The Nets look like have their opening-night roster set, with 15 fully guaranteed contracts and three players on non-guaranteed camp deals who probably won’t be sticking around. The roster isn’t likely to change much throughout the season, as Billy King told Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report earlier this week that his club won’t sign anyone, even a minimum-salary player, as a replacement should someone get hurt. Most other rosters aren’t as stable, and we’ll examine some potential changes for a pair of Brooklyn’s Atlantic Division rivals:
- The Knicks are “leaning toward” keeping Jeremy Tyler‘s partially guaranteed contract, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post, who adds that the team will likely make its first cuts Thursday night. Tyler is recovering from foot surgery and might not play until late next month. “He’s still patiently going through rehab,” coach Mike Woodson said. “I don’t think we kick him to the curb. We thought so much coming out of summer league. I think at least see it through, see what he has to offer. He’s a young big. Our thought process was to try to develop him.”
- Woodson admits nepotism could influence the Knicks‘ decision on whether to keep J.R. Smith‘s brother Chris Smith on the roster for opening night, but even if he makes the team, Chris Smith expects to spend much of the season on assignment to the D-League, Berman notes in the same piece.
- The Sixers have 20 players on the roster and only 11 of them have fully guaranteed deals, but perhaps as few as one opening-night spot is still up in the air, coach Brett Brown said. Rodney Williams is one of five with at least a partial guarantee, and he appears still in the running to make the team, as Brown said the staff is continuing to evaluate him. Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com tweets the details.