- Pelicans general manager Dell Demps admitted that his team will “have to make a hard decision in the coming weeks,” with 15 guaranteed salaries on the books already and Lance Stephenson also vying for a roster spot. “The key is not going to be who’s the best player,” Demps said, per Justin Verrier of ESPN.com (Twitter link), “but the key’s going to be who’s the best player for us to be a good team.”
With training camps underway, teams have now officially finalized the contract agreements with various camp invitees that had been reported over the past several weeks, meaning we have plenty of contract details to round up. As usual, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders has been busy reporting those details, updating his salary pages for teams around the NBA.
Because we have so many updates to pass along from Pincus, we’ll divide them up by players who received some guaranteed money from their teams, and those who didn’t. All of the links below point to the Basketball Insiders team salary pages, so be sure to click through for additional information.
Here are the latest salary updates from across the league, via Pincus:
Players receiving guaranteed money:
These players aren’t necessarily assured of regular-season roster spots. In fact, many of them likely received guarantees as an incentive to accept a D-League assignment. Still, for some players, larger guarantees should increase their odds of making 15-man rosters.
- Thomas Walkup (Bulls): One year, minimum salary. $69.5K guaranteed.
- Keith Benson (Heat): Two years, minimum salary. $75K guaranteed.
- Henry Sims (Jazz): One year, minimum salary. $75K guaranteed.
- Alex Poythress (Pacers): One year, minimum salary. $35,381 guaranteed.
- Kevin Seraphin (Pacers): Two years, $3.681MM. First year ($1.8MM) guaranteed.
- Julyan Stone (Pacers): One year, minimum salary. $50K guaranteed.
- Gary Payton II (Rockets): Two years, minimum salary. First year ($543,471) guaranteed.
- Isaiah Taylor (Rockets): Two years, minimum salary. $50K guaranteed.
- Kyle Wiltjer (Rockets): Two years, minimum salary. $275K guaranteed.
- Cat Barber (Sixers): One year, minimum salary. $50K guaranteed.
- Elton Brand (Sixers): One year, minimum salary. $1MM guaranteed.
- Derrick Jones (Suns): Three years, minimum salary. $42.5K guaranteed.
- Alex Caruso (Thunder): One year, minimum salary. $50K guaranteed.
- Kaleb Tarczewski (Thunder): One year, minimum salary. $75K guaranteed.
- Chris Wright (Thunder): One year, minimum salary. $100K guaranteed.
Players receiving no guaranteed money:
The following players all signed one-year, minimum salary contracts with no guaranteed money. Many of these deals are “summer contracts,” which won’t count against a team’s cap unless the player earns a spot on the 15-man roster.
- Jabari Brown and Jaleel Roberts (Bucks)
- Markel Brown, Dahntay Jones, Cory Jefferson, Eric Moreland, John Holland, and Jonathan Holmes (Cavaliers)
- Dorell Wright (Clippers)
- Chris Crawford (Grizzlies)
- Ryan Kelly, Will Bynum, and Richard Solomon (Hawks)
- Perry Ellis (Hornets)
- Eric Dawson (Jazz)
- Julian Jacobs and Travis Wear (Lakers)
- Quinn Cook (Pelicans)
- Joel Anthony and Nicolas Laprovittola (Spurs)
- Gracin Bakumanya, Derek Cooke, and Shaquille Harrison (Suns)
- Rasual Butler (Timberwolves)
- Pelicans center Omer Asik started 64 of the 68 games he appeared in last season, but that number will drop this year, according to John Reid of The Times Picayune. Coach Alvin Gentry said today that he plans to use Anthony Davis in the post more often and not worry about having a traditional center. Alexis Ajinca and Terrence Jones may also be used in the starting lineup, depending on the opponent. That means fewer minutes for Asik, who is still guaranteed more than $32MM over the next three seasons on the contract he signed last summer. ”Last season really left a bad taste, so we are really working hard to change that,” Asik said. ”My whole focus this summer was to get better physically and get stronger.”
- New Rockets power forward Ryan Anderson is happy to leave behind the Pelicans‘ offense, writes Ben Rohrbach of Yahoo Sports. Anderson, one of the league’s best shooting stretch fours, saw his average of 3-point shots dip to 5.6 per game over the last two years after being close to 7.0 the three previous seasons. That number should rise dramatically now that he is playing for coach Mike D’Antoni in Houston. “I’ve had more wide-open looks in our pickup games here than I’ve had in the past four years, probably,” Anderson said.
Pelicans star Anthony Davis said he felt “amazing” this morning after taking part in his first practice since being shut down for the season in March, relays Justin Verrier of ESPN.com. Davis, who underwent an ultrasonic debridement on his left knee, participated in all of the practice except for some late conditioning work. He said the problems in his knee and shoulder seem to have been resolved. “Of course, in the beginning when you come back, you’re scared to go up with power or anything like that, to be explosive,” Davis said. “But when I’m out there, I just go. Whatever happens, happens. Today, everything felt great. I’m more explosive than what I was. I’m more powerful. I’m just happy to be back on the court.”
There’s more news tonight out of New Orleans:
- Jrue Holiday‘s wife delivered a healthy baby girl this week, according to Matthew Glenesk of USA Today. Holiday has taken a leave of absence from the team to care for Lauren Holiday, who has a benign tumor near her orbital socket and needs brain surgery to remove it. However, doctors didn’t want to perform that operation before the baby was born. The procedure is expected to take place in about six weeks, and there is no timetable for Jrue Holiday’s return to the team.
- The Pelicans aren’t concentrating on position as they seek to replace Holiday during his absence, writes John Reid of The Times-Picayune. Former Duke point guard Quinn Cook is the latest addition as New Orleans tries to bolster its backcourt. ”We’ve got versatile players, combo guards more than anything,” coach Alvin Gentry said. ”We’re just putting guys in position, playing point and off guard and we brought in another guy who can do both of those. We want guys running the team and playing off the ball.”
- An offseason shakeup left the Pelicans with 10 new players for this year’s training camp, writes William Guillory of The Times-Picayune. GM Dell Demps believed changes were necessary after an injury-filled season that saw New Orleans finish 26th in points allowed. “We really wanted to become a better defensive team,” he said. “That was one of our goals heading into the offseason. … We’ve had good defensive players here in the past, but we’re probably gonna put a little more emphasis on it.”
1:12pm: The signing is official, the team announced.
12:23pm: The Pelicans are signing unrestricted free agent Quinn Cook for training camp, Justin Verrier of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter). The length and terms of the arrangement are unknown, though it is likely a minimum salary pact that may include a small partial guarantee.
The point guard went undrafted out of Duke in 2015 and spent the 2015/16 season in the D-League playing for the Canton Charge, Cleveland’s affiliate. In 43 appearances Cook averaged 19.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 33.8 minutes per outing. His slash line was .466/.382/.863.
Cook participated in the Las Vegas Summer League this offseason, making five appearances and averaging 6.2 points, 1.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 27.8% from the field. With Jrue Holiday out indefinitely while he attends to family matters, New Orleans is in need of backcourt depth. The 23-year-old is already practicing with the team, Verrier tweets.
Lance Stephenson, who recently signed with the Pelicans, sat down with Justin Verrier of ESPN.com to discuss a number of topics, included how the swingman believes he has changed over the past few years. “When you come into the NBA as a youngster, you got babied all your life,” Stephenson said. “Everybody from when you were younger saying, ‘You’re gonna be in the NBA. You’re this and that.’ But once you get in the NBA, there are a lot of guys similar to you, so you have to learn how to do different things to keep developing. So you’ve got to put in the hard work and learn from other guys, see how they work out. Really, I feel like all the stuff I’ve been through has made me a better player. I feel like God puts you in situations to help you succeed in the long run.”
When asked why he chose to join New Orleans, Stephenson told Verrier, “I liked this team, and I see a couple young guys that I could potentially help and show all the other stuff that I learned from other places, from guys like Chris Paul, Paul George, Paul Pierce. Just teach them, and help them believe and show them the right way to work out there and what it takes to make it to the conference finals, and getting that work in every day.”
Here’s more from New Orleans:
- Pelicans GM Dell Demps told Verrier (Twitter link) that there is no timetable for Jrue Holiday to return to the team, but he’ll be welcomed back with “open arms” when he does. The point guard has taken a leave of absence to help care for his ailing wife and their newborn child.
- Demps confirmed to Verrier (via Twitter) that Tyreke Evans won’t be available to play until at least December. The exact timetable should become clearer within the next two-to-four weeks, Verrier adds. Evans is still recovering from the two surgeries on his right knee he underwent last season.
- Evans isn’t the only ailing Pelican, with Quincy Pondexter also not likely to be available until December at the earliest, though, the forward could potentially be sidelined until January, journalist Guerry Smith tweets. Pondexter underwent cartilage replacement surgery on his left knee back in January.
- Solomon Hill, who signed a four-year, $48MM deal with the Pelicans in July, understands more will be asked of him this season, writes Scott Kushner of The New Orleans Advocate. “I wouldn’t say the actual role is so much different,” Hill said. “But the level where I need to be for this team is definitely different.”
- Chris Copeland nearly joined the Pelicans three seasons ago, but he landed in Indiana instead, the forward told Jim Eichenhofer of NBA.com. The 32-year-old is excited that he is now in New Orleans after signing with the team this week, the scribe relays. “I’ve thought I was coming here a few times before this,” Copeland said. “For whatever reason, it didn’t pan out. I’m just glad it actually came full circle and I get the opportunity to try again this year. It’s a great city. I tell people time and time again, it has some of the best food in the world, and the atmosphere here is special.”
The Pelicans have finally made their deals with Chris Copeland and Robert Sacre official, announcing today in a press release that they’ve added both players to their camp roster. As we heard back in August, Copeland and Sacre will both be on non-guaranteed, one-year summer contracts, so they won’t count against New Orleans’ cap unless they make the regular-season roster.
Copeland, 32, played for the Bucks last season after having also spent time with the Knicks and Pacers over the course of his NBA career. He played sparingly in Milwaukee, averaging just 2.1 PPG in 6.5 minutes per contest for the team. He shot a career-worst 33.3% from the floor, including 27.8% on three-pointers.
As for Sacre, he spent the first four seasons of his NBA career in Los Angeles with the Lakers. The last player selected in the 2012 draft, Sacre averaged 4.2 PPG and 3.1 RPG for the Lakers in 189 career regular-season games.
The competition for a regular-season roster spot in New Orleans will be tough for Copeland and Sacre. The club currently has 15 players on guaranteed salaries for 2016/17, with Lance Stephenson and Shawn Dawson also in camp vying for a place on the team’s 15-man roster.
The 2017 NBA draft is still more than nine months away, but with the start of the regular season fast approaching, it’s worth taking stock of how this season’s results will affect next year’s draft. Depending on how certain teams perform during the 2016/17 campaign, other clubs will have the opportunity to pick up an extra selection or two.
Earlier this week, we looked at the first-round picks that could change hands during the 2017 draft. A few more first-rounders will likely be involved in trades prior to the trade deadline, or leading up to next year’s draft night, but there are already several picks that are ticketed for new teams, depending on where they land.
That’s even more true of the second round — more than half of the league’s second-round picks for 2017 have been involved in trades so far, and while some of those picks will ultimately remain with the sending teams due to protection conditions, many will move to the receiving teams.
Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the second-round picks that could (or will) change hands. For each selection, we make a note of which team is sending and receiving it, the protection or conditions on the pick, and what will happen if the protection language prevents the pick from being conveyed. For instance, the Heat will send their second-rounder to either the Hawks or Grizzlies, depending on where it lands. The team that doesn’t get a pick from Miami this year will get the Heat’s second-rounder in 2018.
Here are 2017’s traded second-round picks:
Atlanta Hawks
- From: Brooklyn Nets
- Protection: None
Boston Celtics
- From: Cleveland Cavaliers
- Protection: None
Boston Celtics
- From: Los Angeles Clippers
- Protection: None
Boston Celtics
- From: Minnesota Timberwolves
- Protection: None
Brooklyn Nets
- From: Boston Celtics
- Conditions: Nets will receive pick (protected 31-45) if Celtics swap first-rounders with Nets.
- If not conveyed: Celtics’ obligation to Nets is extinguished.
Brooklyn Nets
- From: Indiana Pacers
- Protection: 45-60
- If not conveyed: Nets will have opportunity to get Pacers’ second-rounder (protected 45-60) in 2018.
Denver Nuggets
- From: Memphis Grizzlies
- Protection: 31-35
- If not conveyed: Nuggets will receive Grizzlies’ 2018 second-rounder (unprotected).
Denver Nuggets
- From: Oklahoma City Thunder
- Protection: 31-35
- If not conveyed: Nuggets will receive Thunder’s 2018 second-rounder (unprotected).
Houston Rockets
- From: Denver Nuggets
- Protection: None
Houston Rockets
- From: Portland Trail Blazers
- Protection: None
Memphis Grizzlies
- From: Miami Heat
- Protection: 41-60
- If not conveyed: Grizzlies will receive Heat’s 2018 second-rounder (unprotected).
New York Knicks
- From: Chicago Bulls
- Protection: None
New York Knicks
- From: Houston Rockets
- Protection: None
Philadelphia 76ers
- From: Miami Heat
- Protection: 31-40
- If not conveyed: Sixers will receive Heat’s 2018 second-rounder (unprotected).
Philadelphia 76ers
- From: Two of Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz.
- Conditions: Sixers will receive the most and least favorable of these four picks.
Phoenix Suns
- From: Toronto Raptors
- Protection: None
Sacramento Kings
- From: Philadelphia 76ers
- Protection: None
Utah Jazz
- From: Two of Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz.
- Conditions: Jazz will receive the second- and third-most favorable of these four picks, including their own.
The following teams technically acquired second-round draft picks via trade and could receive those selections in 2017. However, these picks are heavily protected and won’t be conveyed to the receiving team unless the sending team finishes with a top-five record in the NBA. If that doesn’t happen, the receiving team is out of luck. The details:
Atlanta Hawks
- From: Phoenix Suns
- Protection: 31-55
- If not conveyed: Suns’ obligation to Hawks is extinguished.
Cleveland Cavaliers
- From: Charlotte Hornets
- Protection: 31-55
- If not conveyed: Hornets’ obligation to Cavaliers is extinguished.
Minnesota Timberwolves
- From: New Orleans Pelicans
- Protection: 31-55
- If not conveyed: Pelicans’ obligation to Timberwolves is extinguished.
Orlando Magic
- From: Sacramento Kings
- Protection: 31-55
- If not conveyed: Kings’ obligation to Magic is extinguished.
San Antonio Spurs
- From: Atlanta Hawks
- Protection: 31-55
- If not conveyed: Hawks’ obligation to Spurs is extinguished.
Finally, there is one team with swap rights on a second-round pick in 2017. The details:
Philadelphia 76ers
- Can swap with: Atlanta Hawks
- Protection: Sixers won’t have chance to swap if Hawks’ pick falls in the 56-60 range.
- Details: The Sixers will have the ability to swap the worst of the Pistons/Warriors/Knicks/Jazz second-round picks for the Hawks’ second-rounder. Practically speaking, this will likely result in Philadelphia swapping the Warriors’ pick for the Hawks’ pick.
RealGM’s database of future traded pick details was used in the creation of this post.
- Guard Langston Galloway signed a two-year, $10MM contract with the Pelicans but he still doesn’t think he’s established himself in the league, as he told Jake Rauchbach of Basketball Insiders in an exclusive interview. “I’ve got a lot to prove,” Galloway told Rauchbach. “I want to be one of those top guys one day and I gotta go out and prove it to each of the guys that I play against every night. Like, ‘Hey, I am trying to be at that level.’ That’s what I gotta go out there and do.”
The Pelicans have extended a training-camp invitation to forward He Tianju of the Chinese Basketball Association’s Liaoning Flying Leopards, according to Justin Verrier of ESPN.com. Assuming the offer is accepted, the 6’9” Tianju would play in New Orleans’ two preseason Global Games matchups in China against the Rockets, Verrier adds (Twitter links).
Tianju, who has played six seasons in the Chinese Basketball League, is considered an above-average three-point shooter. The 25-year-old small forward also has a history with the Pelicans, having played on their summer-league squad in 2015. He had a nine-point game in 12 minutes of action in one of those Las Vegas Summer League games against the Bucks.
The Pelicans already have 15 players with guaranteed contracts on their roster, along with three others on non-guaranteed deals. So even if Tianju signs a training-camp deal, it’s highly unlikely the Pelicans will keep him around. But the bonus of playing two games in his home country would certainly be a major selling point.
Coach Alvin Gentry told John Reid of the New Orleans Times Picayune during Tianju’s summer-league foray that Tianju needed to improve his footwook.
”Defensively, he has got to be able to move his feet better to play the quicker players,” Gentry told Reid.”But I think he is smart enough and his rebounding is very good. I think he’s done a very good job on the boards. The only thing I see is his lateral quickness and guarding quicker players out on the floor.”