyn Nets: $12,883,647
- New York Knicks: $9,962,406
- Chicago Bulls: $3,932,336
- Boston Celtics: $1,181,640
The more punitive luxury-tax penalties introduced in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement are kicking in for the 2013/14 season, so the tax penalties for the aforementioned six teams come by way of the old system — teams are penalized $1 for every dollar they spend over the tax line. In 2012/13, that tax line was at $70,307,000, so the Celtics, for instance, spent $71,488,640 on team salary, plus the additional $1,181,640 in taxes.
Although the increasing tax rates will take effect this coming season, the additional penalties for repeat taxpayers won't be in play until the 2014/15 season. Teams in the tax for four seasons in any five-year period will be subject to that tax, so it's worth noting that the Lakers, Heat, and Celtics were all taxpayers last season as well. With L.A. and Miami projected to be well into the tax again for '13/14, both teams will have to cut costs the following season if they hope to avoid the repeater tax.
With a total of $70,566,010 in tax payments due before the end of the month, 50% of that amount will be distributed equally to non-taxpayers, as Stein writes. That means that each of the 24 clubs not listed above will receive 1/24th of $35,283,005, which works out to $1,470,125 per team.
For a more thorough breakdown of how the tax will be assessed going forward, check out our glossary entry, and if you're interested in the complete history of tax payments by NBA teams, visit ShamSports.com, where Mark Deeks has updated his spreadsheets on the subject.
World Peace Interested In Knicks If Amnestied
3:49pm: After the Knicks, World Peace's list of preferred destinations if he's amnestied includes the Clippers, Nets, Bulls, Heat, Thunder, Spurs, and Pacers, in that order, reports Sam Amick of USA Today. As Amick notes, the list reads like a who's-who of title contenders, and sends a message to teams with cap space that MWP isn't interested in being claimed by a non-contender.
2:14pm: A report yesterday indicated that the Lakers are preparing to amnesty Metta World Peace, a move that can't be finalized until tomorrow at the earliest, as I explained this afternoon. While nothing is official yet, World Peace would be "upset" if the Lakers cut him, as longtime friend (and head of his foundation) Jose Morales tells Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com.
"If the Lakers do amnesty him, he might want to retire," Morales said. "If one of these small-market teams picks him up, he won't be happy with that. He doesn't want to play there."
Teams with cap space would have the first shot at World Peace if he were amnestied, since they'd have the ability to submit a waiver bid for him. Most clubs that still have room aren't legit contenders — the Cavaliers, Pistons, Mavericks, and Hawks are a few clubs that figure to have cap space during amnesty week.
With the threat of retirement looming, those teams may not want to risk claiming World Peace. If he were to go unclaimed, he'd become an unrestricted free agent, able to sign with any team besides the Lakers. Morales tells Zwerling that MWP would be interested in joining the Clippers, and that joining his hometown Knicks would also have strong appeal.
"If the Lakers amnesty him, he's going to have a point to prove that he can still be that player in New York," Morales said.
Odds & Ends: Assistants, SVG, Brewer, Lakers
As teams continue to finalize their coaching staffs for the 2013/14 season, a pair of clubs made official announcements today. The Kings have formally hired Dee Brown and Micah Nori, who spent the last four seasons as an assistant in Toronto, while the Raptors have made a hire of their own, announcing that Nick Nurse, coming off a D-League championship, will join Dwane Casey's staff.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the Association:
- Former Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida that it's "very possible" he won't return to an NBA bench for the 2014/15 season, adding that there's no guarantee he'll ever coach again. Tomasson's piece includes plenty of interesting tidbits and quotes from Van Gundy, including word that four teams contacted him in the spring about coaching vacancies.
- We passed along reports today indicating that the Timberwolves are eyeing Corey Brewer, and Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune adds another detail, writing that Minnesota is exploring its options for a potential sign-and-trade deal with the Nuggets.
- Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com hears that Raja Bell, Kenyon Martin, and Bobby Brown are among the free agents with interest in the Lakers, though it's not clear if that interest is mutual (Twitter link).
- In his latest mailbag, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel addresses whether or not it makes sense for the Heat to save their amnesty clause until next year.
- Before they decide whether or not to use their amnesty provision this year, the Raptors will wait to see exactly what the luxury tax threshold is, tweets Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun.
- Grantland's Zach Lowe takes an extended and interesting look at how the Pelicans' offseason moves will shape the team going forward.
2013 Amnesty Primer
Today is the last day of the July moratorium, which means NBA teams can officially resume full activity beginning tomorrow. In addition to signaling the end of the moratorium, July 10th also marks the first day that teams are eligible to amnesty players. This year's amnesty period will run from the 10th until the 16th — after that, teams that still haven't used their amnesty clause won't get another chance to do so until next July.
With amnesty week upon us, here's a refresher on how the process works, which teams still have the amnesty option available, and which players remain amnesty-eligible….
How does it work?
The amnesty provision provides a team an opportunity to clear a bad contract from its books for salary cap and luxury tax purposes. Although a team still has to pay the remainder of the amnestied player's salary, as it would for any released player, the player's salary no longer counts against the team's cap (except for minimum payroll purposes) when the amnesty clause is used. For instance, if and when the Lakers amnesty Metta World Peace, they'll still pay him his full $7,727,280 salary for 2013/14, but will remove that figure from the cap, significantly reducing the team's tax bill.
The amnesty provision can be used on any player, as long as the following rules are observed:
- A team can only amnesty one player — not one player per season.
- The amnesty provision can only be used on a player who signed his contract prior to July 1st, 2011. If a contract was signed, extended, or renegotiated after that date, the player cannot be amnestied.
- A team can only use its amnesty provision on a player who was on its roster on July 1st, 2011. If a player was traded after that date, he cannot be amnestied.
- The amnesty clause can only be used during the seven days following the July moratorium. If a team doesn't amnesty a player during that week, it won't get another chance to do so until the following July.
- A team that has yet to use its amnesty clause can do so in any of the next three years. The 2015/16 season is the last year in which a player can be amnestied under the current CBA.
Amnestied players are placed on waivers, but the waiver rules are slightly different than usual. An under-the-cap team can still place a full waiver claim on an amnestied player, if it doesn't mind being on the hook for the rest of the player's contract. However, clubs also have the option to submit partial waiver claims, in what essentially amounts to an auction for the player's services. If no team places a full claim, the team with the highest partial claim is awarded the player. If two teams bid the same amount, the club with the worse record wins out. If neither a full or partial claim is submitted, the player becomes an unrestricted free agent.
For a few more details on the amnesty process, check out our complete explanation in the Hoops Rumors glossary.
Which teams still have the amnesty provision available?
Exactly half of the NBA's 30 teams have used the amnesty provision in the last two offseasons, leaving 15 clubs with the option of amnesty still at their disposal. These are the teams still in play, per our amnesty provision tracker:
- Atlanta Hawks
- Boston Celtics
- Charlotte Bobcats
- Chicago Bulls
- Detroit Pistons
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Miami Heat
- Milwaukee Bucks
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Sacramento Kings
- San Antonio Spurs
- Toronto Raptors
- Utah Jazz
The Pelicans no longer have any amnesty-eligible players left on their roster, and reports have suggested the Bobcats will amnesty Tyrus Thomas, while the Lakers will amnesty World Peace. That would leave just 12 teams with the amnesty option available.
Which players are still eligible to be amnestied?
While there are 35 players still eligible to be amnestied, some are likelier candidates than others. I examined a few of this summer's potential amnesty candidates back in March, but here's the complete list of players that technically remain amnesty-eligible, along with the total money left on their deals:
- Atlanta Hawks: Al Horford ($36MM)
- Boston Celtics: Rajon Rondo ($24.86MM), Avery Bradley ($2.51MM)
- Charlotte Bobcats: Tyrus Thomas ($18.08MM)
- Chicago Bulls: Joakim Noah ($36.7MM), Carlos Boozer ($32.1MM), Luol Deng ($14.28MM)
- Detroit Pistons: Charlie Villanueva ($8.58MM), Greg Monroe ($4.09MM)
- Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant ($30.45MM), Pau Gasol ($19.29MM), Metta World Peace ($7.73MM), Steve Blake ($4MM)
- Memphis Grizzlies: Zach Randolph ($34.3MM), Mike Conley ($26.08MM)
- Miami Heat: LeBron James ($61.77MM), Chris Bosh ($61.77MM), Dwyane Wade ($60.49MM), Mike Miller ($12.8MM), Udonis Haslem ($8.96MM), Joel Anthony ($7.6MM)
- Milwaukee Bucks: Drew Gooden ($13.37MM), Larry Sanders ($3.05MM)
- New Orleans Pelicans: No players eligible
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Kevin Durant ($56.99MM), Kendrick Perkins ($18.63MM), Nick Collison ($4.83MM), Thabo Sefolosha ($3.9MM)
- Sacramento Kings: John Salmons ($14.58MM), DeMarcus Cousins ($4.92MM)
- San Antonio Spurs: Tony Parker ($25MM), Matt Bonner ($3.95MM)
- Toronto Raptors: Amir Johnson ($13.6MM), Linas Kleiza ($4.6MM)
- Utah Jazz: Derrick Favors ($6.01MM), Gordon Hayward ($3.45MM)