Ray Allen Has Spoken To Celtics, Bucks
Former All-Star shooting guard Ray Allen has had conversations with the Celtics and Bucks as he contemplates an NBA comeback at age 41, writes Dom Amore of The Hartford Courant. Both teams have a special significance for Allen, who won an NBA title with Boston in 2008 and broke into the league with Milwaukee in 1996.
“I would love going back to those places if it worked out,” Allen said, “because both teams are good, too. It doesn’t necessarily have to be championship-or-bust for me to go back to the NBA. I want to be in a situation where I thought I could help, play a little bit and help where they have good young talent.”
Allen hasn’t played in the league since 2013/14, when he appeared in 73 games for Miami, mostly as a reserve. He said he has started going through intense workouts to prepare him for NBA competition and has felt “great” afterward.
After winning titles with the Celtics and Heat, there has been speculation that Allen may want to join the defending champion Cavaliers or the runner-up Warriors to give himself the best shot at another ring. The Spurs and Clippers have also been mentioned as possible destinations, and Allen said Knicks’ super-fan Spike Lee has been texting him about coming to New York.
Allen made it clear that a return to the league is not definite and said he will make a decision by the time training camps open late next month. His choice will be based on finding the right franchise and the right role.
“My decision is predicated on what is available,” he said. “I said that I was interested because I never retired for a reason. I’ve been watching, seeing what teams have been doing and I’ve been waiting to see if the opportunity presented itself where I think I could fit.”
Free Agent Spending By Division: Central
Over the course of the last week, we’ve been breaking down 2016 NBA free agent spending by division, examining which teams – and divisions – were the most active this summer.
These divisional breakdowns won’t present a full picture of teams’ offseason spending. Some notable free agents, including LeBron James, remain unsigned, so there’s still money out there to be spent. Our lists also don’t include money spent on this year’s first- and second-round picks or draft-and-stash signings. There are a few free agent names missing in some instances as well, since those deals aren’t yet official or terms haven’t been reported.
Still, these closer looks at divisional spending should generally reveal how teams invested their money in free agency this summer, identifying which clubs went all-out and which ones played it safe.
With the help of our Free Agent Tracker and contract info from Basketball Insiders, we’ll focus today on the Central division. Our breakdowns of all five other divisions can be found linked at the bottom of this post.
Let’s dive in…
1. Detroit Pistons
- Total money committed: $207,171,313
- Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $207,171,313
- Largest expenditure: Andre Drummond (five years, $127,171,313)
- Other notable signings:
- Jon Leuer (four years, $41,000,000)
- Boban Marjanovic (three years, $21,000,000)
- Ish Smith (three years, $18,000,000)
- Notes:
- Ray McCallum’s deal is not included in these totals, since it’s a summer contract which won’t count toward the Pistons’ cap unless he makes the regular-season roster.
2. Milwaukee Bucks
- Total money committed: $119,530,000
- Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $119,530,000
- Largest expenditure: Miles Plumlee (four years, $49,600,000)
- Other notable signings:
- Matthew Dellavedova (four years, $38,430,000)
- Mirza Teletovic (three years, $31,500,000)
- Notes:
- Dellavedova’s contract was technically the result of a sign-and-trade deal by the Cavaliers, but we’re considering it a Milwaukee signing.
3. Chicago Bulls
- Total money committed: $78,532,117
- Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $65,215,696
- Largest expenditure: Dwyane Wade (two years, $47,000,000)
- Other notable signings:
- Rajon Rondo (two years, $27,397,000)
- Isaiah Canaan (two years, minimum salary)
- Notes:
- Rondo’s second-year salary of $13.397MM is partially guaranteed for $3MM.
4. Indiana Pacers
- Total money committed: $32,700,000
- Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $26,700,000
- Largest expenditure: Al Jefferson (three years, $30,000,000)
- Other notable signings:
- Aaron Brooks (one year, $2,700,000)
- Notes:
- Jefferson’s third-year salary of $10MM is partially guaranteed for $4MM.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers
- Total money committed: $9,573,362
- Guaranteed money committed (including player options): $6,960,862
- Largest expenditure: Richard Jefferson (three years, $7,612,500)
- Other notable signings:
- Chris Andersen (one year, minimum salary)
- James Jones (one year, minimum salary)
- Notes:
- Andersen and Jones will earn $1,551,659 apiece on their minimum-salary deals, but will only be paid $980,431 each by the Cavaliers, with the NBA on the hook for the rest.
- Jefferson’s third-year salary of $2,612,500 is fully non-guaranteed.
- DeAndre Liggins‘ deal has been officially signed, but exact terms of that contract haven’t been reported, so we haven’t included it in the Cavs’ totals for now.
- The Cavs have also yet to formally re-sign LeBron James, whose new contract will bump up the club’s free agent expenditures significantly. A new deal for J.R. Smith may also be on the horizon.
Previously:
WEST:
EAST:
Miles Plumlee Contract Details
- According to Bobby Marks of The Vertical, Miles Plumlee‘s new four-year deal with the Bucks has an annual $12.4MM cap hit, making it worth $49.6MM in total. Plumlee’s contract can max out at $52MM, so it features about $600K in unlikely incentives annually.
Bucks Re-Sign Miles Plumlee
AUGUST 2nd, 4:44pm: The signing is official, the team announced. “Miles is an athletic big man that gives us added depth on the frontline,” GM John Hammond said. “He does a really good job as a finisher around the basket and also as a rim protector on the defensive end. We’re very happy to have him back with the Bucks.”
JULY 18th, 11:11am: The Bucks have agreed to terms with restricted free agent Miles Plumlee on a four-year deal that will pay him $50MM+, according to multiple reports. Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who first broke word of the agreement, tweets that it’s worth $50MM, while ESPN’s Marc Stein says (via Twitter) it’s worth $52MM. Michael Scotto of The Associated Press adds (via Twitter) that there are no options, and all four years are guaranteed.
Plumlee, who turns 28 in September, has played for three teams since entering the NBA in 2012. After playing for Indiana in his rookie season, Plumlee was sent to Phoenix as part of a trade package for Luis Scola. He was later moved to the Bucks in the three-way trade at the 2015 deadline that saw Brandon Knight land in Phoenix and Michael Carter-Williams join Plumlee in Milwaukee.
After averaging nearly 20 minutes per game in Phoenix, Plumlee saw his role reduced in Milwaukee. In his first full season with the Bucks this past year, he played 14.3 minutes per contest, averaging 5.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 0.8 BPG. Those numbers are modest, but the Bucks apparently liked what they saw enough to make him a restricted free agent, then to commit big money to him on a four-year deal.
[RELATED: Milwaukee Bucks depth chart at RosterResource.com]
With Plumlee locked up, the Bucks are now on the hook for more than $40MM combined to him, John Henson, and Greg Monroe for the 2016/17 season. Even with a Giannis Antetokounmpo extension potentially coming this fall, or next summer, the Bucks have the financial flexibility to afford all three deals — Henson’s salary declines annually, and Greg Monroe can opt out of his contract in 2017.
Still, we’ve heard throughout the summer that the Bucks have been exploring the trade market in an attempt to find a viable deal for Monroe. With Henson and Plumlee now locked up through the 2019/20 season, it seems even more clear that Monroe isn’t a part of the team’s long-term plans.
As our Free Agent Tracker shows, Plumlee is the 26th free agent this summer to land a new contract with a total value of at least $50MM.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Malcolm Brogdon Contract Details
- Second-round pick Malcolm Brogdon received a three-year deal with the Bucks that will be worth more than the minimum for the first two years. Those first two years are also fully guaranteed, per Pincus, who suggests that the total three-year value is just below $3MM.
Bucks To Sign Thon Maker, Malcolm Brogdon
The Bucks plan to sign first-round pick Thon Maker and second-rounder Malcolm Brogdon today, tweets The Vertical’s Shams Charania.
Maker, the 10th pick in last month’s draft, will receive a four-year rookie contract, according to Charania. He reportedly impressed Bucks officials during the Las Vegas Summer League with his speed, effort and defensive prowess.
The Sudanese native was a surprise selection at the 10th spot, considering his lack of experience against top-notch competition. Maker, 19, spent last season at Orangeville District Secondary School in Ontario, Canada. He also played for two high schools in Louisiana and one in Virginia. His draft eligibility had been in dispute, but the NBA ruled that he graduated from high school in June of 2015.
Brogdon, a 6’5″ shooting guard out of Virginia, will receive a three-year deal. He was the highest second-round pick still left unsigned. Brogden averaged 18.2 points and shot better than 39% from 3-point range in his senior season with the Cavaliers.
And-Ones: NBPA, Monroe, Murray
On Wednesday, the NBPA announced in an unprecedented move, that it will now fund health insurance for all retired players who accrued three or more years of service time in the NBA (h/t RealGM). This program will be the first of its kind among North American professional sports, the release noted. “The game has never been more popular, and all the players in our league today recognize that we’re only in this position because of the hard work and dedication of the men who came before us,” said Chris Paul. “It’s important that we take care of our entire extended NBA family, and I’m proud of my fellow players for taking this unprecedented step to ensure the health and well-being of our predecessors.”
Here’s more from around the league:
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The Bucks are still looking to find a taker for Greg Monroe and it sounds like they’ve spoken to the Pelicans about him this offseason. “I think [the Bucks] got closer than maybe has been reported with New Orleans during either the draft or free agency,” ESPN’s Zach Lowe said during today’s episode of The Lowe Post podcast (54:25 mark for the relevant portion). “Monroe’s a New Orleans native,” ESPN’s Marc Stein added. “I think that’s where he wants to end up.” Neither Lowe nor Stein suggested that a deal between the Pelicans and Bucks is currently in the works, but Stein expects the big man to eventually be moved, and those two clubs also discussed Monroe prior to this year’s trade deadline.
- Richard Jefferson‘s contract with the Cavaliers is for three years, not for two as was previously reported, notes Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). The veteran will earn $2.5MM in each of the first two seasons, with the final season worth a non-guaranteed $2.6MM, Pincus adds.
- Add former NBA player Flip Murray to the list of veterans considering making a return to the league, as he told Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. “I would definitely bring a lot of veteran leadership because I know the game of basketball,” Murray said. “The way the game is now, I feel like I could fit perfectly in. I could be someone who comes off the bench and produces for the team. I’d also like to mentor the young guys and pass on some of the experiences and lessons I learned from playing against some of the guys I matched up against during my time. If I come in right now, I could bring a lot of veteran leadership and still be able to produce on the court.” The 36-year-old last appeared in the NBA during the regular season in 2009/10.
And-Ones: Cap Room, L. Sanders, R. Smith, RFAs
The Sixers, Nuggets, Nets, Thunder, and Lakers have the most cap room still available, as Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders details. In addition to those five clubs, the Timberwolves, Suns, Jazz, Celtics, Pacers, and Bucks also have some wiggle room remaining. While some of those clubs could use that cap space to try to sign a free agent like J.R. Smith or Lance Stephenson, I’d expect many of those teams to stay well below the cap throughout the year. Remaining $10-15MM below the cap would allow a team to accommodate a mid-season salary dump, potentially picking up a draft pick or two in the process.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA:
- Larry Sanders, who has been working out and is considering an NBA comeback, may be willing to play for a minumum-salary contract, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (via Twitter). It remains to be seen whether a team will take a flier on the former Bucks big man.
- Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders identifies a few players who will be under pressure to perform in 2016/17 due to big new free agent contracts or roles that changed as a result of other players’ deperatures.
- Former Louisville guard Russ Smith, who appeared in 15 games for the Grizzlies last season, has accepted a $1MM contract offer from Galatasaray, according to international basketball reporter David Pick (via Twitter). Mete Budak of Eurohoops pegs the former second-round pick’s salary at $850K, so the Turkish team may have included some bonuses in the deal.
- Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders explains why he thinks the NBA’s restricted free agency system has problems, and puts forth some suggestions to potentially improve it. Donatas Motiejunas of the Rockets is the only RFA still on the market this summer.
Update On Unsigned 2016 Draft Picks
Over a month has passed since the 2016 NBA draft, and most of the 60 players selected in June – including first overall pick Ben Simmons – have been signed by their NBA teams, or have lined up overseas deals. Still, there are several players whose immediate futures have not yet been determined.
As our list of draft pick signings shows, there are still five first-rounders who have yet to either sign a contract with their NBA team or to strike a deal with an international club. Of those players, four were top-11 picks, so it’s likely just a matter of time until they sign their rookie-scale contracts. Only 15th overall pick Juan Hernangomez is a question mark — a recent report suggested he’d probably join the Nuggets immediately, but it’s not set in stone yet.
In the second round, eight of 30 draftees have unresolved situations, and many of those outcomes are more difficult to predict. Celtics draftee Abdel Nader, for instance, could end up signing with Boston, being joining the team’s D-League affiliate, or heading overseas as a draft-and-stash prospect.
We’ll pass along updates on 2016’s draft picks as they become available. For now, here’s the full list of players whose situation for the 2016/17 has yet to be resolved:
First Round:
- Los Angeles Lakers: Brandon Ingram, SF (Duke)
- Boston Celtics: Jaylen Brown, SF (California)
- Milwaukee Bucks: Thon Maker, PF (HS)
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Domantas Sabonis, PF/C (Gonzaga)
- Denver Nuggets: Juan Hernangomez, F (Estudiantes)
Second Round:
- Milwaukee Bucks: Malcolm Brogdon, SG (Virginia)
- Utah Jazz: Joel Bolomboy, PF (Weber State)
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Kay Felder, PG (Oakland)
- Utah Jazz: Marcus Paige, PG (North Carolina)
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Daniel Hamilton, SG (UConn)
- Boston Celtics: Abdel Nader, F (Iowa State)
- Sacramento Kings: Isaiah Cousins, SG (Oklahoma)
- Utah Jazz: Tyrone Wallace, PG (California)
Bucks Got $200K From Cavs In Dellavedova Deal
- As part of the sign-and-trade deal that landed Matthew Dellavedova in Milwaukee, the Cavaliers sent $200K to the Bucks, per Pincus. The move allowed Cleveland to create a trade exception to absorb Mike Dunleavy‘s salary.
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