Free Agent Stock Watch: Atlantic Division
For the rest of the regular season and postseason, Hoops Rumors is taking a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents during the 2023 offseason. We consider whether their stock is rising or falling due to their performance and other factors. Today, we’re focusing on a handful of Atlantic players.
Fred VanVleet, G, Raptors
- 2022/23: $21,250,000
- 2023/24: $22,824,074 player option
- Stock: Down
VanVleet was a deserving first-time All-Star last season, averaging 21.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.6 steals on .419/.401/.874 (.572 true) shooting through 50 games. However, he struggled mightily after the break due to a lingering bone bruise in his right knee, appearing in just 15 games with averages of 16.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.9 steals on .343/.291/.872 (.479 true) shooting. He was clearly hampered in the playoffs as well, posting similar shooting percentages.
In the offseason, he and the Raptors discussed a four-year, $114MM extension – the maximum amount they can offer based on his current contract. VanVleet felt he had outplayed his four-year, $85MM deal to that point, so he wanted to wait and see if he could get a more lucrative contract in 2023.
I definitely understand why VanVleet bet on himself. The former undrafted free agent has turned himself into a very good player through his hard work, tenacity and determination. He was also a major part of the Toronto’s title-winning team in 2019.
Unfortunately, things haven’t gone according VanVleet’s plan thus far in 2022/23. A significant portion of his offensive game is tied to his ability to space the floor, but he’s shooting just 32.9% from three, compared to his 37.5% career mark.
VanVleet turns 29 next month, is undersized, has played a ton of minutes the past few years, his point-of-attack defense isn’t what it once was, and he missed an average of just over 18 regular season games from 2018-22. VanVleet’s leadership and competitiveness are unquestioned, but there are a lot of red flags for potential suitors if he declines his player option, which seems likely.
T.J. Warren, F, Nets
2022/23: $2,628,597- 2023/24: UFA
- Stock: Up
Warren is another player with an injury history, having appeared in just four games in the two seasons leading up to ‘22/23. While the length of those absences was abnormal, the 29-year-old has never appeared in more than 67 games in a season, averaging just under 55 games in his first six years, so durability has always been a concern.
As a free agent last summer, Warren wound up signing a “prove it” deal with the Nets for the veteran’s minimum, and it took him a while to return to action — he made his season debut on December 2. However, he has only missed one game since (the second of a back-to-back), and his production hasn’t disappointed.
Warren has always been a mid-range sniper, and this season is no different – he’s shooting 52% on those looks, which ranks in the 93rd percentile of all players, per DunksAndThrees.com. Through 17 games, he’s averaging 10.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists on .532/.353/.889 shooting in 20.4 minutes per contest.
As long as Warren stays healthy, there’s a very good chance he’ll get a big raise in free agency — his ability to score from all over the court is the most valuable trait in basketball.
Grant Williams, F, Celtics
- 2022/23: $4,306,281
- 2023/24: RFA
- Stock: Up
Williams and the Celtics couldn’t agree on a rookie scale extension prior to the season, with the 24-year-old reportedly looking for more money than the cost-conscious Celtics were willing to offer. Betting on himself in restricted free agency has been a worthwhile gamble for Williams so far.
Although his averages of 9.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game are all career highs, those numbers don’t jump at you. But he’s a solid defender across the three frontcourt positions and is highly efficient, posting a .504/.404/.859 (.659 true) shooting line through 42 games (16 starts, 28.0 MPG).
If he maintains his top-tier efficiency, Williams might get more than he was reportedly seeking before the season, which was in the $14-16MM range annually.
Derrick Rose, G, Knicks
- 2022/23: $14,520,730
- 2023/24: $15,596,339 team option
- Stock: Down
The former league MVP has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, but he’s actually been relatively healthy in ’22/23. The problem is, he just hasn’t been effective on the court, averaging career lows in minutes (12.9), points (5.8) and FG% (.394) through 26 games.
Long a favorite of head coach Tom Thibodeau, Rose has fallen out of the Knicks’ rotation. His $14.5MM contract has negative value on the trade market, and his team option for ’23/24 is essentially a lock to be declined at this point.
Unless there’s a dramatic turnaround, the 34-year-old is probably looking at a veteran’s minimum deal in the offseason. Considering his age and injury history, even that might not be a given.
Shake Milton, G, Sixers
- 2022/23: $1,997,718
- 2023/24: UFA
- Stock: Up
Milton is an interesting player. He’s a subpar defender who isn’t a great athlete by NBA standards, but he finds effective ways to work around those limitations.
He impressed as a fill-in starter when Tyrese Maxey and James Harden were injured, averaging 20.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists on .542/.425/.967 (.652 true) shooting in nine games (38.0 minutes). While those shooting percentages are an anomaly, given his career averages (.457/.361/.822 splits, including .557 true), Milton is a patient and crafty pick-and-roll play-maker who has plus size (6’5″, 205 pounds) for a combo guard.
The former 54th overall pick initially signed a two-way deal and then was converted to a standard four-year, $7MM contract back in 2019. He’s only 26 years old, and has certainly outperformed his current deal. Something in the $5-8MM per year range seems within reach.
Mac McClung To Become First G League Player In Dunk Contest
The third participant confirmed to be taking part in the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest in Salt Lake City next month isn’t an NBA player, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), who reports that G League guard Mac McClung has accepted an invitation to the event.
Assuming he doesn’t get called up to the NBA within the next month or so, McClung will be the first G League player to compete in the dunk contest, according to Charania. The 24-year-old is currently playing for the Delaware Blue Coats, the Sixers‘ NBAGL affiliate.
McClung does have a little NBA experience, having signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Bulls in 2021/22 and then a two-way contract with the Lakers during the final days of the regular season. The 6’2″ guard appeared in one game for each team and finished off the Lakers’ season by emphatically throwing down a double-clutch reverse dunk (YouTube video link).
The Warriors signed McClung to a training camp deal this past summer, but waived him during the preseason.
McClung joins Trail Blazers rookie Shaedon Sharpe and Rockets forward Kenyon Martin Jr. as the dunk contest participants who have been reported so far. The event will take place on Saturday, February 18 in Utah.
Nuggets Notes: Brown, Chemistry, Jokic, Hyland
Veteran guard Bruce Brown, who spent two seasons in Detroit and two more in Brooklyn before arriving in Denver, said the Nuggets‘ locker room is the best one he has been a part of, writes Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post.
“Everybody likes everybody, everybody is cool with everyone. We do mostly all things together, even if we have a night off, we’ll do things together. I’m happy I’m in this locker room,” Brown said. “It’s just a bunch of good guys. I’m not saying I didn’t play with other good guys with other franchises, but it’s just a bunch of good guys, all on the same page, so it’s been good.”
After winning 14 of their last 17 games, the Nuggets have a 28-13 record, tied with Memphis for the best mark in the Western Conference and 3.5 games ahead of third-place New Orleans. Head coach Michael Malone believes the close-knit nature of the team is one important reason for its success, according to Saunders.
“You’re either together or you’re not,” Malone said. “For me, it’s pretty simple. The best teams in the NBA are usually really connected, on and off the court. And you can see it. And on the flip side, you can see the teams that have no chemistry. You have five individuals playing for themselves out there.”
Here’s more out of Denver:
- Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic has been ruled out for Friday’s game vs. the Clippers due to right wrist injury management, per the NBA’s official injury report. Jokic played 28 minutes in a blowout win over Phoenix on Wednesday and didn’t seem to be favoring the wrist, tweets Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports, so there’s no indication at this point that it’s a major cause for concern.
- Three executives from different Western Conference teams speculated to Mike Singer of The Denver Post (subscription required) that if the Nuggets make a trade in the coming weeks to add size, defense, and/or experience, Bones Hyland would be part of the outgoing package. General manager Calvin Booth will have to determine whether Hyland’s timeline matches that of the win-now Nuggets, according to Singer, who notes that the second-year wing has played some of his best basketball as of late, averaging 16.6 PPG on .522/.519/.857 shooting in his last eight games (22.2 MPG).
- Hyland is hoping to get the opportunity to participate in next month’s three-point contest at All-Star weekend in Utah, Singer writes in a separate story for The Denver Post. “If it happens, it happens. I want to win it. I want to be in it,” said Hyland, who is averaging 2.6 made threes in just 20.8 minutes per game and knocking them down at a 41.7% clip. His name is on a preliminary list of players the NBA is considering inviting, a source tells Singer.
Southeast Notes: Isaac, Beal, Hayward, Dedmon
Jonathan Isaac‘s return to the court on Wednesday, nearly 900 days after he last played in an NBA game, was a success, writes Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel. Playing on a minutes limit for the Magic‘s G League affiliate, Isaac scored 15 points in just under 15 minutes while also chipping in five rebounds, an assist, and a blocked shot.
The veteran forward – who tore his ACL in August 2020 – referred to the game as a “great milestone” for him, but said he still had some things to work on as he prepares to return to the NBA.
“I’m not going look at it too deep because it was my first game back,” Isaac said. “I’m glad I got a couple of buckets to fall. It was really for my conditioning. I definitely got tired, so that’s something I got to keep working on.”
Isaac will play another game for the Lakeland Magic on Saturday, according to Dan Savage of OrlandoMagic.com (Twitter link). Orlando’s G League team hosts the Westchester Knicks on both Friday and Saturday, but Isaac obviously isn’t cleared for back-to-backs yet, so he’ll play in the second game of the set.
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- The Wizards announced on Thursday (via Twitter) that star guard Bradley Beal has been cleared to resume full basketball activities after having his left hamstring strain reevaluated. As Josh Robbins of The Athletic points out (via Twitter), when Beal was cleared following a similar injury to his right hamstring last month, he played in a game six days later. Given Beal’s repeated hamstring issues this season, the team will likely be at least as cautious this time around, Robbins says.
- Injuries have limited Hornets forward Gordon Hayward to just 21 games so far this season, which he acknowledged is “definitely frustrating,” per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Hayward has missed Charlotte’s last five contests due to a hamstring strain, but head coach Steve Clifford is hopeful the veteran will be back within the next week, Boone writes. “He wants to be out there so badly, but we’ve just got to make sure that he’s healthy when he comes back,” Clifford said. “A hamstring is a tricky one. The one thing we don’t want is he comes back a little bit early and it’s a month or it’s five weeks. And we can’t afford that.”
- After serving a one-game suspension for a sideline outburst, Heat center Dewayne Dedmon will have to take on the challenge of winning back the team’s trust, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. As Winderman observes, several former Heat players – including Meyers Leonard, Dion Waiters, and James Johnson – were traded not long after being disciplined by the team in some form or another.
Cavs Hire Anderson Varejao As Player Development Consultant
The Cavaliers have hired former center Anderson Varejao as a player development consultant as well as a global ambassador, the team announced today in a press release. Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com was first was the story.
“Andy embodies all that the city of Cleveland stands for and beyond, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring his experience, leadership and character back into the Cleveland Cavaliers family,” president of basketball operations Koby Altman said in a statement. “His infectious work ethic and commitment to our community have earned him his rightful place in the fabric of this organization and all of Northeast Ohio, and his impact on the game internationally will benefit our global outreach. We are thrilled to welcome Andy and his family back full time to the Cavaliers.”
A second-round pick in the 2004 draft, Varejao spent the majority of his 14-year NBA career in Cleveland, appearing in 596 games for the club and putting up averages of 7.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest. He became a fan favorite for his energy and hustle and was a key part of the Cavs’ rotation during LeBron James‘ first go-round with the franchise, earning an All-Defensive nod in 2010.
Unfortunately, Varejao was traded by Cleveland in 2016 and was a member of the Warriors when Cleveland beat Golden State to win its lone title during either of LeBron’s stints with the club. After being out of the NBA for a few years, he signed with the Cavs near the end of the 2020/21 season to finish his playing career.
As Fedor writes, since his retirement, Varejao has made occasional visits to the Cavaliers’ practice facility and helped out in an informal capacity, but he’ll now have an official full-time role with the team.
In his new position, Varejao will assist the organization’s efforts to grow its brand globally, including in Latin America and his home country of Brazil. He’ll also work with coaches, players, and front office members during the season in “varying on-court development roles,” per the team.
Nets Sign Dru Smith To Two-Way Contract
11:48am: The Nets have officially signed Smith to a two-way deal, the team confirmed in a press release.
10:34am: After waiving Alondes Williams on Thursday, the Nets are wasting no time in filling their open two-way contract slot. Brooklyn has agreed to sign G League guard Dru Smith to a two-way deal, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Since going undrafted out of Missouri in 2021, Smith has played primarily for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Heat’s G League affiliate. The 25-year-old got a chance to make his NBA debut earlier this season when he earned a two-way deal with Miami, but he was waived in favor of Orlando Robinson, first in November and then again in December.
Although he only logged 67 total minutes in five NBA games in the fall, Smith has been a standout at the G League level for Sioux Falls. In 15 total NBAGL appearances (Showcase Cup and regular season) with the Skyforce, he has averaged 17.8 points, 5.7 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.0 steals in 33.9 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .485/.368/.750.
Players who sign two-way contracts before the season can be active for up to 50 games, but that limit is prorated for players who sign during the season. We’re at the halfway point of the 174-day NBA season, so if Smith signs within the next day or two, he’ll be eligible to be active for up to 25 games with Brooklyn. He also figures to spend time in the G League with the Long Island Nets.
January 20 is the date when all two-way contracts become guaranteed for the season, so Smith will lock in his rest-of-season salary (approximately $254K) if he remains with the Nets for more than a week.
Haynes’ Latest: Crowder, C. Johnson, Barton, Tatum
The injury bug has bitten the Suns in a major way in recent weeks, but forward Mikal Bridges told Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report that the club’s struggles are also due in part to the absence of Jae Crowder. Bridges added that he supports Crowder’s decision to remain away from the team while the Suns attempt to trade him.
“That’s one of our leaders,” Bridges said. “I texted him not too long ago and told him how much I miss him. That’s my guy. It’s the NBA. It happens. I know he wants to be here, but it’s the league. That’s just how it is sometimes. This is my fifth year in the league, and I understand how it could be. You’ve got to protect yourself sometimes. We’ll love to have him here, but we get it.”
For his part, Crowder tells Haynes that his teammates respect and understand his decision, but that he’s frustrated by his situation.
“This move of pushing me out the door was a blindsided hit to not only me but my teammates, as you can see from speaking to them and myself and the conversations we’ve had behind closed doors,” Crowder said in a text message. “I will continue to prepare myself daily for battle once the call is made and continue to be a leader on the court, locker room, as well as off the court. I am thankful my teammates appreciated my leadership. I’m confused and hurt my coaches didn’t appreciate the things I brought to our team and organization. And this has nothing to do with financial or contract differences.”
We don’t necessarily know all the details about how things have played out between Crowder and the Suns behind closed doors, but the two reasons most frequently reported for his absence have been his desire for a contract extension and his dissatisfaction with his role (the team intended to move him from the starting five to the bench).
Given Crowder’s claim that his disappointment has “nothing to do” with his contract situation, perhaps the role change is why he doesn’t feel appreciation from the Suns’ coaches. Sitting out more than half a season seems like an overreaction to being asked to become a sixth man though, so perhaps there’s more to the story.
Here’s more from Haynes:
- Suns forward Cameron Johnson told Haynes that he expects to return from his knee surgery at some point after the team returns from its current road trip. Phoenix will have a five-game home stand from January 19-26 — it sounds like Johnson plans to be back at some point during that week.
- The Wizards have been receiving inquiries on Will Barton‘s availability, but aren’t said to be actively shopping him yet, Haynes writes. The 32-year-old is shooting a career-worst 37.5% in his first season in D.C., is earning over $14MM, and and has received multiple DNP-CDs recently, so the idea that there would be teams willing to give up anything of real value for him is dubious. Josh Robbins of The Athletic recently identified Barton as a possible buyout candidate, but perhaps the Wizards could get an asset for him if they’re willing to take on some multiyear money in exchange for his expiring contract.
- Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has been invited to participate in next month’s three-point contest, but has yet to decide whether he’ll take part, per Haynes.
Hawks Rumors: Schlenk, Ressler, Murray, Collins
The Hawks‘ impending promotion of Kyle Korver to assistant general manager is just one of many changes taking place in the team’s front office this season, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic.
According to Amick, although the Hawks announced last month that Travis Schlenk would be moving into an advisory role after stepping down from his president of basketball operations position, league sources tell The Athletic that Schlenk is no longer part of the operation in Atlanta and is free to leave for another team if he so chooses.
Nick Ressler, the 27-year-old son of Hawks owner Tony Ressler, has had “increasing influence” on both roster and staffing decisions since becoming the franchise’s director of business and basketball operations in December 2020, Amick explains, adding that the younger Ressler’s “effect on the decision-making process” was a factor in Schlenk’s departure.
Amick describes the Dejounte Murray trade as the “beginning of the end” for the previous regime in Atlanta, reporting that Schlenk expressed reservations about the price the team paid for the former Spurs guard (three first-round picks, including two unprotected, and a pick swap). Nick Ressler was the driving force behind that move, per Amick.
The “messiness” involving head coach Nate McMillan in early December also played a part in ownership’s final decision on Schlenk, according to Amick, who adds that Tony Ressler may bring in a more experienced executive at some point to help fill out a fairly green front office. There has also been plenty of chatter about the possibility of the Hawks adding more former players to their basketball operations department, tweets Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
Here’s more on the Hawks:
- Atlanta has been one of the NBA’s most active teams in trade talks in recent weeks and is very much in the market for immediate help, as opposed to trying to recoup draft picks, Amick writes. It’s clear the Hawks’ priority is still to win as soon as possible despite a disappointing start to this season (the team’s record is 19-22).
- Rival executives who have spoken to the Hawks about John Collins indicate that the asking price has come down considerably compared to where it was in past years, says Amick. League sources tell The Athletic that there are some scenarios in which Atlanta is simply asking for a quality player in return for Collins, as opposed to that player plus draft capital.
- Speaking to Amick, Collins referred to Schlenk’s “advisory role” using air quotes and suggested that the Hawks’ players hadn’t received a full explanation for the front office changes. Murray, meanwhile, admitted that his first season in Atlanta has been more turbulent than he anticipated. “I mean, there’s a lot going on (that’s) non-basketball,” Murray said. “And then with basketball, you’ve got guys in trade rumors.”
- Here’s more from Murray on that outside noise: “I wouldn’t say more than what I expected, but more than where I came from in San Antonio where everything was just not as loud. There’s a lot going on, but for me I’m just trying to keep guys together with my leadership, showing up to work, working hard, being vocal and keeping us together, and trying to keep the outside noise the outside noise. But at the end of the day, we all see it. You can’t hide. You can’t run from it. … At the end of the day, winning takes care of it all. So we need to control what we can control, continue to come together as brothers, and try to go out and win basketball games.”
Pacific Notes: C. Johnson, D. Lee, Kuminga, Vezenkov
Suns forward Cameron Johnson, who is recovering from knee surgery and has been out since November 4, has played some 1-on-1 but isn’t yet taking contract, head coach Monty Williams said on Wednesday (Twitter video link via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic).
While Johnson has a few more hurdles to clear before he’s ready to get back onto the court for the Suns, general manager James Jones indicated on Wednesday that the 26-year-old is entering the final stage of his rehab process, according to Kellan Olson of Arizona Sports 98.7.
“He’s in the latter stages of it but as far as a definitive timeline I don’t have anything,” Jones said during a radio appearance on Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo. “I do know at some point soon we should get him back. I just can’t tell you if that’s going to be in five days, 10 days, but every day he’s getting closer.”
The banged-up Suns have also been without Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton, Cameron Payne, and Landry Shamet as of late, so getting Johnson back would provide the team with a huge lift.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- Current Suns and former Warriors guard Damion Lee, Stephen Curry‘s brother-in-law, finally got his 2022 championship ring when his team played in Golden State on Tuesday. Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic takes an in-depth look at what was a memorable day for Lee, who helped upset his old team by going 14-for-14 from the free throw line and scoring a season-high 22 points.
- With Jonathan Kuminga getting close to returning from a right foot sprain that has kept him out of action since December 30, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said he’ll welcome the “physicality and athleticism” the second-year forward brings to the lineup. “I thought last game against Phoenix (on Tuesday) we were not physical enough,” Kerr said, per Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. “Phoenix came in and really took it to us. They were physical, they were aggressive on the boards.”
- In an interview with BasketNews, Kings draft-and-stash prospect Sasha Vezenkov clarified that the extension he recently signed with Olympiacos in Greece doesn’t rule out the possibility of him making a move to the NBA this summer or in a future season, since the deal includes a buyout estimated to be worth $1.5MM. “Before the contract and after the contract, I’m in the same position,” Vezenkov said.
Mavs Notes: Doncic, Cuban, Wood, Green, Finney-Smith
Mavericks star Luka Doncic, who outdueled LeBron James in double overtime on Thursday night, is leading the NBA with 34.3 points per game this season and recently became the sixth-youngest player in league history to surpass the 8,000-point mark for his career.
With James on track to supplant Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer later this season, could Doncic be a candidate to eventually take that record from LeBron? When Tim MacMahon of ESPN approached him to discuss that possibility, Doncic shut down the conversation before it even started.
“If you’re saying me, there’s no way, because I’m not playing that much,” Doncic said.
As MacMahon notes, it’s the second time recently that Doncic has suggested he doesn’t necessarily envision himself spending enough time in the NBA to challenge for those sorts of career records. He said something similar when responding to a comment made by Dirk Nowitzki about the possibility of Luka matching Dirk’s record of 21 seasons with a single franchise.
“I don’t know about 20 years,” Doncic said. “That’s a long time to play basketball. I’d rather go back to my farm in Slovenia.”
Here’s more on the Mavs:
- Team owner Mark Cuban may be facing a fine from the NBA after complaining on Twitter about the whistle in Thursday night’s win over the Lakers. “Stan Van Gundy is absolutely right,” Cuban tweeted, referring to comments the analyst made on TNT’s broadcast. “Worst officiated game. Luka gets no respect. Unreal.”
- In a Q&A with Mark Medina of NBA.com, Mavericks big man Christian Wood spoke about his relationship with Doncic, the Mavs’ championship potential, how he dealt with coming off the bench to start the season, and his desire to make an All-Star team, among other topics.
- Mavericks wing Josh Green has been out since December 9 due to a sprained right elbow, but his return appears to be around the corner. On Wednesday, he went through a full practice and scrimmaged for the first time since the injury, per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News and MacMahon (Twitter links).
- Green sounds closer to a return than forward Dorian Finney-Smith, who has been sidelined since December 19 with a right adductor strain. Finney-Smith is making progress and doing some on-court work, but hasn’t yet been cleared to practice, tweets Townsend.