HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

Wednesday was the deadline for fourth-year players taken in the 2008 NBA draft to receive early contract extensions. Players who weren’t locked up long term are primed to enter the summer of 2012 as unrestricted free agents, unless their current teams issue a qualifying offer by June 30.

If a qualifying offer is tendered then the player will enter the offseason as a restricted free agent with their current team retaining the right to match any offer for the players’ services.

The use of early extensions by front office executives has lost its popularity in recent years, with clubs opting to issue qualifying offers and allowing the free agency market to set the market value of players.

For example, the 2002 draft class received sixteen new deals, while the 2006 and 2007 draft classes received just six and five respectively.

So after Wednesday’s deadlines here is where we stand with notable members of the 2008 class.

Note, Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose and Oklahoma City’s guard Russell Westbrook had already received new deals.

#2 – Michael Beasley – Minnesota Timberwolves
Status: No Deal

From the beginning the likelihood of Beasley receiving an extension was extremely low since the Minnesota Timberwolves’ top priority was locking up power forward Kevin Love to a long term deal. After struggling somewhat on the veteran laden Miami HEAT when he entered the league, Beasley has been solid during his stint in Minnesota.

#3 – O.J. Mayo – Memphis Grizzlies
Status: No Deal

Heading up to the deadline it was more likely to hear detailed rumors regarding Mayo being dealt than extended. Credit to Memphis, who as a small market team, has ponied up large contracts to Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol and Mike Conley recently.

The trade rumors revolving around Mayo will continue to gain steam as its unlikely the Grizzlies will be able to afford keeping Mayo at his expected price tag moving forward.

 #5 – Kevin Love – Minnesota Timberwolves
Status: Deal. Reportedly four-years $60 million

The T’Wolves were reluctant to offer Love a five-year deal and as a result the forward negotiated a clause which allows him to opt out after year three. This is an example of a good compromise as both sides win here.

The T’Wolves remain financial flexible, while also giving Love an option to become an unrestricted free agent in 2015 at the age of 26 – presumably the start of his prime years.

#6 – Danilo Gallinari – Denver Nuggets
Status: Deal. Reportedly four-years $42 million

Gallinari was acquired by Denver in the Carmelo Anthony blockbuster last season. The fourth year forward is one of the primary reasons the Nuggets are near the top of the Western Conference standings and the team wisely locked him up as part of their long term core.

#7 – Eric Gordon – New Orleans Hornets
Status: No Deal

Despite limited court time since becoming a Hornet the NBA authorized general manager Dell Demps to offer Gordon a four-year deal.

However according to a source close to the negotiations Gordon turned down the Hornets’ four-year offer and appears headed to free agency.

The high scoring guard will undoubtedly be one of the league’s most coveted free agent talents this summer.

#9 – DJ Augustin – Charlotte Bobcats
Status: No Deal

Sources in Charlotte maintained throughout the process that an extension for Augustin was unlikely to occur. The team is grooming rookie Kemba Walker to be their point guard of the future and are still undecided of Augustin’s long term role with the organization.

Augustin is having career year this season so his stock around the league, especially for teams in need of quality point guard play, will continue to rise.

#10 – Brook Lopez – New Jersey Nets
Status: No Deal

Like Mayo, Lopez has been the subject of a plethora of trade rumors.

Nets GM Billy King told the Star-Ledger that he wants to evaluate the Lopez situation during the summer to remain flexible and partly due to the center’s current injured foot.

#16 – Roy Hibbert – Indiana Pacers
Status: No Deal

Hibbert’s agent, David Falk, hinted earlier in the month that the emerging center would likely choose not to sign an extension at this point because he figures to get more lucrative offers in free agency.   

Falk is right.

Center talent is routinely well compensated. A quality young productive guy like Hibbert could cash in enormously.

#18 – JaVale McGee – Washington Wizards
Status: No Deal

According to Michael Lee of the Washington Post, even though McGee didn’t receive an extension the Wizards plan to issue a qualifying offer and match any offer the center receives as a restricted free agent – as it stands right now.

 #25 – Nicolas Batum – Portland Trail Blazers
Status: No Deal

Although an extension agreement wasn’t reached with Batum, the Blazers continue to maintain the small forward is part of their long term plans going forward.

But according to Joel Freeman of The Oregonian, Batum’s agent now promises to explore every other opportunity presented to his client before sitting at the table again with the Blazers.

However, the Blazers have all of the leverage in this situation. If the team issues a qualifying offer as expected, they’ll retain the right to match any offer for the talented wing.

Teams are valuing their respective cap space more than ever and are choosing to wait until the summer, issue qualifying offers and then matching deals from opposing teams as needed – in restricted free agency.

Dwight Howard And The Celtics? Until center Dwight Howard inks a long term deal with the Orlando Magic or is traded to one of his preferred destinations (which Orlando isn’t entertaining) expect rumors to continue swirling.

When asked by the Boston Herald whether he’d pick up the phone if Boston came calling, Howard didn’t rule out the possibility of taking a long hard look at the Celtics.

“I’d always listen to a team like that. My thing is I want to win. It’s not something like I’m doing this for money. I win. I want to do it my way. You look at a team like Boston and look at a team like LA who’s won . . . especially Boston. Man, those guys came together and they didn’t care who scored all the points. They had done all the individual stuff. You know, for me, I’ve done a lot of things individually, but I want a championship. All those accolades that I’ve got over the years, they mean a lot, but it’s just different watching teams hold up that trophy and knowing how hard you have to work to get it. They have the championship mentality. It means a lot. Like I said, I like the team. They play hard and they go after it, and that’s what I like.”

As HOOPSWORLD has pointed out in the past, Howard’s frustration with Orlando doesn’t solely revolve around the team’s wins or losses or the talent level.

Some of the issues also stem from how he perceives the organization handles certain types of business behind the scenes.

Free Daniel Orton? Orlando Magic general manager Otis Smith informed Joshua Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel that the team will not exercise its option on center Daniel Orton for the 2012-13 season.

Not a surprising development.

Orton, a former first-round draft selection, has not logged a single minute in the league since being drafted in 2010.

The young center seemed to completely understand the club’s decision not to pick up his option for next season but is confused on why he hasn’t been able to garner much court time. 

“I haven’t done anything on the court to prove that I can play or anything, so I understand why they did it,” Orton told the Orlando Sentinel regarding the Magic not picking up his option.  ”But I don’t understand a lot of things, such as why I didn’t get a chance maybe to showcase what I have.”

The Magic are trying to win a NBA title so the development of raw big man prospects with troublesome knees will undoubtedly take a backseat.

But as Mike Bianchi states in his report, Orton’s inability to receive a single minute since entering the league is strange in the very least – especially considering the lack of depth behind center Dwight Howard inside.

NBA Chats: There are three chats on the schedule today. Kicking things off will be HOOPSWORLD’s publisher Steve Kyler at 10:30am EST with his NBA Rumors chat. Get your questions for Steve in now. Next up is HOOPSWORLD’s Joel Brigham at 1:30pm EST. Joel covers the Chicago Bulls and Eastern Conference. Get your questions for Joel here. Next, HOOPSWORLD newsline editor Mark Nugent will get started at 6:00pm EST. Shoot Mark a question here. You can always find a list of the upcoming chats HERE