Bucks’ Pat Connaughton Opts In For 2022/23
Bucks swingman Pat Connaughton has decided to exercise his player option for 2022/23, putting off free agency for another year, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Having opted in, Connaughton will assure himself of a $5,728,393 salary for next season.
Connaughton, 29, had the best season of his seven-year career in 2021/22, averaging 9.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game in 65 appearances (26.0 MPG). He also established new career highs in three-pointers per game (2.2) while knocking them down at a 39.5% clip. Connaughton’s emergence on the wing was one factor in the Bucks’ decision to trade Donte DiVincenzo at the 2022 deadline.
Connaughton’s option decision comes as a bit of a surprise, since he likely could’ve earned a raise if he had chosen to test the open market. John Hollinger of The Athletic (Twitter link) says he felt Connaughton was worth twice as much as his $5.7MM salary and got the sense that a number of teams agreed.
Now that his option has been exercised, Connaughton will be eligible to sign a contract extension for up to four years and approximately $59MM. As Hollinger notes in a follow-up tweet, it’s possible the veteran wing and the Bucks have already discussed the possibility of an extension and reached a mutual understanding contingent on Connaughton opting in.
Theoretically, the Bucks could commit to paying Connaughton the same amount over the next few seasons with an opt-in and extension as they would have if he’d opted out and signed a new free agent contract. Locking in a lower ’22/23 salary should benefit Milwaukee financially, with team salary projected to be well over the luxury tax line next season.
Connaughton had been the No. 20 player on our list of 2022’s top 50 free agents. If you enter our free agent prediction contest and select the Bucks as his destination, you’ll earn a free point.
Clippers In “Driver’s Seat” To Re-Sign Nicolas Batum
It’s “widely expected” that Nicolas Batum will re-sign with the Clippers on a two-year deal, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
Batum, 33, will be declining his player option for 2022/23, making him an unrestricted free agent, and he certainly won’t lack suitors. According to Haynes’ sources, the Lakers, Bulls, Celtics, Suns and Jazz are all interested in Batum’s services.
However, the Clippers remain the favorite, with Haynes describing the team as being “in the driver’s seat.”
League executives who spoke to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype believe Batum could earn about $10MM per year on his new contract, which is in line with the full mid-level exception for ’22/23 — it projects to be worth $10.35MM, while the taxpayer MLE would come in at $6.39MM.
Barring significant roster moves, none of the five rival teams interested in Batum will have cap space, with only Chicago projected to have the full MLE at its disposal. The Lakers, Celtics, Suns and Jazz all project to be taxpaying teams, as shown by our Offseason Previews, so they’ll be limited to the taxpayer MLE.
The Clippers will be well above the luxury tax line next season, but will hold Batum’s Early Bird rights, giving them the opportunity to make a competitive offer without using their mid-level exception. Los Angeles should be able to offer a starting salary up to approximately $11MM using the Early Bird exception. An Early Bird offer would have to be for at least two years, with no player or team option on that second year (though the second year doesn’t need to be fully guaranteed).
Batum spoke enthusiastically in May about the impact head coach Tyronn Lue has had on him and his desire to remain with the Clippers.
Across two seasons and 126 games with the Clippers, Batum has averaged 8.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, and 1.0 SPG with a .402 3PT% in 26.2 minutes per contest while playing solid, versatile defense. We ranked him 23rd overall last week in our list of 2022’s top 50 free agents.
Latest On Kyrie Irving, Nets
The Nets are faced with a balancing act as they attempt to re-sign or extend Kyrie Irving, Adrian Wojnarowski said today during a TV appearance on SportsCenter, as well as in an Insider-only story for ESPN.com.
As Wojnarowski explains, the Nets want to remain disciplined in their contract discussions with Irving, preferring to negotiate a shorter-term deal rather than a long-term contract, in large part due to the star guard’s availability issues in recent years. Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report reported something similar earlier in the week.
However, the team also doesn’t want to run the risk of “alienating” star forward Kevin Durant, who is close with Irving and may become disenchanted with his situation in Brooklyn if his good friend departs in free agency. Wojnarowski says there are teams rooting for Irving to leave the Nets because they feel it could open the door for them to pursue Durant.
Although Durant hasn’t shown any signs of frustration with his situation, Wojnarowski hears from sources that chatter from rival agents and players about KD’s eagerness to talk to free agents hasn’t existed so far this summer like it has in past offseasons. Sources also suggest to ESPN that the drama surrounding Irving has made it more difficult for the Nets to court and retain role players.
Brian Lewis of The New York Post confirms that the length of a new Irving deal appears to be more of a sticking point than the salary, writing that the two sides are trying to find a “happy medium.”
According to Wojnarowski, getting a deal done is “the preference for everyone,” including the Nets, Irving, and Durant, and Lewis says that most people around the league still believe a return to Brooklyn is the most likely outcome for Kyrie. It’s just a matter of the Nets and the seven-time All-Star finding common ground in their contract talks.
Sixers, Other Contenders Expected To Pursue P.J. Tucker
10:59am: The Nets and Hawks are among the other teams likely to pursue Tucker, reports Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News. While Tucker and Kevin Durant are friends off the court, Brooklyn would be limited to offering the taxpayer mid-level exception, so Tucker would have to take a pay cut to join the Nets.
10:13am: With P.J. Tucker set to decline his player option and reach unrestricted free agency next week, multiple contending teams will pursue him, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link), who says those clubs are expected to be willing to offer the full mid-level exception in an effort to land the veteran forward.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Monday that Tucker would turn down his option with the Heat, which would have paid him $7.35MM for 2022/23.
Despite having turned 37 years old this year, Tucker is in position to earn a raise after a strong season in which he averaged 7.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 2.1 APG with a .415 3PT% in 71 regular season games (27.9 MPG) and was just as good in the postseason, playing tough, versatile defense for a Miami team that got to within one game of the NBA Finals. This summer may represent his last chance at a big payday.
Although Haynes doesn’t name any specific teams that are expected to be in the mix for Tucker, he’d be an ideal fit for virtually any team with playoff and/or championship aspirations.
Of course, it’s worth noting that using more than the taxpayer portion of the mid-level exception hard-caps a team at the tax apron for the rest of the league year. That means projected taxpayers such as the Warriors and Clippers will only have access to the taxpayer mid-level (projected to be worth $6.39MM) rather than the full MLE (projected to be worth $10.35MM), limiting their ability to make a competitive bid for Tucker.
One team that has been linked to Tucker already is Philadelphia — ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported the Sixers‘ interest during a TV appearance and Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer has since shared more details, writing that the club is shopping several players, including Tobias Harris and Matisse Thybulle, along with the No. 23 pick as it looks to create cap flexibility to pursue Tucker.
Unless James Harden takes a massive discount in free agency or they can move Harris in a salary-dump deal, the Sixers are unlikely to actually open up any cap space, but shedding some salary would help create breathing room below the tax apron, allowing them to use the full mid-level exception. Pompey hears from multiple sources that Philadelphia intends to make Tucker a three-year, $30MM offer, which would fit within the non-taxpayer MLE.
Because the Heat only hold Tucker’s Non-Bird rights, they wouldn’t be able to offer him a starting salary higher than $8.4MM without using their mid-level exception. They should have enough room below the tax apron to offer Tucker their full $10MM+ MLE if necessary, though that would reduce their options when it comes to re-signing Caleb Martin or pursuing outside free agents.
Knicks’ Alec Burks Underwent Foot Surgery
Knicks guard Alec Burks recently underwent foot surgery, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link), who reports that Burks is expected to be available for the start of training camp in the fall.
The procedure was completed shortly after the Knicks’ season ended in the spring, a source tells Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News (Twitter link). Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link), confirming Katz’s report, also hears from a source that Burks is expected to be ready to go for the start of the 2022/23 season.
Burks has missed time in past seasons due to foot issues, but they didn’t prevent him from appearing in a career-high 81 games for the Knicks in 2021/22 — he missed just a single game in December for personal reasons. His field goal percentage dipped to a career-worst 39.1%, but he was otherwise solid, averaging 11.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 3.0 APG with a .404 3PT% in 28.6 minutes per contest.
Burks will be entering the second season of a three-year, $30MM deal he signed with the Knicks in the 2021 offseason. The third year of that contract is a team option, so the veteran guard, who will turn 31 next month, is essentially on an expiring deal.
Multiple reports this offseason, including at least two this week, have identified Burks as a strong candidate to be traded. New York is in the market for a starting point guard and may move Burks either in a trade for that player or to help clear salary cap space to sign one in free agency.
It’s unclear how significantly the status of Burks’ foot will impact his value on the trade market, but it’s safe to assume any team acquiring him would want to get a look at his medicals before signing off.
Michael Rubin Selling Stake In Sixers
Sixers minority owner Michael Rubin is selling his stake in Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the company that owns the Sixers and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, according to reports from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Shams Charania of The Athletic, and Yaron Weitzman of FOX Sports.
Rubin’s stake in the Sixers is just 10%, but he’s considered an influential figure in the team’s ownership group due to his relationships with the players, including Philadelphia stars Joel Embiid and James Harden.
Rubin is the CEO of the sports retail business Fanatics, which is branching out into sports gambling. That represents a conflict of interest for Rubin, who has no interest in buying a stake in another team as a result.
“When we first bought the Sixers, Fanatics was only in the merchandise business,” Rubin said to Weitzman. “Now we have the trading card business and the gambling business. By the end of the year, we’ll have individual contracts with thousands of players, and I’ll be taking bets on the Sixers. … No one came to me and said, ‘Hey, Michael, you need to sell.’ It was clear based on these businesses (that) we have no choice but to sell.”
The sale of Rubin’s equity in the Sixers is expected to close “imminently,” according to Charania.
Even though he’ll no longer be an official part of the 76ers’ ownership group, Rubin will continue to be “a presence courtside and a key partner in our collective commitment to be a force for good in Philadelphia,” team governor Josh Harris said in a statement.
“I’ll probably go to less games, but when there’s something going down that’s massive, I’ll stop what I’m doing to help,” Rubin told Weitzman. “That’s who I am. That’s what I like doing. I consider Josh and (co-owner David) Blitzer to be family. I consider Joel and James to be family. And I look at (president of basketball operations) Daryl (Morey) and (head coach) Doc (Rivers) the same way. I have a lot of investment in the group and will do whatever I can to help those guys in whatever small way I can.”
As Charania and Wojnarowski observe, Rubin could potentially exert more influence on behalf of the Sixers as a “super-fan” than he could in his minority ownership role, since he’s no longer prohibited from talking to players on other teams or entering into outside financial partnerships with 76ers players.
Rubin told Weitzman that he believes the Sixers are “really well-positioned” going forward, particularly since he expects Harden to be healthier and more comfortable in his first full season in Philadelphia.
Bradley Beal To Decline Option, Enter Free Agency
Bradley Beal will decline his $36.4MM player option in order to become an unrestricted free agent, Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype reports via a source.
It’s long been anticipated that Beal would decline the option and sign a long-term deal. He indicated in both March and May that he was leaning toward re-signing with the Wizards.
Beal, who missed the final 33 games of the season because of an injured left wrist, is eligible for a new five-year contract with the Wizards worth a projected $247MM+. The most a rival team could offer him in free agency would be a projected $183.6MM over four years.
Beal offered a cryptic reply to the report on Twitter, stating “Wait huh? Lol.”
He said the recovery process from the wrist injury is going well and estimates that 80-90% of his range of motion has returned. He averaged 23.2 PPG, 6.6 APG, and 4.7 RPG across 40 contests, on .451/.300/.833 shooting.
Beal has been the subject of trade rumors for years but has so far remained loyal to Washington. Presuming he re-signs with the Wizards, he’ll get a chance to play a full season with midseason acquisition Kristaps Porzingis. Beal’s backcourt partner for next season remains a mystery — Washington is expected to clear its logjam at the forward spots and seek to improve its backcourt situation. The team also holds a lottery pick at the No. 10 spot.
Kendrick Nunn Exercises 2022/23 Player Option
Lakers guard Kendrick Nunn has elected to pick up his player option for the 2022/23 season, sources tell Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link).
We knew this was coming, since Nunn referred to the decision as a “no-brainer” back in April. The option, which will pay Nunn a salary of $5.25MM, has been officially exercised, according to RealGM’s transactions log.
After spending two-plus seasons in Miami, Nunn signed a two-year, $10.25MM deal with the Lakers during the 2021 offseason, but a knee issue sidelined him for the entire ’21/22 campaign. The injury was one of many factors that contributed to Los Angeles’ struggles this past year, as the team didn’t get anything out of the player it used its mid-level exception to sign.
Nunn is expected to be on the trade block this offseason and may never end up appearing in a regular season game for the Lakers. But if he returns and if he’s fully healthy, he could still be an asset in L.A.’s backcourt.
The 26-year-old averaged 15.0 PPG, 3.0 APG, and 2.9 RPG on .458/.364/.881 shooting in 123 games (29.4 MPG) with Miami from 2019-21.
With Nunn’s salary locked in, the Lakers will have four players on guaranteed contracts for next season — LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Nunn. We can safely pencil in Russell Westbrook to that group too, since there’s virtually no chance he’ll turn down his $47MM+ player option. Austin Reaves (non-guaranteed contract) and Stanley Johnson (team option) are also good bets to return, but L.A. will still need to fill out about half its roster, with limited resources to do so.
Our player option decision tracker can be found right here.
Rockets’ John Wall Opts In For 2022/23
Rockets guard John Wall has exercised his player option for the 2022/23 season, with agent Rich Paul informing the team of the decision, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The move had long been expected, since the option will pay Wall a salary of $47,366,760 next season after he didn’t play a single game for Houston in 2021/22. There was no chance he’d come close to matching that figure if he opted out to become an unrestricted free agent.
Although Wall is now officially under contract for 2022/23, it’s unlikely that he’ll spend another full season under contract with the Rockets and away from the team. Charania reports (via Twitter) that the two sides are expected to make an effort to resolve Wall’s situation in the “near future.”
The Rockets would love to find a trade partner willing to acquire Wall, but his exorbitant cap hit will make it virtually impossible without attaching an asset or two, which the rebuilding club has no interest in doing.
There were some rumors leading up to the 2022 trade deadline about a possible swap of Wall and Russell Westbrook, but Houston reportedly sought a first-round pick in those talks, which the Lakers weren’t willing to surrender. I wouldn’t count on L.A.’s stance changing this summer.
Assuming the Rockets can’t find a taker for Wall, the two sides are expected to explore buyout talks. As Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported in April, the 31-year-old would like to have a role on a winning team, if possible.
Wall last suited up for the Rockets in 2020/21, when he averaged 20.6 points, 6.9 assists, and 3.2 rebounds in 40 games (32.2 MPG). His shooting line that season was just .404/.317/.749.
Raptors’ Mykhailiuk Exercises 2022/23 Player Option
Raptors guard Svi Mykhailiuk has exercised his player option for the 2022/23 season, reports Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). It’s a minimum-salary option that will pay Mykhailiuk $1,878,720.
Mykhailiuk, 25, signed with the Raptors last summer after spending his first three NBA seasons with the Lakers, Pistons, and Thunder. He played a limited role in Toronto, averaging 4.6 PPG and 1.6 RPG with a career-worst .306 3PT% in 56 games (12.8 MPG) and falling out of the rotation by January.
The former Kansas Jayhawk showed an ability to knock down three-pointers more consistently during his first three years in the NBA, making 36.2% of his attempts from beyond the arc during that time.
Now that Mykhailiuk is locked in for next season, the Raptors have nine players on guaranteed salaries, plus Dalano Banton and Armoni Brooks on partial guarantees.
However, if Mykhailiuk isn’t in Toronto’s plans going forward, it’s possible he could be traded or even waived at some point this offseason. Given his modest cap hit, it shouldn’t be all that difficult to find a taker if the Raptors take that path.