2014 Free Agency Updates

[wuck]

Thanks to Saor for starting the Free Agency discussion thread: http://realcavsfans.com/showthread.php?44338-2014-Free-Agency-Period-News-and-Discussion.

The Mods will post some news and highlights, mainly as they relate to the Cavs, in this locked thread from time to time.


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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Randolph re-signing w/Grizz bad news for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cavs?src=hash">#Cavs</a> who have future 1st coming if MEM misses playoffs. Cavs were hoping Grizz would be rebuilding</p>&mdash; Jason Lloyd (@JasonLloydABJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonLloydABJ/statuses/482617816622059520">June 27, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[wuck]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The Rockets have told Chandler Parsons they have officially declined his 4th-year option next season thus making him a RFA, a source said.</p>&mdash; Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpearsNBAYahoo/statuses/482944636265041920">June 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Note: Raptors extended qualifying offers to free agents Patterson (approx $4.3M), Vasquez ($3.2M) &amp; De Colo ($1.8M), making them restricted</p>&mdash; Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) <a href="https://twitter.com/JLew1050/statuses/482951756075134978">June 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Pelicans will not extend qualifying offer to G Brian Roberts, league source informs <a href="https://twitter.com/CSNNW">@CSNNW</a>. He will become an unrestricted free agent.</p>&mdash; Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/statuses/482949731526516736">June 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>BREAKING: Udonis Haslem reportedly opts out of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Heat?src=hash">#Heat</a> contract, frees up cap space for Riley <a href="http://t.co/9jiKvZdXtm">http://t.co/9jiKvZdXtm</a></p>&mdash; Surya Fernandez (@SuryaHeatNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SuryaHeatNBA/statuses/482902416098983937">June 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[wuck]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Dwyane Wade has opted out.</p>&mdash; Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) <a href="https://twitter.com/ByTimReynolds/statuses/482967588587065344">June 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Dwyane Wade has opted out of last 2 years and $42 M of contract as expected, per AP. Working with Heat to give them spending money.</p>&mdash; Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) <a href="https://twitter.com/flasportsbuzz/statuses/482968679815327744">June 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Chris Bosh plans opt out of contract, source tells ESPN. Dwyane Wade &amp; Udonis Haslem also out per reports. Heat have record 55M cap space</p>&mdash; Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/WindhorstESPN/statuses/482973065606082560">June 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[Phills14]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Keep hearing the Cavs are going to pursue Chandler Parsons. Rockets have declined his option making him a RFA.</p>&mdash; Probasketballdraft (@Probballdraft) <a href="https://twitter.com/Probballdraft/statuses/482999262394200064">June 28, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[wuck]

From Jason Lloyd:

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Jason Lloyd: Semantics aside, Andrew Wiggins’ arrival kicks off Cavs’ active summer

By Jason Lloyd
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published: June 28, 2014 - 08:44 PM

INDEPENDENCE: Near the end of Friday’s news conference introducing Andrew Wiggins, Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin rattled off his to-do list for this summer: improve defensively, increase the basketball IQ and add more shooters.

“All of those moves will be forthcoming,” he said. “Andrew is just the first of what I hope is a monumental offseason.”

Monumental?

Given the availability of a certain free agent in a few days, it was a fascinating choice of words. So I circled back later in the day and asked Griffin about that phrase.

“I was trying to say momentous and said the wrong word,” he laughed, knowing full well the attention it would receive. “Monumental, momentous … what are you gonna do?”

Griffin was trying to express how he’s hopeful the Wiggins selection will create momentum for what should be an exciting summer, but his tongue tripped him up and there was no going back.

Truth is, the addition of Wiggins already makes it a monumental offseason. Following the foot injury to Joel Embiid, there were believed to be two remaining franchise pillars available in this draft. The Cavs came away with one of them.

But it was Griffin’s other surprise statement late Thursday night, in the hours after selecting Wiggins, that caught my attention.

“If Andrew finds greatness in this league, it’s going to be as a very big 2 guard,” Griffin said.

To be clear, as the roster is presently constructed, the Cavs privately believe Wiggins will step in immediately as the starting small forward. But Griffin’s statement was revealing nonetheless.

Free agency begins Tuesday, and with guys like Chandler Parsons, Gordon Hayward and, of course, LeBron James available, they apparently may not be done shopping for small forwards.

Parsons and Hayward will both be restricted free agents and could be incredibly difficult to pry away from their current teams. The James situation is well known, so it’s likely Wiggins indeed will begin the season as the starting small forward. But there are at least options for coach David Blatt.

Griffin likes players who are big for their position and versatile enough to defend multiple spots. That certainly defines Wiggins, who is only 19, already 6-foot-8 and perhaps still growing.

The fact Griffin has already declared him a future shooting guard provides the Cavs with flexibility if the Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters pairing flops yet again. If Blatt can figure out how to make it work, Wiggins slides in at small forward and suddenly the Cavs have a dynamic trio of wings all 22-and-under who can torment the NBA for years to come.

If Irving and Waiters can’t make it work, Wiggins can move to shooting guard and Waiters will come off the bench. Or perhaps the Cavs will swallow hard and trade one of the two.

With Irving’s contract extension talks just days away, the Cavs remain hopeful something can be quietly completed. They are optimistic Irving will love playing in Blatt’s system and have been encouraged by how eager he has embraced the newcomers. He and Wiggins chatted briefly after the pick was made Thursday and Irving welcomed Blatt to the Cavs via his Twitter account shortly after the new coach was hired.

Given all the conjecture that has surrounded Irving and this extension, a quick and clean negotiation would be pleasing for all involved. Whether it unfolds that way remains to be seen.

Irving has a busy summer with his FIBA commitment to Team USA. Ideally, he’d probably like to get an extension done before departing for Spain. But it’s worth noting when Paul George signed his max deal last year, it wasn’t completed until the end of September.

If he has any questions about the changing future of the Cavs, Irving likely got his answers in the last few days. He spent time in New York recently at Steve Nash’s charity soccer exhibition, where he could’ve asked Nash all about his new GM. Nash, after all, knows Griffin well after the two spent many years together with the Phoenix Suns.

Wiggins’ arrival is just the beginning to what surely will be an active summer. Whether it’s momentous or monumental ultimately lies in the eye of the beholder.

 

[wuck]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>LeBron, Wade &amp; Bosh now working on financial terms of potential new Heat deals with each other, sources tell ESPN: <a href="http://t.co/845VBQAHAG">http://t.co/845VBQAHAG</a></p>&mdash; Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/WindhorstESPN/statuses/483245092417724416">June 29, 2014</a></blockquote>
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After agreeing to all opt out of their contracts together, Miami Heat stars LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade have been discussing financial terms of new contracts amongst each other, sources told ESPN.com.

Bosh's agent says has not decided officially on whether to opt out, but sources told ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard that the All-Star big man will indeed follow suit and choose free agency by Monday's midnight ET deadline.

The talks between the three players is the strongest indication yet that James plans to re-sign with the Heat after he becomes a free agent on Tuesday. Unlike in 2010 when all three took nearly identical contracts, the discussions this time have included the possibility that James would draw the highest salary among the three, sources said.

James, 29, has never been the single highest-paid player on his team in his 11-year NBA career.

Under league rules, players are not allowed to negotiate new contracts with their teams until July 1. However, there is nothing preventing the players from working it out among themselves, and cutting up the Heat's upcoming record $55 million in available cap space is believed to have been a major part of the discussion when Wade, James and Bosh held a meeting last week in Miami.

The trio of Heat stars working collectively have three general options on how to put together their deals that could affect how aggressive the team will be going after other free agents. The Heat's front office, led by president Pat Riley and general manager Andy Elisburg, will consult but have different plans for all three contingencies, sources said.

They could all re-sign and take raises to the maximum salary starting at $22 million each, which would carry the Heat into the luxury tax and significantly limit their spending options this season and in the following seasons.

They could all take significant pay cuts, perhaps in excess of $5 million per year each, that would take the Heat below the salary cap and leave enough room to chase a major free agent like point guard Kyle Lowry. Though the Heat may ultimately investigate the possibility of Carmelo Anthony, that option has not been seriously discussed among the parties as yet, sources said.

The last option is that the Heat stars could all take moderate pay cuts and stagger their salaries at different levels. This would likely not leave significant cap space but it would take the Heat below the luxury tax line and enable them up to use the full mid-level exception of $5.3 million and the biannual exception of $2 million to bring in multiple role players.

With James saying the team needs to improve "at every position," it seems possible the third option may end up being the most likely, especially after the Heat players all took pay cuts when they came to Miami four years ago.

Udonis Haslem, who declined a $4.6 million player option for next season to add more flexibility, is also expected to be a part of the plans as he works out a new long-term deal that reduces his annual salary.

 

[wuck]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>AP Source: Chris Bosh told Heat this afternoon he is exercising his early termination option and will become a free agent. Link to come.</p>&mdash; Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) <a href="https://twitter.com/ByTimReynolds/statuses/483352064760639488">June 29, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[wuck]

From Sam Amick of USA Today:

LeBron James is not currently planning on being present in the initial meetings with teams that are recruiting him, a person with knowledge of his situation told USA TODAY Sports. Instead, his agent and longtime friend, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, is expected to handle the early conversations before James decides how to proceed. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the process.

 

[wuck]

From Wojo:
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Hawks trade Lou Williams, Lucas Nogueira to Raptors for John Salmons
Adrian Wojnarowski

The Atlanta Hawks are clearing salary cap space for free agency, trading away Lou Williams and 2013 first-round pick Lucas Nogueira to Toronto Raptors for John Salmons, a leagues sources told Yahoo Sports.

Salmons has a $7 million team option for the 2014-15 season, which the Hawks will terminate with a $1 million buyout on Monday, league sources said.

Williams gives the Raptors a veteran guard and some depth and insurance should they fail to re-sign free agent guard Kyle Lowry. Nogueira, a 7-foot Brazilian, was the 16th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft, and played in the Spanish ACB League this season. He's a young, active center who's considered a long-term project.

Williams sheds another $5.4 million off the Hawks' payroll for the 2014-15 season.

 

[wuck]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Story going online now: ESPN sources say Melo meets with Bulls on Tuesday on Day 1 of free agency, then Rockets &amp; Mavs in Texas on Wednesday</p>&mdash; Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/statuses/483420720253259777">June 30, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[MoFlo]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>One strong candidate for that $15M-plus of fresh salary cap space in Atlanta, league sources tell Yahoo: Free agent forward Luol Deng.</p>&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/statuses/483458041979760640">June 30, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[wuck]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Players with trade-friendly, partially guaranteed deals (similar to John Salmons/Alonzo Gee): Keith Bogans, Jameer Nelson and Scotty Hopson.</p>&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/statuses/483462202750672897">June 30, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Keith Bogans' $5.3 million deal (from BOS-BKN sign-and-trade) is non-guaranteed. He could be attractive for a team looking to clear money.</p>&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/statuses/483462739277651968">June 30, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Only $2 million of Jameer Nelson's $8 million salary for 2014-15 is guaranteed, so he could really help a team clear some cap space.</p>&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/statuses/483462936464470016">June 30, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>When Cavs signed Scotty Hopson at end of last year, it was literally just so they could shop his $1,450,878 non-guaranteed deal this summer.</p>&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/statuses/483463956200431616">June 30, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Cavs could've signed Hopson (who hadn't played in NBA) to a minimum expiring deal but gave him this deal so it'd be cap-clearing trade chip.</p>&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/statuses/483464855698305025">June 30, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[Douglar]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/la-sp-clippers-20140630-story.html

Free-agent center Spencer Hawes, who has three-point range, is interested in playing for the Clippers. But he made $6.5 million last season in Cleveland and may have to take a pay cut to join the Clippers.

 

[wuck]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The Wizards were making Martell Webster available in trade talks, but now he's likely staying in Washington after undergoing back surgery.</p>&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/statuses/483650172212502528">June 30, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Trevor Ariza will have plenty of suitors. HOU, DAL, LAL, LAC, CLE, TOR, PHX and DET have been mentioned as teams interested in Ariza.</p>&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/statuses/483651502779957248">June 30, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Expect Toronto GM Masai Ujiri to make aggressive bid to keep Kyle Lowry at midnight, try to wrap up deal before Miami/Houston can engage.</p>&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/statuses/483651343953829888">June 30, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[wuck]

LeBron James wants max salary
Updated: June 30, 2014, 1:06 PM ET
By Brian Windhorst | ESPN.com

LeBron James will have a completely different process and a different priority when he opens his free agency at midnight tonight that he did in 2010, sources told ESPN.com.

Teams who contact James will be informed that he wants no less than the maximum salary number for next season, sources said. The max number is projected to be $22.2 million. In 2010, James accepted a pay cut when he signed with the Miami Heat, taking less than the maximum salary to help make space for other free agents.

Also, as of now, James is not scheduling any pitch meetings with teams -- he will let agent Rich Paul handle the opening stages of talks. In 2010, he scheduled six meetings with teams at his offices in Cleveland over the first three days of July.

James' demands for the length of his next deal is in flux. After the Finals, James said flexibility was important to him, hinting that he may not be looking for a full four or five-year contract.

This information could shake up the contenders for James and also sends the message that James, who has never been the single highest-paid player on his team in his 11-year career, is not as willing to personally sacrifice money to improve the roster as he was in the past. That burden may now fall to teammates such as Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

Currently seven teams have the cap space to offer James a deal starting at $22.2 million next season: the Heat, the Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Phoenix Suns, the Utah Jazz, Philadelphia 76ers and the Orlando Magic.

The Lakers and Suns, known to be serious bidders, have the space to add James and other high-level free agents. The Heat have the most cap space $55 million, but have Wade and Bosh to attend to as well. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said over the weekend that his team did not plan to make any max contract offers to free agents.

Without cap space, the only other way to get to James' requisite number is to execute a sign-and-trade, which would require the Heat's cooperation, or make additional moves to clear up cap space.

At least three teams currently without the needed cap space who are known to want to chase James are the Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls. All three would need to execute significant shuffling and perhaps even offload star players to clear $22.2 million in room.

These details have led to a growing pessimism among teams that James is seriously considering leaving the Heat. ESPN reported on Sunday that the Bulls and Rockets have scheduled in-person free agent meetings this week with Carmelo Anthony as a top offseason target.

Over the weekend, ESPN reported that James, Bosh and Wade discussed financial terms on potential new deals with the Heat at a meeting last week in Miami. It is against NBA rules for teams to negotiate with pending free agents before July 1 but players are free to discuss contract terms amongst themselves.

If James follows through with his demands and signs a deal starting at the full max number and the Heat also re-sign Bosh and Wade then Miami will likely not be left with appreciable salary-cap space even if Wade and Bosh accept pay cuts.

However, there are scenarios where the Heat could re-sign all three players plus veterans Udonis Haslem and Ray Allen and still be able to use the $5.3 million mid-level exception, the $2 million bi-annual exception and still have a $2.2 million trade exception to use to bring in some new role players.