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The 10-day contract signing period began later than usual in this lockout-shortened season, but a number of teams have still taken full advantage of 10-day deals, using them to shore up their bench with a veteran, or to get a brief look at a young prospect or two.

With teams continuing to hand out these contracts frequently as the season winds down, Hoops Rumors has created a database to keep track of all the 10-day contracts signed this year and in previous seasons (dating back to 2007). A number of search filters make it easy to find 10-day information sorted by team, player, year, or contract type.

For instance, if you want to find out which players have signed rest-of-season deals for 2011/12 after playing out two 10-day contracts with their teams, you can find that info here. If you want to see the 10-day deals signed only by the Hornets over the past few years, you can view those here.

A link to our 10-day contract tracker can be found at any time in the Tools menu at the top of the page, or in the right sidebar. We'll be keeping it up to date for the rest of the season, so be sure to check back to keep tabs on the latest signings.

With college underclassmen beginning to declare their intentions and the end of the regular season four weeks away, the draft picture is beginning to get a little clearer. We won't know the full order of selection until the May 30 Draft Lottery, but we'll soon know whether some traded draft picks will be changing hands or not. Teams commonly build protection into their draft-pick trades so they minimize the risk of losing out on a top prospect, meaning that if a pick falls into one of the top slots, it stays with its original team. There are ways to protect a draft pick, and one seems to be causing some confusion.

Back when the Clippers owned both their own 2012 first-round pick and the Timberwolves’ pick, they traded the less favorable of those picks to the Thunder for Eric Bledsoe. The Thunder then sent that pick to Boston in the Kendrick Perkins trade last year. The Clippers sent the other pick to the Hornets in the Chris Paul trade. It’s been widely reported simply that the Hornets get the Wolves’ pick; that's what most of the stories about the CP3 trade have said. For most of the season, it seemed clear the Clippers would finish with a better record than the Wolves, making the matter of the switch irrelevant. But, the Clippers have been sliding, and the Wolves, even without Ricky Rubio, are just four games in back of them. So, in the event that the Wolves’ pick is inferior to the Clippers’ pick (which they sent to the Celtics), it seems like the picks would switch places – the Celtics would get the Wolves’ pick, and the Hornets would get the Clippers’ pick. But it's not entirely clear, as Draft Express, NBADraft.net and RealGM all seem to be in disagreement. For our purposes, we'll include the possibility of a switch, but those picks are italicized to set them apart.

Below is a list of the first-round picks that could be coming and going to and from teams. In some cases, there are protections that extend to subsequent years (the Cavs, for instance, could still get a pick from the Heat down the road if, as expected, they don't choose to switch picks this year), but for simplicity's sake, only this year's protections are listed.

Blazers
Get pick from Nets (top-three protected) 

Bobcats
Give pick to Bulls (top-14 protected)

Bulls
Get pick from Bobcats (top-14 protected)

Cavs
Get option to switch picks with Heat
Get pick from Kings (top-14 protected)
Get pick from Lakers (top-14 protected) 

Celtics
Get less favorable of Clippers' pick (top-10 protected) and the Timberwolves' pick.  

Clippers
Give Celtics the less favorable of their own pick (top-10 protected) and the Timberwolves’ pick. 
Give Hornets the more favorable of their own pick (top-10 protected) and the Timberwolves' pick.

Heat
Give Cavs option to switch picks

Hornets
Get more favorable of Clippers' pick (top-10 protected) and the Timberwolves' pick.   

Jazz
Give pick to Timberwolves (top-14 protected)
Get pick from Warriors (top-seven protected) 

Kings
Give pick to Cavs (top-14 protected)

Knicks
Give pick to Rockets (top-five protected)

Lakers
Give pick to Cavs (top-14 protected)

Mavs
Give pick to Rockets (top-20 protected)

Nets
Give pick to Blazers (top-three protected)
Get pick from Rockets (top-14 protected) 

Rockets
Give pick to Nets (top-14 protected)
Get pick from Knicks (top-five protected)
Get pick from Mavs (top-20 protected) 

Spurs
Give pick to Warriors (top-14 protected)

Timberwolves
Give pick to Hornets or Celtics, depending on favorability vs. Clippers' pick
Get pick from Jazz (top-14 protected) 

Warriors
Give pick to Jazz (top-seven protected)
Get pick from Spurs (top-14 protected)

As we've outlined before, there are a number of different ways to follow Hoops Rumors via Facebook, Twitter, and RSS. If you don't want to follow all the site's updates, you can also follow team-specific or transaction-only Facebook, Twitter, and RSS feeds.

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Every player we've written about has his own rumors page. You can find your player of choice by using our search box (located in the right sidebar); by clicking his tag at the bottom of a post where he's discussed; or, by simply typing his name in your address bar after hoopsrumors.com, substituting dashes for spaces. For example, Williams' page is located at hoopsrumors.com/deron-williams.

In addition to players and teams, there are a number of other subjects you can track by clicking on the tags we use at the bottom of posts. The latest news on the job status of Vinny Del Negro, for instance, can be found on his rumors page, while all of our updates on this June's draft are available here.

With the buyout deadline having passed last Friday night, players can no longer be waived by one team and be playoff-eligible for another. While this rule is fairly straightforward, there are a few wrinkles to it, so let's run through a few scenarios that we've seen this season to explain when a player is and isn't eligible for postseason play:

A player is waived, clears waivers, and is signed by another team before March 23rd at 11:00pm
Eligible for postseason: Yes
Example: Ronny Turiaf. Turiaf was waived by the Nuggets on March 18th and signed with the Heat on March 21st, making him playoff-eligible for Miami.

A player is waived before March 23rd, but clears waivers and is signed by another team after March 23rd.
Eligible for postseason: Yes
Example: Rasual Butler. The Raptors waived Butler on the 23rd, meaning he wouldn't clear waivers until after the deadline. But he will still be eligible for the postseason if a new team signs him.

A player is waived and is signed by another team after March 23rd.
Eligible for postseason: No
Example: No one on a guaranteed contract has been waived since the 23rd, but anyone released between now and season's end won't be eligible for the playoffs with a new team.

A player on a 10-day contract has the deal expire after March 23rd and signs a rest-of-season deal with any team after March 23rd.
Eligible for postseason: Yes
Example: Mike James. James became a free agent on Saturday, when his second 10-day deal with the Bulls expired. However, because his contract wasn't guaranteed for the season, James retains playoff eligiblity if he's signed by the Bulls or another team.

A player signs with a team after March 23rd, having not played for an NBA team yet this season.
Eligible for postseason: Yes
Example: After playing in China, Patrick Mills has returned to America and signed with the Spurs. Because San Antonio is his first NBA team this season, he'll be playoff-eligible, regardless of whether he finalized his contract before or after March 23rd. A player who has been a free agent all year long, such as James Posey or Michael Finley, could also sign now and be playoff-eligible.

A slew of bought-out players, 10-day contract recipients and D-League call-ups have found new homes this past week, and many of them have signed minimum-salary contracts. That minimum is not the same for everyone, as veterans are entitled to more money based on the number of years they've been in the league, but with most of these contracts in six figures instead of seven, a productive minimum-salary player is almost always a bargain. Besides, the league compensates teams that sign minimum-salary veterans with three or more years of service for the difference above that of a second-year player's minimum deal, so qualified veterans won't be passed over for younger, cheaper talent. The most prominent minimum guy this year is, of course, Jeremy Lin, whose story has been well-documented. Let's take a look at some of the other cheap pickups who've paid off. 

• Ian Mahinmi, Mavericks: Making $916K in the final season of a two-year contract, Mahinmi is the starter at center in Dallas, putting up 6.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game and posting a 14.7 PER. 
• Nate Robinson, Warriors: Picked up for $983K in January, the 5'9" spark plug has been inserted into the starting lineup because of Stephen Curry's injury and the Monta Ellis trade. He's averaged 11.7 PPG and 4.6 assists per game in March. 
• Shelden Williams, Nets: A starter in the absence of Brook Lopez, the undersized 6'9" center pulls down 10.1 rebounds per 36 minutes, not too shabby on $993K.
• Gerald Green, Nets: He's been the jewel of the 10-day pickups so far this year. He's posted 10.6 PPG and 15.8 PER in 22 minutes a night.
• Steve Novak, Knicks: At $993K, he's another find for New York, the long-range bomber has touched on 48.1% of his three-point attempts this year, good for a career-high 8.6 PPG. 
• Landry Fields, Knicks: Not many second-round picks can say they've started all but three of the games in their career. He's putting up 9.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG and 47% shooting this year on $762K.
• Michael Redd, Suns: He hasn't gotten too much playing time, but that he's playing at all is a marvel, considering injuries have forced him to miss the better part of the last three seasons. This year, he's averaging 18.9 points per 36 minutes for $1.3MM. 
• Isaiah Thomas, Kings: Outplaying first-round pick Jimmer Fredette, this second-round selection has found his way into the starting lineup. His scoring has gone up in each month, and he's averaging 12.8 PPG and 4.4 APG for $474K.
• Danny Green, Spurs: San Antonio GM R.C. Buford is a master at finding value. Green makes $854K, and he's put up 8.6 PPG and 3.8 RPG while playing 23.8 minutes a game. He's made 18 starts, too.

With all eyes looking forward to Sunday’s matchup between the Heat and the Thunder, the question of whether the game is a preview of things to come this June continues to be raised. The Heat, currently the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference, have won their last four games thanks to balanced play from the team’s ‘Big 3’. Out in the Western Conference, the dynamic duo of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant have the Thunder in a comfortable position as the top seed with 3.5 games separating the squad from the Spurs.

Will Sunday give fans a taste of what to expect when the Larry O’Brien Trophy is on the line later this spring? Let us know what you think.

With the Final Four set to be determined this weekend and many NBA teams gearing up for the draft, let's take a quick glance at how some players who've had success at the college level have stacked up in the pros. Below is a list of each player currently on an NBA roster who has won an NCAA championship, along with the player's NBA career PER in parentheses. As we can see, guiding your team to a college championship doesn't mean you're going to succeed in the NBA. There are a lot of good, but not great, players here, and Carmelo Anthony is likely the only true superstar talent on this list. He was the only one to play in the All-Star Game this season. So when you hear about a player's draft stock improving as his team advances through the tourney this week and next, take it with a grain of salt.  

Grant Hill, Duke 1991, 1992 (19.2)
Nazr Mohammed, Kentucky 1996, 1998 (15.5)
Mike Bibby, Arizona 1997 (16.1)
Jason Terry, Arizona 1997 (17.5)
Jamaal Magloire, Kentucky 1998 (13.5)
Richard Hamilton, Connecticut 1999 (16.7)
Jason Richardson, Michigan State 2000 (16.5)
Carlos Boozer, Duke 2001 (20.6)
Shane Battier, Duke 2001 (13.0)
Chris Duhon, Duke 2001 (11.0)
Mike Dunleavy, Duke 2001 (14.6)
Steve Blake, Maryland 2002 (11.3)
Chris Wilcox, Maryland 2002 (15.5)
Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse 2003 (20.2)
Hakim Warrick, Syracuse 2003 (15.7)
Ben Gordon, Connecticut 2004 (15.3)
Emeka Okafor, Connecticut 2004 (17.1)
Charlie Villanueva, Connecticut 2004 (16.4)
Raymond Felton, North Carolina 2005 (14.3)
Marvin Williams, North Carolina 2005 (13.7)
Corey Brewer, Florida 2006, 2007 (11.2)
Al Horford, Florida 2006, 2007 (18.1)
Joakim Noah, Florida 2006, 2007 (17.5)
Marreese Speights, Florida 2007 (16.6) 
Darrell Arthur, Kansas 2008 (13.2)
Mario Chalmers, Kansas 2008 (12.1)
Brandon Rush, Kansas 2008 (10.4)
Cole Aldrich, Kansas 2008 (13.4)
Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina 2009 (15.8)
Ty Lawson, North Carolina 2009 (17.5)
Wayne Ellington, North Carolina 2009 (9.2)
Ed Davis, North Carolina 2009 (15.0)
Danny Green, North Carolina 2009 (14.1)
Nolan Smith, Duke 2010 (7.1)
Lance Thomas, Duke 2010 (11.5)
Kemba Walker, Connecticut 2011 (15.4)

With teams making some final tweaks to their rosters heading into the final weeks of the season, let’s take a look at one of the most interesting wrinkles in the NBA salary cap. The cap hold exists primarily to close a loophole. Without cap holds, a team could structure a bunch of its contracts to end simultaneously, giving them cap room to pursue other teams’ free agents while still possessing Bird rights on its own free agents.  Almost every team in the NBA has a cap hold on someone. There are free agent cap holds and draft pick cap holds, but the largest ones fall into the free agent category. Whenever a player’s contract with a team ends, it creates a cap hold (see Larry Coon’s CBA FAQ for how the amount of the cap hold is determined).

So even though a player is no longer getting paid, he can still be on the books for a large number. The cap hold doesn’t go away unless the team waives the player or renounces its rights to him, or until the player signs with another team or formally files retirement papers with the league. Players are often slow to file that paperwork, as there’s no real impetus to do so until they’re eligible for a pension. Teams often won’t renounce the rights to retired players so they can throw them into trades, as with the Keith Van Horn deal a few years ago, and because there’s little reason to do so if the team is over the cap anyway, since cap holds don’t count for luxury tax purposes.

For more on cap holds, check out this post on ShamSports. Here are the largest current cap holds, according to Storytellers Contracts:

Andrei Kirilenko, Jazz: $18,091,250
Wally Szczerbiak, Cavs: $18,091,250
Jeff Green, Celtics:  $11,139,970
Marcus Banks, Hornets: $9,210,413
Darius Songaila, 76ers: $9,154,200
Richard Hamilton, Pistons: $8,430,293
Nenad Krstic, Celtics: $8,314,674
Pat Garrity, Magic: $7,342,075
Julian Wright, Raptors: $7,145,143
Steven Hunter, Grizzlies: $7,022,400
Robert Horry, Spurs $6,897,000
Greg Ostertag, Jazz: $6,305,000
Aaron Brooks, Suns: $5,041,730

If you want to keep tabs on all of Hoops Rumors' stories and updates, you can follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or subscribe to our feed through your RSS reader of choice. However, if you prefer to only receive news about your favorite NBA team, we have you covered. Below are links to our Facebook, Twitter, and RSS pages and feeds for all 30 teams.

Atlantic

• 76ers: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Celtics: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Knicks: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Nets: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Raptors: Facebook / Twitter / RSS

Central

• Bucks: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Bulls: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Cavaliers: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Pacers: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Pistons: Facebook / Twitter / RSS

Southeast

• Bobcats: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Hawks: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Heat: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Magic: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Wizards: Facebook / Twitter / RSS

Southwest

• Grizzlies: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Hornets: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Mavericks: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Rockets: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Spurs: Facebook / Twitter / RSS

Northwest

• Jazz: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Nuggets: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Thunder: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Timberwolves: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Trail Blazers: Facebook / Twitter / RSS

Pacific

• Clippers: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Kings: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Lakers: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Suns: Facebook / Twitter / RSS
• Warriors: Facebook / Twitter / RSS

Transactions only: Twitter / RSS

The trade deadline often means expiring contracts receive increased attention, and we listed the largest expiring contracts of 2011/12 last month. With the deadline behind us and the focus eventually shifting to the summer, it's worth taking a look at which teams may have their cap flexibility handicapped by expensive long-term deals.

In many cases, these contracts are ones teams are happy to pay, if it means locking up a top-10 or top-15 NBA player. But some of these deals have the potential to become albatrosses before they expire, if they aren't already. Here's a look at the contracts with the most money remaining on them after this season (minimum $40MM):

* Derrick Rose (Bulls): Five years, $94MM
Joe Johnson (Hawks): Four years, $89.3MM
LeBron James (Heat): Four years, $79.32MM (third-year ETO; fourth-year player option)
Chris Bosh (Heat): Four years, $79.32MM (third-year ETO; fourth-year player option)
Dwyane Wade (Heat): Four years, $77.67MM (third-year ETO; fourth-year player option)
* Russell Westbrook (Thunder): Five years, $78MM
Kevin Durant (Thunder): Four years, $73.69MM
Carmelo Anthony (Knicks): Three years, $67.22MM (third-year ETO)
Amare Stoudemire (Knicks): Three years, $65.04MM (third-year ETO)
Kobe Bryant (Lakers): Two years, $58.3MM
* Kevin Love (Timberwolves): Four years, $58MM (fourth-year ETO)
David Lee (Warriors): Four years, $57.13MM
Rudy Gay (Grizzlies): Three years, $53.67MM (third-year player option)
Nene (Wizards): Four years, $52MM
Zach Randolph (Grizzlies): Three years, $50.8MM (third-year player option)
Al Horford (Hawks): Four years, $48MM
Joakim Noah (Bulls): Four years, $48MM
Carlos Boozer (Bulls): Three years, $47.1MM
LaMarcus Aldridge (Trail Blazers): Three years, $45.38MM
Marc Gasol (Grizzlies): Three years, $44.58MM
Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks): Two years, $43.63MM
Tyson Chandler (Knicks): Three years, $42.3MM
Danilo Gallinari (Nuggets): Four years, $42MM

Note: Players marked with an asterisk signed extensions that will go into effect next season. Their exact contract figures have yet to be determined, so the totals listed are based on various reports.

Storytellers Contracts was used in the creation of this post.