Suns Expected To Sign Mike James
Mike James is expected to sign with the Suns, international basketball journalist David Pick suggests (link via Twitter). Pick describes James as “EuroLeague’s most electrifying combo guard.”
The exact details of James’ and the Suns’ commitment are not yet known, but this sounds to be more than just a Summer League deal. Whatever the terms of the contract may be, it cannot become official until the new league year.
This James, not to be confused with NBA veteran Mike James, has yet to play in the NBA and last suited up for Panathinaikos in 2016/17. He did, however, play for the Suns during the 2015 NBA Summer League. In Greece last season, he averaged 13.0 PPG and 3.0 APG on a .490 FG%.
Alex Len, Alan Williams, Shabazz Muhammad Receive Qualifying Offers
Three more players are now officially on track to become restricted free agents on the weekend, per RealGM’s transactions log. The Suns have tendered qualifying offers to Alex Len and Alan Williams, while Shabazz Muhammad has received a QO from the Timberwolves.
Extending qualifying offers to potential restricted free agents is a housekeeping move to ensure that teams retain the right of first refusal on their respective free agents. However, QOs also represent one-year contract offers, so Len, Williams, or Muhammad could opt to accept their offers and sign a one-year deal once the new league year begins.
Len, 24, was the fifth overall pick in the 2013 draft, but hasn’t developed into a true impact player for the Suns. In 77 games (34 starts) last season, the 7’1″ center averaged 8.0 PPG and 6.6 RPG in 20.3 minutes per contest. Williams, an undrafted free agent big man, played a similar role in Phoenix, averaging 7.4 PPG and 6.2 RPG in 15.1 MPG (47 games).
As for Muhammad, the 24-year-old continued to play part-time minutes on the wing for the Wolves, having averaged 9.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, and a .338 3PT% in 78 games last season.
Len and Muhammad, having failed to meet the starter criteria for RFAs, will receive qualifying offers worth $4,187,598. Williams’ QO will be worth a more modest $1,671,382.
Bulls Won’t Tender QO To Michael Carter-Williams
Michael Carter-Williams is eligible for restricted free agency this summer, but won’t be receiving a qualifying offer from the Bulls, according to David Kaplan of ESPN 1000 in Chicago (Twitter link). According to Kaplan, executive VP of basketball operations John Paxson confirmed the decision during an appearance on ESPN 1000.
Carter-Williams, the NBA’s Rookie of the Year back in 2013/14, has seen his usage and his production fall off since his days with the Sixers. After being acquired by Chicago in a preseason trade for Tony Snell last fall, Carter-Williams appeared in 45 games for the Bulls in 2016/17, averaging just 6.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 2.5 APG on 36.6% shooting (18.8 minutes per game).
Although they won’t tender a qualifying offer to Carter-Williams, the Bulls still have multiple restricted free agents to focus on in the coming days. Nikola Mirotic, Cristiano Felicio, and Joffrey Lauvergne are also eligible to become RFAs, and are better bets than Carter-Williams to receive QOs.
Without a qualifying offer in hand, Carter-Williams is on track to become an unrestricted free agent this weekend. The 25-year-old’s QO would have been worth $4,187,598.
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).
Porter, Bogdanovic Receive Qualifying Offers
Otto Porter and Bojan Bogdanovic have received qualifying offers from the Wizards, making the duo restricted free agents, Candace Buckner of the Washington Post tweets.
The qualifying offer for Porter, worth $7,732,904, was a mere formality. He will be one of the most sought-after restricted free agents on the market this summer. The small forward averaged 13.4 PPG and 6.4 RPG last season.
Bogdanovic averaged 12.7 PPG and shot 39.1% from long range in 26 games off the bench after being acquired from the Nets in mid-season. The shooting guard’s qualifying offer is worth $4,663,317.
Tim Hardaway Jr. Receives Qualifying Offer
The Hawks have extended a qualifying offer to shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr., making him a restricted free agent, Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
The qualifying offer is for $3,335,707 but Hardaway Jr. is likely to receive a lucrative offer sheet during free agency. He averaged 14.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG and 2.3 APG in 79 games last season. His playing time increased after Kyle Korver was dealt to the Cavaliers.
He declared after the season that he would prefer to stay in Atlanta.
Timberwolves Waive Jordan Hill
The Timberwolves have waived power forward/center Jordan Hill, the team announced in a press release.
Hill was signed as a free agent last summer but appeared in just seven games, averaging 1.7 PPG and 2.0 RPG in 6.7 MPG. He inked a two-year, $8.18MM contract but the second year was not guaranteed. He was due to make $4.18MM next season and the club had until June 30th to decide whether to retain him.
The cost-saving move gives Minnesota more money to play with in free agency, as well as to absorb salaries in trades. Given Hill’s lack of playing time, the move comes as no surprise, as Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press tweets.
Hill, 29, has played a total of 409 career games for the Rockets, Knicks, Lakers and Pacers as well as the Timberwolves. He posted averages of 7.9 PPG and 5.8 RPG during those games.
Celtics Renounce Rights To Marcus Thornton
The Celtics have renounced their rights to 2015 second-round pick Marcus Thornton, per RealGM’s transactions log. According to Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald (via Twitter), Boston made the move at Thornton’s request, since he’d like the opportunity to play for another team in Summer League.
Thornton, 24, was the 45th overall pick out of William & Mary in the 2015 draft. He shares a name with a veteran shooting guard, but this isn’t the LSU alum who spent the 2016/17 season with the Wizards — this Thornton has yet to make his NBA debut.
Since being drafted by the Celtics two years ago, Thornton has primarily played international ball, with a brief 2016 stint for the Maine Red Claws sandwich in between overseas stops. In 2016/17, Thornton spent the season with Italian team Consultinvest Pesaro, averaging 13.5 PPG on .436/.342/.747 shooting.
Renouncing Thornton won’t free up any cap room for the Celtics, since draft-and-stash prospects who were second-round picks don’t count against the cap. The move simply looks like an act of good will by the C’s, who didn’t anticipate having a spot on their NBA roster for Thornton anytime soon.
Caldwell-Pope, Roberson Receive Qualifying Offers
Two more players will officially become restricted free agents when the new NBA league year begins on July 1. According to RealGM’s transactions log, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Andre Roberson have received qualifying offers from the Pistons and Thunder, respectively.
Caldwell-Pope, the eighth overall pick in the 2013 draft, is coming off a 2016/17 season in which he averaged 13.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG, and 2.5 APG, with a shooting line of .399/.350/.832. The Pistons reportedly plan to be aggressive in matching any offer sheet for Caldwell-Pope, perhaps even going up to the max, if necessary.
As for Roberson, his offensive numbers have always been modest, and that didn’t change in 2016/17 — despite setting a new career high in scoring, he still only averaged 6.6 PPG. However, Roberson is one of the league’s best perimeter defenders, earning a spot on the NBA’s All-Defensive Second team earlier today.
Caldwell-Pope’s qualifying offer from the Pistons will be worth $4,958,374, while Roberson’s QO from Oklahoma City has increased to $4,588,840 after he met the starter criteria. As long as the Pistons and Thunder don’t withdraw those qualifying offers, they’ll retain the right of first refusal on their respective free agents, giving them the opportunity to match any offers.
Both Caldwell-Pope and Roberson will have the option of accepting those one-year qualifying offers, but they’re expected to receive much larger multiyear offers in free agency. Generally, the only reason a coveted RFA would sign his qualifying offer is in order to leave his current team as soon as possible — signing the QO would put a player on track to reach unrestricted free agency a year from now.
Nets To Decline K.J. McDaniels’ Team Option
The Nets intend to decline their team option on K.J. McDaniels, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical (via Twitter). The move will ensure that McDaniels becomes a free agent on July 1.
The 32nd overall pick in the 2014 draft, McDaniels began his career with the Sixers but was acquired in a trade deadline deal in February 2015 by the Rockets. McDaniels remained in Houston until this year’s trade deadline, when the Rockets and Nets worked out a deal that sent him to Brooklyn.
For his career, McDaniels has averaged 5.3 PPG and 2.2 RPG in 148 regular season contests. Following his move from Houston to Brooklyn earlier this year, the 24-year-old played well in limited minutes, averaging 6.3 PPG and shooting 45.5% in 20 games (14.7 MPG). However, the Nets likely viewed his $3.477MM option as a little too pricey.
Team option decisions for 2017/18 can be found right here.