NBA AM: CBA Isn’t Game Changer We Expected

Not The Game Changer It Seemed

When word of the new labor deal between the NBA and the players broke, there were a number of new wrinkles that seemed like massive game-changers for the NBA – most notably the idea of a “Designated Veteran” extension that could give a huge advantage to the home teams in keeping their own player.

However, as the terms of the potential labor deal (which could still change) are being circulated, the “Designated Veteran” extension might not be the game changer it seemed to be.

Our own Eric Pincus has started digging through the actual term sheet and has several reports in the works to help everyone understand the deal. The details on the “Designated Veteran” extension are a little clearer, and it may not impact as many players as some teams had hoped.

The Designated Extension will only be available to players entering their eighth or ninth season with their original franchise unless the player was traded to their current franchise in their first four years. That means players such as Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and even LeBron James would not be eligible for this massive potential payday. All three have enough NBA experience to get a huge maximum contract under the new deal, but would not count against the two “Designated Veteran” slots teams are permitted to carry.

Golden State’s Steph Curry, on the other hand, meets all of the criteria for a Designated Veteran and could be looking at a five-year deal worth more than $209 million.

Indiana’s Paul George and Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins both will enter their eighth season with their respective teams in July, and both have met the criteria for the Designated Veteran extension, having been named to one of the three All-NBA teams in two of the three prior seasons. George has made the All-NBA third team three times (2013, 2014, 2016) while Cousins has made the All-NBA second team twice (2015, 2016).

Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin would also be eligible, as he was named to the All-NBA second team three times (2012–2014) and All-NBA third once (2015).

Another small wrinkle on a Designated Veteran is they become trade restricted for one year after signing the deal.

There is little doubt that going forward the new “Designated Veteran” extension will be a powerful tool for keeping an existing player; it’s not going to apply to everyone or work as broadly as initially thought.

Some Trade Scuttle

Things are starting to warm up around the NBA on the trade front. But before we get into the noise, it’s important to put the trade markets in perspective.

Last season there were four trades before February 16, with nine trades around the deadline for 13 total moves. In 2014-15 there were 14 trades before February 19, with 11 trades around the deadline for 25 total moves. In 2013-14 there were seven trades before February 19, with 10 trades around the deadline for 17 total moves.

This year’s trade market was a little slower to get started, as many teams remained huddled in the playoff picture for most of November and because of the looming uncertainty of what the new labor deal would look like.

For example, the Sacramento Kings never truly engaged anyone on a DeMarcus Cousins trade, mainly because they believed the new labor deal might give them an advantage in keeping Cousins financially, and it did. Time will tell if Cousins would seriously consider turning down what could be a $200 million extension for the right to choose his own team in free agency.

While it’s unlikely that a major player is traded this year, there are a few names to continue to keep an eye on:

• Kings forward Rudy Gay continues to be the name most NBA insiders feel will be moved. Gay is battling some injuries, but it’s believed he’ll be moved before the trade deadline. Unfortunately for the Kings, he’s not expected to return a ton so Sacramento may hold on to him and his scoring until February.

• Keep an eye on Oklahoma City and Orlando; both are said to have eyes for a legitimate scoring threat.

• Speaking of the Kings, there is a growing rift brewing between Arron Afflalo and the coaching staff. He is also growing unhappy with his role in Sacramento, and there is a belief he has joined a few other Kings players in asking for a trade. Afflalo became trade eligible on December 15, so it’s a situation to watch.

• The Philadelphia 76ers have conceded that center Nerlens Noel will not be part of the rotation going forward, at least for the time being. Noel has changed agents recently, and his representation and the 76ers are working together toward a trade and a solution. While there is some urgency to getting the public dispute resolved, there is not a sense that a trade is close. Noel is a pending free agent, so that complicates a deal value; then, factor in that opposing teams know that the 76ers need to make a deal and it’s easy to see why the team may be having a hard time extracting real value when one team is a motivated seller.

• There are a couple of teams to watch on the Noel front, the biggest being the Toronto Raptors. It is unlikely that the Raptors mess with their team chemistry in moving a core player, but if the 76ers want some of the Raptors’ young players or non-core parts, Toronto would have interest in Noel, according to sources close to the situation. It’s also believed the Portland Trail Blazers have eyes on Noel, but they may be unwilling to give up much in a deal.

• Miami’s Goran Dragic continues to surface as possibly the biggest fish to be had, but sources with the HEAT continue to say they are not ready to blow the team up; until that happens, Goran is not on the market. The prevailing belief outside of Miami is at the deadline, the HEAT will explore Dragic’s trade value in an effort to remove his salary from their books for a run through free agency this summer when Chris Bosh’s deal is expected to be off the books as well. Miami has kept no secret that they are rebuilding and would like to get a few more draft picks. HEAT sources said recently that keeping Dragic as the veteran leader wouldn’t be a bad thing, but conceded he might return a ton of value, which lines up with the league belief that the HEAT would explore moving him at or around the deadline.

• Ron Tillery of The Commercial Appeal in Memphis reported that teams are gauging interest in Grizzlies veteran Tony Allen. While moving Allen is not necessarily something the team wants to do, according to sources, they understand his ending contract status makes him desirable in a trade and that he could return something of value to the Grizz.

While it is still early in the trade cycle, we are reaching the point where teams are being more active and more importantly more aggressive in trying to shake loose a deal or two.

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