Teams Preparing For Possibility Free Agency Begins 48-72 Hours After Draft
The NBA draft is locked in for November 18. Now that the league is eyeing December 1 as the potential start date for training camps, that doesn’t leave much of a window for 2020’s free agent period.
Taking that projected time frame into account, some teams are preparing for the possibility that free agency will open on November 20 or 21, just 48 to 72 hours after the draft, says Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link).
Before last Friday, when it still seemed as if the NBA would push back its regular season start date for 2020/21 well into the new year, there was a general belief that free agency would begin near the end of November — perhaps even as late as December 1. That’s no longer a realistic option if camps are to open at the start of December, so the league will presumably aim to get free agency underway before Thanksgiving.
Of course, the December 22 start date for the ’20/21 season – as well as the rumored December 1 date for training camps – has yet to be approved by the NBPA, so it remains to be seen whether such a breakneck pace will be necessary for the offseason.
However, assuming the players’ union does sign off on the NBA’s proposal, a November 20 or 21 start for free agency seems about right. That would give the league a brief window after the draft for deadlines for option decisions, qualifying offers, and certain salary guarantees before the new league year gets underway.
Further clarity on the NBA’s schedule is expected by the end of the week, according to Stein.
Hawks Shopping No. 6 Pick, Will Push For Playoffs In 2021
The Hawks are shopping the No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 draft and intend to make a push for the postseason in 2020/21, multiple league sources tell Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.
The report doesn’t come as a surprise. Multiple Hawks players and franchise leaders have talked in recent months about a strong desire to make the playoffs next season, while previous reports have indicated they’d be open to moving their lottery pick.
In Monday’s edition of his Lowe Post podcast, ESPN’s Zach Lowe made a similar point, telling colleague Bobby Marks that the Hawks are “yearning” to earn a postseason berth in 2021 and suggesting that – as a result – the team will be more open to win-now moves this fall.
While the Hawks are apparently open to trading down or out of the draft, they don’t necessarily have to move that No. 6 pick in order to upgrade their roster. The club projects to have between $40-45MM in cap room when free agency opens, which will likely be more than any other team has available.
General manager Travis Schlenk told reporters in the spring that the Hawks may be more “assertive” in free agency this year than they have been in recent offseasons. Since Schlenk’s arrival, Atlanta has mostly made signings in the second or third wave of free agency, looking to identify bargains once the top players are off the board. However, the Hawks are expected to be more aggressive this time around, according to O’Connor, who says the organization wants to “capitalize on Trae Young‘s emergence.”
That cap room will also give the Hawks plenty of options on the trade market, especially if the No. 6 pick is on the table. The team has frequently used its cap space in recent years to take on unwanted contracts in order to acquire extra draft assets, but figures to tweak that approach this year — Schlenk will likely be targeting productive veterans in any trade talks, rather than mere salary-dump candidates.
NBA Eyeing December 1 For Start Of Training Camps?
The National Basketball Players Association has yet to approve the NBA’s proposed start date of December 22 for the 2020/21 regular season. However, assuming the two sides opt to move forward with that plan, December 1 appears to be the likeliest opening date for training camps, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link).
A three-week gap between the start of training camps and regular season games is fairly typical by NBA standards. At the start of the 2019/20 season, for instance, most teams opened training camps on October 1, while opening night fell on October 22. When the NBA restarted the season this summer following its four-month hiatus, teams began practicing around July 11 and seeding games began on July 30.
In each of those scenarios, preseason or exhibition games took place between the start of training camps and the start of the regular season schedule. Since the 2020/21 season isn’t expected to be played in a bubble environment, it’s not clear whether the NBA still intends to schedule preseason games or whether they’ll be viewed as unnecessary — that figures to be one of many matters of negotiation between the league and the NBPA.
The eight teams who weren’t invited to the Walt Disney World bubble this summer would likely welcome a December 1 start date for training camps, since they haven’t played in real games since early March. The first few teams eliminated in the summer would have also had a break of about three-and-a-half months.
The turnaround would be more challenging for teams that made deep playoff runs in Orlando. The Heat and Lakers, for instance, played their final game on October 11, so they’d only have 50 days off before reporting back to camp.
A December 1 start date for camps would also mean an extremely condensed free agency period, since the market isn’t expected to open until a few days after the November 18 draft. While most of the top players figure to sign new contracts during the first week of free agency, there would likely be a number of players still finding new NBA homes in December, after camps have already gotten underway.
Craig, Atkinson, Billups Expected To Join Lue’s Clippers Staff
Heat assistant coach Dan Craig is leaving Miami to take a job as an assistant on Tyronn Lue‘s Clippers staff, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald confirms (via Twitter). According to Jackson, the Clippers offered more money than the Heat, and Craig hopes the role will help him eventually become an NBA head coach.
Mike Robinson of The Ball Out first reported today that Craig and former Brooklyn head coach Kenny Atkinson would be joining the Clippers as assistants.
Marc Stein of The New York Times, who revealed last week that Craig and Atkinson were drawing interest as potential additions to Lue’s staff, tweeted today that Chauncey Billups has also interviewed for an assistant coach position with the Clippers. The expectation in coaching circles is that Craig, Atkinson, and Billups will all formally finalize deals to join the Clips, Stein adds (via Twitter).
Shams Charania of The Athletic first reported back on October 15 when Lue was promoted by the Clippers that Billups would join him in Los Angeles. Billups was still a candidate in the Pacers’ head coaching search at that time. Now that Indiana has gone in another direction, hiring Nate Bjorkgren, it appears Billups is on track to complete an agreement with L.A.
Craig, who reportedly received head coaching interest from the Bulls and Pacers this year, has been with the Heat for the better part of two decades after initially being hired as a video intern in 2003. He has been an assistant on Erik Spoelstra‘s staff since 2012, spending one year during that time (2015/16) as the head coach of the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Miami’s G League affiliate.
Like Craig, Atkinson generated some head coaching interest around the NBA this summer, having been linked to the Knicks, Rockets, Bulls, and Pelicans jobs. The former Knicks and Hawks assistant was hired by the Nets as their head coach of the Nets in 2016 and held that role until he was let go by the organization in March of this year. He compiled a 118-190 (.383) record in Brooklyn as he led the franchise through a challenging rebuild.
As for Billups, he’s a former NBA Finals MVP who expressed interest this year in becoming a head coach. Since his retirement as a player, Billups had reportedly “toyed with the idea” of getting into coaching, and it appears he’ll do so alongside Lue, a longtime friend with whom he shares an agent. A report in August suggested that Billups thought working on Lue’s staff might help him eventually land a head coaching job — he apparently has that in common with Craig.
Assuming the Clippers officially lock up Craig, Atkinson, and Billups, they’ll have gone a long way toward putting together Lue’s staff for 2020/21. Former NBA head coach Larry Drew is also expected to be hired by the Clippers as an assistant coach.
Cavaliers To Work Out Obi Toppin
The Cavaliers will send a contingent to New Jersey this week to conduct a private, in-person workout with former Dayton forward Obi Toppin, sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. According to Fedor, the Cavs intend to dine with Toppin as part of the visit to get to know him better.
General manager Koby Altman, assistant GM Mike Gansey, and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff will be part of Cleveland’s traveling party as the team takes a closer look at Toppin and other top prospects this week, Fedor writes. It’s not yet clear which other players the group will be visiting, but Isaac Okoro, Onyeka Okongwu, James Wiseman, and Deni Avdija are among the other players the Cavs have done plenty of homework on, per Fedor.
While some teams may not take advantage of the change to the pre-draft rules that allows clubs to conduct up to a total of 10 in-person workouts prior to next month’s draft, the Cavs view it as a “vital part of the process,” according to Fedor, who notes that in-person visits played important roles when the team drafted Collin Sexton in 2018 and Darius Garland in 2019.
Fedor has reiterated throughout the pre-draft process that Toppin is very much in play for the Cavs, who hold the No. 5 pick in the 2020 draft. The former Flyer is already 22 years old and there are some concerns about his defense, as well as where he fits into a crowded Cleveland frontcourt. However, Fedor says that some members of the organization think the roster could use another long-term frontcourt piece, with Tristan Thompson facing free agency and Andre Drummond on an expiring deal. Additionally, Toppin’s defensive shortcomings aren’t considered a deal-breaker.
“It’s certainly not a strength, but is he a liability on that end? I won’t go that far,” one source told Fedor.
Teams Lobbying For Higher Tax Line In 2020/21
Even if the NBA’s salary cap doesn’t end up increasing at all for the 2020/21 season, teams are lobbying for a bump in the luxury tax line, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).
In 2019/20, the cap was set at approximately $109.1MM, with the luxury tax line at $132.6MM. Generally, the tax threshold is directly tied to where the cap lands, so if the ’20/21 cap remains at $109.1MM, the tax line would remain unchanged too. Teams that cross the tax line must pay a penalty for each extra dollar they spend.
[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Luxury Tex Penalties]
However, given the unusual financial circumstances dictated by the coronavirus pandemic, clubs are hoping the NBA will consider artificially setting next season’s tax level at around $139MM, with a $145MM tax apron, says Marks. Those are approximately the figures the NBA had projected before the pandemic, when the league was forecasting a $115MM cap for 2020/21.
It’s not hard to see why teams – or at least the teams without cap room – would be pushing for a higher tax line. The pandemic has already had a major financial impact on many clubs, and having to pay bigger tax bills than initially expected would only exacerbate those financial woes. Increasing the apron – which serves as a hard cap in certain situations – would also give teams more roster flexibility.
While it’s not clear how the NBPA feels about the issue, there’s incentive for them to favor artificial changes to the tax line as well. Increasing the tax level certainly doesn’t guarantee that teams will put those savings toward player salaries, but it would likely make at least some clubs more willing to be active in free agency and open to taking on money in trades, which would benefit players.
As cap expert Albert Nahmad points out (via Twitter), there are a number of other ways the NBA and NBPA could temporarily tweak the luxury tax rules for the 2020/21 season to lessen the risk of a widespread spending freeze. Besides artificially increasing the tax threshold, the two sides could explore reducing taxpayer penalties or waiving the more punitive repeater tax penalties altogether.
Tyronn Lue Expects Kawhi Leonard, Paul George To Stay With Clippers
The Clippers believe Kawhi Leonard and Paul George will be the foundation of the team for years, new head coach Tyronn Lue said during an appearance on ESPN’s “The Jump” (video link from show host Rachel Nichols).
Both stars have the ability to opt out next summer if they want to become part of what is expected to be a loaded free agent class. George’s player option for 2021/22 is $37.9MM, while Leonard’s is $36MM. However, Lue is confident that both Los Angeles natives will remain with the organization.
“I think Kawhi and PG are here to stay for a long time,” he said. “I think in their situation and where they want to be, it’s here with the Clippers. We just have to make it a great environment and we have to win.”
Lue also discussed how it feels to become a head coach again for the first time since the Cavaliers fired him six games into the 2018/19 season. Lue, who served as lead assistant to Doc Rivers last season, was rumored to be a candidate for several openings this year, including the Sixers, Nets, Pelicans and Rockets.
“It felt great to be wanted,” he said. “After the Cleveland situation and just having the chance to take a step back and reflect on things I could have done better, what I need to get better at, what I need to do to be better. I want to be great. I want to win championships. That’s what I want to do. So it takes a lot of work to do that.”
Lue said he is healthier now and better able to deal with stress than he was during his time in Cleveland. He experienced chest pains late in the 2017/18 season and had to take a short break from coaching to deal with his health. Lue told Nichols that he has lost 35 pounds since then and has learned how manage stress.
“Just having the chance to focus on myself, working out, eating better, doing some meditation here and there,” he explained. “Just learning to have a release outside of basketball. Because when I dive into coaching, it’s just all basketball. I’m up for the challenge. I feel great. No health issues, none of that. So I’m ready for the long run.”
Examining The NBA’s Plan For The 2020/21 Season
The NBA’s proposal to start next season on December 22 is an admission that league officials don’t expect to be able to fill arenas with fans any time soon, writes John Hollinger of The Athletic.
There had been rumors that the league was looking at Martin Luther King Day or possibly later as a start date to maximize the chances of having a COVID-19 vaccine that would allow large gatherings to resume. Hollinger believes the NBA is now considering the 2020/21 season a “sunk cost” and is focusing on having a normal timetable for 2021/22.
To make that happen, the league needs to fit in a shortened 72-game season in roughly four months — from late December through the end of April. That would leave time for a play-in tournament that’s also included in the league’s plans, followed by two months of playoffs that would finish by early July.
Hollinger notes that a precedent of sorts was set in the 2011/12 season when labor strife forced the league to adopt a 66-game schedule that ran from Christmas Day to April 26. He envisions something similar this year, but without teams being asked to play on three straight nights. Hollinger suggests that non-conference games might be eliminated, cutting down travel significantly, and leaving each team with eight games against each division rival and four games against each conference opponent from outside the division.
All-Star Weekend might be canceled this year, not only for the scheduling benefits but to eliminate the risks of bringing together players from all parts of the country and then sending them back to their teams. The league may also skip the preseason because of the tight window to get ready for games that count.
Hollinger addresses a few other topics the league will have to consider:
- There’s virtually no desire to recreate a “bubble” atmosphere like the one in Orlando. It could be done in an emergency to preserve the playoffs or the NBA Finals, but the sentiment throughout the league is that teams should play in their own markets. The one exception may be the Raptors if travel into Canada remains limited. Hollinger suggests KeyBank Center in Buffalo or the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, as possible temporary homes.
- The 72-game schedule is enough to for teams to satisfy their regional sports network contracts — most of which call for 65 to 70 televised games — and ensure that stream of revenue won’t be affected. There are also plenty of national television opportunities without stretching the playoffs past Independence Day and risking low ratings again.
- Free agency will be more condensed than usual, with November 23, the Monday after the draft, appearing to be a likely starting point. That leaves about a week and a half before the expected opening of training camps.
- The proposed changes give NBA players a much better chance of participating in the Olympics if they are able to be held. The Olympic basketball tournament is scheduled to begin July 24, which is at least two weeks after the end of the NBA Finals. Nations seeking the remaining four spots, such as Canada, Lithuania, Serbia, Greece, Croatia and Slovenia, stand a better chance of having their NBA players available when the qualifying tournaments get under way in late June.
J.B. Bickerstaff: Cavaliers Planning To Have Andre Drummond
There’s a lot of speculation about Andre Drummond‘s future in Cleveland, but Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff told Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com that the team is “planning for the future with him.” Drummond is expected to pick up his $28.7MM option for next season, which may cause the Cavs to look at trade possibilities before he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Bickerstaff and Drummond didn’t get much time to know each other before the league went on hiatus. Bickerstaff moved into the head coaching role in mid-February and led the team to a 5-6 record in 11 games. Drummond was acquired from the Pistons at the trade deadline and appeared in just eight games before the shutdown. Bickerstaff emphasized that he hasn’t talked directly to Drummond about his plans, but he is preparing to have the center on the roster when training camp begins.
“I have not asked him, ‘Hey man, are you opting in or opting out?’ But the conversations we’ve had have been positive,” Bickerstaff said. “Indirectly those conversations have been about the future, what next year is going to look like, how he wants to be part of the team and how we can use him effectively and all those things. He’s going to make his choice known whenever he’s going to make his choice known. I know he’s made public comments. We’ve had no conversations about him not being here and we’ve been planning for the future with him.
Bickerstaff touched on numerous topics with Fedor, including:
Preparing for the start of next season:
- “The plan is kind of up in the air, but when you think of our guys we want them living with a baseline, whether it’s conditioning, skill workout, playing 5-on-5. We need a date so that we know when we are going to ramp up, but we also can’t get so far in a hole that we can’t get there safely because we don’t want injuries and those types of things to happen. For us, the most important thing is continuing to build that chemistry and the conversations we have and the moments we have, that’s just as important for us, if not more, than a rep on the court. We want to build a group of guys who are willing to sacrifice for one another, who care enough about each other that they can put personal things to the side in order to build what’s best for the team.”
The restrictions placed on the eight teams that didn’t play in Orlando:
- “We would love to just play 1-on-1 sometimes with our guys. We would love to have Larry Nance Jr. guard Darius Garland or have Collin Sexton guard Kevin Love. We would love to be able to do those things. But we can’t because of safety. And we understand 100 percent. But we would still love to be able to do these things and we think that helps in development. How can Collin and Kevin develop a relationship or chemistry in the pick and roll if they aren’t allowed to be on the same court as one another?”
The difficulty of preparing for the draft without in-person workouts:
- “Let’s say a guy plays in a smaller conference and he’s 6-7 but he looks 6-11, how big is he? How thick is he? How fast does he move? When you’re watching him and he’s working with whoever, can he listen? Whatever the drill that is being explained to him, can he pick that up? Those are all things you can’t necessarily see on tape. You don’t know what coaches are running and you don’t know what defensive schemes are being run or how they’re teaching it. So, to not be able to see that in person has been a disadvantage with all this going on, but hopefully with the league’s rules changing we are going to be able to see more of them if they allow us.”
The quality of this year’s draft:
- “I think we are going to get a good player. I think there are a lot of guys with talent, with a great foundation, and then it’s a matter of what we do with them, right? Our player development group is second to none. We have guys that can make players of all sizes, skill sets, positions, better. That’s what you are dealt. Then, what do you make of that situation? You can easily say, ‘Oh it’s a weak draft so we expect these guys to fail.’ That’s the wrong approach. There are guys with talent, there are guys who have a high baseline and now it’s our job to make them better. That’s the approach that we are taking.”
Pat Riley Talks Heat Future: “I Think We’ll Stay The Course”
Coming off an unprecedented season that ended with an NBA Finals loss to the Lakers in six games, the Heat enter the offseason with questions to answer but a promising outlook entering 2020/21.
Led by last summer’s prized acquisition of Jimmy Butler, Miami seems to be in a position to once again be competitive for a championship. In addition to Butler, the play of youngsters Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson, along with Bam Adebayo‘s breakout, helped the Heat ascend to the class of the Eastern Conference.
Team president Pat Riley indicated to reporters during a Zoom conference with reporters on Friday that the organization anticipates keeping most of the 2019/20 core intact, NBC Sports’ Kurt Helin writes.
“I think we’ll stay the course with our picks, stay the course with our young players,” Riley said. “We have decisions to make, obviously, with player contracts and free agents, and really do a deep dive into this season, myself and (coach Erik Spoelstra) and (GM) Andy (Elisburg) about how good we really are right now…flexibility with draft picks, free agency is coming next…and my thinking really hasn’t changed.”
However, there will be several key decisions for Miami involving free agents. The most prominent one involves veteran point guard Goran Dragic, whose injury-related absence for most of the NBA Finals noticeably impacted the Heat’s chances. In addition to Dragic, Jae Crowder, Derrick Jones, Meyers Leonard, Solomon Hill and de facto player/coach Udonis Haslem are also free agents.
Riley said the Heat value all of those players and will seek reunions where appropriate, including a possible extension of Adebayo.
“I really don’t want to get into any kind of discussions at this point about [an Adebayo extension,” Riley said. “I think all the hypotheticals out there about what people think is going to happen, that’s what they are. You all know our numbers. You know what the situation is, the free agents in ‘20 and ‘21. So when it comes to our players, we want to take care of them, and especially the ones that we really value.”