How Teams Are Using The Room Exception
The NBA’s salary cap is a soft one, and that’s perhaps no better demonstrated than by the existence of the room exception. A form of the mid-level exception, it’s available for teams that have gone under the cap but spent their cap room. In other words, it’s essentially bonus cap room.
This year, the room exception is worth $2.814MM, and teams can use it to give two-year deals that include a 4.5% raise in the second season. So, the greatest total amount a player can receive using the room exception is $5,754,630. That’s not a lot, but it is significantly more than a two-year minimum-salary contract would entail, even for a veteran of 10 or more seasons.
The rising salary cap in the next few years will likely leave more teams under the cap each year, and thus, more teams with access to the room exception instead of the regular mid-level or taxpayer’s mid-level. That’s already the case for the majority of the league this summer. We noted Thursday that 13 teams stayed over the cap, so that leaves 17 teams that could use the room exception in 2015/16.
So far, only four teams have done so. Here’s a look at how they’ve used the room exception:
- Bucks: Chris Copeland — Milwaukee has reportedly agreed to pay the forward $1.1MM this coming season, slightly more than his minimum salary. Thus, the Bucks, who’ve spent their cap space, would have to use part of the room exception for Copeland, leaving $1.714MM still available.
- Pistons: Joel Anthony — The Pistons gave Anthony a two-year deal worth precisely $2.5MM each year, tweets Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders. That leaves a $314K sliver of the exception that the Pistons can’t use in the offseason, since it’s less than the full season rookie minimum salary.
- Raptors: Bismack Biyombo — Biyombo appears to have received the full value of the mid-level exception over two years, as Pincus indicates (Twitter links). Thus, Toronto is limited to paying no more than the minimum salary to outside free agents.
- Spurs: Manu Ginobili — Ginobili’s contract is the same as Biyombo’s, according to Pincus, but the Spurs arrived at it by an unusual fashion, since they began the offseason with Ginobili’s Bird rights. They renounced those rights to clear cap room for LaMarcus Aldridge and others, circling back to Ginobili with the room exception once they used up their cap space, with Ginobili’s loyalty surely playing a key part. The Heat made a similar move with Udonis Haslem last summer. In any case, the renouncement doesn’t carry over now that Ginobili has re-signed, meaning that if Ginobili uses the player option in his deal to become a free agent next summer, the Spurs will again have his Bird rights, making it possible for him to sign a more lucrative deal with the team a year from now.
These are the other teams that could wind up using the room exception this season. Those with cap space still remaining are noted.
- Celtics (cap space remaining)
- Hawks
- Jazz (cap space remaining)
- Kings
- Knicks
- Lakers
- Magic
- Mavericks (cap space remaining)
- Nuggets (cap space remaining)
- Pacers (cap space remaining)
- Sixers (cap space remaining)
- Suns
- Trail Blazers (cap space remaining)
Which remaining free agent do you think would be the strongest fit for a room exception deal, and which team should give it to him? Leave a comment to let us know.
Eastern Notes: Okafor, Mickey, Aldridge
Sixers first-rounder Jahlil Okafor is preparing himself to be the focal point that Philadelphia will build around, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders writes. “I’m definitely used to being the centerpiece of a team,” Okafor said. “That’s what I’ve become accustomed to. That’s what I’ve been working so hard for.” Philly point guard Isaiah Canaan is excited about the possibilities Okafor brings with him to the team, Kennedy adds. “He’s going to open up everything,” Canaan said of Okafor. “He’s a big presence on the post. He can score the ball and he can pass. With a big guy who can do that and draw a lot of attention, he’s going to open up everyone else on the team and he’s going to be big piece for us. You always need a big man on the team. Next to point guard, that’s the most important piece. To have Big Jah and hopefully [Joel] Embiid – if he can come back fully healthy next year – not to mention still adding other pieces, we’ll be fine and have a lot of great players on this team.”
Here’s more out of the Eastern Conference:
- The first two seasons of Jordan Mickey‘s four-year deal with the Celtics are fully guaranteed, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets. The forward is set to earn $1,170,960 this season, followed by salaries of $1,223,653, $1,276,346, and $1,329,039, Pincus adds.
- Ronald Roberts‘ two-year agreement with the Raptors includes a partial guarantee for $75K, Pincus relays (on Twitter).
- The final season of Mike Dunleavy‘s three-year pact with the Bulls, which is scheduled to pay him approximately $5.18MM, is only partially guaranteed for $1.66MM, Pincus tweets.
- The cancellation of the scheduled meeting between LaMarcus Aldridge and the Knicks was due to New York’s desire for Aldridge to play exclusively at center, a position he is not fond of, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork writes. “They didn’t want to meet with me,” Aldridge said. “Some people said it was me. But it was both parties agreeing that we shouldn’t meet.” League sources informed Begley that Knicks president Phil Jackson decided to cancel the meeting when it became clear that Aldridge had no desire to man the pivot on a nightly basis.
Raptors Sign Axel Toupane
The Raptors have signed swingman Axel Toupane off their summer league squad, the team announced (Twitter link). Toupane, who turns 22 today, went undrafted in 2014. The move, along with the official signing of Michale Kyser, brings Toronto’s roster to 17 players. Toupane’s deal is partially guaranteed, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link), and it’s almost certainly for the minimum salary, since that’s all the Raptors can give after using their room exception on Bismack Biyombo.
The 6’7″ Toupane has been a mainstay for France’s Strasbourg IG over the past few seasons, and he averaged 7.0 points in 18.3 minutes per game with 35.4% three-point shooting in 2014/15. He put up 4.3 PPG in 10.9 MPG for the Raptors in summer league, missing all four of his three-point attempts.
Toupane faces long odds to make the opening-night roster, especially since the Raptors already have 14 fully guaranteed contracts. He, Kyser and Ronald Roberts all have partially guaranteed deals, and while they’re presumably battling for the 15th and final regular season spot, teams need only carry 13 players. Thus, it would seem Toupane has a far better shot to wind up with Raptors 905, which is Toronto’s new one-to-one D-League affiliate. NBA teams can retain the D-League rights to as many as four of the players they waive at the end of the preseason.
Raptors Sign Michale Kyser For Camp
THURSDAY, 9:12am: The deal is official, the Raptors announced.
MONDAY, 12:38pm: The Raptors will bring undrafted power forward Michale Kyser to camp on a partially guaranteed one-year deal, reports Shams Charania of RealGM (Twitter link). Kyser played last week for Toronto’s summer league team. It’s almost certainly a minimum-salary arrangement, since according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link), Toronto spent its room exception on Bismack Biyombo.
Many of Kyser’s numbers at Louisiana Tech weren’t overwhelming, as he put up 8.6 points and 6.6 rebounds in 28.5 minutes per game as a senior this past season, but at 6’10”, he patrolled the paint well, blocking 2.9 shots per contest. He put up 3.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 0.8 BPG in 14.6 MPG in four summer league appearances.
Neither Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress nor Chad Ford of ESPN.com rated him within their top 100 draft prospects, though Givony did list him as the 74th-best senior in this year’s draft class. Kyser will turn 24 in November, making him older than many rookies. Still, he’s a candidate to wind up on Raptors 905, Toronto’s new one-to-one D-League affiliate.
2015/16 Roster Counts: Toronto Raptors
During the offseason it’s OK for teams to carry as many as 20 players, but clubs must trim their rosters down to a maximum of 15 by opening night. In the meantime, some teams will hang around that 15-man line, while others will max out their roster counts. Some clubs may actually have more than 15 contracts that are at least partially guaranteed on the books. That means they’ll end up paying players who won’t be on the regular season roster, unless they can find trade partners.
With plenty more movement still to come, here’s the latest look at the Raptors’ roster size, the contract guarantee status of each player, and how each player came to be on Toronto’s roster.
(Last Updated 2-29-16, 7:25am)
Fully Guaranteed (15)
- Bismack Biyombo (F/C) — 6’9″/22 years old. Free agent signing.
- Bruno Caboclo (F) — 6’9″/19 years old. Drafted with No. 20 overall pick in 2014.
- DeMarre Carroll (F) — 6’8″/28 years old. Free agent signing.
- DeMar DeRozan (G/F) — 6’7″/25 years old. Drafted with No. 9 overall pick in 2009.
- James Johnson (F) — 6’9″/28 years old. Free agent signing.
- Cory Joseph (G) — 6’3″/23 years old. Free agent signing.
- Kyle Lowry (G) — 6’0″/29 years old. Acquired via trade from Rockets.
- Lucas Nogueira (C) — 7’0″/22 years old. Draft rights acquired via Hawks.
- Patrick Patterson (F) — 6’9″/26 years old. Acquired via trade from Kings.
- Norman Powell (G) — 6’4″/22 years old. Draft rights acquired via Bucks.
- Terrence Ross (F) — 6’7″/24 years old. Drafted with No. 8 overall pick in 2012.
- Luis Scola (F) — 6’9″/35 years old. Free agent signing.
- Jason Thompson (F) — 6’11″/29 years old. Free agent signing.
- Jonas Valanciunas (C) — 7’0″/23 years old. Drafted with No. 5 overall pick in 2011.
- Delon Wright (G) — 6’5″/23 years old. Drafted with No. 20 overall pick in 2015.
10-Day Contracts (0)
- None
TOTAL ROSTER COUNT (15)
Hornets Sign Tyler Hansbrough
WEDNESDAY, 3:16pm: The signing is official, the Hornets announced.
TUESDAY, 9:30pm: The Hornets and unrestricted free agent Tyler Hansbrough have come to terms on a deal, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer reports (Twitter link). The length and terms of the agreement are unknown at this time.
Hansbrough appeared in 74 games for the Raptors last season, averaging 3.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 0.3 assists in 14.3 minutes per contest, and his shooting line was .521/.143/.698. In six NBA seasons since becoming the No. 13 overall pick back in 2009, the forward ‘s numbers are 7.2 PPG, 4.5RPG, and 0.5 APG. His career slash line is .439/.053/.746.
The 29-year-old returns to North Carolina, where he had starred for the the Tar Heels while in college. The Mavericks had also reportedly expressed interest in Hansbrough, whose rights were renounced by Toronto back on July 9th, according to the RealGM transactions log.
Atlantic Notes: Love, Thornton, Roberts, Nets
Kevin Love was never close to becoming a Celtic, and his preference since joining the Cavs has been to remain with the team, but if somehow it had fallen apart for him in Cleveland, his second choice would have been Boston, as a non-Celtics source who spoke with Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald believes. Love enjoyed his much-publicized offseason trip to Boston last year, the source said to Bulpett, but the power forward is now locked in long-term with the Cavs, having signed a new five-year contract this month.
- Marcus Thornton appeared to be a reach when the Celtics picked him 45th overall, but he assured them before the draft that he was willing to play overseas, a priority for the team, which wouldn’t consider others who refused to make the same promise, Bulpett tweets. Thornton signed this week to play for the Sydney Kings in Australia, in a league that would allow him enough time to return stateside and join Boston’s D-League team or even the NBA roster near the end of the season, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com.
- The Raptors inked Ronald Roberts this week, and at least one sign points to the team having more than the D-League in mind for the former Sixers power forward. The Warriors own his D-League rights, so Toronto’s new D-League affiliate would have to trade for them if Roberts were to remain in the Raptors system should Toronto waive him at the end of training camp, notes Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter links).
- The Nets made a number of changes to their coaching and basketball operations staff this week, and they serve to further signal the franchise’s belt-tightening, as Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com examines.
Raptors Sign Ronald Roberts
JULY 21ST, 10:54am: The deal is official, the team announced via press release. It’s a multiyear contract, according to the team. Thus, it would appear that it’s a two-year minimum-salary arrangement, since the Raptors used up their cap space and spent their room exception on Bismack Biyombo.
JULY 12TH, 7:18pm: The Raptors are finalizing a partially-guaranteed deal with forward Ronald Roberts, reports David Pick of Eurobasket.com, who cites a source (Twitter link).
Roberts, 23, played for the San Miguel Beermen of the Philippines last season after inking a deal in January. Prior to signing overseas, he played in the D-League after the Sixers released him. Pick tweets that Roberts averaged 23 points per game overseas.
He spent less than a week on Philadelphia’s NBA roster in December, having been signed to replace Jorge Gutierrez and let go to accommodate Furkan Aldemir. The Adam Pensack client was also with the Sixers during the preseason, and he played for Philly’s summer league team after going undrafted out of St. Joseph’s last summer.
Eastern Notes: Jackson, Embiid, Raptors
Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy, while appearing on SI.com’s Chris Mannix’s radio show (Twitter link), said the fear of Reggie Jackson signing a one-year qualifying offer played a big role in the five-year max contract Detroit offered. The five-year, $80MM deal was officially announced Monday. Jackson said the offseason moves the Pistons made prior to his agreement — Detroit added Ersan Ilyasova, Marcus Morris, Stanley Johnson and Aron Baynes — reinforced his decision, Brendan Savage of MLive.com writes.
“I knew this was the place I wanted to be,” Jackson said. “But definitely some of the pieces that we signed, that made it that much more sweeter.”
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News said on radio station 94-WIP (relayed by CSNPhilly.com) that Joel Embiid‘s navicular bone in his right foot was re-broken. The news comes one month after the Sixers announced that Embiid had suffered a setback and a little more than a week after it was revealed the center needed another surgery.
- Norman Powell, who the Raptors picked in the second round, will make $650,000 as a rookie, then $875,000 guaranteed in the second year and $1MM (not guaranteed) in the final year of a three-year contract, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets.
- The Raptors used the room exception to sign Bismack Biyombo, Pincus reports (Twitter link).
Rockets, Chuck Hayes Close To Deal
JULY 20TH, 1:29pm: The sides are close to an agreement and working on “fine details,” Andrews told Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
JULY 15TH, 8:32am: Free agent Chuck Hayes met with people from the Rockets organization Monday, and agent Calvin Andrews told Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports that the sides have mutual interest (Twitter link). The 10-year veteran big man played his first six NBA seasons with Houston, and GM Daryl Morey has shown a fondness for reunions with his former players.
The market for the 32-year-old has been quiet this month. It’s unclear if he or the Raptors have any interest in a return. Hayes is coming off a season of career lows, as he averaged just 1.7 points and 1.8 rebounds in 8.8 minutes per game across 29 appearances. He was a starter his last two seasons in Houston.
The Rockets have their mid-level exception available, though the team may need it to re-sign either Josh Smith, K.J. McDaniels, or both, as Houston reportedly wants to retain those free agents. Hayes seems like a candidate for the minimum salary, coming off his down year, though he made nearly $5.959MM in 2014/15.