NBA Free-Agency Roundup: Gordon Hayward Dominoes Continue to Fall
The Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons have made the NBA's 2017 free-agency proceedings a lot more interesting.
By swapping Avery Bradley and Marcus Morris, as first reported by ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday, they not only facilitated the Gordon Hayward signing, but also pushed the Motor City into a new tax bracket. Now, Detroit can't afford Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, which thrusts a high-upside player into the mix for those lucky teams with enduring cap space.
Plenty of other lower-level free agents found new homes Friday. However, nothing is more significant than the changing location of a two-way stud (Bradley) and the newfound availability of a player (Caldwell-Pope) who could soon join him in that category.
Gordon Hayward the Homewrecker: Boston Sends Avery Bradley to Detroit
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The Celtics can now sign Gordon Hayward for real.
To carve out the space necessary for the All-Star wing's max deal, the C's sent Avery Bradley and a 2019 second-round pick to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Marcus Morris, according to Wojnarowski. Boston trims $3.8 million off next season's bottom line with this deal, forging the wiggle room to foot Gordon Hayward's $29.7 million salary in 2017-18.
Giving up Bradley is a tough blow, but it's the smart play. And it beats the hell out of one alternative.
Boston was in talks to ship Jae Crowder to the Utah Jazz as part of a sign-and-trade for Hayward, per the Salt Lake Tribune's Tony Jones and Aaron Falk. Though sources told the Boston Herald's Mark Murphy a deal was "close," Wojnarowski eventually put the kibosh on it.
This outcome is far more favorable for the Celtics. Bradley is due for a massive pay raise next summer, just like Marcus Smart and Isaiah Thomas. They were never going to keep all three. Morris nets them a cheap role player—he's owed $10.4 million over the next two years—without costing Crowder's NBA-best contract.
Granted, the Celtics now have a jillion wings, none which are optimal options at shooting guard. Crowder, Hayward, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum will all have to pitch in by (probably) switching onto more point guards than usual whenever Smart isn't in the game. Something tells me head coach Brad Stevens won't be pouting about this problem.
Bradley is basically a perfect fit for the Pistons (more on this in a second). He doesn't need the ball in his hands to be effective on offense but can run pick-and-rolls in a pinch. His 39 percent clip from downtown would have been tops, by a country mile, among Detroit's everyday contributors, and he's quick and efficient enough off the catch to stretch defenses outside the paint.
That space Bradley generates doesn't just give the Pistons an incentive to shoot more threes; it makes life easier on everyone around him. Andre Drummond shouldn't face as many double-teams on strong-side post-ups, while Tobias Harris and Reggie Jackson should encounter less resistance en route to the basket.
Sprinkle in another year of development from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and the Pistons offense suddenly looks fun again.
Er, actually, never mind.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Is Up for Grabs
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In somewhat of a stunning development, Caldwell-Pope is now an unrestricted free agent. As Wojnarowski first reported, Detroit renounced his rights, making him eligible to sign with any team he chooses—a move SI.com's Jake Fischer pegs as a response to Caldwell-Pope's rejecting a five-year, $80 million take-it-or-leave-it offer.
Adding Bradley almost makes losing the 24-year-old swingman a wash. He won't guard as many small forwards, but he's a better shooter and a comparable, if superior, defender overall. Both can orchestrate the occasional half-court set, and you can trust Bradley's decision-making and efficiency off the bounce.
But this move doesn't look as happy-go-lucky, or even plain fine, when taking stock of the bigger picture.
The Pistons effectively turned Caldwell-Pope and Morris into Bradley. While that's cool for a year, what happens next summer, when Bradley commands a huge contract? What if he doesn't like Detroit and leaves? What if the Pistons have to pay him just as much, if not more, than Caldwell-Pope wanted to keep him in the fold?
It didn't have to be like this. The Pistons hard-capped themselves by signing Langston Galloway using the non-taxpayer's mid-level exception—which, in essence, means they cannot allow their salary obligations to rise past the $125.3 million luxury apron.
Galloway is a quality player. He's also not worth triggering the hard cap so soon. Teams don't pay the tax right away. Passing on Galloway and any other mid-level signing would have allowed them to acquire Bradley, cannonball into the tax after matching whatever offer sheet Caldwell-Pope signed and then figure out how to duck the tax later—provided that was their biggest concern.
Is Caldwell-Pope worth the near-max money he might receive? Not at all. But the Pistons complicated their future in exchange for one season of a more manageable payroll without improving their makeup. There's a strong chance this comes back to bite them if one of Stanley Johnson and Luke Kennard doesn't exceed expectations.
Is Carmelo Anthony (Finally) on His Way Out of New York?
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Carmelo Anthony may have found his escape route from the New York Knicks.
Emphasis on may have.
"I get more and more the sense that the Melo thing is going to resolve itself soon," ESPN.com's Zach Lowe said on a recent episode of the Lowe Post Podcast (via Fear the Sword's Carter Rodriguez). "If I had to bet right now, I would say that Melo doesn't go into next season on the Knicks."
And the dance continues.
Relocating Anthony has been one of the Knicks' primary goals since about the time former team president Phil Jackson realized there were no strings attached to his arms. If moving him were easy, he would already be on another team.
Except, dealing him isn't it easy. Far from it.
Few teams want to take on the $26.2 million salary of a 33-year-old scorer whose defensive intensity is questionable at best. The ones that do usually won't have cap space and need to send back big contracts the Knicks have no interest in acquiring, per ESPN.com's Ian Begley. On the off chance there's a squad with the flexibility and willingness to strike an uneven deal for Anthony, chances are said suitor won't be competitive enough for him to waive his no-trade clause.
Will this eternized saga end with a buyout? Was Anthony's recent layover in Houston merely a guise for a covert meeting with James Harden and Chris Paul? Can the Cavaliers pony up the assets necessary to get him? Might the Knicks just relent and trade him anywhere, for anything, so long as it doesn't make a long-term dent in their books?
If the Knicks and Anthony and the Rockets and the Cavaliers and whoever else is involved could figure this whole thing out, that'd be great. Because, frankly, this whole soap opera is getting old.
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Paul George Who? Bojan Bogdanovic Joins the Pacers
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At long last, the Indiana Pacers finally have their Paul George replacement.
Well, not really. But they did sign a solid player who jibes with their goal of continuing to exist in the middle.
Bojan Bogdanovic is coming to the Pacers on a two-year, $21 million deal that includes a partial guarantee for 2018-19, according to Wojnarowski. The 28-year-old doesn't do anything for the defense, but he can play positions 2 through 4 and ensures Indiana won't want for shooting.
Bogdanovic buried 36.7 percent of his triples while splitting time between the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards last season, including a 39 percent conversion rate on catch-and-shoot threes. He's best suited playing beside at least one other shot creator who can set up his looks, but he also proved to be a self-sufficient option during his time in Brooklyn. He posted a 50.4 percent clip on drives before being traded to Washington and is a legitimate, if little unreliable, pull-up jump-shooter.
Bringing in Bogdanovic is the Pacers' latest attempt to preserve long-term flexibility while remaining in the playoff hunt.
They accepted a package of Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis for Paul George when they could have sussed out a more future-oriented return. They signed a soon-to-be 30-year-old Darren Collison to a two-year, $21 million deal, per ESPN.com. And they waived Monta Ellis, whose requisite touches became expendable before last season ever tipped off.
Owner Herb Simon expressed to Pacers president Kevin Pritchard that he "wants a team he can be proud of." Moves like this one are the end result—a squad too good to bottom out that's banking on Oladipo, Sabonis, T.J. Leaf, Myles Turner and, inevitably, mid-first-round luck to avoid a post-Paul George teardown.
Tyreke Evans Syncs with the Grizzlies
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Tyreke Evans is now—as Sactown Royalty's Akis Yerocostas pointed out—earning less than Ben McLemore.
Hopefully, this doesn't cause awkwardness between the two because they'll be in the same locker room once again next season.
The Commercial Appeal's Geoff Calkins first brought word that Evans will be following McLemore's lead to the Memphis Grizzlies. Wojnarowski confirmed the news, noting Evans will make $3.3 million 2017-18.
This is a no-brainer flier for the Grizzlies. Evans has a history of knee problems and appeared in just 65 games over the past two seasons. But he brings some athleticism and switchability to a perimeter corps that still has little, and his 36.9 percent hit rate on threes since 2015-16 bodes well for Memphis' attempts to play him off Conley.
Signing Evans does, however, leave the Grizzlies susceptible to losing restricted free agent JaMychal Green. As ESPN.com salary-cap guru Bobby Marks explained:
"The Grizzlies hard-capped when they signed Ben McLemore to a $5.2M contract now add Tyreke Evans to the $3.3M bi-annual execution. Memphis now has $102.6M in salary and still have $3.2M remaining of the mid-level exception. Memphis has the flexibility to remain below the $119M tax and $125M hard cap unless restricted free agent JaMychal Green receives a lucrative offer sheet."
It's possible this doesn't matter. Green's agent, Michael Hodges, told the Commercial Appeal's Ronald Tillery the Grizzlies appear to have drawn a line in the sand for his client's next deal. And if they weren't prepared to match a lucrative offer sheet before, subjecting themselves to the hard cap won't invite many more admirers now.
And that's assuming over-the-top overtures exist. Green has yet to ink an offer sheet, suggesting there has been a less than robust market for his services.
A Potential All-Star Re-Signs with the Golden State Warriors
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Yes, we're talking about Zaza Pachulia.
The Golden State Warriors needed his rebounding, physical screens, understated passing and willingness to aggressively contest Kawhi Leonard jumpers back in the fold, so they re-signed him to a one-year deal worth $3.5 million, per USA Today's Sam Amick.
Now, the All-Star campaign begins in earnest.
Pachulia's numbers are almost irrelevant. Maybe he'll throw up the occasional double-double. Maybe he won't. Regardless, he'll do little things that help the defending champions win more games, even if those contributions don't draw featured placement in a stat sheet.
And should he play no more than 10 minutes per contest, he'd still be a threat to start for the Western Conference during the midseason festivities. We can't forget what happened last year, as these five players finished with more votes than any other frontcourt members in the NBA's tougher half:
- Kevin Durant: 1,768,185
- Zaza Pachulia: 1,528,941
- Kawhi Leonard: 1,058,399
- Anthony Davis: 974,802
- Draymond Green: 914,973
He didn't gain entry to the All-Star proceedings because he couldn't get enough votes from the media and players. But this all happened during a season in which he averaged only 6.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.
Just imagine what might happen if he tops seven and six, respectively.
—B/R's Adam Fromal
Meanwhile, Jeff Green Joins the Cavs
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How the mighty have fallen.
Last summer, Jeff Green inked a $15 million contract with the Orlando Magic. Twelve months later, he could only earn $2.3 million from the Cleveland Cavaliers. ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst reported Friday that Green would join the Eastern Conference powerhouse on a minimum deal.
It's the latest in a series of demotions for Green, who once looked like such a promising prospect for the Seattle SuperSonics. He remains an inspiring off-court figure after his recovery from heart surgery in 2012, but it's increasingly clear every year that he's no longer an impact NBA player.
Since leaving the Sonics/Oklahoma City Thunder (they changed locations while he was on the roster), Green has suited up for the Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers and Magic. Now, he'll add yet another uniform to his resume, attempting to turn his enduring athleticism into effective play on either end of the floor.
Unfortunately, that hasn't happened lately. His teams have frequently been worse while he's on the floor, and that probably won't change as he fills a depth role for Cleveland.
—B/R's Adam Fromal
Raymond Felton Gets Invited to Oklahoma City's Party
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The Oklahoma City Thunder have successfully upgraded their backup point guard slot—insofar as you believe Raymond Felton is noticeably better than Semaj Christon.
According to ESPN.com's Chris Haynes, the 33-year-old journeyman floor general has agreed to a one-year deal to occupy the space behind Russell Westbrook. Oklahoma City will be his seventh team in 13 years and his fifth since 2011-12.
Felton isn't a game-changer by any stretch, but he can be difficult to defend off the dribble and has far more experience than Christon. The Thunder ran into problems last year, both during the regular season and in the playoffs, whenever Westbrook stepped off the floor—issues they could have solved by staggering his minutes with those from Oladipo.
Head coach Billy Donovan no longer has that option with Oladipo in Indiana, and the Thunder can only expect Paul George to run the offense on his own for so long. Felton can now come in and run a ton of pick-and-rolls. He shot 48.1 percent out of those bad boys with the Los Angeles Clippers and should have similar passing options thanks to Oklahoma City's bigs.
Getting his turnovers under control is a must; he coughed up a lot of pick-and-roll possessions in Los Angeles and even Dallas. But he can be a gritty defender in those same situations. Opponents shot under 36 percent against him out of the pick-and-roll in 2016-17—though they were above 46 percent in 2015-16.
Alas, we've gone too deep. Felton is an OK backup for a capped-out team that needed an OK backup. The Thunder win again.
Another Backup Point Guard Finds a Home
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Is Shelvin Mack a game-changing presence?
Not exactly.
He's a lackluster option as a starter, which is why it's a good thing the Orlando Magic are now paying him to serve as Elfrid Payton's primary backup. Maybe. This might be a slight overpay, but he'll make $12 million over the next two years as he transitions away from the Utah Jazz, as first reported by Wojnarowski.
Now, to address the "maybe."
Given his new salary, it seems safe to assume Mack is the No. 2 floor general on the Orlando depth chart. But the organization still employs both D.J. Augustin, who makes $7.25 million in 2017-18, and C.J. Watson, who'll be due $5 million if the Magic choose to guarantee his contract. Even if Orlando cuts ties with Watson, Mack and Augustin will spend the summer competing to assume primary backup responsibilities.
In the immortal words of Kurt Vonnegut: And so it goes.
At this point, it's basically a fact of life that Orlando will pay a bit too much money for a second-string 1-guard each and every offseason.
—B/R's Adam Fromal
Mike Muscala and the Atlanta Hawks Are Staying Together
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No wonder the Atlanta Hawks never offered Paul Millsap a contract, per Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Why pay him $30 million per year when you can get Mike Muscala for an average of $5 million?
As The Vertical's Shams Charania first reported, Muscala is returning to Atlanta on two-year, $10 million deal. This is excellent value for the 26-year-old, who is now the Hawks' best big man—unless you're unreasonably high on John Collins or Miles Plumlee.
Slotting "Moose" into a more prominent role is one of the most intriguing aspects of Atlanta's rebuild. He thrived in measured doses last season, flashing both of offensive range and quality rim protection.
Opponents shot under 50 percent when challenging Muscala around the basket, and he saved roughly half a point more on the less glamorous end than Chris Paul, according to NBA Math. He won't hold up when switching across positions in the half court, but he's a solid stand-in for the departed Dwight Howard.
If Muscala's offensive trajectory holds up under more volume, he has a chance to be scary good. He shot 41.8 percent on 110 three-point attempts last season and, despite not operating on-ball much, dished out 3.8 assists per 100 possessions.
Only seven other skyscrapers matched that assist rate while sinking as many three-pointers (46): DeMarcus Cousins, Frank Kaminsky, Marc Gasol, Pau Gasol, Al Horford, Brook Lopez and Kelly Olynyk.
Atlanta appears to have a gem on its hands—at the cost of cubic zirconia.
Jamal Crawford Is out of Atlanta...Is He Headed to Cleveland?
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After being dealt to Atlanta as part of a three-team deal between the Clippers, Hawks and Denver Nuggets, Jamal Crawford is a free man.
Shoot your shot, suitors.
Crawford, 37 going on 27, has agreed to a buyout with the Hawks, according to Charania, instantly making him one of the best and only shot creators available. His market, per Sam Amick of USA Today, is expected to include the Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Wizards.
Let's just outfit him in wine and gold then, shall we?
LeBron James has spoken with Crawford about signing with the Cavaliers, according to Cleveland.com's Joe Vardon. That's basically the same as a done deal—particularly when the Cavaliers kind of owe their franchise savior.
Owner Dan Gilbert already showed the exit to general manager David Griffin, a James favorite. Then he went and whiffed on his top replacement option, Chauncey Billups, in large part because he offered the current ESPN analyst a crummy salary, according to ESPN.com's Chris Haynes and Marc J. Spears.
Now, on top of all this, the Cavaliers apparently aren't bringing back James Jones, a team favorite who has been on every one of LeBron's championship squads, per Vardon.
Talk about a suboptimal offseason. The Cavaliers remain the toast of the East, but James is a free agent after next season and has long bemoaned the dearth of playmakers behind Kyrie Irving and himself. If he wants Crawford and the Cavaliers are able to sign him, then they better get him.
Knicks Say 'Peace Out' to Marshall Plumlee
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The Knicks announced Friday they waived center Marshall Plumlee, who was on a non-guaranteed deal. It's an inconsequential move on the surface; Plumlee appeared in just 21 games last season. But there are some underlying ramifications to monitor.
First, New York is losing a legendary commuter.
Plumlee detailed to Bleacher Report's Yaron Weitzman back in March how he "slid a cabbie an extra $60 to run a red light so he could get to [Madison Square Garden] on time" for a Knicks-Hawks matinee. This is what we call devotion.
Waiving Plumlee now might be the Knicks' way of making room for restricted free agent Tim Hardaway Jr., whom they offered a four-year, $71 million contract the Hawks almost assuredly won't match, per Wojnarowski and Begley. Or this could just be their way of admitting, "Hey, we have too many damn bigs."
At any rate, this may not be the end of the Plumlee era in New York. As Marks noted, the Knicks can bring him back if he clears waivers.
Top Remaining Free Agents
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The talent pool is dwindling quickly, but quite a few impact players are still looking for homes. These are the top five free agents remaining from our original Big Board:
1. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG, Unrestricted
Now that the Detroit Pistons have traded for Avery Bradley and rescinded Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's offer sheet, the 2-guard is imminently available. Any team desiring two-way upside on the wings will surely gauge the temperature in the near future, as no player on the open market has this much untapped potential.
2. Nerlens Noel, PF/C, Restricted
Nerlens Noel may be the top remaining big man on the market, but he's not really available. Enthralled with his finishing ability and interior defense, the Dallas Mavericks will likely match any offer—or just extend him before he signs an offer sheet elsewhere.
3. Dewayne Dedmon, C, Unrestricted
Dewayne Dedmon can make whatever defensive play you're looking for. He can hedge and recover to stop pick-and-roll action. The 7-footer can switch onto smaller players and then block them from behind if they're able to sneak by his oversized frame. He can patrol the interior and turn away drivers or body up against post-up threats. He can just do it all...so long as we're not talking about offense.
4. JaMychal Green, PF/C, Restricted
Just watch JaMychal Green handle the rock, and you'll be convinced he's a wing. He's capable of rocketing the ball to cutters or driving and kicking to the perimeter, which allows his team to draw up far more creative set pieces. The big man's game is still a work in progress, but upside is oozing from each of his pores.
5. Pau Gasol, PF/C, Unrestricted
Per Wojnarowski, the San Antonio Spurs plan to re-sign Pau Gasol to a new deal now that he's officially opted out of his contract. His free agency is purely a procedural move, intended to increase the team's leverage while pursuing other players. He's listed here solely for the sake of completeness, so try to avoid thinking your team has a shot at landing him.
—B/R's Adam Fromal
Dan Favale and Adam Fromal cover the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow them on Twitter, @danfavale and @fromal09.
Stats courtesy of Basketball Reference or NBA.com. Salary information via Basketball Insiders and RealGM.
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