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Teams With Preseason Cap Decisions

September 6th, 2013 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

Most NBA teams will have to make a handful of personnel decisions next month, paring down their roster sizes from the 20-player summer max to the 15-man regular season limit. However, just because a camp invitee earns a spot on the regular season roster doesn't mean his contract automatically becomes guaranteed.

For most players on non-guaranteed deals, the date of truth won't come until January 7th. January 10th is the day that all full-season contracts become guaranteed for the season, so if players aren't released on or before the 7th, clearing waivers by the 10th, they'll be assured of a full-season salary. Until that point though, teams can release non-guaranteed players and only pay a pro-rated portion of their salaries.

That January 7th deadline doesn't apply to everyone on non-guaranteed deals though. As our schedule shows, a few players have contracts that specifically included earlier guarantee dates, with many coming by the end of October. So while many teams will only face preseason decisions on who to keep and who to cut, this handful of clubs will be facing decisions on larger commitments. Let's break them down, case by case….

Oklahoma City Thunder: Ryan Gomes
Currently guaranteed for $25,000.
Becomes guaranteed for $50,000 if not released on or before October 1st.
Becomes guaranteed for $75,000 if not released on or before October 30th.

Gomes' bonuses are awfully insignificant in the big picture, but for a small-market team hovering right around the tax line, they're not entirely inconsequential. I imagine OKC will guarantee Gomes at least $50K, allowing him to try to earn a roster spot in October, but if he doesn't impress, the team could save a little cash by cutting him before October 30th.

Denver Nuggets: Quincy Miller
Currently guaranteed for $150,000.
Becomes fully guaranteed ($788,872) if not released on or before opening night (October 29th).

Miller is just entering his second year and is on a minimum-salary contract. We've also seen the Nuggets carry projects at the end of the bench before, such as Julyan Stone. But there's also a new GM and coach in place, and Miller's production last year was extremely limited — he appeared in just seven games for the Nuggets, and didn't blow anyone away in 26 D-League games either (11.3 PPG, .391 FG%). Without an impressive preseason, Miller could be in danger of being cut before Denver's regular-season opener.

Orlando Magic: Kyle O'Quinn
Becomes fully guaranteed ($788,872) if not released on or before opening night (October 29th).

Unlike Miller, O'Quinn gave his NBA team some solid minutes last season, recording a 15.8 PER in 57 contests (11.2 MPG). Based on his rookie season and the fact that the Magic aren't exactly in win-now mode, O'Quinn looks like a safe bet to remain on the regular-season roster and earn a fully guaranteed salary.

Miami Heat: Jarvis Varnado
Becomes guaranteed for $250,000 if not released on or before opening night (October 29th).

Varnado earned a championship ring with the Heat last season, but with the team more conscious of cutting costs due to increasing tax penalties, he may become a cap casualty this time around. Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel views Varnado as a long shot to stay with the club long enough to earn that $250K bonus.

Philadelphia 76ers: James Anderson
Becomes fully guaranteed ($916,099) if not released on or before October 31st.

Sixers GM Sam Hinkie nabbed Anderson and Tim Ohlbrecht off waivers from his old team in Houston earlier this summer, and based on Philadelphia's free agent activity since then, there's no reason to think both players don't have a great chance to earn roster spots. A poor camp could derail Anderson's chances, but with the Sixers prioritizing player development over playoff contention for 2013/14, the ex-Spur is in good position for a guaranteed salary for now.

Portland Trail Blazers: Terrel Harris
Becomes guaranteed for $150,000 if not released on or before October 31st.

Because Harris was a throw-in for salary-matching purposes in the three-team deal that also sent Robin Lopez to Portland, it's possible the Blazers always intended to cut him eventually. That became more of a certainty after he was suspended for violating the NBA's drug policy. Now, it sounds like Harris won't even start camp with the team, let alone finish it.

Utah Jazz: Jerel McNeal
Becomes fully guaranteed ($884,293) if not released on or before October 31st.

Despite never actually appearing in a regular-season game, McNeal has spent parts of two seasons on NBA rosters, meaning he could be in line for a fully guaranteed third-year salary before he even makes his NBA debut. And like the Sixers, the Jazz aren't a team that will cut young players to ensure that veterans get playing time, so I would guess McNeal earns a regular-season roster spot, barring a disastrous camp or injury.

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Eastern Notes: Nets, Wizards, Sixers, Gibson

September 5th, 2013 at 12:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Given the makeup of their roster, the Nets likely won't have a ton of flexibility when it comes to making trades later in the 2013/14 season, as Steve Kyler writes in his latest piece for HoopsWorld. However, Kyler notes that smaller deals to reduce the team's tax bill are possibilities. For instance, if Tornike Shengelia and/or Mirza Teletovic end up not playing a role in Brooklyn's rotation, attempting to move them in salary-dump trades could save the Nets exponentially more money than just those players' salaries.

Here's more from around the Eastern Conference:

  • Within the same piece, Kyler examines the Wizards' trade options, pointing out that Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza could become more desirable assets closer to the deadline, when the Wiz have already paid most of their salaries. There's plenty of optimism about the season in Washington though, so any sort of fire sale is unlikely, unless the club gets off to a very poor start.
  • The Sixers have yet to sign a veteran free agent this summer, but the team may be exploring the idea of adding Daniel Gibson, a source tells Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter).
  • Three Eastern teams – the Sixers, Bobcats, and Magic – rank among Shlomo Sprung's picks for the top five contenders in the Andrew Wiggins sweepstakes (link via Sheridan Hoops).
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Latest On Magic, Romero Osby

September 4th, 2013 at 8:51pm CST by Chuck Myron

A report earlier today indicated that the Magic were close to losing their rights to second-round draft pick Romero Osby, but the team has offered Osby a deal in advance of Friday's deadline for them to do so, HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler tweets. That echoes what Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel wrote this weekend about the Magic's plan to bring Osby aboard. Teams have until September 6th each year to make an offer of at least the rookie minimum salary to their second-round picks from the June draft. Otherwise, the players become free agents. Osby and the Magic will likely reach agreement on a contract at some point soon, according to Kyler, who adds that both sides have interest in getting a deal done (Twitter links).

The Magic drafted Osby 51st overall out of the University of Oklahoma. The 6'7" 23-year-old played out of position for the Sooners, and that hurt his draft stock, Kyler says (on Twitter). He averaged 16.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in his senior year, and he put up 11.0 PPG and 4.4 RPG in 21.1 minutes per contest with the Magic's summer league team.

Orlando has 14 players under contract, but only 12 of those deals are fully guaranteed, so it seems like there's plenty of room for Osby, even given the team's apparent interest in Devin Ebanks. The Magic would lose Osby's rights if they bring him to training camp and cut him, so if they sign him, he'll likely remain with the team into the regular season.

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Magic, Mavs, Hawks Eyeing Devin Ebanks

September 4th, 2013 at 6:49pm CST by Chuck Myron

HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy reported more than a month ago that four clubs had interest in former Laker Devin Ebanks, and while three of them appear to have dropped out of the running, two more have joined the pursuit. The Magic, Mavericks and Hawks have expressed interest in Ebanks, Kennedy tweets this evening. Atlanta is the only team repeated from the late July report that also named the Bucks and Bobcats.

Ebanks has spent his entire three-year career with the Lakers, who drafted him 43rd overall in 2010. The team initially gave him a two-year contract, so he was up for restricted free agency last summer and wound up signing his qualifying offer. The Lakers decided against extending a QO this time around, making him an unrestricted free agent. The team hasn't been linked to him since, so it appears he won't be back in purple and gold.

The former West Virginia Mountaineer enjoyed his best pro season in 2011/12, when he began the year as the starting small forward for the Lakers. That assignment didn't last, and he's otherwise struggled to find playing time, averaging 11.3 minutes per game for his career. Still, he's only appeared in nine D-League contests, and the Lakers didn't assign him to the L.A. D-Fenders, their affiliate, at all last season. 

The Mavs have 15 players, all of whom are on guaranteed contracts, while the Hawks and Magic have fewer than 15 guaranteed deals, as our roster counts show. That may give Atlanta and Orlando an edge for the David Bauman client.

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Non-Guaranteed Players On Non-Minimum Deals

September 3rd, 2013 at 8:51am CST by Luke Adams

In many cases, players on non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed contracts are slated to earn minimum salaries if they remain on NBA rosters. That's especially true at this time of year, when most players who had been on non-guaranteed contracts worth more than the minimum have already seen their deals become fully guaranteed — Kyle Lowry, for instance, was only owed $1MM of his $6.21MM salary for 2013/14, but that full $6.21MM became guaranteed when he wasn't waived on or before July 15th.

There are still a handful of players though who are on non-guaranteed deals worth more than the minimum, and still aren't entirely safe. Last night, we passed along our complete list of non-guaranteed contracts for '13/14, but this morning we'll highlight a few specific cases, weighing the likelihood of these guys earning their full salaries.

Listed below are the players believed to still be on non-guaranteed contracts worth more than the minimum salary for the coming season. These deals will become fully guaranteed if the players aren't released on or before January 7th.

  • Andrew Bynum, Cavaliers ($6MM of $12.25MM currently guaranteed). Bynum's health figures to play a role in determining whether or not he earns the additional $6.25MM on his contract this year. Still, I think the Cavs will probably keep Bynum around barring anything short of a season-ending injury. Even if he has only appeared in a handful of games by the time decision day rolls around in January, it's hard to imagine Cleveland releasing Bynum if the team believes he could be healthy in the second half, considering the potential upside.
  • C.J. Miles, Cavaliers (none of $2.225MM currently guaranteed). If the Cavaliers were going to cut Miles, I think they would have done it by now, to maximize their summer cap space. At $2.225MM, the eight-year veteran, who averaged 11.2 PPG and a .384 3PT% in his first year as a Cav, is a relative bargain, and figures to remain in Cleveland beyond January 7th.
  • Hasheem Thabeet, Thunder ($500K of $1.2MM currently guaranteed). Thabeet may never live up to the expectations placed on him when he was drafted second overall in 2009, but if you're looking for a big man capable of playing 10-15 minutes per game off the bench, you could do worse. Oklahoma City is flirting with the luxury tax line, and has a few non-guaranteed deals on the books, so at least one or two of those guys will likely be waived. Still, I'd be a little surprised if Thabeet was one of those cuts, particularly since OKC holds a cheap 2014/15 option on him.
  • Hedo Turkoglu, Magic ($6MM of $12MM currently guaranteed). The Magic continue to work on a buyout for Turkoglu, and it sounds like he'll probably be off the roster well before January. One report suggested that Turkoglu's big expiring contract could become a decent trade chip at the February deadline, but that would mean guaranteeing him another $6MM, which seems like bad business.
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Magic Notes: Turkoglu, Osby, Training Camp

September 2nd, 2013 at 8:56am CST by Zachary Links

Jameer Nelson hasn't had to worry about his starting job in a long, long time, but that changed this summer when the Magic decided to see what Victor Oladipo could offer at the point guard position.  It was a move that raised a few eyebrows around the league since the Indiana University product wasn't know for having exceptional ball handling as a two-guard.  However, Oladipo impressed during summer league and there could be a position battle brewing in Orlando.  Here's more on the Magic, courtesy of Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel..

  • The Magic are working on a buyout with Hedo Turkoglu and it sounds as though he'll have a nice opportunity waiting for him if it goes through.  According to reports out of Turkey, Fenerbahce Ulker has made an offer to the veteran worth roughly $3.4MM.  The Magic are on the hook for $6MM of Hedo's $12MM 2014/15 salary and the full amount becomes guaranteed if he's still on the roster by January 7th.  The 34-year-old is coming off of a down season in which he was suspended 20 games for anabolic steroid use.
  • Orlando plans to give second-round pick Romero Osby an invite to camp with an opportunity to make the roster this year.  The combo forward out of Oklahoma showed promise while playing in games during the Orlando Summer League.
  • With Nik Vucevic as the team's only legitimate center, the Magic plan to invite two big men to camp, along with a guard and a wing.
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Eastern Notes: ‘Melo, Magic, Smith

August 31st, 2013 at 7:09pm CST by Spencer Lund

After J.R. Smith called out Paul Pierce for being bitter after being traded from the Celtics in a piece by ESPN New York's Ian Begley, Begley offered up some additional material from his conversation with Smith.

Begley asked J.R, about Carmelo Anthony's impending decision next summer whether to opt-out of his contract with the Knicks. 'Melo's current deal will pay him $23.333MM for the 2014/15 season. If he does terminate the contract early, as many expect, he'll be eligible to re-sign with the Knicks for a five-year, $129MM deal. Another team could only sign him for $95MM over four years.

Said Smith, via Begley's tweet, "I don't see him leaving, but I said the same thing in Denver so it's up to him." Here's more around the Eastern Conference during a Saturday night when many are watching the opening day of college football…

  • In reaction to the same Begley piece from earlier today, CBS Sports' Zach Harper debates whether the NBA could possibly issue a fine after misconstruing Smith's comments as a more deliberate "threat." 
  • The fine would come on the heels of the news earlier this week that David Stern called a meeting to clear the air last season between Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov and Knicks owner James Dolan.
  • Orlando Sentinel columnist Brian K. Schmitz tweets that the Magic are negotiating with Hedo Turkoglu for a buy-out. The Magic are on the hook for $6MM of Hedo's $12MM 2014/15 salary, and the full amount if he's still on the roster by January 7th. 
  • But that's highly unlikely since Turkoglu could well be playing in his native Turkey by that time. Can Pelister of TrendBasket.net reported earlier this week that Turkish team Fenerbahce Ulker is prepared to make Hedo a substantial offer.
  • Schmitz also adds that the Magic are inviting 2nd rounder Romero Osby to training camp as well as four free agents.
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Florida Notes: Heat, Magic, Riley, Oladipo, Melo

August 31st, 2013 at 10:56am CST by Zachary Links

People close to the Heat told Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld earlier this week that 2014 isn't the year they need to worry about, it's 2015.  While the big three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh can all opt out next summer, they essentially hold player options for the summer of 2015 as well.  Here's more on the Heat and the Sunshine State's other team..

  • Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel looks at Pat Riley's assertion that he wanted to cannibalize the NBA free agent market in August and September.  At this stage, however, the Heat roster seems pretty complete and adding something from the open market no longer seems like a worthwhile or necessary pursuit.
  • Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel looks at the position battle at point guard between incumbent Jameer Nelson and rookie Victor Oladipo.  The Indiana University product, who some believe is the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, could give Nelson the first serious run for his starting job in nearly seven years.
  • In today's mailbag, a reader asks Winderman if the Heat have any interest in adding the recently released Fab Melo.  Winderman says that with the league's shift to smallball, there's no longer an urgency to add size just for the sake of it, so Melo doesn't seem like a fit for Miami.
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Odds & Ends: Turkoglu, Plumlee, Heat, Mavs

August 27th, 2013 at 11:50am CST by Luke Adams

For now, Hedo Turkoglu remains under contract with the Magic, with the team currently on the hook for $6MM of his $12MM salary. Turkoglu's full salary will become guaranteed if he's still on the roster beyond January 7th, but there's virtually no chance that happens, and it appears the veteran forward may not even be in the NBA by that point. According to reports out of Turkey, confirmed by Can Pelister of TrendBasket.net (via Twitter), Turkish team Fenerbahce Ulker is pursuing Turkolgu, and is prepared to make him a substantial offer (hat tip to Sportando).

The Magic would need to grant Turkoglu his release before he could finalize a deal overseas, but it may just be a matter of time until that happens. Here's more from around the NBA:

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Odds & Ends: Brewer, Bucks, McGrady, Heat

August 26th, 2013 at 10:48pm CST by Chuck Myron

Ronnie Brewer considered signing with the Bulls, Jazz and Lakers before ultimately choosing the Rockets, the 28-year-old swingman tells Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston. He also reiterated his assertion from June that the Thunder were in play to re-sign him, too, but Houston's up-tempo style of play helped sway him. Despite having only a partially guaranteed deal on a team with a league-high 19 players under contract, he's not worried about getting cut. "If I come in and I do what I'm supposed to do, all of that goes out the window," he said to Berman. As Brewer gets set to officially sign his contract, here's more on the league's comings and goings with about a month to go before training camp:

  • The Bucks have hired David Morway as assistant GM and Jim Cleamons as the team's top assistant coach, notes Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel.
  • So much of Tracy McGrady's talent vanished long before he announced his retirement today, and he went underappreciated in Orlando during his peak years, as John Denton of Magic.com argues. The Magic, Raptors and Rockets are all left wondering what might have been, the Toronto Sun's Ryan Wolstat writes.
  • Toure Murry still hasn't committed to the Knicks nearly a month after the club extended him a training camp invitation, but the 6'5" guard is expected to pick a team later this week, according to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link).
  • In his latest mailbag for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Ira Winderman discusses the Heat's luxury-tax situation, their mid-level exception, and the possibility of the team signing Richard Hamilton.
  • Now that 14 NBA teams have one-on-one relationships with their respective D-League affiliates, the remaining 16 teams are sharing three D-League clubs. Nonetheless, those squads with five or six NBA affiliations can still help young NBA players develop, as Gino Pilato of Ridiculous Upside outlines.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

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