Mavs To Decline Option On Dominique Jones
The Mavericks won't pick up their $2.3MM fourth-year option on Dominique Jones by tomorrow's deadline, meaning he'll become an unrestricted free agent next summer, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News reports. The move doesn't come as too much of a surprise, since the team was reportedly shopping him in trades a few days ago in hopes of keeping a roster space open for the recently waived Delonte West.
Jones, who'll make $1.27MM this year, has played sparingly in the two seasons since the Mavs made him the 25th overall pick of the 2010 draft, averaging 2.5 points in 7.9 minutes for his career. He's struggled with his shot, connecting on only 36.4% of his field goal attempts.
The move isn't official yet, but assuming it will be, that leaves just two other players with pending rookie-scale option decisions, as our tracker shows: Quincy Pondexter of the Grizzlies, and Cole Aldrich of the Rockets.
Clippers Waive Travis Leslie
The Clippers have waived guard Travis Leslie, trimming their roster to 14, reports Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). The team will be on the hook for the one-year veteran's guaranteed minimum salary of $762,195. They could have saved some of that money by waiving him by August 1st, when the deal included only a partial guarantee of $250K for this season, but opted to bring him to training camp instead.
Leslie, whom the Clippers drafted 47th overall in 2011, saw action in just 10 games for the team last season, averaging 1.4 points in 4.5 minutes. The 6'4" University of Georgia product got in just as many games for the Bakersfield Jam, the Clippers' D-League affiliate, putting up 10.2 PPG in 20.4 MPG. He appeared in four of L.A.'s preseason contests this year, putting up 3.0 PPG in 8.2 MPG.
The move frees up a roster spot, though the Clippers can only sign someone to the minimum salary after using their full mid-level exception on Jamal Crawford and their bi-annual exception on Grant Hill over the summer. That would seem to put them out of the running to re-sign Kenyon Martin, who's reportedly seeking a deal around $3MM.
Nuggets Sign Ty Lawson To Four-Year Extension
7:56pm: The team announced via press release that Lawson has signed the extension, making it official.
2:18pm: Lawson's extension will be worth $48MM over four years, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
2:07pm: The Nuggets and Ty Lawson appear to have come to an agreement on a four-year extension for the Denver point guard. While we don't have any details yet on the exact terms, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports confirms (via Twitter) that the two sides have agreed to a new deal. Lawson broke the news today on his own Twitter feed.
"It Looks like im going to be a nugget for another 4 yrs," Lawson tweeted. "Thanks to the Kronke family, Masai, nuggets fans and everybody 4 believing In me."
Lawson had long been considered one of the top candidates from this year's class of extension-eligible fourth-year players to sign a contract extension, with ESPN.com's Marc Stein reporting earlier this month that it seemed like more a question of "when" than "if." Negotiations between the two sides seemed to stall earlier this week, but it appears that was just a temporary setback.
TNT's David Aldridge reported overnight that Lawson had turned down the Nuggets' offer of four years and $45MM, so the amount the 24-year-old agreed to is likely a little higher. When I examined Lawson as an extension candidate earlier this summer, I estimated that an annual salary in the neighborhood of $10MM could be about right, suggesting that perhaps it could go a little higher if Lawson was extended for four years rather than five.
Blazers Decline Options On Babbitt, Williams, Smith
3:29pm: According to GM Neil Olshey, the Blazers have declined their options on Babbitt, Williams, and Smith, tweets Joe Freeman of the Oregonian. As I noted below, this will free up about $6.7MM of potential cap space for the Blazers next summer.
8:21am: The Trail Blazers will not exercise Luke Babbitt's fourth-year option for 2013/14, meaning he'll become an unrestricted free agent next summer, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Babbitt had been in line for a $2.9MM salary, but the Blazers will elect to gain that amount in cap flexibility instead.
Portland also holds 2013/14 options on Elliot Williams and Nolan Smith, worth $2.37MM and $1.42MM respectively. While the team still could decide to exercise one or both of those options, Haynes says they'll likely be declined as well. Turning down all three options would allow the Blazers to gain about $6.7MM in extra cap room next summer.
As we heard yesterday, the Blazers are hoping to add an accomplished veteran player in free agency next summer, and declining their three rookie-contract options will give the club the flexibility to offer a significant, eight-digit annual salary. Depending on how free agency plays out, the Blazers could still decide to bring back Babbitt, Williams, and/or Smith for the 2013/14 season.
Suns Won’t Exercise Wesley Johnson’s Option
The Suns have informed Wesley Johnson they won't exercise his 2013/14 option, according to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic (via Twitter). However, the team would still like to re-sign Johnson at season's end, and the former fourth overall pick would like to stay in Phoenix.
The chances of Phoenix picking up Johnson's option looked slim when the team announced last week that it had exercised Markieff Morris' 2013/14 option. Since clubs typically announce their option decisions all at once, and the cost of Johnson's fourth year ($5.42MM) seemed somewhat prohibitive, it appeared the team would let him become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Be sure to check out our rookie contract option tracker to keep tabs on all of this offseason's option decisions. With tomorrow's deadline looming, the only outstanding rookie contract options for '13/14 belong to Quincy Pondexter (Grizzlies), Dominique Jones (Mavericks), Cole Aldrich (Rockets), Nolan Smith (Trail Blazers), and Elliot Williams (Trail Blazers).
Celtics Pick Up Option On Avery Bradley
The Celtics have exercised their fourth-year option on guard Avery Bradley, the team announced today in a press release. The move will ensure that the 21-year-old is on the books for a guaranteed $2.51MM salary in 2013/14.
With Bradley officially under contract for '13/14, the Celtics will receive the opportunity to sign him to a contract extension next offseason. If the two sides don't work out a deal at that point, Bradley will become a restricted free agent in the summer of 2014.
After undergoing surgeries on both his shoulders this offseason, Bradley will miss the start of the season as he continues to rehab. He hopes to return to the court for the Celtics at some point in December.
T-Wolves Exercise Options On Rubio, Williams
The Timberwolves have officially announced a pair of moves that won't surprise anyone. Minnesota has exercised its third-year contract options on Ricky Rubio and Derrick Williams, according to the team (Twitter link).
Despite Williams' underwhelming rookie season, the second overall pick's 2013/14 option, worth about $5.02MM, was a lock to be exercised. The same goes for Rubio's $4MM option. Both players will have one more team option on their deals before becoming extension-eligible in 2014 or restricted free agents in 2015.
Rubio continues to rehab an ACL injury that sidelined him for a good chunk of last season, and the point guard isn't expected to be ready to return until at least December. Williams, meanwhile, should get a chance to earn increased minutes early in the season, as starting power forward Kevin Love recovers from a broken hand.
Bulls Pick Up Option On Jimmy Butler
The Bulls have officially exercised their 2013/14 option on Jimmy Butler, according to a team release. The move will keep Butler under contract for his third season at $1.11MM.
In addition to their 2013/14 option on Butler, the Bulls hold an additional team option on the 23-year-old for 2014/15, worth about $2.01MM. Assuming the team exercises that option next summer, Butler will be eligible for an extension in the summer of '14, or restricted free agency in the summer of '15.
With Butler's option having been formally exercised, we're still waiting on option decisions on less than 10 players. Follow all the decisions using Hoops Rumors' rookie contract option tracker.
Rockets To Exercise Options On Patterson, Morris
12:27pm: Agent Tony Dutt tells Berman that the Rockets will also exercise the option for his client, Marcus Morris (Twitter link).
12:01pm: McCants has received word that the Rockets officially picked up Patterson's option, tweets Berman.
11:55am: Rockets GM Daryl Morey has informed Patrick Patterson's agent, Odell McCants, that Houston will be exercising its 2013/14 option on Patterson, tweets Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston. The fourth-year option will pay Patterson about $3.11MM in '13/14.
In addition to Patterson's option, the Rockets still have decisions to make this week on two more players for 2013/14. Cole Aldrich has a team option worth about $3.25MM, while Marcus Morris has a third-year option worth about $1.99MM. Houston initially had five pending option decisions, but the team waived JaJuan Johnson and Lazar Hayward, choosing not only to turn down next year's options on both players, but removing from the roster immediately.
To keep tabs on all the offseason's 2013/14 option decisions, check out Hoops Rumors' tracker.
Jamario Moon Signs D-League Contract
Jamario Moon has signed with the D-League and will join the Los Angeles D-Fenders, according to agent Jared Karnes of A3 Athletics (Twitter link).
Moon spent part of last season playing for the Lakers' D-League affiliate, appearing in 12 games and posting averages of 17.7 PPG and 7.8 RPG in 37.8 minutes per contest. The 32-year-old hired Karnes as his agent earlier this month, in search of an NBA contract. While teams aren't currently rushing to add players to their rosters, having just made camp cuts, an impressive showing in the D-League could earn Moon another shot at the NBA.
Moon, a five-year veteran, appeared in eight games for the Bobcats in 2011/12, but didn't make the most of his limited minutes. Moon averaged just 2.3 PPG and 2.8 RPG in 15.4 MPG, shooting 29.2% from the floor.