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View Full Version : Nolan Smith might be returning to the NBA next year...



CDu
04-27-2014, 09:30 PM
The Chicago Bulls (per a tweet by Chicagobullsbot) have apparently extended a partially-guaranteed contract for next season. I suspect this would be insurance in case they lose Augustin to free agency. It is no secret that the Bulls like Duke players. And Smith makes sense on a team that prefers their PG to be a scorer like the Bulls do. I hope it happens.

g-money
04-27-2014, 11:10 PM
This would be awesome - good luck Nolan!

It used to be that once a player left for Europe, his chances of making it back to the NBA would effectively be nil. Not anymore.

CDu, if the Bulls do indeed sign Mr. Smith, I may find it impossible to root against them in the East next year.

Dukehky
04-27-2014, 11:21 PM
Boozer might be amnestied and it just doesn't seem right if the Bulls don't have 2 Duke players. Duhon Deng, Deng Boozer, Boozer Dunleavy seems like it's been going on forever. I hope Nolan sticks if he gets the chance, I was surprised that he was unable to latch on in Portland.

CDu
04-28-2014, 08:07 AM
This would be awesome - good luck Nolan!

It used to be that once a player left for Europe, his chances of making it back to the NBA would effectively be nil. Not anymore.

CDu, if the Bulls do indeed sign Mr. Smith, I may find it impossible to root against them in the East next year.

Yeah, I was REALLY hoping he would have gone to the Bulls in the draft. Backing up Rose in an offense designed around the PG would have been perfect for him, and I would have LOVED for my NBA team to sign one of my all-time favorite Duke players.

I really hope it happens this time around.

Class of '94
04-28-2014, 10:52 AM
Adam Rowe retweeted a tweet that said Oklahoma has also offered Nolan a partially-guaranteed contract for next season as well. I think that could be a good opportunity and fit for Nolan as well. I could see him backing up Westbrook and at times having Nolan, Westbrook and KD on the court together as the same time.

Duvall
04-28-2014, 11:05 AM
Adam Rowe retweeted a tweet that said Oklahoma has also offered Nolan a partially-guaranteed contract for next season as well. I think that could be a good opportunity and fit for Nolan as well. I could see him backing up Westbrook and at times having Nolan, Westbrook and KD on the court together as the same time.

Two teams with extra appreciation for the value of guard depth.

NYBri
04-28-2014, 12:14 PM
Great news!

CameronBornAndBred
04-28-2014, 01:35 PM
What is a partially-guaranteed contract?

Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15
04-28-2014, 01:58 PM
What is a partially-guaranteed contract?

Well, a guaranteed contract means you will get paid.

.
.
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That's a partial explanation.

Great news for Nolan. Would love to see him back states side.

sagegrouse
04-28-2014, 02:15 PM
What is a partially-guaranteed contract?



With two years in the NBA, the minimum salary is $915 thousand. It would be great if his "partial guarantee" was enough to commit the team to keeping him. As a suspicious sort, I hope they are not just paying him to attend training camp.

UrinalCake
04-28-2014, 02:58 PM
Forgive my ignorance, but what has Nolan been doing since falling off the Blazers rotation? Has he been playing overseas, or in the NBDL?

Trey21
04-28-2014, 03:17 PM
Really happy for Nolan. He seems like a really good guy.

It can be tough for combo guards to make it in the NBA, but I think he can be a successful player if given the right opportunity. The Bulls and tge Thunder are excellent organizations.

Tripping William
04-28-2014, 03:21 PM
Forgive my ignorance, but what has Nolan been doing since falling off the Blazers rotation? Has he been playing overseas, or in the NBDL?

He has been doing his best Jeff Capel impersonation in the Adriatic League:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJyhxnv-m9Q

Bluedog
04-28-2014, 03:22 PM
Forgive my ignorance, but what has Nolan been doing since falling off the Blazers rotation? Has he been playing overseas, or in the NBDL?

He's been drilling buzzer-beating running 3's to send his team to the Adriatic League finals (i.e. Eastern Europe; see this thread for more info: http://forums.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?31944-Dukies-Hooping-Overseas-2013-14-Edition):


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJyhxnv-m9Q

He did play in the NBADL in early 2013 as well. I would LOVE to see Nolan on the Bulls!

JasonEvans
04-28-2014, 03:30 PM
What is a partially-guaranteed contract?

It means the team is guaranteeing to pay a portion of the full-season contract, but not the whole thing. The terms vary from situation to situation. It could just be a guarantee that they will pay his full training camp salary, but I would suspect it is something a little beyond that as that. My bet would be that teams are telling Nolan that they will pay him for training camp plus the first few weeks or maybe the first month of the season. It is a statement by the team that they feel pretty good about Nolan making the roster, but not such an endorsement that they are willing to sign him to a guaranteed deal.

Nolan would almost certainly only make the NBA minimum salary. For a player like Nolan with 2 years of experience, the min salary in 2014-15 will be $915,243. Not bad work if you can get it ;)

-Jason "Nolan had a good year with his Croatian team, that's why he is getting this interest from the NBA" Evans

JasonEvans
04-28-2014, 03:34 PM
He's been drilling buzzer-beating running 3's to send his team to the Adriatic League finals (i.e. Eastern Europe; see this thread for more info: http://forums.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?31944-Dukies-Hooping-Overseas-2013-14-Edition):


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJyhxnv-m9Q

He did play in the NBADL in early 2013 as well. I would LOVE to see Nolan on the Bulls!

Best part about that video is the reaction from the other team. Two of the guys just collapse to the floor. A third one picks up the ball and punts it into the stands. These guys want to win in Croatia!!!

-Jason "Nolan has averaged better than 16 ppg and 4 assists per game for Cedevita Zagreb, the team leader in both stats" Evans

BlueSheed
04-28-2014, 07:05 PM
Did Nolan's team end up winning the championship? Or is it yet to be played?

BD80
04-28-2014, 07:28 PM
What is a partially-guaranteed contract?


It means the team is guaranteeing to pay a portion of the full-season contract, but not the whole thing. The terms vary from situation to situation. It could just be a guarantee that they will pay his full training camp salary, but I would suspect it is something a little beyond that as that. My bet would be that teams are telling Nolan that they will pay him for training camp plus the first few weeks or maybe the first month of the season. It is a statement by the team that they feel pretty good about Nolan making the roster, but not such an endorsement that they are willing to sign him to a guaranteed deal.

Nolan would almost certainly only make the NBA minimum salary. For a player like Nolan with 2 years of experience, the min salary in 2014-15 will be $915,243. Not bad work if you can get it ;)

-Jason "Nolan had a good year with his Croatian team, that's why he is getting this interest from the NBA" Evans

The guarantees often expire around the trade deadline, allowing another team to acquire the partially guaranteed contract to make a trade work, and then quickly cut the player without paying much salary. Late season cuts also can avoid salary cap penalties while still using the player for most of the season.

bob blue devil
04-28-2014, 09:25 PM
What a lovable BD! Hope to see him getting NBA pt soon.

awhom111
04-28-2014, 09:56 PM
Best part about that video is the reaction from the other team. Two of the guys just collapse to the floor. A third one picks up the ball and punts it into the stands. These guys want to win in Croatia!!!

-Jason "Nolan has averaged better than 16 ppg and 4 assists per game for Cedevita Zagreb, the team leader in both stats" Evans

The stakes in the semifinal were possibly higher than those in the final. The two semifinal winners clinched EuroLeague berths for next season. The team that lost (from Serbia) is completely out of EuroLeague unless they get a wildcard, which is a huge deal because they are historically the best team in the region and generally considered a long-time European powerhouse. That shot alone means that one of the teams should have more money for the players next year while the other team might not be able to re-sign key players.


Did Nolan's team end up winning the championship? Or is it yet to be played?

They lost in the final. See the thread linked earlier for details (good thing a poster here keeps track of this sort of thing and provides regular updates).

UrinalCake
04-28-2014, 10:37 PM
He has been doing his best Jeff Capel impersonation in the Adriatic League:

Wow, that did look almost exactly like Capel's famous shot

MCFinARL
04-29-2014, 08:46 AM
The stakes in the semifinal were possibly higher than those in the final. The two semifinal winners clinched EuroLeague berths for next season. The team that lost (from Serbia) is completely out of EuroLeague unless they get a wildcard, which is a huge deal because they are historically the best team in the region and generally considered a long-time European powerhouse. That shot alone means that one of the teams should have more money for the players next year while the other team might not be able to re-sign key players.



They lost in the final. See the thread linked earlier for details (good thing a poster here keeps track of this sort of thing and provides regular updates).

Yes, that is a VERY good thing. Now if I could only remember who that poster is.....;)

Henderson
04-30-2014, 10:31 AM
Nolan would almost certainly only make the NBA minimum salary. For a player like Nolan with 2 years of experience, the min salary in 2014-15 will be $915,243. Not bad work if you can get it ;)


Yeah, especially if you don't have to read street signs in Serbo-Croatian anymore. Anyone know what he made at Cedevita Zagreb? I have no idea what those Euroleague salaries are like. I think $915K would be like 18 zillion Croatian Kuna.

wilson
04-30-2014, 11:21 AM
Yeah, especially if you don't have to read street signs in Serbo-Croatian anymore. Anyone know what he made at Cedevita Zagreb? I have no idea what those Euroleague salaries are like. I think $915K would be like 18 zillion Croatian Kuna.According to this (http://sportsagentblog.com/2012/07/30/nba-d-league-vs-european-basketball-why-dont-more-players-go-to-europe/), "average overseas players can get a $65,000 contract with ease." It's also important to note that European contracts include a couple of big ancillary benefits that NBA players don't get. Most notably, the majority of Euro players get a generous housing and/or living expenses allowance, and most of them also do not pay taxes on their salaries. That would seem to at least double the real-world value of the contract. The numbers still aren't on the same level as NBA dollars, but Nolan has presumably lived a comfortable life and done well enough for himself in Croatia.

NSDukeFan
04-30-2014, 05:57 PM
According to this (http://sportsagentblog.com/2012/07/30/nba-d-league-vs-european-basketball-why-dont-more-players-go-to-europe/), "average overseas players can get a $65,000 contract with ease." It's also important to note that European contracts include a couple of big ancillary benefits that NBA players don't get. Most notably, the majority of Euro players get a generous housing and/or living expenses allowance, and most of them also do not pay taxes on their salaries. That would seem to at least double the real-world value of the contract. The numbers still aren't on the same level as NBA dollars, but Nolan has presumably lived a comfortable life and done well enough for himself in Croatia.

Plus I would think that whole living in Croatia thing for a year would be a pretty cool benefit, admittedly not for all.

Henderson
04-30-2014, 06:45 PM
Plus I would think that whole living in Croatia thing for a year would be a pretty cool benefit, admittedly not for all.

Well, Zagreb ain't exactly the Dalmatian coast. But jokes aside, I agree with you. I'll bet Nolan enjoyed it. Everyone should live in a foreign land for a while if they can.