Dates Set For 2021 NBA Draft, Lottery, Combine
2:57pm: The NBA has officially confirmed the combine, lottery, and draft dates listed below, and has also announced a pair of additional deadlines:
- Early entrant application deadline: Sunday, May 30 (11:59pm ET)
- Early entrant withdrawal deadline: Monday, July 19 (5:00pm ET)
Again, the NCAA will set its own withdrawal deadline, so the July 19 date will be more relevant for international early entrant prospects.
The NBA also announced in its press release that the plan for the combine is to conduct five-on-five games and strength and agility testing, though that’s subject to “evolving public health conditions.”
2:00pm: The NBA has set dates for the 2021 draft lottery, the combine, and the draft itself, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Sources tell Charania that those dates are as follows:
- Draft combine: Monday, June 21 – Sunday, June 27
- Draft lottery: Tuesday, June 22
- Draft: Thursday, July 29
None of those dates comes as a real surprise — with the end of the 2020/21 regular season pushed back by a little over a month, all of the corresponding dates will be postponed by approximately a month as well, with the 2021/22 league year set to begin in early August.
However, we still don’t know exactly what form these events will take. In 2020, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the combine, lottery, and draft were all held virtually. Given the rate of vaccinations in the U.S., the pandemic outlook shouldn’t be nearly as bad this summer, but it remains to be seen whether the NBA will be prepared to hold large-scale in-person events, with participants (and possibly fans) coming in from all over the country.
In any case, Charania’s report means we can start filling in our offseason calendar. Since the NBA typically sets its early entrant withdrawal deadline for 10 days before the draft, that date figures to fall on July 19. The league will still need to establish a deadline for those early entry players to declare for the draft (that deadline is usually 60 days before the draft), and the NCAA also has to set its own withdrawal deadline for college players.
For a sense of what this year’s draft order may look like, be sure to check out our reverse standings and our in-depth breakdown of 2021’s traded first-round picks.
Some NBA Teams, Execs Want Buyout Market Reform
Some teams and executives around the NBA, especially those in small markets, are frustrated by the NBA’s so-called “buyout market” and have pushed unsuccessfully for reform, according to Howard Beck of SI.com.
Those complaints have been amplified within the last few days, as two of the top players on the 2021 buyout market – Andre Drummond and LaMarcus Aldridge – signed with the big-market Lakers and Nets, respectively. Brooklyn also signed Blake Griffin earlier in the season after he was bought out by Detroit.
“You’re just helping the rich get richer,” one general manager from a small-market team told Beck.
Players like Drummond, Aldridge, and Griffin were all bought out – rather than traded – because no teams were willing to give up assets to take on their oversized salaries. Once they reach free agency and are no longer attached to those huge cap hits, those veterans suddenly look a whole lot more attractive — they could be bargains on minimum-salary contracts for teams that didn’t give up anything for them, and those teams often play in bigger markets.
“The system is flawed,” another small-market GM told Beck. “You shouldn’t be adding to your team this deep in a season without giving things up.”
While it’s easy to say that those small-market teams shouldn’t agree to buyouts in the first place if they don’t want their players to end up on big-market contenders, Beck says those clubs often feel pressure to get a buyout done so as not to alienate agents or to gain a reputation of not being player-friendly, a point echoed by at least one GM.
Small-market executives are hoping the NBA will address the buyout issue in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement, according to Beck, who says a number of ideas have been proposed. Those ideas include giving teams a specific form of cap exception for buyout signings (which can only be used once per year or once every other year) or holding a blind auction for bought-out players, with teams using their existing exceptions or cap room to make bids.
However, as Beck writes, those execs aren’t optimistic that the NBA will seriously consider reforming the buyout market, since the league has yet to even acknowledge it’s an issue. The NBA’s silence on the issue is somewhat understandable — having big-name players head to big markets is good for ratings, Beck observes. Plus, if the players’ union is going to agree to any system that reduces or eliminates their ability to choose their new teams in the event of a buyout, it will likely require the league to give ground on another collectively-bargained issue.
Opponents of reform would point to the Spurs’ signing of Gorgui Dieng as an example combating the narrative that only big-market contenders have a chance to land the top bought-out players. They might also argue that buyout signings rarely have a major impact on the postseason and point out that if they were major difference-makers, they wouldn’t be able available in the first place.
Addressing the Aldridge and Drummond signings specifically, John Hollinger of The Athletic questions whether the Nets will benefit at all from Aldridge taking minutes away from young center Nicolas Claxton, who is clearly the better defender. Additionally, Hollinger notes that the Lakers may once again move away from traditional centers like Drummond when the postseason rolls around.
“It’s kind of funny to me, because for the last couple years all I’ve heard is how bad I am. You sign with this team and everybody’s like, ‘That’s not fair!”” Griffin told Brian Lewis of The New York Post, when asked about the reaction to the Nets landing him and Aldridge. “People say whatever they want. I don’t put a whole lot of value in other people’s opinions.”
Evan Fournier Cleared To Make Celtics Debut
Newly-acquired Celtics shooting guard Evan Fournier has been cleared to play for his new team after having his debut delayed by the NBA’s health and safety protocols over the weekend, the club announced today (via Twitter). Fournier will be available on Monday vs. New Orleans.
Players are typically held in the protocols for one week when they’ve been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, and at least two weeks when they test positive themselves. The fact that Fournier was cleared so quickly suggests neither of those scenarios apply to him.
Fournier has averaged a career-high 19.7 PPG and 3.7 APG on .461/.388/.797 shooting in 26 games (30.3 MPG) so far this season. The Magic sent him to Boston last Thursday in a trade that netted them a pair of second-round picks and a $17MM+ trade exception.
Fournier will get the opportunity to inject some added scoring and play-making into Boston’s offense and to make a case for a longer-term deal with the club. The 28-year-old is on track to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.
Monday night will also be the first time that the Celtics host fans in TD Garden this season, having been approved to fill the arena to 12% of its overall capacity.
Spurs Sign Gorgui Dieng, Waive Marquese Chriss
MARCH 29: The Spurs have made it official with Dieng, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed him to a new contract.
MARCH 28: Free agent center Gorgui Dieng will sign with the Spurs once he clears waivers, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times. The Knicks, Suns, Clippers, Sixers, Raptors, Heat and Nets also reached out to Dieng, sources tell Stein (Twitter link).
San Antonio doesn’t have an open roster spot, so Marquese Chriss will be waived to make room for Dieng, as Shams Charania of The Athletic first reported (via Twitter). Chriss, who is out for the year with a broken right fibula, was acquired from the Warriors on Thursday. His $1.8MM contract expires at the end of the season.
The Spurs have officially released Chriss, Marc Stein of The New York Times tweets.
The Grizzlies waived Dieng on Friday after failing to find a taker for him by the trade deadline. His $17.3MM contract limited the options for Memphis on the trade market.
Dieng has played in just 22 games this season and was averaging 7.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per night. He had fallen behind Xavier Tillman in the rotation and didn’t appear to have a future with the Grizzlies.
Dieng will officially clear waivers at 5pm today. The 31-year-old will provide another veteran front court option for San Antonio, which reached a buyout agreement with LaMarcus Aldridge on Thursday.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Pistons Sign Tyler Cook To Second 10-Day Deal
MARCH 28: The Pistons signed Cook to his second 10-day contract on Sunday, per NBA.com’s official transactions log.
MARCH 26: The Pistons plan to sign big man Tyler Cook to a second 10-day contract, Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press tweets.
Cook was officially signed to his first 10-day with the club on March 18 — that deal is set to expire on Saturday night. He’s already appeared in four games with Detroit, accumulating nine points and 13 rebounds.
Cook reached the open market on March 6 when his 10-day deal with Brooklyn expired.
Undrafted out of Iowa in 2019, Cook spent time as a rookie last season on a two-way contract and a pair of 10-day deals with Cleveland before joining Denver for the NBA restart as a substitute player. He only appeared in 13 total NBA games, but played more for the Canton Charge and OKC Blue in the G League, averaging 12.9 PPG and 5.7 RPG in 29 games (21.3 MPG).
Cook returned to the G League for the 2020/21 season and was one of the early standouts at the Walt Disney World bubble, averaging 20.8 PPG, 9.6 RPG, and 4.4 APG in eight games (33.3 MPG) for the Iowa Wolves.
Lakers Sign Andre Drummond
8:17pm: The Lakers have officially signed Andre Drummond, the team announced on social media.
12:54pm: Coveted free agent center Andre Drummond plans to sign with the reigning champion Lakers after he clears waivers today at 4 pm CT, his agent Jeff Schwartz has informed Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
As we relayed yesterday, Woj previously reported that the Lakers were a “strong frontrunner” to ink the veteran big man. Drummond also met with the Celtics, a club in the market for a Daniel Theis replacement after moving their starting center in a cost-cutting deal.
The 6’10” Drummond, a two-time All-Star during his tenure with the Pistons, should immediately get the starting nod ahead of erratic current starter Marc Gasol and undersized reserve center Montrezl Harrell, Woj noted in a since-updated story previewing Drummond’s interest in the Lakers yesterday.
After spending portions of two seasons in Cleveland, Drummond reached a buyout agreement on Friday with the Cavaliers, who are prioritizing young new center Jarrett Allen. Across 25 games with the Cavs this season, Drummond averaged 17.5 PPG and 13.5 RPG.
Given the Lakers’ salary situation, the deal can only be at the veteran’s minimum this year. But a starting nod and robust rebounding numbers on a club expected to contend for a repeat title could be a terrific opportunity for the 27-year-old Drummond to prove his mettle and make a case for a longer-term contract this summer.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report observes (via Twitter) that there is “not a real obvious path” to an ample future long-term agreement with the Lakers. The team will have Drummond’s Non-Bird rights at season’s end, but the ability to offer a raise using those rights will be extremely limited.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
LaMarcus Aldridge Signs With Nets
MARCH 28: The Nets have officially signed Aldridge, the team announced today in a press release.
Brooklyn will have a cap hit of around $555K and Aldridge will earn $878K, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).
MARCH 27: The Nets will be the next stop for free agent big man LaMarcus Aldridge, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Aldridge’s agent, Jeff Schwartz confirmed the deal, Woj adds (Twitter link). It will be a veteran’s minimum deal for the rest of the season, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Aldridge just cleared waivers after agreeing to a buyout with the Spurs on Thursday. He reportedly gave up $5.8MM in that arrangement, which is more than he will get paid in Brooklyn. However, he will have the chance to compete for a title with a franchise that can surround him with star teammates.
Brooklyn has a roster spot open, so no move will be necessary before Aldridge can sign. The Nets are already huge winners on the buyout market, having also added Blake Griffin earlier this month.
Aldridge is likely to see most of his minutes at center, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Brooklyn has been searching for help in the middle ever since parting with Jarrett Allen in the January deal to acquire James Harden.
Aldridge’s decision comes as somewhat of a surprise, especially in Miami, where the Heat were thought to be the front-runners to sign him. Miami had received indications that it had a good chance to land Aldridge, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. An associate of Aldridge told Jackson that the veteran big man chose the Nets because he believes they’re in position to contend for a title. The Heat’s current six-game losing streak likely affected his decision (Twitter link).
Aldridge, 35, saw his playing time reduced this year as San Antonio opted for a younger lineup. He hasn’t played since March 1 while the Spurs tried to make a trade, but no suitable offers were received before Thursday’s deadline. Aldridge averaged 13.7 points and 4.5 rebounds in 21 games before being shut down.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Thunder Sign Moses Brown To Multi-Year Contract
The Thunder have signed center Moses Brown to a multi-year contract, converting his deal from a two-way contract, the team announced in a press release.
Brown, 21, most recently tallied 21 points and 23 rebounds in the team’s loss to Boston on Saturday, displaying serious flashes of potential. The 7’2″ big man went undrafted in 2019 and has spent most of the 2020/21 season in the G League.
Brown, who received All-NBA G League First Team honors, averaged 18.5 points, 13.9 rebounds and 26.4 minutes in 14 games with the OKC Blue. He’s appeared in 16 games with the Thunder this season and has emerged as a valuable young prospect for the club as it shifts its attention toward the future.
In addition to Brown, Oklahoma City owns an abundance of draft assets and contains a young core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort and others.
Austin Rivers Waived By Thunder, Eyeing Bucks
1:01pm: Rivers has officially been waived, the Thunder have announced in a team press release.
12:22pm: After being dealt from the Knicks to the Thunder as part of the three-team trade that sent point guard George Hill to the Sixers, combo guard Austin Rivers has been waived by Oklahoma City, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). With the move, the Thunder will now have an available roster spot.
Charania, Eric Nehm and Seth Partnow of The Athletic write that the Bucks appear to be the frontrunners in the quest to add Rivers, should he clear waivers in free agency. Milwaukee is seeking to fortify its point guard depth after sending reserve point guard D.J. Augustin in a deal for veteran forward P.J. Tucker.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe first identified Milwaukee as a potential landing spot for Rivers last Monday, while Eric Nehm of The Athletic highlighted the possibility of Rivers being a target for the Bucks following the trade deadline.
Rivers joined the Knicks in the offseason on a three-year, partially guaranteed $10MM contract in a sign-and-trade. He appeared in 21 games for New York, averaging 7.3 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 2.0 APG and 0.6 SPG in just 21.0 MPG.
The 6’4″ veteran guard lost his rotation spot to Derrick Rose once the Knicks added the former MVP in a trade with the Pistons. Rivers has not suited up since February 13.
Knicks Center Mitchell Robinson Fractures Foot
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson suffered a fracture in his right foot during tonight’s game, the team announced on Twitter. He will be re-evaluated tomorrow.
The injury happened midway through the first quarter in Milwaukee, according to Greg Joyce of The New York Post. Robinson landed awkwardly after jumping and hobbled off the court.
While no timeline for a possible return will be considered until Robinson is examined in New York, a fracture threatens to sideline him for at least the rest of the season and the playoffs. The Knicks hold a $1.8MM team option on Robinson for 2021/22.
Robinson returned to the court this week after missing 15 games with a broken right hand. He had a metal plate inserted into the hand to help stabilize it. The 22-year-old has been limited to 30 games during his third NBA season, averaging 8.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per night.
It may be a long shot, but the Robinson injury could change the Knicks’ perspective on trying to outbid the Lakers for center Andre Drummond, who will clear waivers Sunday afternoon. A report earlier tonight said New York has pulled out of the competition for Drummond, even though the club has about $15MM in cap space to make an offer.