Play-In Tournament Could Decide Bottom Seeds In Each Conference
A play-in tournament to decide the final two playoff spots in each conference seems likely, Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe of ESPN report.
The tournament being discussed would include teams with the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th best records. A 7 vs. 8 matchup would decide the No. 7 seed in the conference playoffs. The winner of the 9-10 game would then face the loser of the 7-8 game to decide the No. 8 seed.
The tournament would create another revenue stream for the league, which is trying to find ways to make up for last season’s losses due to the coronavirus pandemic as well as the likelihood of having few or no fans in the stands for at least a portion of next season. Having more teams participate in the proposed format could also decrease some teams’ desire to tank.
There are concerns of unfairly penalizing a team in the No. 7 slot that has a strong record. However, no standings trigger has been discussed to date.
Commissioner Adam Silver said negotiations between the league and Players Association had reached a critical stage with an increasingly short window to reach an agreement to allow for a December 22 start.
In other developments regarding negotiations, per the ESPN duo:
- The league wants to expand guidelines on sports betting, hard alcohol and casinos in order to generate $80-100MM in revenue.
- Significant increases in the escrow withholding on players’ salaries has been discussed. That includes the possibility of spreading out the players’ losses over multiple seasons, most likely three, so that they don’t take such a substantial financial hit in one year. If that’s the case, the salary cap and luxury tax levels would need to be set over the next three years.
- The league recently told teams that 40% of Basketball Related Income (BRI), which is split between the two parties, could be lost without gate receipts this season.
Sixers, Alex Rucker Part Ways
The Sixers have parted ways with executive vice president of basketball operations Alex Rucker, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Adam Aaronson of The Rights To Ricky Sanchez podcast first reported on Sunday that Rucker was “out,” though the move has been anticipated for months.
Just last week, Pompey reported that Rucker was expected to remain with the team through a “transition period” as Daryl Morey came aboard before eventually departing the organization. It seems that transition period only lasted a few days.
Rucker’s departure from the 76ers is part of the team’s front office overhaul, which includes not just the hiring of Morey as the new president of basketball operations, but also the addition of Peter Dinwiddie as the new executive VP of basketball ops, the position held by Rucker for the last two years. According to Pompey, Rucker was initially reassigned when Dinwiddie was hired.
Prior to Morey’s arrival, general manager Elton Brand held the top title in Philadelphia’s basketball operations department and faced much of the criticism for any missteps by the front office. However, Rucker had been “heavily involved” in those decisions as well, sources tell Pompey.
Before he joined the 76ers in 2016, Rucker was part of the Raptors’ analytics department.
NBA, NBPA Face Increasingly Short Window To Negotiate December 22 Start
In a call today with the league’s general managers, the NBA said there’s still no agreement in place with the National Basketball Players Association on a timeline for the 2020/21 regular season, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
As Wojnarowski details, talks are ongoing between the league and the players’ union, but the two sides face an increasingly short window to negotiate all the necessary details ahead of a potential December 22 start (with a possible December 1 start date for training camps). Besides agreeing on a schedule for the season, the two sides continue to work through a series of financial amendments to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (Twitter link).
[RELATED: NBA Targeting December 22 Start, 72-Game Season]
According to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), commissioner Adam Silver told teams on today’s conference call, “We’re running out of time.”
Despite that ominous comment from Silver, and despite the fact that many players reportedly prefer a January 18 start, I certainly wouldn’t rule out a December 22 opening night. The NBA has estimated that postponing the start of the 2020/21 season to mid-January could cost the league upwards of $500MM to $1 billion in revenue next season and beyond. Lost revenue is bad news for the players as well as the league, so the NBPA has plenty of incentive to figure out how to make the earlier start date work.
The NBA and NBPA pushed back the CBA termination deadline for a fourth time last week, setting a deadline of this Friday, November 6. If the two sides can agree to most of the major CBA details by that date, a pre-Christmas start still seems realistic. If that deadline has to be postponed yet again, that may not bode well for the December 22 target date.
Sixers Officially Hire Daryl Morey As President Of Basketball Operations
The Sixers have made it official, announcing today in a press release that they’ve hired Daryl Morey as their new president of basketball operations. Within the release, the club also confirmed that general manager Elton Brand has signed a multiyear contract extension.
“Daryl Morey is one of the very best front-office executives in the NBA and I’m thrilled to welcome him to Philadelphia as the 76ers President of Basketball Operations,” Sixers owner Josh Harris said in a statement. “Talent like Daryl rarely becomes available so we moved quickly and aggressively to bring him here. He has an extraordinary track record of success in this league as an innovator, visionary and leader, and I believe he significantly improves our chances of delivering a championship caliber team to our fans.
“This offseason, we made it our mission to make this organization better and stronger. By hiring a tremendous front-office leader in Daryl and championship coach in Doc (Rivers), as well as extending Elton, we’re proud of what we’ve assembled. I’m excited for their leadership and look forward to continuing to build a team this city and our fans can be proud of.”
[RELATED: Sixers Hire Doc Rivers As Head Coach]
Reports first indicated last Wednesday that the Sixers and Morey were in advanced talks on a five-year deal that would make him the team’s president of basketball operations. David Aldridge of The Athletic said at the time that the team envisions Morey and Brand as a “1-2 punch” in the front office, though their titles suggest that Morey will be the one with the final say on basketball decisions.
Morey spent 14 years with the Rockets before parting ways with the franchise in October. In Houston, he developed a reputation as a outside-the-box thinker who was creative in navigating the salary cap and building his roster. The veteran executive, who was known for constantly pursuing star players, helped to revolutionize the Rockets as a small-ball team that relied heavily on shooting three-pointers.
At the time of his departure from Houston, reports indicated that Morey may take some time off before seeking a new NBA job, but the Sixers’ aggressive pursuit convinced him to accept a new position almost immediately. Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta had predicted that Morey would eventually join an East Coast franchise, but likely didn’t think it would happen so soon.
For the 76ers, it’s the culmination of their long-standing interest in Morey. Philadelphia received permission to talk to the Rockets’ GM two years ago and reportedly made an offer, but he elected to remain in Houston at that time. Now, Morey will be tasked with making the adjustments necessary to turn a roster headed by All-Stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons into a legit championship contender.
The Sixers have indicated both publicly and privately that it has no plans to trade Embiid or Simmons anytime soon, despite the fact that the fit between the two stars has been awkward at times. However, oversized long-term contracts for Tobias Harris and Al Horford will make it a challenge for the club to reshape its roster around its two franchise players.
Morey said in a statement within today’s Sixers press release that he’s looking forward to trying to win a title in Philadelphia.
“I am humbled by the challenge and will work tirelessly to win the hearts of Philadelphia’s legendary fans,” Morey said. “The opportunity to work again with Doc Rivers, Elton Brand, and a stacked roster that is ready to win made this a can’t miss opportunity.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Elton Brand Gets Extension From Sixers
General manager Elton Brand has signed a multiyear contract extension with the Sixers, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Charania adds that a five-year deal with Daryl Morey has been finalized, and he will be introduced as the team’s new president of basketball operations on Monday at a news conference.
Brand has been with the Sixers’ front office since 2016, becoming a player development consultant after his 16-year playing career ended. He was named general manager of their G League affiliate a year later and was promoted to his current position in 2018.
Brand may have agreed to the extension before news broke that Morey was joining the organization. A source told Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer earlier this week that Brand has three years remaining on his contract, but ESPN’s Brian Windhorst cited that as a new development (hat tip to RealGM).
“There’s a report out of Philly today, from Keith Pompey, that Elton Brand has three years left on his contract,” Windhorst said Wednesday. “Well, a month ago he had one year left on his contract, so I think there was a possibility Elton Brand got a contract extension that they didn’t announce.”
Raptors Could Play Next Season in Newark
The Raptors have talked to the operators of the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, about using the facility for their home games next season, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. The building holds 19,500 fans and is located relatively close to Toronto’s four Atlantic Division rivals.
In response to the coronavirus, Canada has placed restrictions on international travel from the United States that are likely to still be in place whenever next season begins. With other teams unable to freely travel into Toronto, the Raptors are searching for a U.S. site to serve as their temporary home. Baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays played their home games this summer at Sahlen Field in Buffalo.
The Prudential Center, which serves as home to the NHL’s New Jersey Devils and Seton Hall basketball, has experience in hosting an NBA team, Bondy notes. The Nets played there for two seasons before relocating to Brooklyn in 2012. The building is owned by Harris Blitzer Sports Entertainment, which also owns the Sixers.
A source tells Bondy that the Raptors also had discussions about playing in Tampa Bay or Nashville or possibly being guests in another NBA team’s arena. Kansas City offered the T-Mobile Center, while a similar pitch from Louisville was declined. A move to Buffalo has also been suggested.
The NBA is trying to limit travel next season because of COVID-19 concerns, which could make Newark an ideal location. Bondy points out that it’s only about 15 miles from Barclays Center and Madison Square Garden and roughly 90 minutes from Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Boston is 225 miles away.
James Wiseman Reportedly Doesn’t Want Wolves To Draft Him
James Wiseman is considered the best center in this year’s draft, but he doesn’t want the Timberwolves to take him with the No. 1 pick, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Windhorst made the comments on “The Scoop” podcast with Darren Wolfson, saying Wiseman would prefer not to join a team that already has an established center in Karl-Anthony Towns.
‘“Wiseman does not want to come to Minnesota because Karl Towns is there,” Windhorst said. “From what I understand, Wiseman doesn’t even want to do anything with the Wolves.”
The 24-year-old Towns is the centerpiece of the rebuilding project in Minnesota and is under contract through 2023/24. He’s already a two-time All-Star and averaged 26.5 points and 10.8 rebounds last season. Neither Towns nor Wiseman seems suited to play power forward in a twin-towers approach.
If Windhorst’s claim is accurate, it seems to set up a trade for the No. 1 pick, possibly involving the Warriors, who hold the second choice, or the Hornets, who are at No. 3. Both teams attended Wiseman workouts recently and both have a need to upgrade at center. A report earlier this week indicated that Charlotte is willing to trade up to get its hands on Wiseman.
Wiseman is ranked third on ESPN’s list of the top 100 prospects. Although he only played three games in college, his combination of size and athleticism has many scouts believing he can become a dominant NBA center.
Frank Vogel: No Asterisk For Lakers’ Title
Lakers coach Frank Vogel doesn’t accept the argument that this year’s championship should come with an asterisk because of the unusual circumstances of the season, writes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Vogel believes his players did the best job of adapting to the four-month layoff and the closed atmosphere in Orlando.
“To endure that type of intense pressure environment, where every detail is scrutinized, where the intensity was high,” he said, “to endure those meetings with no outlet of family, or whatever single guys would be doing, without an outlet, was one of the biggest challenges. It was a credit to all the participants to lean on and to support each other.”
With a title in hand after his first season as Lakers head coach, Vogel is enjoying his return to normal life after spending 95 days away from his family. Being on the road is an accepted part of the NBA, but this year was different. Like most coaches and players, Vogel was locked down from mid-March until early summer, when teams began preparing for their long stay at Disney World.
“It’s a really interesting time, to experience that double or nothing,” Vogel said. “Going from being quarantined at home to away from them 24-7 was really a big extreme for me and my family, but at the same time I’m proud it was something we really took in stride.”
Vogel also expressed admiration for the way the league was able to create an atmosphere that remained free from COVID-19 long enough to crown a champion. While Major League Baseball and the NFL have experienced frequent disruptions, no NBA player had to miss a game in Orlando because of the virus. Vogel kept his thermometer and pulse oximeter as souvenirs to remind him of what the league accomplished.
“For something that had never been done before, it was done on a gold-standard level,” he said. “To me, that was the most incredible thing about the bubble: getting that buy-in from 99% of the staff and players. There are things you come away with when you leave, like you felt there was a security blanket when you were there.”
Sam Hinkie: “Zero” Chance Of Returning To NBA
Former Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie, the architect of “The Process,” said he’s “stoked” to see his longtime friend and former boss Daryl Morey take over as the new president of basketball operations in Philadelphia. However, Hinkie himself won’t be returning to the franchise in a role under Morey, as he told Pablo Torre on the ESPN Daily podcast.
“Zero,” Hinkie said when asked by Torre for the odds that he’ll join Morey in the Sixers’ front office (hat tip to RealGM). “I’ve turned that chapter for sure. That part of my life. I very much like what I’m doing now. I like surrounding myself with people who think in sort of the time frames I do, which is often longer. That are quite comfortable with long feedback loops. That want to do the kinds of things I do, which is bet on young people and watch them flourish.”
Hinkie, who is running a venture capital firm known as Eighty-Seven Capital, offered the same response when asked by Torre for the odds that he’ll return to an NBA front office in any capacity.
“Zero. Zero,” he said. “The same.”
The head of basketball operations in Philadelphia for three years from 2013-16, Hinkie took an extreme approach to the Sixers’ rebuild, as the team bottomed out to previously unforeseen lows while stockpiling future assets.
The 76ers posted a record of 47-199 (.191) during Hinkie’s tenure, culminating with a 10-72 showing in 2015/16. However, Philadelphia also drafted future All-NBA center Joel Embiid in 2014 and positioned itself to select Ben Simmons in 2016, shortly after Hinkie’s departure from the franchise.
Prior to his arrival in Philadelphia, Hinkie worked in the Rockets’ front office under Morey from 2005-13. He hasn’t held an NBA job since leaving the Sixers though, and his comments to Torre indicate he doesn’t expect to ever do so again.
Deadline For Terminating CBA Extended Once Again
8:46pm: An NBPA statement issued to Charania (Twitter link) strikes an optimistic tone regarding negotiations: “Each of us has a stake in doing what’s fair, what’s best for our business and what respects the rights and interests of all stakeholders. We are confident we will get there.”
Meanwhile, Wojnarowski reports in his full ESPN.com story that the NBA fears delaying opening night to mid-January could result in potential losses of $500MM to $1 billion next season and beyond.
8:01pm: The NBA and National Basketball Players Association are once again extending the deadline for either side to serve notice on terminating the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The new date is now next Friday, November 6, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.
This the fourth time the two sides have agreed to extend the deadline, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. They are trying to hammer out modifications on the CBA, including next season’s salary cap and luxury tax thresholds. Discussions will continue this weekend, Wojnarowski adds.
The decision has been confirmed in an NBA Communications press release. If either side provides notice to terminate by November 6, the CBA will terminate on December 14 unless the parties agree otherwise.
The start of next season remains a point of contention, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The league is pushing for a pre-Christmas start, which would allow its TV partners to broadcast Christmas Day games. The NBPA still prefers a mid-January start date, most likely the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
The league reportedly considered countering with a reduced 50-game season and significant reductions in salary if the NBPA insisted on the January start. However, a 50-game proposal hasn’t been put forth at this point, Wojnarowski reports in another tweet. Playing fewer games in the event of a January start hasn’t been raised but a 72-game schedule has been proposed with the December 22 start.
The league’s Board of Governors last week recommended the December start in part so that the 2021/22 season could begin at its normal starting point in late October.
Escrow withholding on player salaries due to reduced revenues without fans in the stands has also been a sticking point, Wojnarowski adds.