Jazz Re-Sign Joe Ingles
JULY 25: Three and a half weeks after reaching an agreement with him, the Jazz have officially re-signed Ingles, the team announced today in a press release. The delay was a result of Utah using up its cap room before going over the cap to finalize Ingles’ deal.
JULY 1: Restricted free agent Joe Ingles is finalizing an agreement to stay in Utah, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com. The deal will reportedly pay him $52MM over four seasons (Twitter link). There are no options for either side, according to Sam Amick of USA Today (Twitter link).
Getting Ingles back in the fold could help the Jazz make their case to keep Gordon Hayward, Wojnarowski notes. Ingles and Hayward are close friends and share the same agent, Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports (Twitter link).
[RELATED: 2017 NBA Free Agent Tracker]
Ingles, a 29-year-old small forward, has spent his entire three-year career in Utah. He appeared in all 82 games this season, and while he averaged a modest 7.1 points per night, he showed an impressive ability to make a three-pointer (.441 3PT%) and provided solid defense.
Ingles reportedly had a meeting scheduled with the Nets on Sunday and there was at least one report indicating that the Magic were preparing a significant offer, though a separate report suggested Orlando’s interest was overstated. The Clippers were also planning to meet with Ingles this weekend.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Nets Consider Offers For Porter, Caldwell-Pope, Ingles
After J.J. Redick announced an agreement with the Sixers this afternoon, the Nets are turning their sights toward a trio of restricted free agents, reports Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
Armed with $28.5MM in cap space, Brooklyn will consider Wizards forward Otto Porter, Pistons shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jazz forward Joe Ingles. Any offer sheet the Nets submit to any of them can be matched by their current team, but that won’t deter Brooklyn GM Sean Marks.
“We have an analytic value,” he said. “We have a scouting value placed on these players, and if we feel comfortable with an offer to these players, whether restricted or unrestricted, we’ll make those deals. But we’re not going to go chase things.”
The Nets submitted sizable offer sheets to Portland’s Allen Crabbe and Miami’s Tyler Johnson last summer and to Houston’s Donatas Motiejunas in December. All three were matched, leaving the Nets empty-handed.
There are questions about the availability of this year’s targets as well. The Wizards have vowed to match any offer that Porter brings them. However, Washington’s attempt to re-sign him in late-night negotiations ended without a contract, and there are reports that Brooklyn would be willing to offer $106MM over four years, starting at $24.75MM for 2017/18. Porter is expected to hold several meetings with several teams starting Sunday.
The Pistons have also stated that they plan to keep Caldwell-Pope, but their signing today of Langston Galloway and the drafting of Luke Kennard indicates that a backup plan is being formed in case Caldwell-Pope becomes too expensive.
The Nets have arranged a meeting with Ingles, although Lewis sees him as a secondary option in case the attempt at Porter is unsuccessful. The Washington Post is reporting that Ingles may have a four-year, $60MM offer from the Magic, but Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel says the team’s interest in Ingles is being overstated (Twitter link).
Free Agent Rumors: Young, Miles, Porter
Unrestricted free agent Nick Young plans to “meet with a bunch of teams” this weekend after a number of undisclosed franchises expressed interest when free agency began on Friday, league sources tell Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News. Despite the Lakers being among those contacting Young’s representatives, both the team and player have conflicting agendas that suggest that this may be the end of their four-year tenure together, Medina adds.
Young, 32, is hoping to maximize his earnings on a multi-year contract for a playoff team, but the Lakers want to sign players to one-year deals to save cap space for the 2018 offseason when LeBron James, Paul George and Russell Westbrook might be available, the scribe notes.
Here’s more from around the NBA:
- Pacers free agent C.J. Miles may have to wait for J.J. Redick to sign an agreement before his market comes into focus, Tim MacMahon of ESPN relays (ESPN Now link). Miles is Plan B for multiple teams who have made Redick a priority, the scribe adds. The Thunder are one of the teams that have expressed interest in the 30-year-old, per a tweet from Yahoo’s Jordan Schultz.
- With Otto Porter having completed his meeting with the Wizards, the team is now in a holding pattern as it awaits the forward to seek offer sheets on the open market, Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post relays (via Twitter). The Nets are potentially one team who appear willing to offer the max of four years and $100MM. Philadelphia may also get involved in the bidding, but the Sixers reportedly seem reluctant to make long-term offers. Washington has promised to match any offer for the restricted free agent.
- Despite the significant bump in player salaries the new CBA has ushered in, not all players are satisfied with the league capping their earnings. LeBron James, responding to a tweet noting how the value of the Warriors has increased from $450MM to upwards of $2.6 billion since Joe Lacob purchased the franchise, noted that Stephen Curry should have gotten a pact worth $400MM over five years this summer (Twitter link). James has a vested interest, of course, with him in line to hit free agency once again next summer.
- There is a possibility that the Celtics may be willing to facilitate a sign-and-trade deal for unrestricted free agent Amir Johnson, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe relays (on Twitter). The forward is reportedly garnering significant interest around the league.
- The Magic‘s reported interest in free agent forward Joe Ingles has been “wildly overstated,” per Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link). It was relayed Friday night that Orlando was set to offer Ingles a four-year deal in the $60MM range.
Free Agent Rumors: Iguodala, Noel, Roberson, Ingles
The Heat are one of three teams scheduled to meet with free agent Gordon Hayward, which could put several free agency plans on hold. For Miami free agent James Johnson, being patient is not a problem, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes.
“I’m a patient guy,” Johnson said to Jackson at a recent golf tournament. “They can take as long as they want. My mindset is winning. I think Hayward can help us win and I’m all for it. They brought me here for a reason and I know they’re going after Hayward for a reason and I think his statistics and his numbers that he [produces], he fits in the best here.”
Johnson, 30, developed into a solid two-way player last season, averaging 12.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and shot nearly 48% from the floor. However, if Miami does lure Hayward to South Beach, retaining both Johnson and Dion Waiters would be problematic from a financial standpoint. Stretching Josh McRoberts‘ salary and several other moves would have to be made to re-sign both players. However, Johnson has reiterated he does not mind waiting to see how the Heat’s plan develop.
Here are some other free agency rumors circulating around the NBA:
- The Rockets‘ meeting with two-time NBA champion and free agent Andre Iguodala is scheduled for this morning, according to Chris Haynes of ESPN (via Twitter).
- In a separate tweet, Haynes reports that the Knicks and Bucks have inquired on free agent swingman Ben McLemore.
- Restricted free agent Nerlens Noel can speak to other teams, but appears very likely to remain in Dallas. It’s likely a matter of “how much and when” the Mavericks get a deal done with the swingman, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon (via Twitter).
- With Paul George headed to Oklahoma City, the Thunder are more likely to retain restricted free agent Andre Roberson, according to ESPN’s Royce Young (via Twitter).
- The Nets have secured a meeting with free agent Joe Ingles, sources tell Adam Joseph of 16WingsARing (via Twitter).
- We heard on Friday night that the Cavaliers have interest in Zach Randolph. That interest is mutual, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com.
Free Agent Rumors: Porter, Randolph, Millsap, Holiday
The Wizards‘ session with Otto Porter ended without an agreement, tweets David Aldridge of TNT. Porter plans to start meeting with other teams this weekend (Twitter link). That creates a potential opening for the Nets, who appear willing to offer the max of four years and $100MM, according to a post on NetsDaily. Philadelphia may also get involved, but the Sixers seem reluctant to make long-term offers. Washington has promised to match any offer for the restricted free agent.
There’s more late-night free agency news:
- Aldridge has two more tidbits to pass along. The Cavaliers are interested in Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph and plan to call him today (Twitter link). Also, Blake Griffin‘s decision to re-sign with the Clippers means the Suns will intensify their pursuit of Hawks forward Paul Millsap (Twitter link).
- Jrue Holiday met with the Pelicans tonight, but no deal was reached, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. The two sides are expected to get together again in the morning.
- The new $201MM supermax contract that the Warriors gave to Stephen Curry doesn’t include a no-trade clause or a player option, according to Anthony Slater of The San Jose Mercury News (Twitter link).
- Spurs forward Jonathon Simmons has gotten calls from the Kings, Clippers and Timberwolves and is ready to start holding meetings, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link).
- In addition to Simmons, the Clippers plan to meet with Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari on Sunday and Jazz forward Joe Ingles this weekend, relays Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link).
- There’s a strong chance that Celtics‘ power forward Amir Johnson will sign with the Sixers, a source tells Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Johnson has a history with Philadelphia’s president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo, who traded for him in 2009 as GM of the Raptors.
- The Kings met tonight with Andre Iguodala and Patrick Patterson, according to Sam Amick of USA Today (Twitter link).
- The Timberwolves have put in a call to Ty Lawson as a possible backup for Jeff Teague, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. The Pelicans, Thunder and Kings have also been in contact with Lawson.
- The Grizzlies are the latest team to show interest in Kings guard Ben McLemore, relays Chris Mannix of The Vertical (Twitter link).
- The Knicks contacted Suns power forward Alan Williams tonight, posts Ian Begley on ESPN Now. Williams fits New York’s goal of finding players who can contribute on both ends of the floor, Begley notes.
Free Agent Rumors: Redick, Ingles, Hayward, Gay
The first meeting for Clippers guard J.J. Redick was with the Sixers, posts Adrian Wojnarowski on ESPN Now. On ESPN’s television coverage, Wojnarowski said Philadelphia would like to convince Redick to accept a short-term contract, “a one-year deal at a very big number, $20 million-plus, potentially.” The Timberwolves and Nets are also expected to be contenders for Redick, and he has expressed interest in joining former Clippers teammate Chris Paul with the Rockets. Wojnarowski adds that there is no chance of Redick returning to L.A.
There’s more from the early hours of free agency:
- Jazz forward Joe Ingles has received “serious interest” from the Magic and has three meetings scheduled for Saturday, tweets Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. Ingles will meet with the Utah delegation this weekend, according to Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link).
- Heat center Hassan Whiteside has been actively recruiting Gordon Hayward to Miami, tweets Alex Kennedy of Hoops Hype. Whiteside will attend Hayward’s meeting with Heat officials on Saturday.
- Kings forward Rudy Gay has four meetings set up over the next few days, Kennedy adds (Twitter link).
- The Nuggets reached out to Utah’s George Hill during the first hour of free agency, posts Ian Begley on ESPN Now. Denver could create cap room to sign Hill by letting Danilo Gallinari leave, Begley notes.
- The Mavericks had a “great call” with Nerlens Noel, tweets Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Noel expressed a desire to re-sign with the team, but nothing has been finalized.
- The Lakers made calls tonight to Andre Iguodala, Rajon Rondo and Ben McLemore., tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. The Knicks and Bucks have also inquired about McLemore, according to Chris Haynes of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Magic May Offer Ingles 4-Year Deal
10:31pm: Ingles is also receiving significant interest from the Grizzlies, plus, he has a meeting scheduled with the Clippers on Saturday, Adam Joseph of 16WinsARing.com tweets.
7:59pm: It may not be long before Jazz forward Joe Ingles has a $60MM contract in front of him, Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post writes. The scribe tweets that he’s heard the Australian free agent could have a four-year deal in the $60MM range coming from the Magic.
If that’s the case, Bontemps adds, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which the Jazz would match the restricted free agent’s new price tag.
Per Sean Deveney of the Sporting News, new Magic general manager John Hammond has long been a fan of the sharpshooting forward and this could be a significant early move for the new regime.
As Tim MacMahon of ESPN notes, there are two significant Jazz-specific takeaways from the rumored Magic offer, one being that Ingles is said to be close friends with fellow free agent Gordon Hayward, the other being that they’re represented by the same agent.
Those factors, coupled with Utah’s move earlier today to land Ricky Rubio at the likely expense of free agent George Hill (another Hayward favorite) lend credence to the notion that Hayward’s time with the Jazz may be coming to an end.
Hayward aside, Ingles is a widely respected small forward that offers a suite of intangible contributions in addition to his 7.2 points per game and 44.1% three-point shot. That said, given that the Magic were expected to lay low during free agency, such a move is somewhat surprising.
Western FA Rumors: Hayward, Gallinari, Clippers
Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey remains confident about his team’s chances to re-sign Gordon Hayward, George Hill, and Joe Ingles, writes Jody Genessy of The Deseret News. The team’s ability to bring back Hill and/or Ingles may be key to retaining Hayward.
Genessy reiterates (via Twitter) that Hayward really wants the Jazz to re-sign Hill, adding that his decision could hinge on that, while Sam Amick of USA Today notes (via Twitter) that Hayward and Ingles share an agent. Utah has been seeking a trade for a cheaper point guard to replace Hill, but may be hesitant to make such a move if it would make Hayward more likely to leave.
Here’s more on free agency from around the Western Conference, including another Hayward-related note:
- Having previously said that he wouldn’t prioritize the Nuggets over any other suitor in free agency, Danilo Gallinari tells Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport that his goal is to remain with Denver, and will have one of his first meetings with the Nuggets. Emiliano Carchia of Sportando provides the English translation on the quotes from Gallinari, who also acknowledged that he won’t receive a maximum salary contract.
- The Clippers want to hang onto Blake Griffin in free agency, but it’s not clear whether the team is prepared to put a five-year, maximum salary offer on the table for him, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com.
- Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link) identifies Jonathon Simmons, Rudy Gay, Danilo Gallinari, P.J. Tucker, James Johnson, Joe Ingles, and Andre Iguodala as additional free agents of interest for the Clippers.
- The Gordon Hayward sweepstakes are creating a battle amidst the Ainge family, as Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com details. Tanner Ainge, the son of Celtics president Danny Ainge, is running for Congress in Utah and has pushed for Hayward to remain with the Jazz.
Nerlens Noel, Joe Ingles Receive Qualifying Offers
Two more free agents have become restricted as a result of receiving qualifying offers from their respective clubs. According to RealGM’s transactions log, the Mavericks have tendered a qualifying offer to Nerlens Noel, while the Jazz have given a QO to Joe Ingles.
Noel, 23, was sent to the Mavericks at this year’s trade deadline after spending his first three and a half seasons in Philadelphia. In 51 games (19 starts) in 2016/17, Noel averaged 8.7 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.3 SPG, and 1.0 BPG in 20.5 minutes per contest. The Mavs view the former sixth overall pick as their center of the future and are expected to either re-sign him or match an offer sheet on him.
As for Ingles, the Australian forward had a breakout year in 2016/17, earning a regular spot in Utah’s rotation (24.0 MPG in 82 games) and averaging 7.1 PPG, 3.2 RPG, and 2.7 APG to go along with a .441 3PT%. While Utah would like to bring him back, Ingles will be in line for a raise, and the Jazz figure to prioritize other free agents like Gordon Hayward and George Hill.
Both Noel and Ingles fell just short of meeting the starter criteria, so their qualifying offers are fairly modest. Noel’s is worth $4,187,598 and Ingles’ is worth $2,687,500. Those QOs are technically one-year contract offers that could be accepted, but both players are expected to find much larger offers on the open market – if not from their own teams – once free agency begins.
Noel and Ingles join a growing group of RFAs-to-be who have formally received qualifying offers, including Jonathon Simmons (Spurs), Mason Plumlee (Nuggets), JaMychal Green (Grizzlies), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Pistons), Andre Roberson (Thunder), Tim Hardaway Jr. (Hawks), Otto Porter (Wizards), and Bojan Bogdanovic (Wizards).
Western Rumors: Kerr, Parker, Ingles, Lakers
Warriors coach Steve Kerr says it’s unlikely that he’ll be on the bench for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday, as he discussed with Anthony Slater of the San Jose Mercury News and the assembled media on Monday. Mike Brown has filled in for Kerr on the sidelines for much of the postseason, though Brown himself missed practice on Monday because of the flu. Kerr will travel to Cleveland when the series shifts there and says he’s been at practices and coaches meetings, but coaching during a game is still an issue because of back pain, Slater continues. The pain became severe during the opening-round series against the Trail Blazers. “You saw me in the fourth quarter of Game 2. I could not sit still in my chair,” Kerr said. “There was that much pain. I would say I’ve gotten a little bit better. That’s why I’m here talking to you right now. But you can probably tell, I’m not sitting here happy-go-lucky.”
In other news around the Western Conference:
- Spurs guard Tony Parker expects to return from his torn quad injury in January, as he told the French magazine L’Equipe and relayed by Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia. Parker required surgery earlier this month for the tear, which he suffered during the Western Conference semifinals against the Rockets. Parker will make $15.45MM in the final year of his contract next season.
- Gordon Hayward‘s decision in free agency won’t influence Jazz swingman Joe Ingles, according to Olgun Uluc of Foxsports.com. Ingles will be a restricted free agent once the Jazz extend him a qualifying offer of $2.687MM, which they almost assuredly will do. Ingles averaged 7.1 PPG, 3.2 RPG and 2.7 APG while shooting 44.1% from long range this past season. He would like to stay put, as he told Uluc. “I think we’ve got the team,” he said. “Obviously, Gordon is a big part of that, so his free agency — it’s not going to change what I’m going to do or where I want to go — but, we’re a different team depending on whether he’s there or not. I’m not gonna be sitting there calling Gordon every two minutes, but if everything works out in Utah and they want me, and it all comes together, that’s great.”
- California forward Ivan Rabb headlines a group of six players that will work out for the Lakers on Tuesday, which was posted on the team’s website. Rabb is currently ranked No. 25 overall by DraftExpress and Los Angeles owns the No. 28 selection, as well as the No. 2 overall pick. He’ll be joined by four potential second-rounders in Clemson forward Jaron Blossomgame (49th), Oregon guard Tyler Dorsey (46th), Nevada forward Cameron Oliver (59th) and SMU forward Sterling Brown (57th), as well as Florida State guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes.