Silver Expects Return To Normal Next Season
After two straight seasons of COVID-19 disruptions, NBA commissioner Adam Silver expects things to return to normal for 2021/22, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. Speaking at his annual All-Star weekend press conference, which was held virtually this year because of the virus, Silver said the league foresees a traditional October start for next season with little or no limits on attendance.
“I’m fairly optimistic, at this point, that we will be able to start on time,” he said. “Roughly half our teams have fans in their arenas right now and, if vaccines continue on the pace they are and they continue to be as effective as they have been against the virus and its variants, we’re hopeful that we’ll have relatively full arenas next season as well.”
Those plans don’t include the overseas trips that several teams usually make during the preseason. Silver said those won’t resume until at least 2022.
Silver also addressed the financial toll that COVID-19 has taken on the league, which had 171 games canceled last season and will lose at least 150 this year. Revenue projections for 2019/20 fell about $1.5 billion short, and similar losses are expected this season.
“Last season and this season has required a significant investment on the part of the team owners,” Silver said. “They accept that. Players will end up taking a reduction in salary this season because they are partners with the league and teams on revenue. League executives, team executives have all taken haircuts on their salary. But I think when we all step back, we all feel very fortunate to be working under these circumstances and my sense is the players feel the same way.”
Silver touched on several other topics during his session with reporters:
- No “concrete plans” are in place to resume Summer League play this year in Las Vegas, Reynolds notes. The NBA Finals could finish as late as July 22, which is about when the Summer League usually wraps up. “I think we’re going to end up (with) maybe an abbreviated Summer League, mini-camps and other opportunities,” Silver said. “Everything’s on the table now.”
- Silver has talked to NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts about eliminating the one-and-done rule and allowing 18-year-olds to enter the NBA draft, Reynolds adds. The commissioner indicated the issue could be considered when a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is negotiated.
- The NBA won’t require anyone to take the COVID-19 vaccine, but Silver believes “most players” will opt to get it, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Bontemps points out that it’s a way for players to get away from frequent testing and mandatory quarantines. “My hunch is that most players ultimately will choose to get vaccinated,” Silver said. “They have to make personal decisions at the end of the day — and I take that very seriously, and I take concerns very seriously. But my sense is most (players) will, ultimately, decide it is in their interest to get vaccinated.”
Rockets Recall Kevin Porter Jr. From G League
Kevin Porter Jr. will make his debut with the Rockets when they resume their season next week. The second-year swingman, who was acquired from the Cavaliers in January, was recalled from the G League today, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
From the time of the trade, Houston laid out a gradual progression for Porter. The 20-year-old showed hints of stardom during his rookie season, but was plagued by legal issues and other off-the-court problems. He wore out his welcome in Cleveland after throwing a tantrum in front of team officials after finding out his locker had been moved.
Porter’s stint in the G League was a huge success, as he averaged 24.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.5 steals in 15 games with Rio Grande Valley and was named Player of the Week last week. He helped the Vipers earn a playoff spot, but he won’t be with the team when the postseason begins.
Rockets general manager Rafael Stone told Mark Berman of KRIV in Houston that the plan for Porter has gone just as expected (Twitter link).
“When we acquired him we laid out that we wanted him to play through the break, which he’s done,” Stone said. “We had very specific goals in mind for how we wanted him to play, what we wanted him to try and achieve. We’re extraordinarily happy with him. He did all of that. Part of the plan was for him to rejoin the team post break. We’re going to be able to have one practice. Practice time in the NBA is extraordinarily limited. So he’ll be able to practice with the team and join us. He’s a very young player. He’s a very talented player and hopefully he can contribute.”
Porter hasn’t played in an NBA game since March 4, 2020. The Cavaliers weren’t invited to the NBA restart, and he was held out of the lineup early this season while resolving a legal matter. Porter averaged 10.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG and 2.2 APG in 50 games as a rookie.
The Rockets also recalled KJ Martin from the G League, Berman adds. The rookie forward appeared in seven NBA games earlier this season.
Larry Nance Jr. Drawing Interest From Multiple Suitors
Larry Nance Jr. has drawn the most interest in the trade market among Cavaliers players, including an offer that featured multiple late first-round picks, Chris Fedor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Nance is in the second year of a four-year, $44.8MM contract that was front-loaded, adding to his appeal. The Timberwolves have been pursuing Nance since the offseason, with the Celtics, Sixers, Pelicans, Heat and Mavericks also showing interest in the power forward, sources tell Fedor.
Nance was sidelined prior to the All-Star break with a fractured left hand but is expected to return as early as next weekend. However, the Cavs’ front office is reluctant to trade the 28-year-old, viewing him as a core player.
Fedor also offered up a number of other insights with the trade deadline approaching later this month:
- The front office still holds out hope it can deal Andre Drummond, believing that an interested party other than the Nets, Lakers or Clippers will step forward, rather than competing with those top contenders for Drummond on the buyout market.
- The Cavs are open to dealing small forwards Taurean Prince and Cedi Osman, who aren’t considered core pieces. They could come into play in a potential deal involving Drummond, especially if a third team is needed to make the salaries fit.
- Teams looking for a big have checked in on JaVale McGee, who has an expiring $4.2MM contract.
- It’s unlikely the Cavs will be able to shed Kevin Love‘s contract, though the Mavericks view him as a better fit than Drummond. The Cavs tend to overvalue Love and aren’t seeking a salary dump where an asset would need to be attached.
Luke Walton’s Job Appears Safe; Finances Play Role
Kings coach Luke Walton has been on the short list of NBA coaches with tenuous job status for awhile but he’s likely to retain his position at least through the end of this season, Sam Amick and Jason Jones of The Athletic report.
There are a variety of reasons why Walton is expected to hold onto his job, barring a complete second-half collapse. Finances come into play, as Walton is owed a combined $11.5MM in the next two seasons of his four-year guaranteed deal. The franchise has lost approximately $100MM due to the pandemic and there was even an ownership cash call in May, per Amick and Jones.
The Kings have a history of paying multiple coaches at the same time due to early firings, and minority owners are reluctant to go in that direction again.
Minority owners were asked to come up with funds to ensure the organization was still on track financially in accordance with five-year projection plans. Several of them were unable to do so, and owner Vivek Ranadive had to bridge the financial gap.
Walton has also dutifully carried out the plan set forth during the offseason by new GM Monte McNair.
McNair viewed this season as a “gap year,” with his long-term vision requiring two-to-four years to set in. Franchise player De’Aaron Fox has continued to support Walton publicly and privately and the front office is also impressed how rookie Tyrese Haliburton has blended with Fox. The progress shown by Marvin Bagley II in a starting role has also worked in Walton’s favor.
Here’s more tidbits from The Athletic’s story:
- Nemanja Bjelica chose not to play for over a month because he was furious that Bagley had been handed his minutes. Glenn Robinson III was also upset with losing his rotation role before he was released.
- Bjelica and Cory Joseph are the two players most likely to be dealt before the trade deadline. Hassan Whiteside has also been monitored by teams seeking a backup center.
- Despite the improvements he’s shown, Bagley has drawn little interest on the trade market.
Griffin Returned $13.3MM To Pistons To Be Set Free
Blake Griffin gave back $13.3MM in his buyout with the Pistons, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.
The buyout agreement was officially announced Friday afternoon by the team and the former All-Star forward has been placed on waivers. He’s expected to clear waivers on Sunday and the Nets have emerged as the frontrunners to sign him, Charania adds.
Griffin hasn’t played since February 12 by mutual agreement with the front office. GM Troy Weaver found it impossible to deal Griffin due to the guaranteed money remaining on his contract. Griffin’s contract initially called for a $36.8MM salary this season, with a $38.96MM option for next season, the final year of the deal.
Out of that $13.3MM giveback, $4.15MM will be applied to the Pistons’ cap this season and $9.15MM will be applied to next season’s cap. The resulting cap hits will be in the neighborhood of $32.7MM and $29.8MM, as Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. More details on how cap hits are adjusted for buyouts of multiyear contracts can be found on our glossary page.
According to The Athletic’s James Edwards III (Twitter link), the Pistons have chosen not utilize the stretch provision for the money owed Griffin. They’d rather take the cap hit of nearly $30MM next season than hamper their future cap flexibility by stretching it across three years.
Weaver has already used the stretch provision on offseason acquisition Dewayne Dedmon (across five years) and on Zhaire Smith (three years).
Pistons, Blake Griffin Finalize Buyout
4:04pm: The buyout agreement has been completed and Griffin has been placed on waivers, according to a team press release. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent on Sunday evening.
“As we stated from the beginning of our discussions with Blake and his representatives, our goal has been to facilitate a resolution for the future that maximizes the interests of both Blake and our team,” GM Troy Weaver said in a statement. “We appreciate all of Blake’s efforts on and off the court in Detroit, have great respect for him as a player and a person and we wish him all the best in the future.”
“I thank the Pistons organization for working together on an outcome that benefits all involved and I wish the franchise success in the future,” Griffin said.
11:04am: The Pistons and power forward Blake Griffin have agreed to a contract buyout that will pave the way for him to become an unrestricted free agent, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Shams Charania of The Athletic had reported on Thursday that Detroit and Griffin were working toward a buyout.
According to Wojnarowski, most of the NBA’s contending teams have interest in Griffin, who figures to make a decision on where he’ll sign in the near future after he speaks to his top suitors.
Griffin has been out of the Pistons’ lineup since February 15, when he and the team agreed to work toward a solution that would expedite his exit from Detroit. The Pistons were focused on developing their younger players, while the 31-year-old’s preference was to join a contending team, so both sides were on board with pursuing a trade or buyout.
Although Griffin has made six All-Star teams and five All-NBA squads over the course of his impressive career, health issues have significantly limited his impact this season, as he has averaged a career-worst 12.3 PPG on 36.5% shooting in 20 games (31.3 MPG).
The former first overall pick also has one of the league’s most onerous contracts, including a $36.8MM cap hit in 2020/21, followed by a $38.96MM player option for ’21/22. That deal presumably made it impossible for the Pistons to find a reasonable trade, which is why the team and his reps shifted their focus to a buyout.
It will be fascinating to see how much salary Griffin agreed to give up as part of the agreement — most players who are bought out by their teams are on expiring contracts, but it seems safe to assume Griffin didn’t simply decline his player option as part of the deal. The Pistons will likely be on the hook for a significant amount of 2021/22 salary, though they’ll have the option of stretching next season’s cap hit across three seasons.
[UPDATE: Griffin Gave Up $13.3MM In Buyout]
Griffin will spend two days on waivers before he’s officially free to sign with a new team, but as long as the Pistons finalize his release soon, he should have plenty of time to find a new home by the start of the season’s second half next Wednesday.
Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link) specifically names the Lakers, Clippers, Nets, Heat, and Warriors as teams that have expressed interest in Griffin, while Woj adds the Trail Blazers to the veteran’s list of viable options (Twitter link).
[UPDATE: Nets Considered Frontrunners To Sign Griffin]
Most of those clubs make sense, though a reunion with the Clippers would be a surprise, given how Griffin’s initial time with the organization came to an end. The Clippers re-signed Griffin to a five-year, $171MM contract in the summer of 2017 after pitching him on being a long-term centerpiece in L.A., then turned around and traded him to Detroit six months later.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Nets Considered Frontrunners To Sign Blake Griffin
The Nets are believed to be the frontrunners to sign Blake Griffin once he clears waivers, sources tell Shams Charania and James Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Marc Stein of The New York Times first reported (via Twitter) that Brooklyn is considered a “strong contender” for Griffin, given his long-standing relationships with multiple Nets players. Griffin, who has played with DeAndre Jordan and Bruce Brown in the past, has relationships with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, among other Nets, tweets Edwards.
While Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported earlier today that Griffin – who has agreed to a buyout with the Pistons – would make a decision on his next team after conversations with several of his suitors, Charania suggests that clubs with interest in the veteran forward expect him to choose Brooklyn.
The Nets, whose star-studded roster is led by Durant, Irving, and James Harden, have looked dominant lately, even with KD sidelined, and may give Griffin the best opportunity to compete for a championship this season. Brooklyn has been on the lookout for frontcourt help, though the recent emergence of young center Nicolas Claxton has lessened the urgency of that search.
It’s also worth noting that the Nets have the ability to offer Griffin more than the minimum salary if need be. The team has the taxpayer mid-level exception available, as well as a $5.7MM disabled player exception.
The Lakers, Clippers, Heat, Warriors, and Trail Blazers are among the other teams that have reportedly expressed interest in Griffin, and Stein says the Celtics can be added to that group as well. Technically, the Clippers (and the Bucks) can’t currently sign Griffin due to their hard cap, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). The Clippers seemed like an improbable suitor for the 31-year-old anyway, given how his last stint in L.A. ended.
Warriors Viewed As Potential Trade-Deadline Wild Card
With a 19-18 record at the All-Star break, the Warriors have slipped out of the top eight in the Western Conference and haven’t kept pace with many of the teams viewed as legit title contenders this season. However, as Tom Haberstroh writes for TrueHoop, Golden State is better equipped than many of those top teams to make a major trade at this month’s deadline.
One of the Warriors’ most intriguing assets is the first-round pick they’re owed from the Timberwolves. That pick is top-three protected in 2021 and would be unprotected in 2022 if it doesn’t convey this year.
“Golden State is the team to watch right now,” one general manager told Haberstroh. “No one knows what they’re going to do with that pick.”
The Warriors had a lottery pick for the first time in years in 2020 and used it to select James Wiseman, who is viewed as a foundational piece for the franchise. If Minnesota’s pick falls outside the top three this year, that would give Golden State another opportunity to add a young building block to its core.
However, Warriors star Stephen Curry will turn 33 years old next Sunday and the team wants to remain in title contention while he’s still in his prime. A package built around Wiseman, the Timberwolves’ pick, and Andrew Wiggins‘ sizeable contract could return a star.
A couple of factors reduce the odds of the Warriors making a big swing at this year’s deadline though. For one, it’s not clear if it will be worth mortgaging the team’s future for any players on the trade block this month, with Bradley Beal and other stars expected to be off limits. Additionally, it might not make sense for Golden State to make a splash on the trade market right now when Klay Thompson won’t be back on the court until next season.
Rival teams still view the Warriors as a wild card at the March 25 deadline, but as Haberstroh writes, the club may ultimately have to wait until the offseason to make its move.
Latest On Potential Timberwolves Sale
Longtime NBA star Kevin Garnett expressed interest last summer in bidding on his former team, the Timberwolves, as part of a prospective ownership group, but Garnett said in an Instagram story on Thursday that he’s no longer in the running to buy the franchise.
“Sooo just got the news that this process in trying to acquire the TWOLVES IS OVER for me n my group,” Garnett wrote, adding that he plans to “focus on other places” such as Seattle and Las Vegas. “Thx Glen for being yourself n what I kno you to be!!!”
Garnett’s comments – including renewed criticism of current Wolves owner Glen Taylor, with whom KG has feuded in the past – suggested that perhaps the franchise is paring down its list of potential suitors and informed Garnett’s group that it’s no longer a candidate.
However, Taylor told Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic and other reporters that neither he nor his representatives received any offer from Garnett and that he wasn’t sure what prompted KG’s public announcement.
“Kevin never contacted me at all saying that he was interested,” Taylor said. “Nor was his name listed on any of the buying groups that asked for financial information to review.”
According to Krawczysnki, Taylor was always open to considering a bid from Garnett or a group representing the Hall-of-Famer, but there was some skepticism about KG’s ability to put together the money necessary to make a competitive offer — Forbes’ latest franchise valuations projected the Wolves’ worth to be $1.4 billion.
Taylor said that he has received inquiries from at least 10 groups or families, per Krawczynski and Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link). The Wolves’ owner also informed Chris Hine of The Star Tribune that he spoke to four former NBA players who expressed interest in the team and asked if they were affiliated with Garnett — they all said no.
“If he would’ve called or had been a person who wanted some help, I would’ve tried to help him like anybody else,” Taylor said of Garnett.
Taylor told Wolfson that some of the interested parties are completing their due diligence, suggesting the sale process could gain momentum soon. However, Krawczynski believes “the betting money” is on Taylor retaining control of the franchise for the foreseeable future, since the ongoing effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the Wolves’ on-court struggles, and Taylor’s insistence that the club remain in Minnesota are all factors working against a bidding war.
“The process has taken longer than anticipated just because we’re not sure when we’re going to have attendance at the games,” Taylor said, per Hine. “And so that’s a hard thing to kind of figure in there, the value or lack of value. Probably the only thing that’s holding it up. I still have interest.”
Multiple reports in the last seven months have indicated that former Grizzlies minority owner Daniel Straus has gotten furthest down the road in negotiations with Taylor. Those talks seem to have hit a standstill though, and aren’t going anywhere at the moment, sources tell Krawczynski.
All-Star Teams Drafted By LeBron, KD
All-Star team captains LeBron James and Kevin Durant have each finished picking their squads for the March 7 All-Star game, via a live broadcast on TNT.
For the first round of the All-Star draft, the two former MVPs alternated picks among their fellow starters. With the first pick, James drafted reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. James’ Lakers frontcourt mate Anthony Davis will of course be absent as he continues to rehabilitate strained right calf injury.
A strained left hamstring will keep Durant off the floor during the actual All-Star game on Sunday, as well, but he still had the honor of making picks by benefit of being one of the two players receiving the most fan votes, along with James. Durant chose his fellow Net Kyrie Irving with the No. 2 pick.
When it came time to make picks for the second round of 2021 All-Star reserves, Durant drafted his other All-Star Nets teammate, James Harden. Meanwhile, James chose Damian Lillard, also his first pick from among the reserves in 2020.
Rudy Gobert (Team LeBron) and Donovan Mitchell (Team Durant), both players for the team with the best record in the NBA, the 27-9 Jazz, were the last two picks of the draft. James addressed the decision from his perspective on the broadcast, as recounted by Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
“I just want to say something, because there’s no slander to the Utah Jazz,” James said. “But you guys got to understand, just like in video games growing up, we never played with Utah. Even as great as [Hall of Fame Jazz power forward] Karl Malone and [Hall of Fame Jazz point guard] John Stockton were, we never would have picked those guys. Never.”
Here’s a full recap:
Team LeBron
- Starters:
- 1: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
- 3: Stephen Curry, Warriors
- 5: Luka Dončić, Mavericks
- 7: Nikola Jokić, Nuggets
- Reserves:
- 11: Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers
- 13: Ben Simmons, Sixers
- 15: Chris Paul, Suns
- 17: Jaylen Brown, Celtics
- 19: Paul George, Clippers
- 21: Domantas Sabonis, Pacers
- 23: Rudy Gobert, Jazz
Team Durant
- Starters:
- 2: Kyrie Irving, Nets
- 4: Joel Embiid, Sixers
- 6: Kawhi Leonard, Clippers
- 8: Bradley Beal, Wizards
- 9: Jayson Tatum, Celtics
- Reserves:
- 10: James Harden, Nets
- 12: Devin Booker, Suns
- 14: Zion Williamson, Pelicans
- 16: Zach LaVine, Bulls
- 18: Julius Randle, Knicks
- 20: Nikola Vučević, Magic
- 22: Donovan Mitchell, Jazz