Stashed guard Yam Madar loses arbitration case, will need buyout to join Celtics next season

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/stashed-guard-yam-madar-loses-205633432.html



Stashed guard Yam Madar loses arbitration case, will need buyout to join Celtics next season



Sun, July 11, 2021, 1:56 PM



Stashed guard Yam Madar loses arbitration case, will need buyout to join Celtics next season


Justin Quinn
Sun, July 11, 2021, 1:56 PM·1 min read



If the Boston Celtics decide they have to have stashed 2020 Israeli floor general Yam Madar on their roster for their coming 2021-22 campaign, it will cost them whatever the price to buy out his services ends up being after Madar lost his arbitration case to leave his current team, according to Sports Rabbi’s Moshe Halickman.

Madar was in arbitration with Hapoel Tel Aviv – his team in the Israeli Premier Basketball League — over whether the Beit Dagan native would be a free agent at the end of his 2020-21 campaign with that team. After a stellar season with Hapoel Tel Aviv which saw Madar become the youngest person in the Premier League’s history to win its Most Improved Player award, it’s easy to understand the motivation of both Madar and Hapoel Tel Aviv here.

Per Halickman, the arbitrator did not set a sum for Madar’s potential release, so that would be up to the Celtics and Hapoel Tel Aviv to negotiate.


The ruling evidently has not changed Madar’s plans to join Boston for Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada.

At present, no word from the Celtics on the potential for the Israeli guard to join Boston next season, but we’ll be monitoring this developing storyline for details, so stay tuned to this site for updates.


Bob
MY NOTE:  Madar signed a 4-year contract in 2018.  That would make this his final contract year. While there is no set buy out amount, it has been said Hapoel-Tel Aviv is looking for $700K.


Tomek Kordylewski
@Timi_093
·
Jul 11
Israeli court ruled that Yam Madar still has an agreement with Hapoel Tel Aviv for next year and therefore he is not released.

If the Celtics want to bring him over, they need to find an agreement with Hapoel Tel Aviv. There is no specific buy-out fee.


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If and that is a big if, Yam comes over and has an impressive run in the summer league maybe Boston negotiates a buyout. If not another year over there will not hurt. I think Boston can wait on him and not lose any sleep over it.

I'll pitch in $15. We need help at PG.

Chris Grenham @chrisgrenham
about 8 hours ago
In 2015, 14-year-old Yam Madar flew from Tel Aviv to Boston for a basketball camp with NBA dreams. Today, he flies to Boston to meet with Brad Stevens and the Celtics front office. I spoke with Madar’s long-time trainer Yogev Berdugo about his journey:


https://www.forbes.com/sites/chrisgrenham/2021/07/12/the-tireless-journey-of-boston-celtics-prospect-yam-madar/?sh=5b8ffa873170


The Tireless Journey Of Boston Celtics Prospect Yam Madar


Chris Grenham



VALENCIA, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 30: Yam Madar of Israel in action during the FIBA ​​EuroBasket 2022 group ... [+] EUROPA PRESS VIA GETTY IMAGES



In June of 2015, 14-year-old Yam Madar flew from Tel Aviv to Boston with NBA dreams. Alongside roughly 20 Israeli teenagers, Madar took the 90-minute trip from Logan International Airport to Colby-Sawyer College in New London, N.H., the then-home of Camp Step It Up, a sleep-away basketball camp run by Yogev Berdugo. On Monday, Madar returns to Boston for the first time to meet with the Boston Celtics front office ahead of his NBA Summer League debut.


Yogev Berdugo has been working with Madar since he was 12 years old. At the time, Berdugo was running a basketball camp in Israel, something he had begun to excel at following a playing career of his own.


Berdugo walked on at Hofstra University for two seasons before finishing his collegiate career at Brandeis University. Immediately following his graduation from Brandeis, Berdugo got on a flight to Israel to pursue his goal of playing professional basketball. He ultimately fulfilled that goal, making the Maccabi Givat Shmuel roster, where he played for one season.

Shortly thereafter, he returned to his alma mater, Yeshiva High School in Boca Raton, Fla. to do some skill development with their basketball program. There quickly became a demand for Berdugo to privately train players in the area, which kickstarted a domino effect. Within six months, they had about 100 clients, resulting in five full-time coaches and a Monday through Friday day camp. From private training to group training, day camps, and ultimately sleep-away camps, Camp Step It Up quickly became a valuable resource for young players like Madar.


After running a basketball camp in Israel during the summer of 2013, Berdugo got a call from Madar’s mother, Ma’ayan. He had just finished an impressive showing at the camp and wanted to get a private session in with Berdugo before the trainer returned to Florida. Madar impressed during a fast-paced, aggressive workout, which gave Berdugo extreme optimism about the 12-year-old’s future in basketball. The pair went through two more sessions, which left Madar wanting more.

Before returning to Florida, Berdugo suggested to Ma’ayan that her son should eventually come to the Camp Step It Up sleep-away camp in New Hampshire, about 90 minutes outside of Boston. Madar ended up spending six weeks at Camp Step It Up during his first trip, fine-tuning his skill set on a daily basis. After three summers at the camp, Madar made the Israeli National Team.

Madar was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the No. 47 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, but he continued his career with the Israeli Premier League’s Hapoel Tel Aviv as a draft-and-stash prospect. The Celtics officially extended the 20-year-old point guard an invitation to join their summer league team in mid-June following a very impressive 2020-21 campaign, according to sources.

Since arriving in the United States during the first week of July, Madar has been training with Berdugo at The College of New Jersey, the current home of Camp Step It Up. Madar and Berdugo have also worked out at the National Basketball Players Association headquarters in Manhattan. Madar will travel to Boston on Monday for 48 hours, where he’ll meet with the Celtics front office and get a few workouts in. He’ll then head to Los Angeles for about 10 days to continue his preparation before returning to Boston for summer league training camp.

So, what kind of player is Madar? Not many people know the point guard’s style better than Berdugo.

“Cerebral, different and shifty. He’s a killer on the court,” Berdugo said. “He’s always in attack mode offensively and defensively. He’s a wizard in the pick-and-roll game, both in the pick-and-pop and the short-roll. He is wise beyond his years when it comes to IQ. He’s been taught basketball at a very high level since a young age, but that’s also on him. He’s just a different kind of player. He’s had a feel for the game since the day I met him. He’s a true lead guard. A floor general. That’s who Yam Madar is.”


Madar put up impressive numbers with Hapoel Tel Aviv this past season, averaging 17.1 points, 5.2 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 30 games while playing 33.2 minutes per night. The 20-year-old saw an uptick in every statistical category between the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, something Berdugo attributes to his improved consistency. But no category sticks out more than Madar’s 3-point shooting, his most important development over the last 12 months.

The biggest concern regarding Madar’s game when they drafted him was his 3-point shooting, according to sources around the Celtics organization. His exceptional passing and ball-handling were great strengths, but they weren’t going to keep him on the court at the NBA level – he needed to be able to shoot at a high level, and this past season was a major step in the right direction. Ideally, Boston was looking for Madar to move his percentage into the mid-to-high 30’s. He did just that in 30 games with Hapoel Tel Aviv this season, raising his 3-point shooting percentage from 27.4% to 40.9%. Berdugo says the remarkable leap has plenty to do with Madar’s confidence and decision-making.

Last season, he averaged just north of 2.5 3-point attempts per game. This year, he nearly doubled that number, putting up 4.4 3’s per night. He nearly tripled his total 3-point makes from last season to this year, an increase of about 170%. When defenders go underneath screens, Madar now attacks the slice of daylight thanks to his increased confidence. That, combined with his basketball IQ, creates a tremendous on-court formula.

“His shot selection and decision-making are of the highest levels,” Berdugo noted. “He’s a high-level decision-maker. He makes brilliant decisions and takes great shots, which I think has attributed to his 3-point shooting.”

Madar’s offensive highlights often take attention away from what he does on the other side of the court. His 6-foot-5 wingspan allows him to comfortably defend multiple positions, giving him the defensive versatility many teams covet in their backcourt. He’s a pestering on-ball defender who uses his good hands and lateral movement to stay with quick opponents.

“Feisty and nasty on defense. A dog on defense,” Berdugo said. “Very smart off the ball as well with reading passing lanes. He’s as exciting as can be.”

When discussing his all-around skill set, Berdugo suggested an NBA comparison that Boston fans will be incredibly familiar with.

“He can give you 25 (points), but that’s not his M.O. If he has seven, eight and nine, he’s happy,” Berdugo said of Madar. “There was another point guard who played the same way that helped bring Boston a championship. His name is Rajon Rondo. I love to make that comparison because he is that.”

Madar’s work ethic stands out above all else, however.

“He’s a competitor. He’s a winner. He plays to win the game. He’s not chasing stats; the stats chase him because he’s a winner,” Berdugo said. “He’s a great team guy. He plays with soul and passion. He’s fun and entertaining. That’s Yam. I believe that he is going to captivate Celtics fans and NBA fans. I think Yam Madar was born to do this.”

Celtics fans are less than one month away from getting their first taste of Madar in an NBA-like environment. Time will tell what the rest of his future holds.


Bob


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So, Mader is being compared to Rondo, except with a shot and without the stat-chasing.

It would be nice if it turned out that way. I'd take 3/4 of Rondo's skillset, with a shot, please.

I'm having a hard time putting him on the scale. Is he a poor man's Kemba or a CP3 with PatBev on crack or in the Rondo camp somewhere as his coach puts it? Either way, $500,000 to buy out him contract is a drop in the bucket to put him center stage. I wouldn't waste anymore time on this and cough up the dough. Plenty of deadwood to make a space on the bench.

He will be a solid player and a fan favorite in Boston. I've liked him from the moment we picked him. Why? Because he has the right competitive attitude and he is a very hard worker, both just like Payton Pritchard, excellent qualities to have in a guard. Plus he is super intelligent.

Well, get Brad on the horn!!! Make it happen!! Heck, Brad's probably got $750,000 zipped up in his wallet.

db

dbrown4 wrote:I'm having a hard time putting him on the scale.  Is he a poor man's Kemba or a CP3 with PatBev on crack or in the Rondo camp somewhere as his coach puts it?  Either way, $500,000 to buy out him contract is a drop in the bucket to put him center stage.  I wouldn't waste anymore time on this and cough up the dough.  Plenty of deadwood to make a space on the bench.      

dbrown,

1. The number getting tossed around is $700K to buy him out. Not a big difference, but in the interest of accuracy...

2. Carsen Edwards is guaranteed $1.8M this year and a team option next year. I'd love to move him and provide the acquiring team with enough money from a TPE to pay for his salary, making the trade a cost-free look at him. Madar is 6'3", with a 6'5" wingspan. He shot 40.9% from 3 last year on 132 attempts. Edwards shot 28.6% from 3 last year on 63 attempts. We would no doubt have to take back salary in such a trade, but whomever we get can't be more useless than Edwards.

The $500K - $700K buyout money doesn't go against team salary cap, I believe. What I cannot find is any mention of how much Hapoel - Tel Aviv is paying him, so I don't know what kind of money he is expecting from us.


Bob


.

I like the write up on Yam.  

All of us are very anxious to see him in the Summer League.

Whatever the buyout number is, it does not effect the CAP.  I read that his team wants $700K and I think Boston will settle the buyout for something less.

If he plays well Boston may hold off on adding another PG to the mix until they evaluate what happens with Edwards and who may be available out there.

This is speculative of course.  In any event he was drafted by Boston and will be a Celtic and fans will be on board.

bobheckler wrote:

dbrown4 wrote:I'm having a hard time putting him on the scale.  Is he a poor man's Kemba or a CP3 with PatBev on crack or in the Rondo camp somewhere as his coach puts it?  Either way, $500,000 to buy out him contract is a drop in the bucket to put him center stage.  I wouldn't waste anymore time on this and cough up the dough.  Plenty of deadwood to make a space on the bench.      

dbrown,

1.  The number getting tossed around is $700K to buy him out.  Not a big difference, but in the interest of accuracy...

2.  Carsen Edwards is guaranteed $1.8M this year and a team option next year.  I'd love to move him and provide the acquiring team with enough money from a TPE to pay for his salary, making the trade a cost-free look at him.  Madar is 6'3", with a 6'5" wingspan.  He shot 40.9% from 3 last year on 132 attempts.  Edwards shot 28.6% from 3 last year on 63 attempts.  We would no doubt have to take back salary in such a trade, but whomever we get can't be more useless than Edwards.

The $500K - $700K buyout money doesn't go against team salary cap, I believe.  What I cannot find is any mention of how much Hapoel - Tel Aviv is paying him, so I don't know what kind of money he is expecting from us.


Bob


.

bobh You beat me to it but.

Carsen Edwards is not a pure PG. He is actually a shooting guard trapped in an undersized PG body. They are not remotely comparable.

Maybe Boston can move TT and CE for a PF. Something in the $10-12 million category. In other words a CAP neutral transaction needs to be made to address our PF depth and free up playing time for both PP and YM.

bobheckler wrote:

dbrown4 wrote:I'm having a hard time putting him on the scale.  Is he a poor man's Kemba or a CP3 with PatBev on crack or in the Rondo camp somewhere as his coach puts it?  Either way, $500,000 to buy out him contract is a drop in the bucket to put him center stage.  I wouldn't waste anymore time on this and cough up the dough.  Plenty of deadwood to make a space on the bench.      

dbrown,

1.  The number getting tossed around is $700K to buy him out.  Not a big difference, but in the interest of accuracy...

2.  Carsen Edwards is guaranteed $1.8M this year and a team option next year.  I'd love to move him and provide the acquiring team with enough money from a TPE to pay for his salary, making the trade a cost-free look at him.  Madar is 6'3", with a 6'5" wingspan.  He shot 40.9% from 3 last year on 132 attempts.  Edwards shot 28.6% from 3 last year on 63 attempts.  We would no doubt have to take back salary in such a trade, but whomever we get can't be more useless than Edwards.

The $500K - $700K buyout money doesn't go against team salary cap, I believe.  What I cannot find is any mention of how much Hapoel - Tel Aviv is paying him, so I don't know what kind of money he is expecting from us.


Bob


.

Bob,

If the goal is to get rid of Carsen Edwards' contract, you can't combine it with a TPE. You can add cash, enough to pay his salary. For 2020-21, the amount is $5.617 million. That number could change for next season, depending on where the final 2020-21 numbers land. That amount can be spread across multiple trades.

http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q98

We will have to get something back because it can't be just cash in a transaction. One worthless item to receive in a trade is a second-round pick, protected out 55 picks. There is actually a 55 pick limit in draft pick protection, that's why we see so many like that in trades.

http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q84

P.S.: An interesting find in Question #84 was that you can trade a Two-Way player that is under contract.

Yam Madar has signed a contract with that team in Europe (not his original team, Hapoel-Tel Aviv) that he had a gentleman's handshake with. So, he is definitely not going to be on the roster this year.

Yam and Bergarin are the easy decisions for Brad. Now come the harder ones...


Bob


.

KK Partizan officially announced the signing of Celtics draft-and-stash guard Yam Madar to a three-year contract. While the Serbian team’s press release doesn’t mention NBA outs, Madar’s new deal will likely give him the opportunity to come stateside if and when Boston is ready to add the 2020 second-rounder to its roster, but it appears that won’t happen in 2021/22.

Good situation all around. Gives him a place to play and try to develop his skills closer to an NBA level. You never know, he might be helpful one day.