Bucks To Offer J.J. Redick Five Years, $40MM?
11:07am: Woelfel throws a bit of cold water on his own report, tweeting that Redick replied, "That's news to me," when asked about the Bucks' offer. I wouldn't expect Redick to discuss an offer if it had been made, but his response is still worth noting.
10:52am: Shortly after the Bucks traded for J.J. Redick last month, we heard from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports that the team was expected to make a strong bid to re-sign him this summer. According to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (via Twitter), Milwaukee's offer may be similar to the one Ersan Ilyasova received from the team last offseason — five years and $40MM.
Woelfel hears from multiple NBA officials who say that the Bucks have already verbally offered those terms to Redick. Teams can't begin formal negotiations with free agents until July, so even if Redick was on board with those years and dollars, a verbal commitment to the Bucks wouldn't stop other clubs from pursuing him when the free agent period begins.
Wojanrowski previously reported that Arn Tellem, Redick's agent, will likely seek at least a four-year, $40MM contract for his client in free agency, although Redick "took issue" with that report, according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. If there are teams willing to make that kind of commitment to the sharpshooter, the Bucks may need to make a slightly stronger bid, especially if their offer follows the same structure as Ilyasova's contract, which includes a non-guaranteed fifth season.
Redick, who is earning $6.19MM in his contract year, is having the best season of his seven-year career. The 28-year-old is on track to set career-highs in PPG (15.0), FG% (.454), APG (4.2), and PER (16.0), among other categories.
Jennings: Bucks Never Made 4-Year, $40MM Offer
About a month ago, ESPN.com's Chris Broussard cited multiple sources in reporting that Brandon Jennings turned down a four-year, $40MM extension offer from the Bucks prior to the season. Last week, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports heard the same thing from a source of his own.
At the time of Broussard's initial report, Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times tweeted that the Bucks never made a four-year, $40MM offer to Jennings. In the wake of Spears' recent report, Woelfel took to Twitter again today, noting that Jennings himself said he wasn't offered such a deal.
Broussard and Spears are typically reliable sources of information, and the fact that they each identified the same years and dollar amounts in independent reports suggests to me that there's something there. Perhaps those terms were discussed but never officially put on the table by the Bucks, or perhaps something was lost in translation between Jennings and former agent Bill Duffy.
Whether or not the Bucks formally extended a four-year, $40MM offer to Jennings, the fourth-year guard was unlikely to accept it. As Spears reported last week, Jennings hasn't ruled out signing a qualifying offer from Milwaukee this summer, which would keep him under contract for one more year before he could become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2014. If he does explore a long-term contract this summer, I expect him to receive an offer more lucrative than four years and $40MM on the open market, considering how many teams are expected to have significant cap room.
Central Notes: Pistons, Ayon, Bulls, Rose
Only one Central Division team is in action tonight, as the Pistons visit the Jazz in Utah. The good news for a Jazz team looking to snap a four-game losing streak? The Pistons have lost their last two road games, against the Spurs and Clippers, by a combined 71 points. As we wait to see which team can snap out of its recent funk, here are a few updates on Central clubs:
- Pistons owner Tom Gores is disappointed that the team isn't in the hunt for a playoff spot this year, but is pleased with Detroit's cap flexibility going forward, says Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News.
- Gustavo Ayon made comments on Spanish radio suggesting he isn't thrilled by his role with the Bucks, as Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype passes along in English. Ayon's contract with Milwaukee includes a team option for next season, but it sounds as if the big man would be interested in a buyout that would allow him to join Spain's FC Barcelona.
- Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune is suspicious of the Bulls' motives after news leaked that Derrick Rose has been medically cleared to play. While the Bulls' public stance is that they're not putting any pressure on Rose to return, Rosenbloom suggests the leak creates "precisely the kind of pressure the Bulls said they were not applying."
Kyler On Dwight, Gasol, Monta, Collins
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld took to Twitter tonight to offer thoughts on various questions about the NBA. Here are some of the highlights:
- He thinks that Dwight Howard will remain with the Lakers beyond this summer.
- The Lakers could possibly deal Pau Gasol in the offseason for smaller pieces, similar to what the Grizzlies did with Rudy Gay.
- On the subject of Monta Ellis opting in, Kyler notes that there could be a lucrative market for him in free agency this summer too.
- Doug Collins' coaching days in Philadelphia would seem to be numbered by now.
- Gilbert Arenas or Tracy McGrady probably won't sign anywhere this season, for the same reasons why they haven't been able to get anything done since the beginning of the year. He also doubts that Allen Iverson will get another opportunity in the NBA.
- It wouldn't be surprise if the Trail Blazers targeted Josh Smith, but re-tooling the bench appears to be the bigger need.
- Jerry Sloan would have to be in the right situation to consider returning, but it isn't likely that he'll find it.
Stein’s Latest: Josh Smith, Bucks, Mavs, Rockets
As rumors fly long past the NBA's trade deadline, Marc Stein of ESPN.com checks in with a Weekend Dime that's heavy on items about Josh Smith, as well as plenty of news about the Rockets. There's even a link between Smith and Houston, so let's dig in.
- The Bucks came closest to acquiring Smith at the deadline, as a source tells Stein that Atlanta's talks with the Sixers were never as serious as they were with Milwaukee.
- Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported earlier today that the Hawks nearly sent Smith to the Celtics, but Stein hears Atlanta's brass shared the concerns of many NBA teams that C's basketball president Danny Ainge would get cold feet about dealing one of his stars. Paul Pierce would have been sent to the Mavs in the rumored Smith-to-Boston trade.
- The Hawks preferred to send Smith to the Western Conference, but were rebuffed by the Mavs, who refused to add a draft pick to a package that already included Vince Carter, Chris Kaman, Jae Crowder, Brandan Wright and Dahntay Jones. Many of those Mavericks were also part of the proposed three-way trade with the Celtics.
- If the Rockets don't land top target Dwight Howard this summer, they'll turn their attention to Smith and Andrew Bynum next, sources tell Stein.
- Aaron Brooks forfeited just under $3.4MM in his buyout from the Kings, Stein hears. Brooks was set to make $3.396MM next season on a player option, so presumably the buyout simply entailed him declining that option.
- I took a look in January at all the former Rockets the team still has on the payroll, a list that's since grown even longer, as Stein notes. Houston has waived or bought out 10 players this season, all of whom are still on the team's cap.
- Stein catches up with Thomas Robinson, who was surprised when the Kings drafted him last year and "shocked" when they traded him to the Rockets at the deadline.
- There's a schism in thought around the league about whether Monta Ellis is leaning toward staying with the Bucks next season or exercising his early-termination option to hit free agency this summer.
- Samuel Dalembert is hitting free agency no matter what, but echoing his report before the trade deadline that Milwaukee was no longer trying to move Dalembert, Stein says the Bucks have some interest in re-signing the Haitian center.
Warriors Rumors: Harden, Free Agents, Ellis, Lin
The commissioner is in attendance at Golden State's game against the Rockets tonight, but David Stern's comments about the fate of the Kings overshadowed talk of the other team in Northern California. Nonetheless, there's plenty of Warriors-related news this evening, as we share here:
- Sources told Grantland's Bill Simmons that the Thunder and Warriors talked about a James Harden deal last year, but Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group hears differently, tweeting that he was told the rumor wasn't legitimate.
- The Warriors were considering Maalik Wayns, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Josh Childress, Dominic McGuire, Chris Wright (the forward from Dayton, not the guard from Georgetown) and Mickell Gladness before they decided to sign Malcolm Thomas to a 10-day contract, reports Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle. Some of those names could conceivably resurface if the W's don't keep Thomas around, though Wayns signed a 10-day deal with the Clippers.
- Monta Ellis has benefited from the trade that sent him from the Warriors to the Bucks a year ago, as Thompson writes, while fellow Bay Area News Group scribe Tim Kawakami ponders what might have happened if the Warriors had held on to Ellis and Jeremy Lin.
Jennings Thinking About Signing Qualifying Offer
Brandon Jennings is considering a move that would make him an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2014, reports Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. He's set to become a restricted free agent this summer, but if the Bucks make him a one-year qualifying offer to retain the right to match offers from other teams in the offseason, as they'll almost assuredly do, Jennings is free to take it. If he does so, next season will be his last in Milwaukee, as he tells Spears.
"If I take the qualifying offer and become an [unrestricted] free agent there is no way I am coming back," Jennings said. "There is no way."
Doing so would be a bold move for Jennings and new agent Jeff Schwartz, who could command much more than the $4.33MM Jennings would make on the qualifying offer. Still, it would allow him to ensure an early exit from the Bucks, who Jennings insists must upgrade their roster and turn their organization into a championship-caliber operation in order to retain him long-term, according to Spears.
"I just want to win," the point guard said. "The way I am playing now, I just want to go to a winning team and play like that. I don't care about being a superstar or being the main guy. I did that [the] first four years. I just want to win and be somewhere where it's all about winning. I'm not saying the Bucks aren't about winning. But I think [a title caliber situation] will help me, motivate my game and then you have to perform."
Bucks GM John Hammond said he'd be surprised if Jennings takes the QO, but added that he's "not taken aback" by his point guard's pronouncement, believing it to be "a natural discussion to have." Jennings, who turned down a four-year, $40MM extension before the season, indicated he could be dissuaded from taking the qualifying offer if the Bucks grant him a lucrative deal this summer.
Jennings last month confirmed his interest in signing with the Mavs in the offseason. Dallas will have plenty of cap room to make him an offer up to the maximum, but Milwaukee would have the ability to match any deal he signs with another team. If, for instance, Jennings signed a four-year deal with the Mavs, the Bucks could match it, and Jennings would be tethered to Milwaukee until 2017.
The Bucks possess an advantage over other teams this summer, since they alone could offer Jennings five years instead of four in his next contract. They could also offer him raises for 7.5% instead of 4.5% if they were to give him a max deal, as Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors examined when he looked at players likely to receive max deals this summer. Jennings is the last player on that list, but it's unclear if the Bucks or any other team considers the 23-year-old a max player.
Eastern Teams Expected To Have Max Cap Room
Earlier this week, I looked at Western Conference teams expected to have room to make a maximum-salary offer to a free agent this summer. The Jazz, who could have about $30MM in cap space, led the way, followed by the Mavericks, Hornets, Rockets, and others. Before we switch our focus to the Eastern Conference, a reminder of a few factors we had to consider when looking at those Western teams:
- A team's projected 2013/14 salary can change significantly between now and the free agent period in July. There likely won't be any major shake-ups before season's end, but trades made before or during the draft could affect a team's '13/14 outlook, so the clubs expected to have max cap room now may not be the same ones that actually have it when July arrives.
- As was the case earlier this week when I estimated maximum salaries for Brandon Jennings and Josh Smith yesterday, some guesswork is required here. The salary cap will almost certainly increase for next season, but we won't know by how much until July. For argument's sake, I'm going to predict that the cap will increase from about $58.04MM this year to an even $60MM for next year.
- If a team has less than 12 players under contract for next season, cap holds worth the rookie minimum for empty roster spots must be taken into account. For instance, if a club has five players on their books for $30MM, we'd have to add seven cap holds worth $490,180 (next year's rookie minimum) before considering how much room the club truly has. Cap holds for 2013 first-round picks must also be considered.
- As I outlined on Monday, not all maximum contracts are created equal. A max deal for Jennings will likely start with a first-year salary between $14MM and 15MM, while Dwight Howard's first-year salary in a max deal will be over $20.5MM. So a team may have room to offer Jennings the max, but not Howard.
Listed below are the Eastern teams expected to have room for a max-salary free agent this summer. Their current guaranteed commitments for 2013/14 are noted in parentheses.
Atlanta Hawks ($18,583,800 for three players)
With Al Horford on the books for $12MM, Louis Williams for $5.23MM, and John Jenkins for a modest $1.26MM, the Hawks have the fewest guaranteed commitments for 2013/14 in the NBA. That flexibility can be attributed to Danny Ferry's ability to clear Joe Johnson's massive contract from the team's books in exchange for a number of contracts that will expire this season. After taking into account cap holds for empty roster spots, the Hawks may not have quite enough room to make max offers to both Dwight Howard and Chris Paul, but it's awfully close, and no other team can make that claim. Howard and Paul are long-shots, of course, but all that potential cap space will give Atlanta plenty of options this summer, whether that means exploring the market, or focusing on their own free agents, like Josh Smith and Jeff Teague.
Milwaukee Bucks ($29,555,523 for seven players)
Assuming Monta Ellis opts out of the final year of his deal, as we've predicted he will, the Bucks will have three starting-caliber guards hitting free agency, in Ellis, Brandon Jennings, and J.J. Redick. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported earlier this week that Milwaukee intends to bring back two of those three guys, and I think the smart money is probably on Jennings and Redick. If we assume those two players will earn a combined $20MM+ annually, suddenly the Bucks don't have nearly as much cap space left over.
Detroit Pistons ($29,756,686 for eight players)
Our estimate here for the Pistons assumes the team will buy out Rodney Stuckey, saving $4.5MM on his 2013/14 salary. Even if they don't do that, the Pistons could still pick up even more cap space if they decide to amnesty Charlie Villanueva and clear his remaining $8.58MM from their team salary, which seems like a good bet. Either way, the Pistons will not only have a ton of room under the cap, but they also won't have to add many players to fill out the roster. That bodes well for the pursuit of a max free agent, though it's hard to see an ideal, realistic fit.
Smith and Andrew Bynum may be open to signing with the Pistons if Detroit makes the highest offer, but the team already has a solid young front line pairing in Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe. Maybe the Pistons enter the mix for Jennings, though it seems as if the club would prefer to bring back a less expensive veteran point guard in Jose Calderon.
Cleveland Cavaliers ($31,998,284 for seven players)
The Cavaliers will have the opportunity to clear even more space should Marreese Speights decide not to pick his player option. Given his increased role and improved play since he was traded by the Grizzlies, that's a real possibility. In any case, the Cavs will have more than enough room to make a run at a max free agent, should they so choose. As long as rumors linking LeBron James to the Cavs for the summer of 2014 persist though, it's extremely unlikely that the Cavs compromise their future flexibility by completing a major signing this summer. Even if the team wanted to make a splash, I don't think Cleveland will be on Howard's or Paul's lists of desired destinations.
Charlotte Bobcats ($40,011,207 for eight players)
The amount of Howard's max salary for 2013/14 in millions ($20.51MM) exceeds the Bobcats' win total over the last two years (20), which in itself speaks to Charlotte's chances of landing a marquee free agent this summer. Even a potentially massive overpay, like a four-year max to Bynum or Smith, may not be enough to bring those one of those guys to Charlotte — not only that, but it wouldn't be the best use of the Bobcats' resources, as the team continues a lengthy rebuilding process. It's probably safe to rule out Charlotte as a suitor for any potential max free agents.
Orlando Magic ($42,552,972 for eight players)
The $42.55MM figure for the Magic here includes a lot of dead money — it assumes the team will buy out Hedo Turkoglu and Al Harrington, and includes Quentin Richardson's $2.81MM cap hit, despite Richardson no longer being on the team. I think it's more likely that the Magic try to trade Turkoglu and/or Harrington and get anything they can for them, so Orlando's eventual 2013/14 team salary could look much different than this. Regardless, the Magic will be entering the second year of a total rebuild, so the club is very unlikely to be in the mix for top free agents anyway.
Honorable mention:
- The Sixers are expected to have $44,482,742 committed to eight players, which would put them right on the cusp of being able to make a max offer to a free agent with less than seven years of experience.
- If Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza were to turn down their pricey player options for next season, the Wizards would have max room, but that's extremely unlikely to happen.
Central Notes: Rose, Calderon, Mayo, Bucks, Bulls
Derrick Rose's return to the Bulls may be just around the corner, as Rose's doctor has cleared him to play, according to Melissa Isaacson of ESPNChicago.com. The Bulls guard still isn't entirely comfortable dunking off his left foot, and isn't 100% ready mentally to make his 2012/13 debut, so the club isn't pressuring him, writes Isaacson. But it sounds as if Rose will return well in advance of the postseason, perhaps within the next week or two. As we look forward to seeing the former MVP back on the court, let's round up a few more items out of the Central Division….
- Jose Calderon tells David Mayo of MLive.com that he's taking a wait-and-see approach with free agency, but appreciates the fact that the Pistons had genuine interest in him rather than simply acquiring him for his expiring contract.
- If Calderon doesn't re-sign with the Pistons, expect O.J. Mayo to be one of the team's top targets, Mayo (David, not O.J.) writes in a separate piece.
- Shaun Powell of Sports on Earth examines the big offseason approaching for the Bucks, as Brandon Jennings, Monta Ellis, and J.J. Redick prepare to hit free agency.
- As he does every Friday, Sam Smith of Bulls.com opens up his mailbag and addresses a number of Bulls-related questions and comments from readers.
Bucks Will Make Strong Bid To Re-Sign Redick
While J.J. Redick was the biggest name moved at last month's trade deadline, he doesn't figure to be among the top tier of free agents available this summer. Still, Redick should attract plenty of interest on the open market. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, the Bucks are expected to make a strong bid for Redick in free agency, with the team prepared to pay him like a starting shooting guard.
Redick, Monta Ellis, and Brandon Jennings will all become free agents this summer, assuming Ellis turns down his 2013/14 player option. In that case, the Bucks figure to re-sign either Jennings or Ellis, along with Redick, according to Wojnarowski, who says that if the former Blue Devil leaves the Bucks, "he'll have to take less money — probably a lot."
With Redick's Bird Rights in hand, the Bucks are in good position to outbid rival suitors. The 28-year-old will attract offers larger than the mid-level exception, so only teams with cap space figure to be contenders for his services, unless Milwaukee is willing to work out a sign-and-trade.
For his part, Redick tells Wojnarowski he's had "a lot of fun" with the Bucks so far, and the fact that Milwaukee was so active in pursuing him last month is something he'll definitely consider when he weighs his options this summer.
"To be wanted here – to be wanted anywhere in the league – is something I'll never take for granted," Redick said.