The Wizards found a replacement for the injured Emeka Okafor via trade, acquiring Marcin Gortat from the Suns for Okafor and a top-12 protected 2014 pick. The Suns also sent Shannon Brown, Kendall Marshall, and Malcolm Lee to Washington, but that trio is expected to be waived. Fears that Okafor may miss the entire season likely intensified the Wizards’ desire to pull off the deal.
The swap was just one of many roster moves that teams made in a busy week around the NBA as they sought to get ready for the regular season, which opens Tuesday. Here’s a recap, in case you missed anything:
- The Warriors inked Andrew Bogut to a three-year extension with a base salary of $36MM, and incentives that can increase the value to $41.4MM.
- The Lakers and Kobe Bryant are negotiating an extension, and co-owner Jim Buss vows his star won’t hit free agency in the summer.
- Eric Bledsoe and the Suns are also working toward an extension.
- Extension talks have been going on between the Jazz and Gordon Hayward and the Grizzlies and Ed Davis, but it doesn’t seem like either party will reach a deal.
- Sixers coach Brett Brown indicated Nerlens Noel is likely to miss the season, though he tried to walk back those comments later in the week.
- The buzz around the league is Goran Dragic will be the next to leave Phoenix, but Suns GM Ryan McDonough insists he’s not looking to trade the point guard.
- The Suns had yet more business to complete, exercising the 2014/15 options for Miles Plumlee, Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris and waiving James Nunnally.
- The Sixers cut Royce White, as well as Vander Blue, Mac Koshwal, Khalif Wyatt, Gani Lawal and Rodney Williams.
- The Jazz signed Jamaal Tinsley and released five other vets: Brian Cook, Dominic McGuire, Justin Holiday, Lester Hudson and Scott Machado.
- The Spurs signed Josh Howard, then turned around and waived him. He’ll likely wind up with San Antonio’s D-League affiliate. The Spurs also released Courtney Fells and Dan Nwaelele.
- The Bobcats waived Patrick O’Bryant.
- The Bucks released Stephen Graham, Trey McKinney Jones, and Olek Czyz.
- Camp invitees Dexter Pittman and D.J. White didn’t make the Bulls.
- The Cavaliers picked up the 2014/15 options of Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller, and waived DeSagana Diop, Kenny Kadji, Jermaine Taylor and Elliot Williams.
- The Celtics released DeShawn Sims, Damen Bell-Holter and Kammron Taylor, and they didn’t hang on to Chris Babb, either.
- Lou Amundson failed to make the Clippers, who also let go of Brandon Davies.
- The Grizzlies cut Andre Barrett, Melvin Ely, Tony Gaffney and Willie Reed.
- James Johnson, Royal Ivey and Eric Dawson didn’t make the cut for the Hawks.
- The Heat waived Jarvis Varnado, Larry Drew II and Charlie Westbrook, as well as Justin Hamilton and Eric Griffin.
- Trent Lockett came up short in his bid to make the Kings.
- C.J. Leslie, Ike Diogu, Josh Powell, Chris Douglas-Roberts and Jeremy Tyler were the camp casualties for the Knicks.
- The Lakers waived Marcus Landry.
- The Magic exercised their 2014/15 options on Nikola Vucevic, Maurice Harkless, Tobias Harris and Andrew Nicholson, and the team waived Mickell Gladness, Manny Harris, Kris Joseph and Romero Osby.
- Renaldo Balkman, Fab Melo, Devin Ebanks, D.J. Kennedy didn’t make the Mavs, and neither did Mickey McConnell.
- The Nets released Jorge Gutierrez, Chris Johnson (the one from Dayton) and Adonis Thomas.
- The Chris Johnson from LSU also hit the waiver wire, courtesy of the Timberwolves. Minnesota also cut Othyus Jeffers and Lorenzo Brown, and picked up their 2014/15 options on Derrick Williams and Ricky Rubio.
- The Nuggets waived Damion James.
- The Pacers let go of Hilton Armstrong, but they’ll keep Rasual Butler.
- Jonas Valanciunas and Terrence Ross will remain under contract with the Raptors through 2014/15, after the team picked up their options. Toronto also released Carlos Morais and Chris Wright.
- The Rockets released Marcus Camby and let go of Troy Daniels, too.
- The Thunder picked up the 2014/15 options for Reggie Jackson, Jeremy Lamb and Perry Jones III. The team also cut Diante Garrett and Rodney McGruder.
- Dee Bost, E.J. Singler and Richard Howell came up short in their quest to make the Trail Blazers.
- The Warriors exercised their options on Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes and Festus Ezeli, and waived Joe Alexander, Dewayne Dedmon and Seth Curry.
- The Wizards decided to exercise Bradley Beal‘s 2014/15 option, but they won’t pick up Jan Vesely‘s or Chris Singleton‘s. The team also released Josh Childress, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, and Xavier Silas.