February 24 was a key date for the NBA players who were on non-guaranteed contracts for the 2020/21 season. While their salaries won’t technically become guaranteed until February 27, the players who remained under contract through 4:00pm central time on Wednesday are now assured those guaranteed salaries. If released today, they wouldn’t clear waivers by the start of February 27, so they’ve survived the cut.
While several players with non-guaranteed contracts were released in recent days, most are now safe. We’ll use the space below to break down those decisions from around the league.
The following players will have their non-guaranteed 2020/21 salaries become fully guaranteed on Saturday:
- PJ Dozier (Nuggets): $1,762,796
- Javonte Green (Celtics): $1,517,981
- Taj Gibson (Knicks): $2,283,684 ($1,442,968 cap hit)
- Willy Hernangomez (Pelicans): $1,737,145 ($1,620,564 cap hit)
- Frank Kaminsky (Suns): $1,882,867 ($1,620,564 cap hit)
- Damion Lee (Warriors): $1,762,796
- Alex Len (Wizards): $1,697,755 ($1,265,372 cap hit)
- Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (Nets): $1,824,003
- Kelan Martin (Pacers): $1,445,697
- Jalen McDaniels (Hornets): $1,517,981
- Juwan Morgan (Jazz): $1,517,981
- Mychal Mulder (Warriors): $1,517,981
- Jaylen Nowell (Timberwolves): $1,517,981
- David Nwaba (Rockets): $1,824,003
- Miye Oni (Jazz): $1,517,981
- Cameron Payne (Suns): $1,977,011
- Naz Reid (Timberwolves): $1,517,981
- Jae’Sean Tate (Rockets): $1,445,697
- Matt Thomas (Raptors): $1,517,981
- Dean Wade (Cavaliers): $1,517,981
- Paul Watson (Raptors): $1,445,697
The following players were waived within the last few days before their salaries could become fully guaranteed. Their dead-money cap hits are noted:
- Quinn Cook (Lakers): $797,183
- Shaquille Harrison (Jazz): $770,433
- Damian Jones (Suns): $785,285
- Andre Roberson (Nets): $163,818
- Glenn Robinson III (Kings): $930,930
- Iman Shumpert (Nets): $447,155
- Sindarius Thornwell (Pelicans): $721,484
- Noah Vonleh (Nets): $263,995
Some of these players remain on waivers, so their salaries technically could still become fully guaranteed – and their cap hits could be fully removed from their old teams’ books – if they’re claimed by a new team.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Wouldn’t the cap hits already incurred remain with the previous team? And then the new team would only be responsible for the remaining salary? If Quinn Cook has already been paid $797k by the Lakers then why would a team claiming him have a cap hit that was already paid by the Lakers?
The new team is only responsible for paying the remaining salary, but they do take on the full cap hit. Not sure what the thinking behind the rule is, but it may be related to disincentivizing waiver claims for taxpaying teams (since their end-of-season tax bill is based on cap numbers).
Same concept
My understanding
If Knicks trade Frank NT, Knox and Gibson for Drummond (Knicks give up &14 million salary for Drummond $28 million), Knicks cap hit is $28 million regardless how much Cavs have paid Drummond
But they would be relieved of the ex-Knick salaries and have cap room for the increase.