- The Timberwolves and Shabazz Muhammad are “far apart” in negotiations, a source tells Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated.
- Stein suggests he expects Rudy Gay (Kings), Nerlens Noel (Sixers), and Ricky Rubio (Wolves) to be dealt at some point this season. All three players have been the subject of plenty of trade rumors so far in 2016.
[SOURCE LINK]
After having set their 15-man rosters for the start of the regular season on Monday, many NBA teams will have more decisions to make by next Monday. October 31 is the deadline for clubs to exercise 2017/18 options on rookie contracts and to sign players entering the final year of their rookie deals to extensions.
While most of those team option decisions are fairly straightforward, those extension negotiations will be trickier. Teams and players must not only decide how many years and dollars they would be willing to accept — they also must determine if it even makes sense to complete an extension now, before a deal on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is reached.
A new CBA isn’t expected to change rookie-scale extensions significantly, but that’s not set in stone yet, and as Zach Lowe of ESPN.com reports, there may be slight changes to restricted free agency. Currently, the cap holds for restricted free agents are either 200% or 250% of their previous salaries. Those figures may increase to 250% and 300% in the new CBA, according to Lowe, who points out that the tweak could affect teams who hold off on rookie extensions in the hopes of maximizing their cap space the following summer.
For instance, last fall, the Wizards and Pistons held off on extending Bradley Beal and Andre Drummond, respectively, since agreeing to new deals at that point would have meant both players counted against their respective teams’ caps for $22MM+ as soon as this year’s July moratorium ended. Instead, since they were unsigned at the end of the moratorium, their teams were able to work around their modest cap holds to sign other free agents, then go over the cap to lock up their RFA stars to max deals. Increased cap holds for RFAs may serve as a minor deterrent for that practice.
Despite the uncertainty involved in working out an extension now, several teams and players will still engage in talks and see if they can come to an agreement. With next Monday’s deadline fast approaching, here are five extension-eligible players we’ll be keeping an eye on:
1. Dennis Schroder (Hawks)
Within his previously-linked piece, Lowe reports that Schroder and the Hawks are talking about a potential extension. However, it may be tricky to pin down the point guard’s value at this point. If Atlanta is especially optimistic about Schroder’s chances of taking Jeff Teague‘s old starting job and running with it, it could make sense to try to lock him up now, before his value skyrockets. But Schroder knows he’s in line for a major opportunity this season, and won’t want to accept a deal that pays him for his past production.
If the Hawks are willing to do a Reggie Jackson-like deal for Schroder, perhaps the two sides could work something out. But both the team and the player have reason to proceed with caution and wait to see how Schroder handles the full-time starting job, so they may wait until next summer.
2. Rudy Gobert (Jazz)
The Jazz will almost certainly have to offer Gobert a maximum-salary deal to retain him, so it may just a matter of whether they do it now or later. If they can get the big center to accept anything lower than the max this week, it probably makes sense to lock him up. If not, there’s no real rush. Still, Utah currently has the opportunity to extend both Gobert and Derrick Favors, and signing both players long-term would be a strong move for the franchise with Gordon Hayward facing potential unrestricted free agency in 2017.
3. Steven Adams (Thunder)
The Thunder have three extension candidates, in Adams, Victor Oladipo, and Andre Roberson. Roberson isn’t as crucial a piece as the other two players, and Oladipo is reportedly seeking a max deal, making Adams a logical target this week. Like the Jazz with Gobert, the Thunder are probably better off locking up Adams sooner rather than later if he’s willing to take something below the max, as Giannis Antetokounmpo did with the Bucks. With Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka no longer in the mix in Oklahoma City, Adams is poised to take another huge step forward this year, and would have plenty of suitors willing to give him huge offer sheets next July.
4. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Pistons)
Stan Van Gundy has said the Pistons would like to extend Caldwell-Pope before Monday’s deadline, and the team has reportedly engaged in negotiations with both KCP and teammate Reggie Bullock. Caldwell-Pope won’t come cheap though. A recent report from Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press suggested that the shooting guard’s camp may have be seeking an annual salary in excess of $20MM. And given the contracts signed this summer by two-guards and wings like Nicolas Batum, C.J. McCollum, and Evan Turner, that asking price doesn’t seem particularly unreasonable. If it comes down, the two sides could reach a compromise, but I’d expect KCP to play out the season without a new deal lined up.
5. Gorgui Dieng (Timberwolves)
Dieng and teammate Shabazz Muhammad are both eligible for extensions, but the big man appears to be the more likely candidate for a new deal this week. New head coach Tom Thibodeau is reportedly fond on Dieng, and Minnesota has plenty of long-term cap flexibility to lock up core pieces. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities reported last month that no meaningful talks had occurred for either Dieng or Muhammad, and suggested he expects both players to reach restricted free agency. But those extension talks could get more meaningful in the next few days, with a deadline looming, so it’s worth keeping an eye on the Wolves.
Other notable extension candidates to watch:
- Alex Len (Suns)
- Ben McLemore (Kings)
- Nerlens Noel (Sixers)
- Kelly Olynyk (Celtics)
- Mason Plumlee (Trail Blazers)
- Otto Porter (Wizards)
- Cody Zeller (Hornets)
- With Tom Thibodeau beginning his first campaign as coach/executive with the Timberwolves, Chris Mannix of The Vertical examines the challenges ahead and the impact Thibs will have on the franchise.
Waiver claims aren’t particularly common in the NBA. During the 2015/16 league year, for instance, only seven players were claimed off waivers. However, October is one time when things are a little more active on waivers, as teams cut camp invitees from their rosters and other clubs have a chance to snatch up a potentially appealing contract without having to negotiate with the player. Three of 2015/16’s seven waiver claims occurred in October, and this year we’ve already seen one played claimed, as the Pistons nabbed Beno Udrih after he was cut by the Heat.
Not every team can claim any waived player. In fact, there are only a few instances when teams can claim a player who is earning more than the minimum salary. A club must either have enough cap room to accommodate the player’s salary, or a trade exception (or disabled player exception) large enough to fit the player’s salary.
For a team like the Pistons then, the only reason they were able to claim Udrih was because he was on a minimum salary contract. Teams can use the minimum salary exception to claim a player who is on a one- or two-year minimum salary contract. But if Udrih had been making $2MM, Detroit wouldn’t have been able to submit a claim.
With that in mind, here’s the list of teams able to afford to claim a player making more than the minimum:
Teams with cap room:
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Denver Nuggets
- Brooklyn Nets
- Utah Jazz
- Phoenix Suns
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Indiana Pacers
- Notes: The Lakers are also under the cap, but only by about $530K, which is less than the minimum salary. The Celtics, meanwhile, will have about $1.1MM in cap room as of the start of the regular season, since the cap holds for their unsigned first-round picks come off the books.
Teams with traded player exceptions:
- Cleveland Cavaliers ($9,638,554 and three other TPEs)
- Milwaukee Bucks ($1,733,880 and one other TPE)
- Charlotte Hornets ($1,666,470)
- Los Angeles Clippers: ($1,209,600)
For a player like R.J. Hunter, who is currently on waivers with a salary worth about $1.2MM, the 11 teams listed above are the only ones that can currently place a claim. The rest of the NBA’s teams could submit a claim for a minimum-salary player, but don’t have the cap room or cap exception necessary to accommodate, for instance, Archie Goodwin‘s $2MM+ salary. Neither do the Bucks, Hornets, and Clippers, whose trade exceptions are too small.
[RELATED: Players with fully guaranteed salaries who were cut]
When taking into account which teams might place a claim on a waiver player, it’s also worth noting that waiver priority is determined by record — the worst teams get first dibs on each waived player. Since the 2016/17 regular season hasn’t started yet, waiver order is currently determined by last year’s record. That will change on December 1, at which point this year’s standings will determine the order.
For now, that means the waiver priority order for the 11 teams listed above looks like this:
- Philadelphia 76ers (10-72)
- Brooklyn Nets (21-61)
- Phoenix Suns (23-59)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (29-53)
- Milwaukee Bucks / Denver Nuggets (33-49)
- (Coin flip determines priority)
- Utah Jazz (40-42)
- Indiana Pacers (45-37)
- Charlotte Hornets (48-34)
- Los Angeles Clippers (53-29)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (57-25)
So if the Sixers and Nets both had interest in Goodwin and submitted claims, Brooklyn would be out of luck, since Philadelphia is the only team with a higher waiver priority. For minimum salary claims, the rest of the league’s 30 teams would slot into that waiver order based on last year’s record. In the full waiver order, the Pistons would have the 19th priority, meaning the 18 teams ahead of them didn’t make a claim for Udrih.
As noted above, waiver claims aren’t particularly common, but it’s possible we’ll see a couple more waiver moves this week, so the rules above are worth keeping in mind.
The Timberwolves have exercised third-year options on Karl-Anthony Towns and Tyus Jones and fourth-year options on Zach LaVine and Andrew Wiggins, the team announced today.
Adreian Payne has been told his fourth-year option will not be picked up, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News in Minneapolis (Twitter link).
Towns and Wiggins are the last two Rookies of the Year and Levine is part of the rotation, so all of those moves were expected. Minnesota has reportedly been in ongoing trade talks involving Jones, with the Sixers as the current front-runner.
Payne, a 6’10” power forward, appeared in 52 games for the Wolves last season, averaging 2.5 points and 2.1 rebounds in 9.3 minutes per night. He was acquired from the Hawks in a 2015 trade.
4:52pm: Philly and Minnesota are getting closer on a Jones deal, Keith Smith of Real GM tweets. Smith hears that the Wolves are looking for a big man in return.
SATURDAY, 3:08pm: The Sixers and Wolves are still involved in discussions regarding Jones, Wojnarowski tweets.
WEDNESDAY, 7:59pm: Several teams, including the Sixers and Pelicans, have expressed interest in Tyus Jones, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports. Wojnarowski notes that the 20-year-old’s performance in summer league improved his stock with teams interested in him as a point guard off the bench.
The Wolves are more open to moving Jones than they are to moving Ricky Rubio in the short-term, sources tell Wojnarowski. The team is reluctant to move Rubio until rookie Kris Dunn is ready to take over the starting point guard spot.
Coach/executive Tom Thibodeau wants to immediately win games and contend for a playoff berth, as evidenced by his rotation choices during the preseason. Thibs has used 33-year-old veteran John Lucas in the guard rotation rather than relying solely on the team’s young talent. Lucas is on a non-guaranteed deal and his chances of making the team likely hinge on another point guard being traded.
Jones had a ho-hum rookie season for the Wolves, averaging 4.2 points and 2.9 assists in 15.5 minutes per game. He shot 30.2% from behind the arc and sported a 11.2 player efficiency rating.
1:50pm: The Wolves confirmed the moves via press release.
1:18pm: The Timberwolves intend to waive Rasual Butler and Toure’ Murry, Chris Haynes of ESPN.com reports. The moves won’t result in any salary remaining on the team’s books, as both player’s deals were non guaranteed. Minnesota’s roster will stand at 15 players once the players are officially released.
Butler, 37, appeared in 46 games last season for the Spurs, and wasn’t a big part of the team’s rotation, averaging just 2.7 PPG and 1.2 RPG in 9.4 minutes per contest. For his career, Butler has played in more than 850 total contests (regular season and postseason), averaging 7.5 PPG and 2.4 RPG with a .362 3PT% during regular-season play.
Murry, 26, appeared in 51 games for the Knicks during the 2013/14 season, but has only played in five NBA regular season games since then, enjoying brief stints in Utah and Washington. His career averages are 2.6 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 7.0 minutes per outing to accompany a slash line of .433/.417/.610.
Several teams, including the Timberwolves, have inquired on the availability of Iman Shumpert in recent weeks, ESPN’s Zach Lowe writes in his latest piece previewing the upcoming NBA season. Those teams have gotten the impression that the Cavaliers are willing to discuss Shumpert, though they won’t simply dump his salary for nothing, says Lowe.
There are a few reasons why it could make sense for the Cavs to consider moving Shumpert. For one, after re-signing J.R. Smith, the Cavs are fairly deep on the wing, with Smith, Shumpert, Mike Dunleavy, Richard Jefferson, and James Jones among the players who could see regular minutes at the two or three. That list doesn’t even include LeBron James, who figures to occasionally play some small forward, or Jordan McRae, who has led the team in preseason scoring.
Additionally, the Cavs are well into tax territory now, so removing Shumpert’s $9,662,922 salary from their books would reduce their eventual tax bill significantly. The ex-Knick’s deal runs through at least 2018, with a player option for 2018/19, so moving it off the books could create a little more future flexibility as well.
The Cavaliers have reportedly been on the hunt for a backup point guard via trade, and while McRae and Mo Williams were among the players mentioned as trade candidates in that report, Shumpert’s salary is significantly larger. Trading him would allow Cleveland to take on more salary in return, increasing their number of options.
The Timberwolves also represent an interesting potential trade partner for the Cavs, since both Ricky Rubio and Tyus Jones have been the subject of trade rumors this offseason. The Wolves like both players, but fifth overall pick Kris Dunn is viewed as the point guard of the future in Minnesota. It’s also worth noting that the Wolves are well below the salary cap, and could easily accommodate Shumpert’s salary.
[RELATED: Several teams interested in Tyus Jones]
Still, this is mostly speculation. While it’s possible the Cavs decide to move Shumpert, it would be a little surprising to see the team shake up its rotation significantly this close to the start of the regular season. As Lowe notes, Cleveland would have to get real value in return, rather than just dumping Shumpert’s contract.
The Wolves are turning away trade offers for Ricky Rubio until they see how Kris Dunn performs, Adrian Wojnarowski of the Vertical reports. Coach Tom Thibodeau doesn’t anticipate Dunn taking over as the starting point guard position until approximately 20 games into the season, Wojnarowski adds. Until then, Rubio will be the team’s starter and remain on the roster, barring a substantial offer.
Several teams have expressed interest in Rubio, with the Kings being the most determined to land the 25-year-old. Sacramento has been looking to acquire a young point guard to lead the team for some time. It’s not clear what the Kings are willing to offer, but the team was engaged in serious trade talks with the Thunder on a deal that would have sent Rudy Gay to Oklahoma City in exchange for Cameron Payne. Those talks broke down after Payne injured his foot last month, sources tell Wojnarowski.
Thibodeau is determined to win games and make the playoffs this season. Such thinking could factor into what transactions the franchise makes this year.
Rubio, who has three years and slightly under $43MM left on his contract, has been solid during his time in Minnesota. Yet, Dunn has a much higher upside and it’s only a matter of time before Rubio takes a backseat to the rookie, as I discussed in Minnesota’s Offseason In Review.