Anthony Davis On Potential Free Agency: “We’ll Figure It Out”
Superstar big man Anthony Davis holds a $28.75MM player option for the 2020/21 season, but the expectation is that he’ll turn down that option in order to sign a new contract with the Lakers. Asked after Sunday’s win about his potential free agency, Davis was noncommittal, as Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN writes.
“I have no idea,” Davis said. “I don’t know.”
Asked to clarify his initial comment, Davis continued: “I had a great time in L.A. this first year. This has been nothing but joy, nothing but amazement. Over the next couple of months, we’ll figure it out. I mean, I’m not 100% sure, but that’s why my agent (Rich Paul) is who he is, and we’ll discuss it and figure it out.”
Davis faced a significant backlash during the 2018/19 season when he publicly requested a trade out of New Orleans and made it clear that the Lakers were his preferred landing spot. After a few uncomfortable months following his initial request, he got the trade he wanted, and his first season in L.A. played out about as well as he could have hoped.
Davis averaged 26.1 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 3.2 APG, and 2.3 BPG in 62 regular season games (34.4 MPG) for the Lakers, finishing sixth in MVP voting and second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He followed that up by recording 27.7 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 3.5 APG, and 1.4 BPG in 21 postseason contests en route to the first title of his career.
“It’s just part of your legacy, to say you’re a champion,” the 27-year-old said on Sunday, per Youngmisuk. “Not everybody can say that. I wanted to do the same thing in New Orleans. … When I got traded, that’s all I wanted was to be a champion. To be able to compete, be able to win. I was able to do that my first year with the Lakers.”
It may seem unusual in the wake of such a successful year that Davis wouldn’t express a desire to return to the Lakers in stronger terms. Still, it would be shocking if he seriously considers signing with another club once he becomes a free agent. Any uncertainty he conveyed on Sunday about his situation likely applies to the length and structure of his next contract rather than his destination.
The salary cap for the 2020/21 season remains up in the air, but the cap would have to dip substantially to make it worthwhile for Davis to consider opting in for $28.75MM. If the cap remains at the same level as it did in ’19/20, AD’s maximum salary on a new contract would be about $32.74MM.
While the Lakers would certainly be willing to put a five-year, maximum-salary offer on the table for Davis this fall, it might make more sense for him to accept a shorter-term deal, especially with the NBA’s cap situation in flux. In 2022, he’d be able to receive a starting salary worth 35% of the cap, rather than the 30% he can get now, so waiting until then to sign a long-term contract would allow him to maximize his future earnings.
Bulls’ Donovan Overhauling Coaching Staff
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan has informed multiple assistant coaches still under contract with the team that they won’t be part of his staff for the 2020/21 season, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
Roy Rogers, Dean Cooper, and Nate Loenser won’t be returning to to the club after working on Jim Boylen‘s staff last season, Johnson reports. Karen Stack Umlauf has also been let go, per an official announcement from the Bulls.
“I appreciate the time that I was able to spend with Dean, Nate, Roy and Karen. I really want to thank all of them for their service and commitment to the Chicago Bulls,” Donovan said in a statement. “This is the tough side to our business, and I wish all of them the best moving forward.”
Rogers had only completed one season on his three-year deal and Loenser had his team option for 2020/21 exercised in the spring, but Bulls ownership continues to give the team’s new decision-makers the green light to make changes even if they’ll cost the organization some money, per Johnson.
It’s possible the Bulls will make additional changes to their coaching staff, but for now it sounds as if Chris Fleming is sticking around. Fleming worked with new Bulls executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas in Denver during the 2015/16 season, and Johnson has previously reported that there’s a “trust factor” between the two men.
It remains to be seen who will join Donovan’s revamped staff in Chicago, but Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times speculates that Maurice Cheeks could be a candidate. Cheeks is a Chicago native and has been an assistant under Donovan for the last five years in Oklahoma City.
Latest On Rockets’ Head Coaching Search
The Rockets‘ pool of candidates to replace Mike D’Antoni as the team’s new head coach still consists of seven names for now, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. According to Feigen, the club hasn’t ruled out expanding the interview process beyond those seven candidates, but has been “pleased” with its meetings so far.
Houston met last week with current assistant coaches Stephen Silas (Mavericks), David Vanterpool (Timberwolves), and Wes Unseld Jr. (Nuggets), as well as former Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson.
According to Feigen, team officials have since met with Rockets player development coach John Lucas as well, and Tyronn Lue‘s interview is scheduled to happen today. Jeff Van Gundy is also expected to interview with Houston now that his broadcasting duties for ABC and ESPN have come to an end for the season.
It’s not clear yet whether the Rockets will be prepared to make a decision on their new head coach after completing their meetings with Lue and Van Gundy. As Feigen writes, it’s possible the team will want to narrow down the field and bring back finalists for follow-up sessions, but team owner Tilman Fertitta has been part of the interview process already, so it’s not as if contenders for the position still need to meet with him.
The Rockets are one of five NBA teams still seeking a new head coach, along with the Pelicans, Pacers, Thunder, and Clippers.
What’s Next For NBA As Offseason Begins
The 2019/20 NBA season – the longest in league history – finally came to an end on Sunday night, with the Lakers completing a 4-2 Finals win over the Heat. The last game of the season came nearly one full year after the regular season opener tipped off on October 22, 2019, and 468 days after the ’19/20 league year officially got underway on July 1, 2019.
The coronavirus pandemic, of course, dictated the unusual terms of the NBA’s stretch run, but after pausing its season for several months, the league was able to work around the situation admirably.
From the time that teams began to arrive at the “bubble” at Walt Disney World on July 7 through the end of the NBA Finals, only two players tested positive for COVID-19 — and both of those cases were diagnosed during the initial quarantine period in July, before players were free to move about the Disney campus. For the past three months, there have been no coronavirus cases among NBA players in Orlando.
While the NBA pulled off the bubble experiment with aplomb, there’s no time for the league or the players’ union to sit back and celebrate their accomplishments. The two sides must now focus on renegotiating aspects of the Collective Bargaining Agreement in preparation for what will be an unusual offseason.
Typically, an offseason’s key dates and deadlines are established months in advance. However, most of the NBA’s 2020 offseason dates remain up in the air. The 2020 draft has been set for November 18, but it remains unclear when free agency will begin and when option decision dates, salary guarantee deadlines, and trade exception expiration dates will occur.
[RELATED: Michele Roberts expects free agency period to start no later than December 1]
In a normal league year, a team can begin making trades once their season is over, so all 30 teams are free to make deals once the NBA Finals conclude. This time around, a transaction moratorium remains in place, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).
The NBA and NBPA, who will have to negotiate new salary cap and luxury tax figures for the 2020/21 season, along with several other financial and logistical details for the coming season, will also be responsible for determining when that moratorium will end. When it does, trade season can begin in earnest.
Even once the two sides agree to new dates for free agency and other aspects of the offseason, we don’t have a clear sense of exactly how long the offseason will last. The start date for the 2020/21 season is still unknown, with both Adam Silver and Michele Roberts having confirmed that it will almost certainly land sometime in the new year.
The NBA and NBPA would both like to see fans back in arenas by the time next season tips off, so they’re willing to be patient to see if ongoing advancements in coronavirus testing and treatment will make that possible. Although all parties would like to get next season underway in January, it’s entirely possible that target date will be pushed back to February or March.
We’re still more than five weeks away from draft day, but I expect it won’t be too long before we start hearing updates on the negotiations between the league and the union and a potential timeline for free agency. Stay tuned to Hoops Rumors for all the latest news.
LeBron James Wins Fourth NBA Finals MVP Award
Superstar forward LeBron James has been named the Most Valuable Player of the 2020 NBA Finals, as the Lakers clinched the 17th title in franchise history on Sunday night with a 106-93 win over Miami in Game 6.
It’s the fourth championship and the fourth Finals MVP award for James, who previously earned the honor in 2012 and 2013 with the Heat, and again in 2016 with the Cavaliers.
Entering this series, LeBron had been one of five players in NBA history to earn at least three Finals MVP awards. Now he’s one of just two players to earn that honor four or more times — Michael Jordan won the award six times. James is also the first player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP with three separate teams.
While Anthony Davis had a monster series for the Lakers, anchoring the defense and averaging 25.0 PPG, James led the club in points, rebounds, and assists, making him the obvious choice for the MVP award. He received all 11 votes from the media panel responsible for naming the winner.
In six games against the Heat, LeBron averaged 29.8 PPG, 11.8 RPG, and 8.5 APG while shooting 59.1% from the floor and 41.7% from beyond the arc. The 35-year-old capped off an impressive playoff run with his 28th career postseason triple-double (28 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists) on Sunday, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter link).
The Lakers’ title represents the first career championship for a number of notable veterans on the roster, including Davis, Dwight Howard, Jared Dudley, and Markieff Morris. It’s also the first championship for veteran head coach Frank Vogel in his first year with the organization. Meanwhile, Danny Green is the only player on the Lakers to hold an active streak of two consecutive titles, having also won a year ago with the Raptors.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Goran Dragic Listed As Active For Game 6
Heat guard Goran Dragic (foot) is being listed as active for Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel tweets, adding that the 35-year-old will be available off the bench.
This marks the first time Dragic has been active since suffering a plantar fascia tear in Game 1, leaving the contest in noticeable pain after landing on his foot. The Heat also lost Bam Adebayo during that contest due to a strained neck, though the 23-year-old later made his return to the lineup in Game 4.
It’s still unclear whether Dragic, who’s played a key role with the Heat during the playoffs, will see much action on Sunday. Prior to being injured, he was averaging 19.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game in the postseason, taking pressure off Jimmy Butler while offering more ball-handling.
“He wants to be out there with his heart and soul,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, as relayed by Winderman (Twitter link).
With Dragic now active, the Heat will look to tie the NBA Finals and force a potential Game 7 on Tuesday. Lakers star Anthony Davis (heel contusion) is also set to play after previously being listed as probable.
Anthony Davis Won’t Be Disciplined By NBA, Listed As Probable For Game 6
The NBA won’t take any action against Anthony Davis for an elbowing incident in Game 5, according to Clay Ferraro of Channel 10 in Miami. “We review every play in the games from all angles and there was nothing further to do with this,” the league said in a statement.
Davis appeared to swing his elbow at Jae Crowder in the third quarter of Friday’s game while both players were on the ground as Duncan Robinson sunk a 3-pointer. Ferraro’s report includes a video of the incident.
The Lakers star has been listed as probable for tonight’s Game 6, even though he was visibly slowed Friday by pain from a right heel contusion, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN. Davis still managed to play 42 minutes with 28 points and 12 rebounds.
“It happened in the last series against Denver,” Davis said. “I think it was Game 5, if I’m not mistaken. (Andre Iguodala) just re-aggravated it. Went out the end of the first (quarter) and it just kind of just wore off and got back to normal. Just kept moving around. Just trying not to sit down. Get that adrenaline going, and I was able to keep going and keep playing.”
Kristaps Porzingis Undergoes Right Knee Surgery
Mavericks big man Kristaps Porzingis has undergone a procedure on his right knee to address his lateral meniscus injury, the team announced today (via Twitter). Porzingis will begin the rehab process right away, but there’s no timetable yet for his return, per the Mavs.
Porzingis suffered the injury in Game 1 of this year’s playoffs against the Clippers, though he was able to play two more games after that and the team didn’t announce the diagnosis of a torn meniscus until after Game 5.
Health problems have been an issue for Porzingis throughout his NBA career — he has missed double-digit games in each of his five professional seasons and was sidelined for the entire 2018/19 season due to a torn ACL. That ACL tear affected his left knee, so the latest surgery is unrelated to his recovery from that injury.
When he has been on the court, Porzingis has been a standout contributor for the Knicks and Mavs. In his first full season in Dallas in 2019/20, he averaged 20.4 PPG, 9.5 RPG, and 2.0 BPG in 57 games (31.8 MPG).
While there’s no timeline yet for Porzingis’ recovery and return, presumably Dallas’ hope is that he’ll be good to go for the start of the 2020/21 season. Of course, with no clarity yet on when exactly next season will begin, that’s not a given.
Lack Of Consensus On Prospects Could Shake Up Draft
Former North Carolina guard Cole Anthony has long been considered a probable lottery pick in the 2020 draft, ranking 14th on ESPN’s top-100 list even after an underwhelming freshman season. However, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) says he recently spoke to one executive who has Anthony at No. 35 on his big board.
Different teams having differing opinions on certain draft prospects is hardly breaking news, but the lack of a consensus among clubs in their assessments of this year’s class seems more extreme than usual. Replying to Wasserman’s initial tweet, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer observed that it’s amazing how “all over the place” people around the NBA are on this year’s draft.
“It’s all over the map, this draft,” one team executive told Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link). “Seems everyone is thinking different and everyone is in trade mode.”
The circumstances surrounding this year’s pre-draft and scouting process have almost certainly contributed to the divided views on many of this year’s prospects.
Because the NCAA season was shut down in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, teams didn’t get a chance to evaluate players during the NCAA tournament and haven’t been able to bring them in for in-person workouts and meetings. The combine had to be significantly revamped as well. As a result, clubs have had to base many of their scouting reports off of virtual interviews and game film from at least seven months ago.
It’s hard to say yet how exactly the draft will be affected, but it sounds like it’ll be more challenging than ever to put together an accurate mock in 2020. And if everyone is indeed in “trade mode,” as Wolfson’s source suggests, it could make for an eventful evening on November 18.
It’s also worth noting that teams will have much more time to talk trades leading up to the draft — typically, there’s only about a week between the end of the NBA Finals and draft day, but that gap will be longer than a month in 2020, giving clubs plenty of time to explore all of their possible options.
Kerr: Warriors’ Roster “Far From Being Finished”
The Warriors will look a whole lot different in 2020/21 than they did in 2019/20, as Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson get healthy and return to action after missing most – or, in Thompson’s case, all – of the past season.
In addition to getting those two stars back, Golden State expects to make more changes to its roster this offseason, perhaps with a focus on adding size and athleticism, head coach Steve Kerr said this week on The Athletic’s TK Show with Tim Kawakami.
“I think we need to be more athletic, for sure,” Kerr said, as Drew Shiller of NBC Sports Bay Area relays. “We’re obviously very skilled. But we don’t have an overly athletic team. We’ve lost a lot of bounce and a lot of pop on the wings — even at the center position. (So) right now, we’re not big enough or athletic enough to get where we want to be.
“But we all know that. We have the draft and we have free agency to address all that stuff. And potential trades,” Kerr continued. “I think (president of basketball operations) Bob (Myers) would be the first to tell you this roster is far from being finished.”
Despite being capped-out for 2020/21, the Warriors have several interesting assets at their disposal, including the No. 2 overall pick in the draft and a $17MM+ trade exception.
[RELATED: Various Ways Warriors Could Use Trade Exception]
The club will also have the taxpayer mid-level exception (worth approximately $5.72MM) available in free agency and could dangle future draft picks – such as Minnesota’s top-three protected 2021 first-rounder – in trade talks.
The Warriors are typically aggressive when it comes to pursuing roster upgrades, so with all those assets on hand, Kerr’s assertion that the roster is a work in progress comes as no real surprise.
Still, as Shiller observes, it’s a good sign for any fans be worried about the impact the coronavirus pandemic might have on Golden State’s willingness to spend. Based on Kerr’s comments, it doesn’t sound as if the team will prioritize cost-cutting moves or be content to stand pat this fall.