NBA, NBPA Sign, Publish New Collective Bargaining Agreement
Just 48 hours before the start of 2023 free agency, the NBA and National Basketball Players Assocation announced today that they’ve signed and published the league’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement, which will go into effect starting this weekend for the 2023/24 league year (Twitter link).
The new CBA will run through the 2029/30 season, though both sides will have an opt-out deadline of October 15, 2028. If either side opts out, the agreement will terminate on June 30, 2029.
The full CBA can be found right here. It’s a 676-page document, representing a major expansion on the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement, which covered 598 pages.
For those who are interested in the league’s CBA changes but not eager to wade through 676 pages of legalese, the NBA and NBPA have also published a nine-page summary of the highlights.
We’d been keeping tabs on several of the most notable CBA changes in our own tracker in recent months as they were reported, but will defer to the official documents from here on out.
Bulls Sign Nikola Vucevic To Three-Year Extension
3:12pm: The Bulls have issued a press release officially announcing Vucevic’s extension.
“During his time in Chicago, Nikola has proven that he is a special player both on and off the court,” executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said in a statement. “He has produced at an elite level since we acquired him and will remain an integral part of our foundation moving forward. Nikola’s willingness to do whatever is asked of him to help us win, while also being an established veteran leader for our group, makes him a valuable component of the culture of our organization. He is a consummate professional and tremendous teammate, which plays a big role in making us an attractive destination for other players. We are excited to have him continue to be part of our journey.”
2:42pm: The Bulls and Nikola Vucevic are nearing an agreement on a three-year, $60MM contract extension that would keep the veteran center off the free agent market, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Vucevic, 32, was acquired by the Bulls at the 2021 trade deadline in a deal with Orlando. Since arriving in Chicago, he has averaged 18.2 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game with a .492/.342/.812 shooting line in 181 total regular season appearances (33.2 MPG).
Vucevic isn’t an elite defender, but he’s a talented scorer and rebounder who has been remarkably consistent during his first two full seasons with the Bulls — he averaged 17.6 PPG, 11.0 RPG, and 3.2 APG in both 2021/22 and ’22/23.
Like fellow big man Naz Reid, Vucevic had been extension-eligible this season, so he didn’t have to wait to reach the open market this weekend if his goal was to re-up with his current team.
The Bulls were considered a good bet to reach a new deal with Vucevic before or during free agency for multiple reasons. For one, their guaranteed contracts and the cap holds for restricted free agents Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu would almost certainly make them an over-the-cap team with or without Vucevic on the books, so they wouldn’t have had a clear path to replace him at the same salary slot if they’d let him walk.
There has also been a sense, as Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports wrote today, that Chicago didn’t love the idea of letting Vucevic go after paying such a steep price to acquire him from the Magic two years ago. That trade netted Orlando a pair of lottery picks – Franz Wagner and Jett Howard – in addition to young center Wendell Carter.
Assuming they officially finalize an extension with Vucevic by the June 30 deadline, the Bulls can shift their focus to free agency, where they’re expected to re-sign guards White and Dosunmu, according to Fischer. A new deal for unrestricted free agent Patrick Beverley is also a possibility, Fischer adds.
The Bulls project to be about $27MM below the luxury tax line after signing Vucevic, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks, though that estimate could vary depending on the exact structure of Vucevic’s extension, as well as Andre Drummond‘s player option decision. Once he officially signs, Vucevic will become ineligible to be traded for six months.
Meanwhile, an already-thin group of free agent centers will take another hit with both Vucevic and Reid off the market. Jakob Poeltl and Brook Lopez are the headliners at the position, with veterans like Mason Plumlee and Dwight Powell among the solid second-tier targets for teams in need of size. However, there aren’t a lot of reliable veterans available beyond those top few guys.
Timberwolves Sign Naz Reid To Three-Year Extension
JUNE 28: Reid’s three-year extension with the Timberwolves is official, the team confirmed in a press release.
JUNE 25: Days before he was slated to hit unrestricted free agency, Timberwolves center Naz Reid has agreed to sign a three-year, $42MM contract extension to stay in Minnesota, his agents Jeff Schwartz and Sean Kennedy inform Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Reid’s new deal will include a player option for 2025/26.
As Woj notes, Reid enjoyed a well-timed breakout season in 2022/23 as the Timberwolves’ third big man, averaging career bests of 11.5 PPG (on .537/.346/.677 shooting splits) and 4.9 RPG. He also chipped in 1.1 APG, 0.8 BPG, and 0.6 SPG across his 68 contests with the team.
The 23-year-old first joined Minnesota on a two-way contract after going undrafted out of LSU in 2019, and by his second season in 2020/21 had carved out a major rotation role with the team.
Reid’s reported new contract represents a massive pay upgrade for the 6’9″ reserve. The $1.9MM minimum salary he earned in 2022/23 had been his prior pay peak.
Based on Reid’s previous contract, the most Minnesota could offer in an extension prior to free agency was a starting salary of $12.95MM, which is 120% of this season’s estimated average salary. It appears the Wolves offered that full amount, so his deal will be worth just shy of $14MM in year two, with an option worth just over $15MM in year three.
According to Matt Williams of ESPN (Twitter link), Reid averaged 0.78 points per minute following the 2023 All-Star break, more than any other NBA center aside from MVP Joel Embiid.
Before Minnesota offloaded significant assets to Utah in a trade for former All-Star big man Rudy Gobert last summer, Reid had looked like he might be in line to form the team’s frontcourt of the future alongside maximum-salaried power forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns.
Reid had emerged as one of the premium big man prospects heading into free agency this summer, potentially capable of earning more money and a starting gig on another team given his upside, so it’s fascinating to see him opting to stick with his current team and role.
Bucks’ Jevon Carter Opts Out, Headed To Free Agency
Bucks reserve guard Jevon Carter has decided to become an unrestricted free agent. Carter is declining his $2.24MM option, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.
After receiving limited playing time during his first few years in the NBA, Carter emerged as a steady rotation player this past season. He appeared in all but one of Milwaukee’s regular-season games, including 39 starts, and averaged 8.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per night.
The 6’1” Carter also has the reputation of being a tenacious defender and has proven to be a reliable three-point shooter. He made 42.1% of his three-point attempts in 2022/23, boosting his career rate to 39.7%.
Carter is banking on his breakout year to help him secure a more lucrative contract. It’s uncertain how much the new coaching staff values the veteran guard, and the Bucks do have salary-cap issues, but they’ll hold his Early Bird rights.
It’s unlikely potential suitors will view Carter as a starter, but he could be valued as a solid second-unit option.
Carter is the second Buck to turn down a player option this offseason, joining Khris Middleton. The duo will be part of a large group of unrestricted free agents in Milwaukee — Brook Lopez, Jae Crowder, Joe Ingles, and Wesley Matthews are a few of the others.
Lakers Guarantee Jarred Vanderbilt’s Full Salary for 2023/24
The Lakers are guaranteeing Jarred Vanderbilt‘s $4,698,000 salary for next season, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin tweets.
Acquired from Utah at the trade deadline, Vanderbilt immediately jumped into the starting lineup and averaged 7.2 points and 6.7 rebounds in 26 games after joining the Lakers. He also averaged 4.6 points and 3.2 rebounds in 15 postseason contests, including 13 starts.
His contract only had a partial guarantee of $300K for 2023/24. The Lakers had until Friday to decide whether to guarantee his full salary, but there was little doubt they’d want to retain a 24-year-old rotation player at a team-friendly price.
Vanderbilt was included as part of a three-team blockbuster deal involving the Lakers, Jazz and Timberwolves.
He is eligible for a contract extension worth up to four years and a projected $71MM, starting on Sept. 7, per McMenamin.
As our list of early salary guarantee dates shows, the Lakers will also have to make a decision later this week on whether or not to guarantee Mohamed Bamba‘s $10.3MM salary for ’23/24.
Jazz Guard Horton-Tucker Opts In For Next Season
Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker is opting into his contract for next season, Brian Windhorst of ESPN tweets. Horton-Tucker’s player option will pay him a salary of $11,020,000 in 2023/24.
There’s been a lot of speculation whether the 22-year-old guard would exercise the option or test the free agent market and seek at least the non-taxpayer mid-level exception. He ultimately chose to take the guaranteed money and put off free agency for another year.
Horton-Tucker, who spent his first three seasons with the Lakers, averaged 10.7 points, 3.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 65 games (20 starts) last season in Utah.
He’s a subpar perimeter shooter (28% on 3-point attempts in his career), which may have held down his value if he had opted out. He’ll attempt to continue building his value in advance of unrestricted free agency in 2024.
Horton-Tucker slots in as a second-unit player, though that could change depending on how the offseason shakes out. Jordan Clarkson holds a $14.26MM option on his contract.
Clarkson and Horton-Tucker are two of four Jazz veterans who entered the offseason facing player option decisions, as our tracker shows. Rudy Gay and Damian Jones both picked up their options, though Gay is being traded to Atlanta as part of his opt-in.
Heat Willing To Wait For Damian Lillard
The Heat aren’t giving up their pursuit of Damian Lillard. They’re taking a wait-and-see approach with the hope that Lillard will eventually request a trade, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.
Miami views Lillard as a player worth waiting for, as Jackson describes it, with no other viable paths to significantly upgrade the roster in the short term.
Lillard and his agent met with Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin on Monday. Cronin issued a short statement after the meeting, saying the two sides had a “great dialogue” and that the Blazers “remain committed to building a winner around Dame.”
Portland’s front office will try to make moves to markedly improve its roster and appease Lillard. If the Blazers are unable to do so, it’s still quite possible that Lillard finally asks to be moved.
It would be helpful for the Heat if that request came before August 31, the deadline to use the waive-and-stretch provision on Kyle Lowry‘s contract. Lowry’s $29.7MM expiring contract could be integral in a trade with Portland.
Beyond Lillard, an All-Star talent level may be out of reach for the tax-paying Heat. However, they are intent on keeping at least one of their key free agents. Gabe Vincent is expected to meet with Heat president Pat Riley in Southern California before free agency begins on Friday, according to Jackson. Miami holds his Bird rights.
Vincent appears to be a bigger priority for the Heat than fellow free agent Max Strus, who’s also expected to have multiple suitors in the open market.
A league source tells Jackson that Danilo Gallinari, who was included in the Kristaps Porzingis trade, could be a low-cost free agent target if, as expected, he receives a buyout from the Wizards.
Pistons To Pick Up Alec Burks’ 2023/24 Option
The Pistons are picking up Alec Burks‘ $10.5MM option for next season, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.
Burks appeared in 51 games for the Pistons last season, including six starts. One of the top 3-point shooting reserves in the league, Burks averaged 12.8 points in 22 minutes per game while draining 41.4% of his 3-point attempts. He also averaged 3.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per night.
Burks was acquired from the Knicks last offseason when New York was opening up cap room to sign Jalen Brunson. In his last season with the Knicks, Burks appeared in 81 regular-season games, including 44 starts. He averaged 11.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 28.6 minutes.
Burks provides a veteran option off the bench for new coach Monty Williams in an otherwise young guard rotation. He could also be included in a trade if the Pistons need his salary to facilitate a deal.
Detroit remains one of the few teams with cap space, projected at $30MM or more.
Heat’s Victor Oladipo Exercises Player Option
Heat guard Victor Oladipo has exercised his $9.45MM option, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.
The move was expected and makes complete financial sense for Oladipo, who tore the patellar tendon in his left knee early in the postseason.
Oladipo inked a two-year, $18.2MM deal with Miami last summer, which included the player option. Oladipo’s contract decision adds another burden to the Heat’s bloated salary cap.
If all goes well in his rehab, he could be back in action early next season.
Oladipo has been snake-bit by major injuries during his career. He ruptured the quadriceps tendon in his right knee during the 2018/19 season while still with the Pacers, then underwent a second operation on the quad late in the 2020/21 season while with the Heat.
Across his 42 healthy games during the 2022/23 regular season, the former two-time All-Star averaged 10.7 PPG on .397/.330/.747 shooting, along with 3.5 APG and 3.0 RPG.
Oladipo is now on track for unrestricted free agency in 2024.
Donte DiVincenzo To Decline Option, Become Free Agent
Warriors guard Donte DiVincenzo will decline his $4,725,000 option in order to become an unrestricted free agent, Kendra Andrews of ESPN tweets.
It was almost a foregone conclusion that DiVincenzo would not pick up his option. He figures to have plenty of suitors in free agency after a solid season with Golden State.
DiVincenzo appeared in a career-high 72 games, including 36 starts, with the Warriors. He averaged 9.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals in 26.3 minutes per game. The 6’4” guard, who made a career-best 39.7% of his 3-point attempts, also appeared in 13 playoff games this spring.
The Timberwolves, Rockets, Knicks and Lakers are reportedly among the teams who might pursue DiVincenzo, who could command the full $12.4MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
That would easily top what the Warriors can offer — a four-year, $23.2MM deal — due to cap restrictions. They only held Non-Bird rights, preventing them from offering a higher starting salary than $5.4MM, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets.
DiVincenzo signed a two-year, $9.225MM contract with the Warriors last offseason, which included the player option. He spent three-and-a-half seasons in Milwaukee and also had a 25-game stint with Sacramento during his walk year.