Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

LeBron James To Opt Out, Hit Free Agency

June 24th, 2014 at 8:27am CST by Chuck Myron

LeBron James will opt out of his contract and become a free agent next month, agent Rich Paul has told the Heat, according to Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter link). That means he’ll exercise his early termination option to get out of his contract that called for him to make $20.59MM next season and another $22.1125MM in 2015/16. It also opens the possibility that the four-time MVP will change teams and invites suitors to make pitches beginning a week from today.

The chances that he’d opt out appeared better than that he’d opt in, but while James reportedly has some hard feelings about what he perceives as Miami owner Micky Arison’s spending cutbacks this past season, most reports suggest that the Heat will likely retain him. That’s not a given, as the Rockets, Clippers, Cavs and others line up bids for the player in the top spot of the Hoops Rumors Free Agent Power Rankings, but the decision from James is far from a death knell for his tenure in Miami.

The opt-out decision keeps the alive the notion that James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh could all re-sign at discounts to allow the Heat to court Carmelo Anthony, or perhaps Kyle Lowry or another top-tier free agent. James is determined to push the Heat to spend money and improve their roster, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Still, Miami’s abillity to do so will have much to do with whether Wade, Bosh and Udonis Haslem follow suit and opt out of their deals, as well as just how much of a discount that trio plus James are willing to take, as I explained when I looked at the offseason ahead for the Heat.

Just how much James can make on his next deal will depend on where the NBA sets the maximum salary for a player of his experience following the July moratorium, as our Luke Adams examined before the season. While it seems likely that he’d be limited to an amount that’s slightly less what he’d have made if he’d exercised his option, it appears as though James is prioritizing the chance to win over gathering every last dollar available. If that’s so, it mitigates the advantage the Heat have to offer a contract with higher raises than other teams can offer. Miami can also offer a fifth year, while other clubs are limited to four.

And-Ones: Pistons, Draft, LeBron

June 22nd, 2014 at 12:47pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Stan Van Gundy doesn’t necessarily view the Pistons lack of a first round pick as a negative, writes David Mayo of MLive. Van Gundy believes that the cap room that would have gone to a first-rounder can be used to acquire useful veterans, notes Mayo. Van Gundy wants to find what he termed, “winning players.” Van Gundy expanded on that saying, “I’ve had the good fortune to be around a lot of them, and they’re not winning players because they’re the most talented guys. I had Udonis Haslem in Miami and he’s still helping teams win championships. He’s a good player but he’s not the most talented guy in the world. I had a lot of those guys in Orlando — Rashard Lewis, Jameer Nelson, J.J. Redick — who help you win a lot of games, and they’re very good, but they’re not the most talented guys. But they’re winning guys.”

Contract Details: Knicks, Pelicans, Heat, Bulls

June 21st, 2014 at 7:43pm CST by Chuck Myron

August 1st will be a key date for many teams and players in the NBA, as Mark Deeks of ShamSports details in the latest update to his salary database. Knicks guard Shannon Brown and Melvin Ely of the Pelicans have their minimum-salary contracts fully guaranteed if their respective teams don’t waive them by the end of that day, Deeks reports. It’s also the day when Justin Hamilton of the Heat earns a partial guarantee of $408,241 and Bulls big man Lou Amundson has his deal partially guaranteed for $300K if they’re not waived, according to Deeks. The salary data guru has a few more revelations, as we note below:

Hamilton’s partial guarantee increases to $612,362 should the Heat elect not to waive by the end of December 1st.
Lamar Odom‘s deal becomes fully guaranteed if he remains on the Knicks roster past September 10th.
The Knicks have another deadline to consider on September 15th, the final day they can waive Jeremy Tyler without owing him a $100K partial guarantee.
Jorge Gutierrez receives a $25K partial guarantee if he sticks with the Nets past September 26th.
Jarvis Varnado‘s deal with the Sixers is already partially guaranteed for $75K.

Florida Notes: LeBron, Rockets, Magic, Draft

June 21st, 2014 at 4:57pm CST by Charlie Adams

Rumor has it that the Rockets might make a run at LeBron James this offseason, but Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel suggests that Dwight Howard‘s relaxed demeanor and reputation as a locker room jokester might end up deterring the Heat superstar from signing with Houston. Here’s the latest from the Sunshine State:

The only spot that makes sense for LeBron is Miami, surmises Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald. McGraw doesn’t think the Heat’s loss in the finals will give LBJ enough of a reason to opt out of his contract and leave.
Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel takes a look at the reasons it might be smart for the Magic to trade Arron Afflalo sooner rather than later. Victor Oladipo would stand to benefit, since in Afflalo’s absence, he could play more shooting guard, his natural position.
The Magic hold the fourth pick in this Thursday’s draft, and Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders takes a look at what prospects Orlando should consider taking. The Magic’s most pressing need is at the point guard position, opines Taylor.

Rockets Set To Trade Lin, Asik

June 21st, 2014 at 12:11pm CST by Cray Allred

The Rockets have deals in place to move the contracts of both Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. Houston would need to move both deals to make room for either Carmelo Anthony or LeBron James, but they are waiting to part with Lin and Asik until they are sure they could land either superstar this summer. Presumably, a deal for either would bring back limited returns thanks to the bloated payout due each player for the 2014/15 season. If Houston were to part with the burdensome, but productive players only to strike out in free agency, it would weaken their team heading into next season.

‘Melo is increasingly expected to opt out and change teams, but his decision to leave the Knicks is still weighing on him, writes Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal. The Rockets are considered a front-runner to land ‘Melo if he opts out as expected, and the Bulls are their steepest competition. Chicago has been zeroing in on the All-Star since February, making a host of moves to clear the necessary cap space to sign him, per Herring. James appears more likely to remain with his home team in Miami, but should he leave the Heat, both the Bulls and Rockets are preparing to pursue him as well.

The Rockets snagged Lin and Asik away from Chicago and New York before the 2012/13 season with identical contracts that include a balloon payment exceeding the cap hit in the final year, which is the approaching 2014/15 season. Ironically, the deals that pried the pair away from their respective teams in 2012 are now putting Houston at a disadvantage against the same teams in acquiring Anthony.

Western Notes: LeBron, Gentry, Honeycutt

June 20th, 2014 at 10:28pm CST by Eddie Scarito

If LeBron James opts out of his contract with the Heat, the Rockets will have as an enticing a situation to offer him as any team in the league, writes Howard Beck of Bleacher Report. Beck lays out what options Houston has to fit James’ salary in, plus notes the team views Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh as secondary options if they fail to land James, provided Bosh and Anthony also exercise their ETO’s.

Eastern Notes: Sixers, Draft, Heat, Hairston

June 20th, 2014 at 8:12pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders reports (Twitter link) that the Lakers and the Sixers are discussing a deal that would send the seventh-overall pick to Philly, but it wasn’t known what the Lakers would receive in return. The Sixers most desirable player assets are Thaddeus Young and Michael Carter-Williams. Trading Carter-Williams would open the door for Philadelphia to grab Dante Exum with the third pick, but that’s pure speculation on my part.

Offseason Outlook: Miami Heat

June 20th, 2014 at 10:00am CST by Chuck Myron

Guaranteed Contracts

Norris Cole ($2,038,206)

Options

LeBron James ($20,590,000, Early Termination)*
Chris Bosh ($20,590,000, Early Termination)**
Dwyane Wade ($20,164,000, Early Termination)***
Udonis Haslem ($4,620,000, Player)****
Chris Andersen ($1,448,490, Player)*****

Non-Guaranteed Contracts

Justin Hamilton ($816,482)

Free Agents / Cap Holds

Mario Chalmers ($7,600,000)
Shane Battier ($6,213,000)
Ray Allen ($4,197,765)
James Jones ($2,850,000)
Toney Douglas ($1,920,000)
No. 26 pick ($958,100)
Michael Beasley ($915,243)
Rashard Lewis ($915,243)
Greg Oden ($915,243)
(Juwan Howard $915,243)******

Draft Picks

1st Round (26th overall)
2nd Round (55th overall)

Cap Outlook

Guaranteed Salary: $2,038,206
Options: $67,412,490
Non-Guaranteed Salary: $816,482
Cap Holds: $27,399,837
Total: $97,667,015

It’s an easy assumption that what LeBron James decides to do regarding free agency this summer will serve as the prime mover for all other matters pertaining to the Heat, and for a fair number of issues around the league, too. Still, at least in Miami’s case, others hold considerable sway that could significantly change the equation. Whatever willingness James has to take a discount on his next contract wouldn’t mean nearly as much if either Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade or both decide to opt in for next season or insist on new deals at market value. Udonis Haslem can also throw a hefty wrench into Miami’s ability to make a noteworthy upgrade if he opts in. The Heat would end up with nearly $47.5MM in commitments to four players if Wade, Bosh and Haslem all opt in. With another roughly $4MM in roster charges thrown in, James would have to sign a new contract for a starting salary of less than $11.7MM just to give the Heat any space at all under the projected $63.2MM cap. James would realistically have to sign for close to the minimum for the Heat to ink a free agent for much more than the mid-level in that scenario, so suffice it to say that James doesn’t necessarily hold all the cards here.

He nonetheless has as much sway as anyone does, and the Heat won’t know how to approach their summer until he picks where he’ll be spending next winter, and how well he’ll want to be compensated for doing so. The most lucrative path for James would probably involve opting in for next season, unless the maximum salary for a player of his experience jumps by about $1.5MM or more following the July moratorium. That route would also give him plenty of flexibility, since he has another option on his contract after next season before the deal finally runs out in 2016. Still, LeBron might believe that giving agent Rich Paul the chance to talk with other teams and watch how they contort their rosters to build enticing championship contenders is worth the sacrifice. The Heat will get the first crack to make their pitch, regardless of whether he opts out, and when it comes to finding ways to create attractive rosters, none are better at it than Heat president Pat Riley.

Riley left the door open just a crack to a pursuit of Carmelo Anthony in his comments Thursday, but mostly he acknowledged just what a long shot it would be to convince ‘Melo to come to South Beach. The path to Kyle Lowry, who reportedly has some level of interest in joining the Heat, is somewhat easier to navigate. He’s unlikely to command the max, with Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports having suggested earlier this season that he’s in line for a deal worth $11MM a year. Such a contract would still require sacrifice on the part of Miami’s incumbent stars, but unlike with ‘Melo, who’s in line for about twice as much, it would represent market price, or close to it, for Lowry. Still, the Raptors seem poised to put up a fight, and Lowry has expressed plenty of affection for Toronto, which has Lowry’s Bird rights and thus the ammunition to mount a bidding war against the Heat. It would pit Riley, the resolve of Miami’s stars to cut deep into their earnings, Raptors GM Masai Ujiri‘s willingness to spend on a potential one-hit wonder, and Lowry’s preferences in a four-way tug-of-war. It’s unlikely it would result in Lowry moving to Miami, but it would be foolish to place a bet on just about any scenario involving the Heat’s offseason.

The Heat were reportedly enamored with Lowry long before Mario Chalmers went into his postseason funk. Chalmers is hitting free agency at a poor time for his earning potential, though I suspect most front offices will give more weight to his career high PER in 2013/14 than to his Game 5 benching. The Sam Goldfeder client also faces a buyer’s market for point guards, and the Heat will probably ask him to take a discount if he’s to stay in Miami. Still, if Riley is to be believed, owner Micky Arison isn’t worried about the tax, so if that’s true, I’d expect Miami to bid whatever’s necessary to bring him back if the Heat don’t end up with Lowry or another upgrade at point guard. Norris Cole is probably ready to take the reigns as the starting point guard, but there’s high risk in experimenting like that when the goal is to win immediately.

Chris Andersen, who’s set to opt out, will become another key free agent outside of the big three for Miami. The Mavs have already been identified as a suitor, and the Birdman will no doubt be able to command a raise on his minimum salary after his most productive season since his heyday in Denver. Still, he took less to stay with the Heat last summer, and even his decision to opt out could be construed as a favor to Miami, since it lowers his cap hold. There’s reason for the client of Mark Bryant to look to cash in on the market, since he’ll turn 36 next month, but it seems like he feels a sense of loyalty to the organization that took a chance on him and allowed him to resurrect his career after the Nuggets amnestied him in 2012.

Andersen typifies many of the Heat supporting cast, which is stocked with players well beyond their 30th birthdays. Riley spoke Thursday of a desire to infuse some youth onto the team, so I wouldn’t be surprised if long-tenured Heat reserve swingman James Jones cedes his roster spot to 2013 second-round pick James Ennis, whom Riley mentioned by name. Shane Battier has retired, so his role will also need to be filled, and perhaps the Heat will look for a player who has many of Battier’s skills with the No. 26 pick. Cleanthony Early would make sense if the Heat go this route.

Rashard Lewis took over the Battier role in the playoffs, moving into the starting lineup and making his most significant contributions in two years with the Heat. Still, it probably wasn’t enough to convince another team to pay him more than the minimum salary as he stares down his 35th birthday this summer, and he seems well-position to return to the Heat and see if he can pick up where he left off as the starting power forward.

Just about every available free agent is in play in some regard for Miami as the team looks to make external upgrades around its core. The same would be true even if James bolts, since Miami, with its warm weather, no state income tax, and the inimitable Riley, is a perennially attractive team, regardless of the presence of the four-time MVP. I’d imagine the Heat would go hard after Anthony and many other top free agents if one or more of its existing stars decide not to come back, and Riley probably wouldn’t have to work too hard to build another team capable of contending for the Eastern Conference title. Miami will survive with or without James. Yet even as the league’s preeminent star wields less of a hammer than it might seem, the best chance the Heat have of winning a title is with him, rather than against him. Doing whatever’s necessary to align with the top stars in pursuit of a championship was the guiding principle for LeBron when he chose to join the Heat four years ago, and the Heat will follow the same philosophy as they attempt to keep him.

Cap footnotes

* — If James opts out, his cap hold would be the greater of $20,020,875 or the maximum salary for a player with 10 or more years of experience. That maximum was $19,181,750 this past season, but it won’t be clear exactly what that figure will be for 2014/15 until the end of the July moratorium.
** — If Bosh opts out, his cap hold would be the greater of $20,020,875 or the maximum salary for a player with 10 or more years of experience. That maximum was $19,181,750 this past season, but it won’t be clear exactly what that figure will be for 2014/15 until the end of the July moratorium.
*** — If Wade opts out, his cap hold would be the greater of $19,606,650 or the maximum salary for a player with 10 or more years of experience. That maximum was $19,181,750 this past season, but it won’t be clear exactly what that figure will be for 2014/15 until the end of the July moratorium.
**** — Haslem’s cap hold would be $8,246,000 if he opts out.
***** — Andersen reportedly intends to opt out, and his cap hold would be $915,243 if he indeed does so.
****** — See our glossary entry on cap holds for an explanation of why Howard’s cap hold technically remains on the books for the Heat even though he’s now an assistant coach for the team and has retired from playing.

ShamSports and Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ were used in the creation of this post.

Kevin Love Rumors: Friday

June 20th, 2014 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

The draft is less than a week away, and while the event itself will be a game-changer for many teams, there’s a decent chance that the most noteworthy move Thursday night will involve six-year veteran Kevin Love. Here’s the latest as trade talk around the Wolves star grows ever louder:

The Warriors have pulled into the lead in the race for Love, sources tell Baxter Holmes of The Boston Globe, though no deal is imminent, and the Wolves are in no hurry to make a trade, Holmes also hears.
The Wolves have interest in Harrison Barnes as they discuss various scenarios with the Warriors, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com.
The Celtics have so far offered a package of Kelly Olynyk, picks Nos. 6 and 17 in this year’s draft, and a future first-round pick, according to Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. Boston is willing to discuss different combinations as it seeks to satisfy the demands of the Wolves, but so far Minnesota hasn’t engaged in “true back-and-forth negotiation” with the Celtics, Bulpett writes.
If the Celtics can’t land Love, they’ll likely shift gears into a longer rebuilding that would eventually see them trade Rajon Rondo, Bulpett says in the same piece. A source tells Bulpett that an opposing team is ready to trade for Jeff Green if the Celtics are willing to let him go.
Still, in an appearance Thursday on ESPN, Rondo, who like Love can become a free agent next year, said he wouldn’t be upset if the Celtics didn’t end up with the Minnesota power forward, as Holmes notes in his piece. “No. I can’t go to sleep every night wanting to try to play with Kevin Love,” Rondo said. “Right now I’ve got to go with what we have now in our locker room and coach [Brad] Stevens, so that’s what I’m focused on now.”
The Bulls remain more zeroed in on Carmelo Anthony than Love, Stein writes in his piece, and the same goes for Houston, as Stein examines in a separate article. The Rockets are also readying a pitch to LeBron James should he be willing to listen, Stein adds.

And-Ones: Cavs, LeBron, Monroe

June 19th, 2014 at 11:28pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert is open to hiring a “big-name team president” who would have authority over GM David Griffin, but the team has not been considering David Blatt for that role, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Cleveland will also explore trading Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson this summer, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio. Neither are on the trading block, but Amico adds that the Cavs are listening and evaluating their options.

Here’s are some more miscellaneous news and notes to pass along tonight:

One NBA team president said that Pat Riley appeared nervous when talking about keeping LeBron James during his media presser today, adding that more teams will now be in pursuit of the superstar forward (Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports via Twitter).
ESPN’s Chris Broussard says that the Cavs should have met with LeBron in free agency first before making a coaching hire, implying that David Blatt’s lack of NBA coaching experience doesn’t help their case of luring the Akron native back home (Twitter link).
According to Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press, Pistons coach/president Stan Van Gundy has been in consistent contact with restricted free agent forward Greg Monroe and Monroe’s agent, David Falk.
The Hawks, Pelicans, and Wizards are expected to be potential suitors for Monroe this summer, writes Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News. While Stan Van Gundy maintains that keeping Monroe is a “high priority,” he also appears prepared for other scenarios. “We have ideas on who might offer (Monroe) what…You weigh what’s out there because once you give him a qualifying offer, he can sign it or get an offer sheet. What level of an offer would we match? We’re prepared for that and doing due diligence for people who want to sign-and-trade for him.”
Tom Moore of Calkins Media (via Twitter) hears that a Southeast Division team offered the 76ers more in a trade package than the Pacers did for Evan Turner; that team didn’t hear back from Philadelphia GM Sam Hinkie before the trade deadline ended and Turner was eventually dealt to Indiana.
Le Mans of the Ligue Nationale de Basket has signed former NBA guard Rodrigue Beaubois, reports Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. The 6’2″ guard’s deal reportedly includes an opt-out clause that will allow him to sign with an NBA team before July 25.