NBA Rumor: Draft Combine Invitations

29 rumors in this storyline

More Rumors in this Storyline

NBA GM’s voted on a list of 105 players for invitations to the NBA Draft Combine. The top 60-70 vote-getters received invites to the Combine, although it remains unclear at this point if the Combine will actually happen. It could be virtual, sources said. The official invite list has yet to be released, but sources said Seton Hall’s Myles Powell, Marquette’s Markus Howard and Xavier’s Naji Marshall were invited from the Big East. The NBA Draft withdrawal deadline is Aug. 3. The Draft is set for Oct. 16.

Former Ohio State center Kaleb Wesson is among the prospects to have received an invitation to participate in the 2020 NBA Draft Combine, though an official date has not been set for the annual scouting event. According to a person with knowledge of the situation who spoke with USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s Rookie Wire because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, Wesson joins Penn State forward Lamar Stevens, TCU forward Desmond Bane and Stanford guard Tyrell Terry as those prospects invited to the NBA Draft Combine.
More HoopsHype Rumors
April 1, 2023 | 3:30 am EDT Update

NBA will implement a second salary cap apron for highest-spending teams

The NBA is curbing the ability of the highest-spending teams, such as the Golden State Warriors and the LA Clippers, to continue running up salary and luxury tax spending while still maintaining mechanisms to add talent to the roster. The NBA is implementing a second salary cap apron — $17.5 million over the tax line — and those teams will no longer have access to the taxpayer mid-level in free agency. Those changes will be eased into the salary cap over a period of years. Under these changes, Golden State’s Donte DiVincenzo, Milwaukee’s Joe Ingles, Boston’s Danilo Gallinari and former Clippers guard John Wall wouldn’t have been able to sign with those teams last summer.
The NBA and NBPA have agreed to increase the upper limits on extensions from a 120% increase on a current deal to 140%, which could have a significant impact on the futures of stars like Celtics forward Jaylen Brown. Under the current rules, Brown would be allowed to sign a four-year extension worth $165 million. With the extension rules increased to 140%, however, Brown — who is set to earn $31.8 million in the 2023-24 season, the final year of his current contract — would be able to reach his four-year maximum of $189 million, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
There is an increase in two-way contract slots, jumping from two to three per team. Two-way contracts were created in the 2017 collective bargaining agreement as a vehicle for teams to develop younger players. It has been seen as a success, as it’s become a route to players earning long-term homes in the league, and in several cases becoming major contributors.
The in-season tournament will arrive beginning in the 2023-24 season. The event will include pool-play games baked into the regular-season schedule starting in November — with eight teams advancing to a single-elimination tournament in December. The Final Four will be held at a neutral site, with Las Vegas prominent in the discussion, sources said. Each in-season tournament game would count toward regular-season standings; the two finalists would ultimately play 83 regular-season games. Winning players and coaches will earn additional prize money.