NBA Still Mulling Draft Pick Prize For Proposed Tournament
As we relayed last week, the NBA sent a proposal to all 30 teams outlining possible changes to the league’s schedule for the 2021/22 season. One of those changes would be an in-season tournament which would reward the winning team with $1MM-per-player bonuses.
While that cash prize may motivate players to invest in the proposed tournament, it likely wouldn’t increase fans’ interest in the event. So, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter links), the league continues to discuss possible incentives for fans and teams. One idea still being considered, per Stein, is extra draft pick compensation – perhaps in the form of a first-round pick – for the winning team.
Stein first reported earlier this month that the NBA was mulling the possibility of a draft-related reward for the winner of the proposed in-season tournament, so today’s report confirms that the idea may be gaining momentum. At the very least, it remains on the table.
According to Stein, further details on the NBA’s proposed schedule changes are expected to surface before the All-Star Game in February. The league will look to firm up a proposal that teams can vote on at the NBA’s Board of Governors meetings in April.
Besides the in-season tournament, the NBA has also proposed a play-in tournament for the seventh and eighth playoff seeds in each conference, and a re-seeding of the final four teams for the Conference Finals.
In order for the changes to be approved, at least 23 of 30 teams would have to vote in favor of them, and it remains to be seen whether that’s on track to happen. According to Stein, there been “strong concern” registered against the idea of re-seeding the final four teams. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban also took to Twitter today to criticize the NBA’s proposed rewards for the in-season tournament winner.
“So dumb,” Cuban tweeted in response to Stein’s report on a draft-pick prize. “What will teams that are in the tax going out do, tank the tournament because they don’t want the pick? Or teams trying to build cap room? Be forced to trade it? Draft and stash?
“And to create incremental financial incentives to play games just sends so many wrong messages,” Cuban added, referring to the proposed $1MM-per-player reward. “Free agency recruitment will change. ‘Hey, we can’t compete for a ring, but we go all out for the (tournament), so sign with us and you could make another $1MM.'”
It’s possible that some of the scheduling changes could be approved while others fall by the wayside, but the NBA appears committed for now to all aspects of its proposal, so we’ll see what tweaks the league makes in the coming months to get more teams, players, and fans on board.
Cavaliers Trade Jordan Clarkson To Jazz
DECEMBER 24: The trade has been officially completed, according to NBA.com’s transactions log. Clarkson and Exum should be ready to suit up for their new teams when they resume play on Thursday and Friday, respectively.
DECEMBER 23: The Cavaliers have agreed to trade shooting guard Jordan Clarkson to the Jazz for point guard Dante Exum and two second-round picks, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.
The second-rounders are picks that were owed to Utah, San Antonio’s in 2022 and Golden State’s in 2023, Brian Windhorst of ESPN tweets.
Assuming the deal becomes official, it will be the first NBA trade since mid-July. The Thunder and Rockets finalized their Chris Paul/Russell Westbrook swap on July 16.
Clarkson is essentially a rental for the disappointing Jazz, who are looking to boost their bench scoring. Clarkson has an expiring $13.4MM contract. The Cavaliers will create a $3.83MM trade exception, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Cleveland also drops $5.1MM under the luxury tax line, Marks adds (Twitter link).
Exum, a former lottery pick whose career has been sidetracked by injuries, still has two years and $19.2MM left on his contract.
The Cavaliers are planning to deal veterans on the roster in order to obtain more draft picks and young assets, according to Wojnarowski. That could mean players such as Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson could also be on the move before February’s trade deadline.
Clarkson is off to a strong start, averaging 14.6 PPG. He erupted for a season-high 33 points against Memphis on Friday.
This is the third time in three years the teams have been involved in swap, Wojnarowski notes. The Jazz acquired Kyle Korver for Alec Burks and two-second round picks in November of 2018. They also were involved in a three-way deal with the Kings at the February 2018 trade deadline that included Cleveland trading Jae Crowder for Utah’s Rodney Hood.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bulls’ Max Strus Suffers Torn ACL
Bulls two-way player and rookie guard Max Strus has suffered a torn ACL and bone bruise to his left knee and will be sidelined for eight-to-12 months, according to a team press release.
The injury occurred on Saturday in the Windy City Bulls game against the Lakeland Magic at the G League Winter Showcase. The diagnosis was confirmed today by an MRI and a physical exam.
He will undergo surgery in approximately three weeks after his swelling and discomfort subsides, the press release adds.
Strus averaged 18.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 3.2 APG in 13 games for Windy City this season and also made two cameos with the NBA Bulls. He was signed in October after completing his college career at DePaul. In 35 games in 2018/19, Strus averaged 20.1 PPG and 5.9 RPG with a shooting line of .429/.363/.842.
Strus was originally signed to a two-way contract with the Celtics, but he was moved to Boston’s standard roster and later waived when the team decided to retain Javonte Green and Tacko Fall to start the regular season.
NBA Investigated Clippers After Deal With Kawhi
The NBA conducted a formal investigation into the Clippers last summer following the team’s free agent agreement with Kawhi Leonard, three sources with knowledge of the situation tell Sam Amick of The Athletic. As Amick explains, complaints surfaced during Leonard’s free agency that his uncle Dennis Robertson was asking teams for improper benefits.
According to Amick, the NBA was told following Leonard’s free agent decision that Robertson had asked team officials for an ownership stake, a private plane, a house, and a guaranteed amount of off-court endorsement money they could expect if Kawhi joined their team. As Amick rightly notes, all of those requests would violate the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.
A source with knowledge of the Lakers‘ talks with Leonard tells Amick that Robertson repeatedly made those requests to owner Jeanie Buss, who made it clear the perks were illegal and wouldn’t be considered. Sources tell The Athletic that similar requests were made of the Raptors, which aligns with what we heard out of Toronto at the time.
The presumption among rival teams is that Robertson asked the Clippers for similar perks, but the league’s investigation didn’t turn up any evidence that the Clips granted any of those requests, per Amick.
Leonard’s free agency process was believed to be the motivating factor for the NBA’s decision to introduce new anti-tampering guidelines and penalties this fall. The league has also asked the players’ union to re-emphasize that only certified player agents are permitted to negotiate directly with teams, a rule that teams are expected to stress on their ends going forward as well.
“This is all because of Uncle Dennis,” one team owner said of those measures to cut down on tampering and cap circumvention, according to Amick. A prominent agent offered a similar assessment: “This is because of Dennis. He didn’t know the rules.”
Although the Lakers are comfortably atop the Western Conference with a 24-6 record, the team is still upset by how the Leonard sweepstakes played out, says Amick. For a short time, there was a strong belief within the Lakers’ organization that the Finals MVP would choose them, but they came to suspect that Kawhi’s camp was using them for leverage.
For what it’s worth, a source tells Amick that the Raptors never believed the Lakers were truly an option for Leonard. Amick adds that there was also some skepticism within the Clippers’ organization that Kawhi would join the Lakers, albeit not from the club’s top executives.
Wizards, Johnathan Williams Close To Deal
The Wizards are close to a deal with former Lakers two-way player Johnathan Williams, sources tell Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link). However, Katz cautions that the signing won’t get done immediately.
The injury-plagued Wizards have already qualified for one extra roster spot via the hardship provision and used it today to sign Gary Payton II. Now, per Katz, they’ll apply for a second extra roster spot to accommodate Williams.
As we explained in our story on Payton, the NBA can grant a team a hardship exception when that team has at least four players who have missed three or more games due to injury or illness and are expected to miss at least two more weeks. If a team has five players who fit that bill, a second additional roster spot can be granted.
Assuming the Wizards get approval for that second extra roster spot, they’ll use it on Williams, who was a two-way player for the Lakers in 2018/19, spending most of his time with the South Bay Lakers in the G League. The young forward/center averaged 15.3 PPG and 8.4 RPG in 36 NBAGL contests (27.3 MPG), and appeared in 24 games for the NBA club, posting averages of 6.5 PPG and 4.1 RPG in 15.5 minutes per contest.
As a free agent this past offseason, Williams signed with Maccabi Rishon Le-Zion, where he had averaged 12.2 PPG and 10.4 RPG in nine Israeli League games.
The Wizards have had some success in recent years with big men who were former Lakers prospects, as Thomas Bryant and Moritz Wagner have both blossomed in Washington. Williams is unlikely to replicate their success, but could help bridge the gap for the Wizards until they start to get healthier.
Wizards Sign Gary Payton II
The Wizards have signed veteran guard Gary Payton II to a contract, the team announced today in a press release. The move had been expected, with a Saturday report indicating that the two sides were closing in on an agreement.
Payton has spent the 2019/20 season so far playing for the South Bay Lakers, the Lakers’ G League affiliate. In 16 games (32.4 MPG) for the club, he averaged 21.4 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 6.8 APG, and a league-leading 3.2 SPG, making his case for a call-up.
The 27-year-old, the son of former SuperSonics star Gary Payton, has appeared in 32 total NBA regular season games, spending time with the Bucks, Lakers, and Wizards since the 2016/17 season.
The Wizards had a full 15-man roster before signing Payton, but didn’t need to make a corresponding move to open up a roster spot, since they qualified for a hardship exception.
The NBA can grant a team a hardship exception when that team has at least four players who have missed three or more games due to injury or illness and are expected to miss at least two more weeks. A hardship exception allows the club to add an extra player to its 15-man roster, increasing its roster limit.
John Wall, C.J. Miles, Thomas Bryant, and Jordan McRae are out with long-term injuries for Washington, with Davis Bertans, Rui Hachimura, and Moritz Wagner all banged up as well.
Isaiah Thomas Suspended Two Games
Wizards guard Isaiah Thomas has received a two-game suspension for entering the spectator stands in Philadelphia on Saturday, the NBA announced.
Thomas entered the stands and approached two unruly fans, both of whom used explicit language and gestures toward him during the Wizards-Sixers game. Thomas was ejected upon entering the stands, finishing with 20 points and three assists in 25 minutes of work.
When asked by reporters what he told the fans, Thomas responded with a clear explanation: “I said: ‘Don’t be disrespectful. I’m a man before anything. Be a fan.’ His response was, ‘I’m sorry, I just wanted a Frosty,'” Thomas said, as relayed by ESPN. The Sixers held a promotion where fans would be awarded a free Frosty if an opposing player missed two straight free throws.
While Thomas approached the duo in a rather calm manner, NBA rules state that any player who deliberately enters the spectator stands be subject to a fine and/or suspension. On the flip side, both fans involved in the altercation have received a one-year ban from Wells Fargo Center, a Sixers official said on Sunday.
Thomas’ two-game suspension will cost him roughly $32K, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). He’ll miss Washington’s upcoming road games against New York on Monday and Detroit on Thursday.
Thomas, a two-time NBA All-Star, signed a deal to join the Wizards this past summer in free agency. Through 21 games this season (18 starts), he’s averaged 13.6 points, 4.8 assists and 25.3 minutes per contest on 45% shooting from the floor and 43% shooting from deep.
Steven Adams A Possible Hawks Trade Target
A Hawks team source tells The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner that Thunder center Steven Adams has been “discussed” by Atlanta as a possible candidate for a deal.
Adams, currently in the third year of a four-year, $100MM deal, is owed $25.8MM this season and $27.5MM in 2020/21. The summer of 2021 is considered the next major free agent class, and Adams’ deal will expire in time to keep the Hawks’ coffers relatively clear.
Adams, a 6’11”, 265-pound bruiser known for his defensive moxie, would serve as a major positional upgrade for the struggling Hawks. He is currently one of the key pieces keeping the 14-14 Oklahoma City in the playoff hunt. They are presently the seventh seed in the West. Adams holds season averages of 11.1 PPG, 9.6 RPG, and 1.1 BPG in 25 games.
The 6-24 Hawks have been exploring various current roster options as their starting center. Former Warrior Damian Jones has started 19 of the Hawks’ 30 games thus far, but was a DNP in the Hawks’ most recent contest last night. Jones is on the last year of his initial four-year, $6.1MM rookie contract. The Hawks could make him a qualifying offer this season, but Kirschner is dubious that will transpire.
Rookie Bruno Fernando has started the Hawks’ last two games, both losses. Veteran Alex Len, an unrestricted free agent in 2020, has started nine. The 26 year-old Maryland alum, drafted No. 5 in 2013 by the Suns, is earning $4.2MM this season. Fernando is the Hawks’ only current center under contract beyond this season.
Sixers’ Matisse Thybulle Out Indefinitely
Sixers rookie Matisse Thybulle is sidelined indefinitely with a right knee sprain and a bone bruise, tweets Kyle Neubeck of Philly Voice. His condition will be re-evaluated in about two weeks.
Thybulle suffered a hyperextension injury in the fourth quarter last night after colliding with the Wizards‘ Troy Brown Jr., according to Serena Winters of NBC Sports Philadelphia (Twitter link). Thybulle was examined by team doctors this morning.
The 20th player selected in this year’s draft, Thybulle has provided a valuable defensive presence off the Sixers’ bench. He is averaging 4.8 points per game, along with 1.4 steals and 0.7 blocks.
Isaiah Thomas Faces Suspension After Confronting Fans
Wizards guard Isaiah Thomas could be fined and suspended after going into the stands during Saturday night’s game in Philadelphia, writes Fred Katz of The Athletic. However, Thomas believes his actions were justified and said the league should support him.
The incident happened during a timeout with 2:53 left to play, shortly after Thomas made a free throw after missing the first one. Had he missed two in a row, all fans would have received a free Wendy’s Frosty. Thomas said one of the fans responded with an obscene gesture and repeated a profane phrase.
“In no way, shape or form that should be allowed,” he said after the game. “I’ve been in the league for a while. The fans (are) gonna say whatever they want. Don’t ever call me out of my name, because I would never do that to anybody else. I think that crossed the line. I got kids. I got a family. That’s not OK at all, so I just went to go tell him that (in) no disrespectful way, as calm as I am right now.”
One fan reportedly apologized when Thomas confronted him and said, “I just wanted a Frosty.” He and another fan were ordered to leave the arena, and Thomas was ejected from the game. He said both fans seemed “clearly drunk,” and a security guard added that they had been targeting Thomas all night.
There has been no word from the NBA on what Thomas’ punishment might be, but Katz points out that the league has been very sensitive about players going into the stands for any reason since “Malice in the Palace” in Detroit in 2004. Thomas said he remained controlled as he approached the fans, and several of his teammates supported his version of events.
Katz notes that the NBA has experienced a recent string of uncomfortable fan interactions. A Warriors fan and a former minority owner pushed Kyle Lowry during the NBA Finals, and Russell Westbrook confronted a fan in Utah last season who allegedly made a racially charged comment.
“The league knows I did nothing wrong. I didn’t disrespect anybody,” Thomas said. “As a man, I went and looked him in the eye and told him that was not OK. I didn’t scare nobody. I didn’t even use a curse word. So when the league investigates, I’m going to tell them the exact same thing, and hopefully, they should understand it.”