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Western Contract Details: Grizzlies, KCP, Hood, Thunder

November 24th, 2020 at 5:21pm CST by Luke Adams

John Konchar‘s new deal with the Grizzlies, which will use part of the team’s mid-level exception, is guaranteed for the first two seasons, according to Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). In 2022/23, only $840K of Konchar’s full $2.3MM salary is guaranteed, and his $2.4MM salary for ’23/24 is non-guaranteed, Smith adds.

Konchar was one of a handful of Grizzlies who signed a multiyear contract that isn’t fully guaranteed on the back end. As Smith explains (via Twitter), De’Anthony Melton‘s four-year contract, which has a descending structure, only has a partial guaranteed of $1.5MM on his $8MM salary for 2023/24.

Meanwhile, Jontay Porter, who got a three-year deal, has a partial guarantee of $300K on his $1.95MM salary for 2021/22, then has a non-guaranteed $2MM salary in ’22/23, per Smith (Twitter link). Porter’s contract also came out of Memphis’ MLE.

Here are a few more contract details from around the Western Conference, all courtesy of Smith:

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Blazers Notes: Collins, Hood, Free Agency, Simons

November 23rd, 2020 at 3:14pm CST by Luke Adams

Trail Blazers big man Zach Collins, whose 2019/20 season came to an early end when he underwent ankle surgery in August, isn’t expected to be ready to go for the start of the ’20/21 campaign, president of basketball operations Neil Olshey said today (Twitter link via Joe Freeman of The Oregonian). According to Olshey, Collins will likely be out until mid-January or so.

With Collins out of the lineup for the time being, the door may be open for newly-added big men Enes Kanter and Harry Giles to pick up some extra minutes at the start of the season. The Blazers could also end up leaning more heavily on smaller lineups with Robert Covington or Carmelo Anthony at the four.

Here’s more out of Portland:

  • Olshey expects swingman Rodney Hood, who is returning from a torn Achilles, to be ready for opening night (Twitter link via Freeman).
  • Portland’s offseason moves were aimed at improving the team’s defense and adding versatility and athleticism to the squad, Olshey said (per Freeman). The additions of Covington and Derrick Jones, in particular, should help on that front.
  • The Blazers, who intend to lean on Anfernee Simons as their backup point guard, don’t plan to fill their 15th roster spot due to potential luxury tax concerns, Olshey said (Twitter link via Freeman).
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Blazers Re-Sign Rodney Hood

November 20th, 2020 at 7:38pm CST by JD Shaw

NOVEMBER 22: Hood’s new deal is official, according to the Trail Blazers, who announced the signing in a press release.

“Rodney played a critical role in our run to the Western Conference Finals in 2018-19 and was off to a great start last year prior to his season being cut short due to injury,” president of basketball operations Neil Olshey said in a statement. “Now fully healthy we expect him to make an immediate impact and are pleased he chose to stay in Portland.”

NOVEMBER 20: The Blazers have agreed to a two-year, $21MM deal with free agent Rodney Hood, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Hood will return to Portland for a third straight season.

For Hood, the second season of his deal is non-guaranteed, Wojnarowski adds. He declined a $6MM player option to become a free agent earlier this week.

Hood, 28, missed much of last season after suffering a torn Achilles’ tendon in December. In the 21 games he did play, he averaged 11 points, 3.4 rebounds and 29.5 minutes per game, proving his worth as a scorer alongside Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.

The Blazers also traded for Robert Covington and Enes Kanter over the past week, setting their sights on contending next season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Blazers’ Rodney Hood Opting Out, Will Become Free Agent

November 17th, 2020 at 12:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Trail Blazers wing Rodney Hood will pass on his $6MM option for the 2020/21 season, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that Hood will become a free agent later this week.

Hood’s decision is somewhat surprising, as he spent most of this past season recovering from an Achilles tear that he suffered last December. The expectation was that he’d play it safe coming off that injury, picking up his option and setting himself up for 2021 free agency as he regains his old form over the course of the season.

However, Wojnarowski suggests that Hood – who has had nearly a full year to recover from his Achilles surgery – will be able to play immediately with a new team. It’s not clear if a reunion with the Trail Blazers on a new contract is still in play for the 28-year-old or if he’s committed to seeking a new home.

Before his injury, Hood was playing extremely well as Portland’s starting small forward, averaging 11.0 PPG and 3.4 RPG on .506/.493/.778 shooting in 21 games (29.5 MPG). While that three-point percentage is well above his career average, Hood is a fairly reliable shooter and a solid defender, making him a nice fit on the wing for most teams.

While the Blazers are now at risk of losing Hood, removing his $6MM option salary from their books puts the team in good position to use its full mid-level exception, worth about $9.3MM.

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Batum, DeRozan Among Players With Earlier Option Decision Deadlines

June 26th, 2020 at 3:37pm CST by Luke Adams

Most veterans who have player options in their contracts for the 2020/21 season will have an October 17 deadline to either exercise or decline that option. That Saturday represents the second-last day of the 2019/20 league year under the NBA’s new calendar, meaning it would coincide in a normal year with June 29, the usual player option decision deadline.

However, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, some of the players who have to make option decisions for 2020/21 have slightly earlier deadlines. For instance, if the Spurs don’t make the postseason, DeMar DeRozan will be required to make his decision within seven days of the team’s last game, per Marks.

The full list of player options for ’20/21 can be found on our free agents page, but here are the options which must be exercised or declined before October 17, according to Marks:

The rest of this season’s player option decisions must be made by October 17, a deadline that applies to nearly every team option for 2020/21 as well. The only team options with earlier decision dates are minimum-salary ones for Deonte Burton (Thunder) and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (Pistons), which are due by October 15, per Marks.

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Northwest Notes: Hood, Craig, Timberwolves, Jazz

June 18th, 2020 at 8:47pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After tearing his left Achilles on December 6, Trail Blazers wing Rodney Hood began pondering his life after the league and joined a small support group of fellow NBA players currently on or recently off the rehab trail from the injury, according to ESPN’s Eric Woodyard.

“I reach out to Kevin Durant or Wesley Matthews, DeMarcus Cousins,” Hood said. “The guys who have been through it, and I just get confident more and more every day.”

With the encouragement of his wife Richa, a fellow Duke alum, Hood re-enrolled in school to complete his undergraduate degree: “I want to do something special… And getting a degree from Duke is special, especially coming from where I come from.” Prior to his injury, the 6’8″ southpaw sported a slash line of 11.0 PPG/3.4 RPG/1.5 APG across 21 games in 2019. He connected on 50.6% of his shots from the floor, a whopping 49.3% on 3.4 three-point attempts, and 77.8% from the charity stripe.

Here’s more from around the Northwest Division:

  • Nuggets forward and 2020 restricted free agent Torrey Craig could parlay his play in Orlando into a big contract when the NBA resumes its season this summer, according to The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider. Craig, a two-way threat in spot minutes on a deep Denver squad whose counting stats belie his skills, is currently a steal as he wraps up a two-year, $4MM contract.
  • Due to the financial impact caused by COVID-19 closures, Glen Taylor and the ownership group behind the Timberwolves, Lynx, and Iowa Wolves has laid off 18 members of their full-time staff and reduced pay for employees making $70K or more, per a statement cited by The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski (Twitter link). ESPN echoes the news.
  • Jazz All-Star Donovan Mitchell has been conducting workouts with teammates Royce O’Neale, Jordan Clarkson, Rayjon Tucker and Miye Oni at the Sports Academy in Newbury Park, California, according to Sarah Todd of the Deseret News. Mitchell, 23, has been having a breakout season in Utah, setting career highs in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and three-point percentage. The Jazz are 41-23, the No. 4 seed in the West, thanks especially to the sterling offense of Mitchell and the stellar defense of center Rudy Gobert.
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Rodney Hood Expects To Return To Trail Blazers

April 15th, 2020 at 10:14am CST by Luke Adams

Rodney Hood, whose 2019/20 season came to an early end in December when he suffered a torn Achilles tendon, fully expects to stick with the Trail Blazers for at least one more season, as Jamie Goldberg of The Oregonian details.

“One thing I know is that I’ll be in a Portland Trail Blazers uniform next year,” Hood said. “As far as the contract and all that type of stuff, that will work itself out when that time comes, but I fully expect to be in a Portland Trail Blazers uniform next year.”

Hood’s comments don’t come as a surprise — he has a $6MM player option for the 2020/21 season, and since he won’t be fully recovered from that Achilles injury by the start of the offseason, it wouldn’t make sense for him to opt for free agency. The only scenario in which he wouldn’t return to Portland for next season would be if the Blazers decide to trade him.

As for Hood’s recovery process, it was interrupted to some extent by the suspension of the NBA season, but the 27-year-old has been granted permission to continue visiting the Blazers’ practice facility for rehab purposes.

As Goldberg writes, Portland’s president of basketball operations Neil Olshey and director of player health and performance Jesse Elis worked with the NBA to ensure that Hood can continue rehabbing with physical therapist and sports scientist Logan Sullivan, as long as they follow enhanced safety measures.

“I’ve been working out with Logan three days a week,” Hood said. “It’s just one-on-one contact. We can’t be in group settings or nothing like that. Usually, when it’s me and him working together, it’s just us two in the weight room or the training room. We’re getting a lot of work in. It’s been very good. I’ve been making a lot of progress, even with everything going on.”

Hood, 27, has been the Blazers’ starting small forward prior to his injury, averaging 11.0 PPG and 3.4 RPG with an impressive .506/.493/.778 shooting line in 21 games (29.5 MPG).

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Western Notes: Suns, Gallinari, Hood, Lakers, Mudiay

February 12th, 2020 at 4:06pm CST by Luke Adams

After the Suns waived Tyler Johnson earlier this week, head coach Monty Williams said Johnson’s replacement on the roster will get the chance to be part of the team’s longer-term plans rather than just being a rental for the rest of the 2019/20 season, as Gina Mizell of The Athletic relays.

Word broke this afternoon that, for now, Jonah Bolden will be the player occupying the roster spot that Johnson previously held. Bolden is only getting a 10-day contract and could end up being a short-term solution as the Suns deal with a bevy of frontcourt injuries. However, if he makes a strong impression during his first few games with the team, a second 10-day contract and perhaps even a multiyear deal could follow. If not, Phoenix may look elsewhere for a player that can fit into the club’s plans beyond this season.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

  • After holding onto Danilo Gallinari through the trade deadline, the Thunder may explore sign-and-trade scenarios for the veteran forward this offseason, according to Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman, who is skeptical that the rebuilding squad will be enthusiastic about a pricey multiyear contract for a player entering his age-32 season.
  • Trail Blazers swingman Rodney Hood, who is out for the season with a torn Achilles, spoke to Casey Holdahl of Blazers.com about his recovery process and sounded like someone who plans to pick up his 2020/21 player option. “I really want to get back as soon as possible so I can help our goal toward a championship next year,” Hood said.
  • Some rival executives believe there are holes on the Lakers‘ roster and are skeptical of the team’s chances to defeat the Clippers in a seven-game series, writes Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. With those critiques in mind, Pincus explores what options the Lakers might have on the buyout market in the coming weeks.
  • With Mike Conley healthy again, Emmanuel Mudiay has mostly fallen out of the Jazz‘s rotation for the time being. However, that doesn’t mean the team doesn’t need Mudiay, says Tony Jones of The Athletic.
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Blazers Granted Disabled Player Exception For Rodney Hood

December 17th, 2019 at 10:57am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has approved the Trail Blazers‘ application for a disabled player exception, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Portland submitted the request earlier this month after losing Rodney Hood to a season-ending Achilles injury.

As we explained in a previous story, the Blazers’ DPE for Hood will be worth $2,859,000, half of his 2019/20 salary ($5,718,000). The exception allows the club to sign a replacement player to a one-year contract, or to acquire a player on an expiring contract via trade or waivers, assuming his salary fits into the exception. It doesn’t provide an extra roster spot, though Portland already has an opening on its 15-man squad anyway.

Although the disabled player exception will give the franchise some added flexibility, the Blazers have the highest payroll of any NBA team for the ’19/20 season and would be on the hook for added tax penalties if they continue to increase team salary. As such, it would be a bit surprising if the club uses the DPE to sign a player for more than the veteran’s minimum.

The Blazers will have until March 10 to make use their disabled player exception. It will expire at that point if it hasn’t been utilized.

Our breakdown of which teams hold disabled player exceptions and which clubs have applied for them can be found right here.

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Blazers Apply For Disabled Player Exception For Rodney Hood

December 13th, 2019 at 12:19pm CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of Rodney Hood‘s season-ending Achilles injury, the Trail Blazers have applied for a disabled player exception, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Given the projected timeline for Hood’s recovery, it seems likely that the NBA will grant Portland’s request.

As we outline in our glossary entry on the disabled player exception, a team can apply for a DPE to replace a seriously injured player. In order for the exception to be granted, an NBA-designated physician must determine that the player is “substantially more likely than not” to be sidelined through at least June 15 of that league year.

If granted, the disabled player exception allows a club to sign a replacement player for 50% of the injured player’s salary, or for the amount of the non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception, whichever is lesser. In the case of Hood, the exception would be worth $2,859,000, half of his 2019/20 salary ($5,718,000).

The DPE, which doesn’t give a team an extra roster spot, can also be used to acquire a player on an expiring contract via trade or waivers if his salary fits into the exception.

[RELATED: 2019/20 Disabled Player Exceptions]

The Blazers have the highest payroll of any NBA team for the 2019/20 season and would be on the hook for added tax penalties if they continue to increase team salary. Still, it doesn’t hurt to apply for a disabled player exception. If granted, the DPE will give Portland some added flexibility in free agency and on the trade market, but the team doesn’t necessarily have to use it.

The Pelicans (Darius Miller) and Lakers (DeMarcus Cousins) have been granted disabled player exceptions so far this season, and the Wizards recently requested one following C.J. Miles‘ season-ending wrist surgery.

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