Celtics Notes: Porzingis, Tillman, Kornet, Tatum, Brown, Horford
After undergoing surgery in June to address a torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg, Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis was ruled out for the start of the 2024/25 season, with an expectation that he’d be sidelined for at least five or six months. On Tuesday at the team’s media day, he offered an update on his recovery progress, telling reporters – including ESPN’s Tim Bontemps – that he’s “doing pretty good” and has increased his basketball activities ahead of training camp.
“Walking obviously with (no limp),” Porzingis said when asked about what he’s been able to do. “I’m running, I’m on the court, shooting normal. … I’m doing a lot of stuff honestly. I was already kind of with some live contact, doing some stuff and, yeah, it felt really good afterwards.”
Although Porzingis didn’t offer a specific target date or return timeline during his media day session, he recently told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne that he’s aiming to make it back in December if his recovery continues to progress as planned. According to Shelburne, the Celtics are constantly evaluating his progress and will err on the side of caution when it comes to reinserting him into the lineup.
“I don’t know that we’re interested in putting a timeline on him because the injury is unique,” president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said on Tuesday, per Bontemps. “But as far as how he feels and the progress that he’s made, I’d say we’re very, very pleased with where he is, and maybe a little surprised.”
Here’s more on the Celtics:
- Porzingis isn’t the only Celtics big man to have undergone surgery this offseason. According to Stevens, Xavier Tillman had a knee scope in July and Luke Kornet underwent a procedure on his wrist right after the season, but both players are recovered and good to go for camp, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
- Star forward Jayson Tatum joked on Tuesday that no one was happier than Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla that Tatum wasn’t named Finals MVP and then was held out of two Olympic games, since both experiences could provide added motivation heading into 2024/25, Weiss writes for The Athletic. Still, Tatum said he didn’t need any extra motivation and that he enjoyed his Olympic experience as a whole despite the “unique circumstance” of being benched for two games.
- While Tatum downplayed his Olympic role (or lack thereof) as a source of motivation for the coming season, teammate Al Horford said he “personally was not happy about” Tatum’s sporadic minutes and Jaylen Brown‘s omission from the U.S. roster, according to Shelburne. “Those guys, they’re very special to me. And even though it was nothing against me, it motivated me and all of us for this season,” Horford said. “I know that they handled it well. They’re fine. But when you see those two guys, the amount of work that they’ve put in, the sacrifices they have made. To be on the top of their games and that happened to them, it was hard to watch (the Olympics) and not see them in the position that we would’ve hoped to see them in.” Brown, who expressed his displeasure in the summer after not being named to Team USA, added on Tuesday that he’s “extremely motivated” heading into the 2024/25 season “for obvious reasons.”
- As Weiss relays, Tatum told reporters on Tuesday that he has been making some mechanical tweaks to his jump shot this offseason after struggling with it at the Olympics and in the 2024 postseason. “There (are) some things I could’ve fixed (earlier), but just in the midst of the playoffs trying to manage your rest and things like that, it’s a little tougher,” Tatum said. “I was still playing well, just wasn’t shooting the ball as well as I would have liked. And obviously, we were winning, so it wasn’t the time or place to try to fix things in that moment.”
Southwest Notes: J. Smith, H. Jones, Grizzlies, Edey
Paolo Banchero, the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft, won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award in 2023, while the No. 2 pick in the ’22 class, Chet Holmgren, would have claimed the award in 2024 if not for Victor Wembanyama‘s historic season.
However, Rockets forward Jabari Smith – the third overall pick in 2022 – struggled in his first professional season, and while he improved his shooting percentages in year two, he hasn’t yet shown the kind of All-NBA potential that Banchero and Holmgren have displayed.
As Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle writes in a subscriber-only story, Smith just turned 21 in May and has intriguing tools to go along with a strong work ethic, seemingly making him a strong candidate for a breakout season in 2024/25.
Still, as Feigen acknowledges, the Rockets will want to make sure players like Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, Fred VanVleet, and Amen Thompson have the ball in their hands frequently, which may not leave a ton of opportunities for Smith to create his own scoring chances. He’ll still be relied upon largely as an off-ball floor spacer on offense, Feigen adds, so while a third-year leap is a possibility, it might be more realistic to expect continued steady growth from the former No. 3 overall pick.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- Herbert Jones admitted it was a great feeling to make the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team last season, but the Pelicans forward doesn’t want to get complacent after earning that honor for the first time in 2023/24, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com (subscription required). “It felt amazing,” Jones said. “At the same time, you are always trying to reach for more. After I saw the news, my initial thought was, ‘You have to do it again.'”
- Will any of the Grizzlies players currently on Exhibit 10 contracts – Miye Oni, Yuki Kawamura, Maozinha Pereira, and Armando Bacot – stick with the team into the regular season? Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal explores that question, suggesting that the team’s relative lack of depth in the frontcourt could make Bacot the best bet to make the 18-man roster. If the Grizzlies were to promote a two-way player like Scotty Pippen Jr. to the standard roster, it could open up a two-way slot for a camp invitee such as Bacot, Cole notes.
- In a separate story for The Commercial Appeal, Cole spoke to Purdue assistant coach Brandon Brantley about what to expect from former Boilermakers star Zach Edey, whom the Grizzlies selected with the ninth overall pick in this year’s draft. While there are questions about how some aspects of Edey’s game will translate to the NBA, the big man’s rebounding definitely won’t be an issue at the next level, according to Brantley. “Memphis is going to have a dude in that paint that’s going to hold that paint down,” Brantley said. “Usually guys that size will try to rebound their area. He rebounds outside of his area. It means something to him.”
Pre-Camp Roster Snapshot: Southeast Division
Hoops Rumors is in the process of taking a closer look at each NBA team’s current roster situation, evaluating which clubs still have some moves to make and which ones seem most prepared for training camp to begin.
This series is meant to provide a snapshot of each team’s roster at this time, so these articles won’t be updated in the coming weeks as more signings, trades, and/or cuts are made. You can follow our roster counts page to keep tabs on teams’ open spots as opening night nears.
We’re continuing our pre-camp Roster Snapshot series today with the Southeast Division. Let’s dive in…
Atlanta Hawks
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 15
- Players on Exhibit 10 contracts: 1
- Players on two-way contracts: 3
- Unsigned draft picks: 1
There are some non-essential pieces on the Hawks‘ 15-man roster — Zeller was acquired via sign-and-trade as a necessary salary-matching piece in the Dejounte Murray deal, while Atlanta traded for Roddy because Phoenix wanted to get off his salary. Still, waiving either of them (or anyone else) in order to sign a new minimum-salary player doesn’t make sense for the Hawks, since doing so would push their team salary into tax territory.
More Exhibit 10 signees are likely coming in order to help fill out the College Park Skyhawks’ roster, but the biggest question here is what happens with Djurisic, the second-round pick who is coming off a foot surgery that will sideline him well into the fall.
Djurisic had been playing in Serbia, so there has been speculation that he’ll remain overseas as a draft-and-stash prospect. However, Nebojsa Covic – the president of Crvena Zvezda, one team linked to Djurisic – denied that his club has any plans to add him, noting that the 20-year-old is “in America.”
My best guess is that the Hawks plan to have Djurisic start the season with their G League affiliate and will consider promoting him to the 18-man roster (either on a standard or two-way contract) later in the season, once he’s fully recovered.
Charlotte Hornets
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 13
- Players on non-guaranteed standard contracts: 1
- Taj Gibson (partial guarantee)
- Players on Exhibit 10 contracts: 4
- Players on two-way contracts: 2
- Players who have reportedly reached contract agreements: 2
- Raequan Battle (Exhibit 10), Harry Giles (Exhibit 10?)
It seems safe to assume Gibson will make the Hornets‘ opening night roster, but that still leaves an open spot on the projected 15-man standard roster. Charlotte doesn’t need to fill that spot, but the club’s salary is so far below the luxury tax line that it would make sense to add a 15th man on a non-guaranteed deal.
There are plenty of free agents still available who would be fits in Charlotte. Some of the team’s camp invitees could be in the mix for that spot too, though they may also be battling for the final two-way slot alongside Diabate and Simpson.
Of the current Exhibit 10 players on the roster and those who have been reported, only Giles has too many years of NBA service to qualify for a two-way deal, so he’s a possible candidate for the standard roster.
Miami Heat
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 14
- Players on Exhibit 10 contracts: 2
- Players on two-way contracts: 3
- Players who have reportedly reached contract agreements: 1
Reports throughout the offseason have indicated that the Heat aren’t interested in carrying a full 15-man roster into the regular season since doing so would push their team salary above the second tax apron. So it came as a bit of a surprise on Monday when word broke that the team had agreed to a deal with Little.
Moving slightly above the second apron isn’t that big a deal though — based on reports out of Miami, it sounds like Little’s contract will be either non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed, allowing them to waive him in a month or two (or even earlier) and duck back below the second apron if they so choose.
Plus, while teams above the second apron aren’t permitted to aggregate salaries in a trade, the Heat would still be able to do so if they’re below the second apron upon completion of the deal. So if they were operating above the second apron by $1MM and made a trade in which they aggregated three contracts in order to take back two while shedding $3MM in salary, that’d be permitted.
While the 15th spot is the bigger story to watch here, it’s also worth keeping an eye on the two-way slots. The Heat already made one change to those spots this offseason when they waived Pullin in order to sign Christopher. Stevens and Pullin (who is back on an Exhibit 10 contract) could make cases to be converted to two-way deals with strong performances in camp and the preseason.
Orlando Magic
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 15
- Players on Exhibit 10 contracts: 5
- Players on two-way contracts: 1
- Players who have reportedly reached contract agreements: 1
- Robert Baker (Exhibit 10)
The Magic‘s 15 players on standard contracts look set, but with only one two-way slot filled so far, they could put the other two spots up for grabs in a camp competition.
McClung is reportedly viewed as a good candidate to claim one of those two-way deals. Of the current camp invitees, only Culver – who has four years of NBA service – is ineligible to be converted to a two-way contract.
Washington Wizards
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 15
- Players on non-guaranteed standard contracts: 1
- Players on two-way contracts: 2
- Players who have reportedly reached contract agreements: 3
- Leaky Black (Exhibit 10), Kira Lewis (Exhibit 10), Jaylen Nowell (Exhibit 10)
Butler appeared in 40 games for the Wizards last season, but the only way he’ll be part of this year’s opening night roster is if the team trades or waives a player on a guaranteed contract. That’s not out of the question — Baldwin is probably the player whose roster spot would be most in jeopardy, since the former first-round pick has yet to establish himself as a reliable rotation player and didn’t look great in Summer League.
Interestingly, Lewis and Nowell agreed to Exhibit 10 deals with Washington despite being ineligible for two-way deals, so they’ve either resigned themselves to joining the Capital City Go-Go or were promised a shot to compete for a standard roster spot.
Black could be in the mix for the open two-way slot here. Butler would also be two-way eligible, but he’d have to be waived and re-signed. The Wizards could also look outside the organization to fill that spot, perhaps targeting a player from another roster who’s cut during or after the preseason.
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Spurs Sign Jameer Nelson Jr.
The Spurs have signed free agent guard Jameer Nelson Jr., according to Paul Garcia of The Spot Up Shot, who cites the team’s official roster page.
While the terms of the agreement aren’t known, it’s likely a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract. An Exhibit 10 contract can be converted to a two-way deal prior to the regular season (the Spurs have one open slot) or can make a player eligible to earn a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he’s waived and then spends at least 60 days with his team’s G League affiliate (in this case, the Austin Spurs).
The son of longtime NBA point guard Jameer Nelson, Jameer Jr. spent his first two college seasons at George Washington, followed by two years at Delaware and a single season at TCU in 2023/24. As a super-senior for the Horned Frogs, he averaged 11.2 points, 3.3 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.1 steals in 25.0 minutes per game across 34 appearances (22 starts), with a shooting line of .434/.306/.738.
After going undrafted in June, Nelson caught on with the Spurs for Summer League play, appearing in eight total games with the team in the California Classic and Las Vegas leagues. He struggled with his shot (.277/.267/.600) in a limited role (11.2 MPG), but it appears the Spurs still envision him having a spot on their G League team.
San Antonio now has a full 21-man roster, though more moves are expected in the coming days and weeks.
Warriors Sign Blake Hinson To Exhibit 10 Contract
SEPTEMBER 24: The Warriors have officially signed Hinson, per RealGM’s NBA transaction log.
SEPTEMBER 19: The Warriors and free agent wing Blake Hinson have agreed to terms on an Exhibit 10 contract, league sources Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Hinson began his college career at Ole Miss in 2018 and spent two years with the program before transferring to Iowa State. He never ended up playing for the Cyclones, transferring again to Pittsburgh, where he played from 2022-24. The 24-year-old put up impressive stats in his super-senior year in ’23/24, averaging 18.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. He was one of the NCAA’s best outside shooters, making 42.1% of 7.9 three-point attempts per game.
After going undrafted in June, Hinson signed a two-way deal with the Lakers during the first week of July and played for the team at the Las Vegas Summer League. However, he was waived on Monday when Los Angeles needed to open up a two-way slot for big man Christian Koloko. Hinson, who cleared waivers on Wednesday, chose Golden State over “several” interested clubs, according to Scotto.
While Hinson’s Exhibit 10 deal will make him eligible to be converted to a two-way contract before the regular season begins, the Warriors have no shortage of candidates for those spots — all three two-way slots are currently occupied and second-round pick Quinten Post is still expected to sign a two-way deal, supplanting one of the current players.
Hinson may end up being waived and then earning an Exhibit 10 bonus worth up to $77.5K by spending at least 60 days with the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State’s G League affiliate.
Jazz Sign, Waive Keshawn Justice
SEPTEMBER 23: The Jazz have waived Justice, according to the NBA’s transactions log.
SEPTEMBER 20: Justice has officially signed with the Jazz, the team confirmed in a press release.
SEPTEMBER 19: The Jazz are expected to sign free agent forward Keshawn Justice to an Exhibit 10 contract, reports Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Justice went undrafted in 2023 after five seasons at Santa Clara. He caught on with the Jazz’s Summer League squad and then spent his first professional season with the team’s G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars.
In 31 Showcase Cup and regular season outings for the Stars, Justice registered averages of 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 23.8 minutes per game. He shot just 38.2% from the field, but made 39.0% of his three-point attempts and 75.0% of his free throws.
The Jazz’s deal with Justice suggests they likely plan on having him rejoin the Stars, who hold his NBAGL returning rights. Justice’s Exhibit 10 contract will put him in line to receive a bonus worth up to $77.5K (on top of his standard G League salary) if he spends at least 60 days with Utah’s G League squad.
Utah has one opening on its 21-man offseason roster, so no corresponding move will be necessary to make room for Justice.
Raptors Sign, Waive Dylan Disu
3:02pm: Just hours after signing him, the Raptors have waived Disu, according to Murphy (Twitter link). They now have 20 players under contract.
9:10am: The Raptors have signed free agent forward Dylan Disu to an Exhibit 10 contract, reports Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link).
Disu, 23, began his college career at Vanderbilt in 2019 before transferring to Texas in 2021. Knee surgery limited his effectiveness during his first year with the Longhorns, but he eventually became a crucial part of Texas’ lineup, averaging 15.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.1 blocks in 25.8 minutes per game across 25 outings (20 starts) as a super-senior in 2023/24. He posted a shooting line of .465/.451/.812 last season.
After going undrafted in June, Disu joined the Raptors’ Summer League roster in July and saw action in three games in Las Vegas.
In all likelihood, the Raptors are planning on having Disu eventually join their G League team, the Raptors 905. His Exhibit 10 contract will make him eligible for a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days with Toronto’s affiliate. While Exhibit 10 deals can also be converted into two-way contracts prior to the season, the club doesn’t currently have a two-way spot available.
The Raptors now have a full 21-man roster, though that doesn’t necessarily mean the team won’t make additional moves between now and the start of training camp next Tuesday.
Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson Won’t Be Ready For Start Of Season
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson won’t be available at the start of the regular season, according to reports from Yaron Weitzman of FOX Sports (Twitter link) and Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
Robinson underwent surgery on his left ankle in May to address a stress injury after having undergone a procedure on the same ankle last December. His recovery is ongoing, and both Weitzman and Begley suggest that the Knicks and Robinson are targeting a return in December or January.
Weitzman’s and Begley’s sources say that New York is proceeding cautiously with Robinson’s recovery process, given the troubles that ankle has given him in the last year, and that the team is confident in the “depth and versatility” of its frontcourt, which will have to get by without the Knicks’ starting center for the first couple months of the season.
The Knicks’ depth at center has already been a source of some concern entering the 2024/25 season, given that the club lost Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency and didn’t add a replacement for the big man. Further complicating matters is the fact that Julius Randle is recovering from a surgery of his own (on his shoulder) and isn’t guaranteed to be available for opening night, though his recovery process is believed to be further along than Robinson’s.
When Randle underwent his shoulder procedure in early April, the team announced that he’d be reevaluated in five months, which would be early September. However, the team hasn’t provided any formal update on the three-time All-Star — that update will likely come on Media Day next week.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau has spoken about the possibility of Randle playing some small-ball center this season, but even if Randle is available by opening night, the team will have to lean more heavily on big men like Jericho Sims and Precious Achiuwa until Robinson is ready to return. It’s also worth noting that Robinson’s unavailability this fall could help give power forward Marcus Morris a leg up on guard Landry Shamet in the battle for the 15th and final spot on the Knicks’ standard roster.
Robinson is an athletic rim-runner and rim protector who holds career averages of 8.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 24.5 minutes per game across 320 career outings (196 starts). He has been impacted by injuries in recent years though, as he has missed 125 of 318 total regular season games and 12 of 29 playoff contests since the start of the 2020/21 season.
Raptors To Retire Vince Carter’s No. 15 Jersey
Vince Carter‘s jersey will be retired by two separate NBA franchises during the 2024/25 season. After the Nets announced last week that they’ll retire Carter’s No. 15 at a ceremony in January, Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca reports that the Raptors will do the same with his No. 15 jersey when they host the Kings on November 2.
It will be the first time in Raptors history that the team has retired a player’s jersey.
The fifth overall pick in the 1998 draft, Carter spent his first six seasons in the NBA with Toronto. He was traded to the Nets midway through his seventh season and spent the next four-and-a-half years with New Jersey before bouncing around the league and playing for six different teams during the second half of his 22-year Hall of Fame career.
As a Raptor, Carter became the first true star in the history of a franchise that began play in 1995, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 1999 and making the All-Star team six consecutive times beginning in 2000. He averaged 23.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game in 403 total regular season appearances for Toronto and put on one of the all-time great shows at the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest in 2000.
As Lewenberg writes, Carter’s emergence as an NBA superstar and his role in leading the Raptors to the first three postseason appearances in team history helped spur the growth and popularity of basketball in Canada, leading to a significant uptick in the number of Canadians playing in the NBA. The 6’6″ wing still ranks fourth overall on the Raptors’ all-time scoring list, despite coming in at just 12th in games played.
Despite the impressive résumé he compiled during his time with the Raptors, Carter’s legacy in Toronto is a complicated one, Lewenberg notes. When he requested a trade, there was a widespread perception among many Raptors fans that he had given up on the team. When he returned to Toronto as a visitor, he was loudly booed for several years after the deal.
Within the organization, the decision to retire Carter’s No. 15 wasn’t a given, according to Lewenberg, who says there were “high-ranking members” of the organization who felt that Kyle Lowry should be the first Raptor to have his jersey hung in the rafters.
With Lowry still active, however, and the Nets indicating back in the spring that they planned to retire Carter’s jersey, there was a “strong push” made on the 47-year-old’s behalf in Toronto, per Lewenberg. The relationship between Carter and Raptors fans has also healed significantly within the last decade — he received a standing ovation as a member of the Grizzlies when the Raptors honored with him a tribute video during their 20th anniversary season in 2014/15, Lewenberg adds.
According to Lewenberg, the Raptors considered the idea of retiring Carter’s No. 15 on October 25, when Lowry and the Sixers will be in town. However, they ultimately settled on the Nov. 2 game vs. Sacramento. DeMar DeRozan, another longtime Raptor who will likely have his jersey retired eventually, will be in town as a member of the Kings that night.
Pre-Camp Roster Snapshot: Pacific Division
Hoops Rumors is in the process of taking a closer look at each NBA team’s current roster situation, evaluating which clubs still have some moves to make and which ones seem most prepared for training camp to begin.
This series is meant to provide a snapshot of each team’s roster at this time, so these articles won’t be updated in the coming weeks as more signings, trades, and/or cuts are made. You can follow our roster counts page to keep tabs on teams’ open spots as opening night nears.
We’re continuing our pre-camp Roster Snapshot series today with the Pacific Division. Let’s dive in…
Golden State Warriors
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 12
- Players on non-guaranteed standard contracts: 2
- Players on Exhibit 10 contracts: 1
- Players on two-way contracts: 3
- Players who have reportedly reached contract agreements: 1
- Blake Hinson (Exhibit 10)
- Unsigned draft picks: 1
The Warriors are hard-capped at the first tax apron and are currently less than $1MM away from that threshold, so carrying a full 15-man standard roster won’t be an option to start the season. That doesn’t mean roster changes aren’t possible, since either Santos or Waters could be replaced with a minimum-salary player. However, recent reporting suggested that Golden State will probably stick with those two for opening night, despite recently working out several veteran free agents.
The Warriors have been in the process of shuffling Exhibit 10 players on and off the roster, having waived Donta Scott, Yuri Collins, and Javan Johnson within the last few days. That process figures to continue.
One key outstanding question in Golden State is which two-way player will be cut to make room for Post — the No. 52 overall pick is expected to receive a two-way contract of his own, but either Beekman, Plowden, or Spencer will have to be waived to open up a spot.
Two-way players who are holdovers from the prior season are generally more in danger of losing their roster spots than newly signed players, which is why I’d long viewed Spencer as the Warriors’ most likely release candidate. However, the fact that the College Park Skyhawks recently surrendered a G League draft pick in a trade for Plowden’s returning rights is a signal that he could be the odd man out. Complicating matters further? Beekman was easily the trio’s least effective performer in Summer League play. I wouldn’t necessarily assume that any one of these three players is entirely safe.
Los Angeles Clippers
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 15
- Players on Exhibit 10 contracts: 4
- Players on two-way contracts: 2
- Players who have reportedly reached contract agreements: 1
- Alondes Williams (Exhibit 10?)
With 15 players on standard guaranteed contracts, the Clippers‘ standard roster looks pretty set for opening night. They’d probably like to find a taker for Tucker’s expiring contract, but I wouldn’t count on that happening before the season begins.
There’s still work to be done with the Clippers’ two-way contracts though. Even if Flowers and Miller keep their spots, the club will almost certainly add a third player to that group prior to the start of the regular season. Of the camp invitees on Exhibit 10 contracts, Jones – the 19th overall pick in 2021 – looks like the most intriguing option for that final two-way slot.
Meanwhile, the reporting on Williams’ alleged agreement with the Clippers was somewhat vague and has yet to be corroborated, so it’s unclear if and when that signing will be finalized and what kind of contract he’ll get. It’s possible Williams could be among the players in the mix for the final two-way spot.
Los Angeles Lakers
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 15
- Players on Exhibit 10 contracts: 3
- Players on two-way contracts: 3
- Players who have reportedly reached contract agreements: 1
- Sean East (Exhibit 10)
Like the Clippers, the Lakers have one or more potential salary-dump candidates among their 15 guaranteed players on guaranteed contracts, but those trade opportunities are more likely to materialize during the regular season than during the preseason. I’d expect the 15 players on standard contracts listed above to be the ones on the Lakers’ opening night roster.
The Lakers have shown already this offseason that they don’t mind shaking up their two-way spots — they signed Blake Hinson to a two-year, two-way contract in July, only to waive him a couple months later in favor of Koloko. It’s possible the team will make another change to that group (Goodwin, notably, is eligible to converted). Otherwise, we should just expect minor Exhibit 10 signings and cuts in the coming weeks.
Phoenix Suns
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 14
- Players on Exhibit 10 contracts: 1
- Players on two-way contracts: 3
- Players who have reportedly reached contract agreements: 3
- Boo Buie (Exhibit 10), Mamadi Diakite (Exhibit 10), Tyrese Samuel (Exhibit 10)
This is the first time in a few years that the Suns have had a G League team of their own, so we’ll see just how many affiliate and returning-rights players they sign to Exhibit 10 contracts prior to the season. If they complete their reported deals with Buie, Diakite, and Samuel, they’ll be at the 21-man roster limit, but more transactions are certainly a possibility.
The Suns, who had been carrying 16 players on guaranteed contracts, opened up a spot on their projected 15-man regular season roster by waiving both Nassir Little and E.J. Liddell last month. Given that they stretched both players’ salaries in an effort to reduce their projected tax bill, I imagine they aren’t all that eager to fill that 15th spot with a new addition right away — that may not happen until later in the season.
Sacramento Kings
- Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 12
- Players on non-guaranteed standard contracts: 2
- Keon Ellis, Orlando Robinson (partial guarantee)
- Players on Exhibit 10 contracts: 1
- Players on two-way contracts: 3
- Players who have reportedly reached contract agreements: 2
- Skal Labissiere (Exhibit 10), Terry Taylor (Exhibit 10?)
The Kings are in a similar spot to the Warriors. With just 12 players on fully guaranteed contracts, plus two more without full guarantees, Sacramento theoretically has some room to make changes at the back of its roster. But adding a 15th man would push the team’s salary into luxury tax territory. Plus, Keon Ellis should have a rotation role and Robinson has a $500K partial guarantee, so neither looks like a great candidate to be cut before opening night.
While Sacramento could carry a 15th man into the season and worry down the road about ducking out of the tax, I don’t expect that to be the plan unless the club is hit hard by injuries in the preseason. For what it’s worth, the Kings are already dealing with one injury — Carter is expected to be sidelined until at least January as he recovers from shoulder surgery.
Even if they were to finalize the Labissiere and Taylor signings today, the Kings would still have an open spot on their 21-man preseason roster, so more Exhibit 10 signings (and cuts) are likely coming. We’ll see if any of those players, including Boogie Ellis, get a shot to unseat Crawford or the Joneses for a two-way spot or whether Sacramento is content to carry its current two-way players into the season.
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