Rockets Part Ways With Stephen Silas
April 10: The Rockets have officially declined their option and parted ways with Silas, the team announced.
“On behalf of the Fertitta family and the entire Rockets organization, I would like to thank Stephen for his contributions to the team and the Houston community over the past three seasons,” said general manager Rafael Stone. “I have great respect for Stephen both as a person and as a basketball mind. His character, leadership, and positivity have been invaluable during this stage of our growth.”
April 9: Stephen Silas won’t return in 2023/24 as the Rockets‘ head coach, according to reports from Kelly Iko, Shams Charania, and Sam Amick of The Athletic and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Because he doesn’t have a guaranteed contract for next season, Silas isn’t technically being fired. However, Houston will turn down its team option on the final year of Silas’ deal and will hire a new head coach.
Rockets management is expected to meet with Silas on Monday to formally part ways, according to The Athletic and ESPN (Twitter link). Word of his exit broke moments after the club won its regular season finale on Sunday.
“I feel proud,” Silas said after Sunday’s game (Twitter link via Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle). “I wanted to be a head coach my whole life like my dad (Paul Silas). I’m proud of these guys. There’s been a lot of talk about my job for a long time. They kept working and playing hard, playing hard for their coach. I’m proud of that.”
Silas was hired by the Rockets to replace Mike D’Antoni prior to the 2020/21 season, back when James Harden and Russell Westbrook were still on the roster. Both of those stars requested trades early in Silas’ tenure and the team pivoted to a rebuild, significantly altering the nature of the job. Silas ultimately led the Rockets to a 59-177 (.250) record during his three years with the club, which was the NBA’s worst record during that time.
According to The Athletic’s story, the Rockets seriously considered firing Silas after slow starts both last season and this season, but he was able to save his job in both instances due to timely wins during those evaluation periods. Following the passing on Stephen’s father Paul this past December, the Rockets intended to let Silas finish the season.
Iko, Charania, and Amick say that Houston believes a head coaching change is necessary to take a next step toward contention, adding that the team will prioritize a more established coach when seeking Silas’ replacement.
Sources tell The Athletic that Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin, and former NBA head coaches Frank Vogel, James Borrego, and Ime Udoka are expected to be among Houston’s candidates. Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link) suggests that Trail Blazers assistant Scott Brooks, another former head coach, is also drawing interest from the Rockets.
Raptors coach Nick Nurse would be a target too if he doesn’t remain in Toronto, according to The Athletic’s reporters, who say the Rockets will have about eight candidates on their wish list.
As for Silas, he’ll likely be a popular target for teams seeking experienced assistant coaches this offseason, says Wojnarowski. Because he isn’t owed guaranteed money from the Rockets in 2023/24, Silas seems less likely to take a year off before finding a new job.
Checking In On NBA’s 2023 Lottery Standings, Projected Draft Order
The 2022/23 NBA regular season is officially over, but the draft order for June 22 has not yet been set.
A handful of factors, including the play-in results, random tiebreakers, and – of course – the lottery results themselves will ultimately determine what the 58(*) picks in the 2023 NBA draft look like. But with the season in the books, there’s plenty we do know.
(* Note: The Sixers’ second-round pick and the Nuggets’ second-round pick, which was acquired by the Bulls, are forfeited due to free agency gun-jumping violations.)
Let’s dive in and check in on a few key aspects of the lottery standings and projected draft order…
Tentative lottery standings/odds
So far, only 10 of the 14 teams involved in the draft lottery are known — the four teams eliminated in the play-in tournament will join them.
With the help of data from Tankathon, here’s a tentative breakdown at what the lottery odds would look like if the play-in favorites (the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds) advance through the tournament and secure playoff spots:
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DET | 14 | 13.4 | 12.7 | 12 | 47.9 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| HOU | 14 | 13.4 | 12.7 | 12 | 27.8 | 20 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| SAS | 14 | 13.4 | 12.7 | 12 | 14.8 | 26 | 7 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| CHA | 12.5 | 12.2 | 11.9 | 11.5 | 7.2 | 25.7 | 16.7 | 2.2 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| POR | 10.5 | 10.5 | 10.6 | 10.5 | 2.2 | 19.6 | 26.7 | 8.7 | 0.6 | – | – | – | – | – |
| ORL | 9 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 9.6 | – | 8.6 | 29.8 | 20.6 | 3.7 | 0.1 | – | – | – | – |
| WSH | 6.8 | 7.1 | 7.5 | 7.9 | – | – | 19.7 | 35.6 | 12.9 | 1.4 | >0 | – | – | – |
| IND | 6.7 | 7.0 | 7.4 | 7.8 | – | – | – | 32.9 | 31.1 | 6.6 | 0.4 | >0 | – | – |
| UTH | 4.5 | 4.8 | 5.2 | 5.7 | – | – | – | – | 50.7 | 25.9 | 3 | 0.1 | >0 | – |
| DAL | 3 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | 65.9 | 19 | 1.2 | >0 | >0 |
| OKC* | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 77.6 | 13.5 | 0.4 | >0 |
| CHI* | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 2.4 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 85.2 | 6.7 | 0.1 |
| TOR* | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.4 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 92.9 | 3.3 |
| NOP* | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 97.6 |
(* Asterisks denote play-in teams)
Three sets of teams finished with matching records: the Rockets and Spurs, the Wizards and Pacers, and the Thunder and Bulls. Random tiebreakers will be completed to determine their exact lottery positioning, so their lottery odds, in italics, are just tentative so far. If the Spurs were to win their tiebreaker with the Rockets, for example, the two teams would be flipped in the chart above.
Depending on which play-in teams make the playoffs, more tiebreakers could determine the last four spots of the lottery seeding, For instance, the Raptors and Hawks have identical records, as do the Timberwolves and Pelicans. If either of those pairs of teams lose in the play-in and end up in the lottery, tiebreakers will determine their exact spot in the lottery standings.
The different colors in the chart above reflect that those teams could lose their picks. The Mavericks‘ first-round pick will be sent to the Knicks if it lands outside the top 10 (20.2%), whereas Dallas would keep it if it stays in the top 10 (79.8%).
The Bulls‘ pick is top-four protected, so if Chicago misses the playoffs, then gets some lottery-night luck and moves into the top four, they’ll keep it (either 8.1% or 8.5%, depending on the tiebreaker). Otherwise, the Magic will receive it (91.5% or 91.9%).
The play-in factor
The teams eliminated in this week’s play-in tournament will end up in the lottery, sorted by record (worst to best), while the teams that earn playoff spots won’t pick earlier than No. 15. Here are the eight play-in teams:
- Chicago Bulls (40-42)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (40-42)
- Toronto Raptors (41-41)
- Atlanta Hawks (41-41)
- New Orleans Pelicans (42-40)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (42-40)
- Los Angeles Lakers (43-39)
- Miami Heat (44-38)
Based on their 44-38 record, the Heat could end up with a pick as low as No. 20 in the first round of the draft (depending on tiebreaker results). However, if they lose two play-in games this week and don’t make the playoffs at all, they’d hold the No. 14 spot in the lottery instead.
The Bulls and Thunder finished with matching 40-42 records, while the Raptors and Hawks were each 41-41 and the Pelicans and Timberwolves were both 42-40, so if both teams in any of those pairs are eliminated in the play-in tournament, a tiebreaker will be required to determine their spots in the lottery standings.
If, for example, Atlanta makes the playoffs and Toronto doesn’t, no tiebreaker would be necessary, since the Raptors would be in the lottery and the Hawks wouldn’t.
The tiebreakers
Many tiebreakers will be required to determine either lottery positioning or a team’s specific draft pick. Here are all the teams that finished with identical records, creating a situation where a random tiebreaker will (or may) be required:
- Houston Rockets / San Antonio Spurs (22-60)
- Indiana Pacers / Washington Wizards (35-37)
- Chicago Bulls / Oklahoma City Thunder (40-42)
- Note: A tiebreaker would not be required if one team makes the playoffs and the other doesn’t.
- Note: The Bulls’ pick will be sent to the Magic if it lands outside of the top four.
- Atlanta Hawks / Toronto Raptors (41-41)
- Note: A tiebreaker would not be required if one team makes the playoffs and the other doesn’t.
- Note: The Nets’ pick will be sent to the Rockets; the Cavaliers’ pick will be sent to the Pacers if it lands outside of the top 14.
- Minnesota Timberwolves / New Orleans Pelicans (42-40)
- Note: A tiebreaker would not be required if one team makes the playoffs and the other doesn’t.
- Note: The Timberwolves’ pick will be sent to the Jazz; the Pelicans will have the ability to swap their pick with the Lakers’ pick.
- Golden State Warriors / Los Angeles Clippers / Miami Heat (44-38)
- Note: The Heat would not be involved in this tiebreaker if they don’t make the playoffs.
- Note: The Clippers’ pick will be sent to the Rockets.
- Brooklyn Nets / Phoenix Suns (45-37)
- Note: The Suns’ pick will be sent to the Nets.
- Cleveland Cavaliers / Memphis Grizzlies (51-31)
- Note: The Cavaliers’ pick will be sent to the Pacers.
The playoff teams that win the tiebreakers will get the higher pick in the first round and the lower pick in the second round. For instance, if the Warriors win their three-way tiebreaker and the Heat are the runner-up in that tiebreaker, the first-round order would be Golden State at No. 18, Miami at No. 19, and the Clippers at No. 20; the second-round order would be L.A. at No. 48, Miami at No. 49, and Golden State at No. 50.
However, the second-round order for tied lottery teams isn’t determined until lottery night. For example, if Indiana wins its tiebreaker with Washington, but the Wizards win the No. 1 pick in the lottery, the Pacers would receive the higher second-round pick, since they’d have the lower first-round pick despite winning the tiebreaker.
This is especially relevant for the Spurs/Rockets tiebreaker, since Houston’s second-round pick will be traded to a different team depending on whether it lands at No. 32 (the Pacers) or No. 33 (the Celtics). The results of that tiebreaker won’t determine which team gets Houston’s second-rounder — that won’t be officially decided until lottery night.
These tiebreakers will be conducted sometime after the playoff field is set. Last year, they were held eight days after the regular season ended.
The traded first-round picks
Here’s a breakdown of the traded first-round picks for the 2023 NBA draft:
Picks that will change hands:
- Jazz acquiring Timberwolves‘ pick.
- If the Timberwolves secure a playoff spot via the play-in tournament, this pick will land in the 16-18 range. If the Timberwolves don’t make the playoffs, it will move into the lottery.
- Rockets acquiring Clippers‘ pick via swap rights (with Bucks pick).
- The Rockets will swap the Bucks’ pick (No. 30) for the Clippers’ pick, which will land in the 18-20 range, depending on the tiebreaker results. The Clippers will receive the Bucks’ pick as part of the swap.
- Nets acquiring Suns‘ pick.
- This pick will land at either No. 21 or No. 22, depending on the tiebreaker results.
- Trail Blazers acquiring Knicks‘ pick (top-14 protected).
- This pick will be No. 23.
- Pacers acquiring Cavaliers‘ pick (top-14 protected).
- This pick will land at either No. 25 or No. 26, depending on the tiebreaker results.
- Hornets acquiring Nuggets‘ pick (top-14 protected).
- This pick will be No. 27.
- Jazz acquiring Sixers‘ pick.
- This pick will be No. 28.
- Pacers acquiring Celtics‘ pick (top-12 protected).
- This pick will be No. 29.
Picks that won’t change hands:
- Knicks acquiring Pistons‘ pick (top-18 protected).
- This pick can’t end up lower than No. 5, so it will fall in its protected range. The Pistons will instead owe the Knicks their 2024 first-round pick (top-18 protected).
- Spurs acquiring Hornets‘ pick (top-16 protected).
- This pick can’t end up lower than No. 8, so it will fall in its protected range. The Hornets will instead owe the Spurs their 2024 first-round pick (top-14 protected).
- Bulls acquiring Trail Blazers‘ pick (top-14 protected).
- This pick can’t end up lower than No. 9, so it will fall in its protected range. The Trail Blazers will instead owe the Bulls their 2024 first-round pick (top-14 protected).
- Knicks acquiring Wizards‘ pick (top-14 protected).
- This pick can’t end up lower than No. 12, so it will fall in its protected range. The Wizards will instead owe the Knicks their 2024 first-round pick (top-12 protected).
Picks that might change hands:
- Knicks acquiring Mavericks‘ pick (top-10 protected).
- There’s a 79.8% chance that this pick will land in the top 10, in which case it would be kept by the Mavericks. There’s a 20.2% chance it will land in the 11-14 range, in which case the Knicks would receive it.
- Magic acquiring Bulls‘ pick (top-four protected).
- Depending on the tiebreaker, there’s an 8.1-8.5% that this pick will land in the top four, in which case it would be kept by the Bulls. There’s a 91.5-91.9% chance it will land in the 11-14 range, in which case the Magic would receive it.
- Pelicans acquiring Lakers‘ pick via swap rights.
- If the Pelicans secure a playoff spot via the play-in tournament and the Lakers don’t, they’ll exercise their swap option. If both teams make or miss the playoffs, the Pelicans’ pick will be more favorable than the Lakers’ pick, so New Orleans won’t need to swap.
Mavs Rumors: Harrison, Wood, Irving, First-Round Pick
Despite the Mavericks‘ disappointing season, it sounds like both head coach Jason Kidd and general manager Nico Harrison will remain with the team for 2023/24.
Team owner Mark Cuban said earlier this week that the Mavs intend to bring back Kidd for a third season. As for Harrison, league sources tell Marc Stein (Substack link) that Cuban is pleased with the work that the longtime Nike executive has done since transitioning to a front office role. While the Mavs have faced criticism for a handful of roster moves – including losing Jalen Brunson and Kyrie Irving – Stein suggests that Harrison doesn’t need to worry about his job security at this point.
Here’s more on the Mavs from Stein:
- Stein’s “up-to-the-minute sense” is that the Mavericks won’t attempt to re-sign big man Christian Wood in free agency this offseason. Noting that Dallas intends to make some roster changes over the summer, Stein identifies JaVale McGee and Tim Hardaway Jr. as two veterans who could find themselves back on the trade block.
- There’s “considerable skepticism” around the NBA that the Mavs will take a hard-line stance and insist on a short-term deal in their negotiations with Kyrie Irving, according to Stein, who says early rumblings suggest the team may offer a three- or four-year contract to the star guard.
- If the Mavericks retain their 2023 first-rounder (which they owe to New York with top-10 protection), they’re expected to explore their trade options with that pick, sources tell Stein. A loss to San Antonio today would ensure Dallas has nearly an 80% chance to hang onto that pick — those odds could climb even higher if Utah wins and Dallas loses today.
Draft Notes: McCullar, Cook, Clingan, Early Entrants
Kansas guard Kevin McCullar announced this week that he’ll enter his name in the 2023 NBA draft pool while maintaining his NCAA eligibility, as Michael Swain of Phog.net writes.
McCullar, who played his first three college seasons at Texas Tech before transferring to the Jayhawks, averaged 10.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.4 APG, and 2.0 SPG in 34 games (30.6 MPG) as a senior in 2022/23, earning spots on the All-Big 12 third team and the conference’s All-Defensive squad.
McCullar has one year of college eligibility left due to COVID-19, but is a candidate to be drafted in 2023 if he decides to go pro. He currently ranks 59th overall on ESPN’s big board.
Here are a few more draft-related updates:
- Junior guard Jalen Cook, who intended to declare for the draft coming off his second consecutive All-AAC season at Tulane, has decided to transfer back to LSU, where he began his college career, tweets Jonathan Givony of ESPN. It sounds like Cook intends to use at least one more season of college eligibility rather than going pro this year.
- After winning a national championship with UConn as a freshman, center Donovan Clingan will remain at school rather than going pro, he announced on Twitter. Clingan’s numbers as a reserve in 2022/23 were modest (6.9 PPG and 5.6 RPG in 13.1 MPG), but Jeff Goodman of Stadium (Twitter link) said multiple NBA evaluators believe the big man would’ve been selected in the 25-40 range if he’d entered the draft.
- The following players have declared for the 2023 NBA draft and will test the waters as early entrants:
- Austin Crowley, G, Southern Mississippi (senior) (Twitter link)
- Jalen Hill, F, Oklahoma (senior) (Instagram link)
- Romain Parmentelot, G, France (born 2004) (Twitter link via Fusion Sports)
- Mark Sears, G, Alabama (junior) (Twitter link)
Dwane Casey To Transition To Pistons’ Front Office
Dwane Casey will still be part of the Pistons‘ organization next season, but the team will be in the market for a new head coach this spring.
Following Detroit’s regular season finale on Sunday, Casey told reporters – including Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link) – that he’s transitioning from the Pistons’ bench to a front office role.
“(Team owner) Tom (Gores) is giving me an opportunity to move into the front office,” Casey said, per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link). “I’m excited to go to the next phase of my life. Time to spend more time with my family. This team is on the right track. They probably need to hear a new voice. This is my decision.”
Casey joined the Pistons in 2018, fresh off earning Coach of the Year honors in Toronto. He was let go by the Raptors due to the club’s disappointing postseason results. In Detroit, Casey led the team to a playoff berth in his first season, but was swept out of the first round and didn’t make it back in any of his four subsequent seasons as the Pistons embarked on a rebuild.
In total, Casey led the Pistons to 121-263 (.315) record across five seasons. Speaking to reporters today, he said that – while he’s not running away from his win-loss record – he hopes his legacy in Detroit is more about the growth of the team’s current young core than the underwhelming results on the court (Twitter link via Edwards).
Bucks assistant Charles Lee and former Celtics head coach Ime Udoka are expected to be among the candidates to replace Casey on the sidelines in Detroit, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link) confirms those names and adds a couple more, identifying Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin and Heat assistant Chris Quinn as possibilities.
Edwards and Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) suggest that former Pistons star Jerry Stackhouse, who is now the head coach at Vanderbilt, could also be an intriguing target, though it’s unclear if that’s just speculation or if he’s actually on Detroit’s wish list.
The Pistons will join the Rockets as the first two teams launching head coaching searches this spring.
Trail Blazers Sign Skylar Mays, Chance Comanche
The Trail Blazers have signed a pair of players ahead of Sunday’s regular season finale, announcing that they’ve brought back guard Skylar Mays (Twitter link) and added center Chance Comanche (press release).
The Blazers have a full roster, but they’re dealing with so many injuries that they’ve been granted three hardship exceptions — those exceptions allow the team to sign players to short-term deals without having to adhere to the usual roster limits.
Portland had been carrying Mays, Shaquille Harrison, and Justin Minaya on 10-day hardship contracts. Mays’ and Harrison’s deals expired overnight on Saturday, while Minaya’s runs through Sunday. The team re-signed Mays, but Harrison has joined the Lakers, so the Blazers used their third hardship exception to promote Comanche from the G League.
Mays, a 2020 second-round pick who spent his first two NBA seasons in Atlanta, averaged 14.2 points, 7.6 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in 29.6 minutes per night during his first five games (all starts) as a Blazer.
Comanche, who will turn 27 on Friday, was a rotation player for the Stockton Kings, Sacramento’s G League affiliate, this season. The former Arizona Wildcat appeared in 32 regular season games and averaging 13.0 PPG, 7.9 RPG, and 1.6 BPG in just 22.9 MPG.
Since they’re on hardship contracts, Mays, Comanche, and Minaya will all become free agents after today’s game and the Blazers won’t hold any form of Bird rights on them this summer. Portland is now carrying 20 players, with at least nine of them ruled out for Sunday’s game vs. Golden State due to injuries.
Lakers Sign Tristan Thompson, Shaquille Harrison
12:45pm: The Lakers have officially signed Thompson and Harrison while waiving Reed, the team confirmed in a press release.
10:43am: The Lakers are making a pair of roster additions to fortify their depth ahead of the postseason, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, who reports (via Twitter) that center Tristan Thompson and guard Shaquille Harrison are joining the team.
Los Angeles had an open spot on its 15-man standard roster, so only one cut will be necessary to make room for the two incoming veterans. Davon Reed will be the odd man out and will be placed on waivers today, per McMenamin.
Thompson, 32, has been out of the NBA for the entire 2022/23 season but worked out for the Lakers last month and played alongside Lakers star LeBron James for several years in Cleveland.
The big man averaged 6.0 points and 5.1 rebounds in 57 games (15.7 MPG) for the Kings, Pacers, and Bulls last season and has career averages of 9.0 PPG and 8.4 RPG in 730 games. Thompson also has no shortage of postseason experience, having appeared in 88 career playoff contests for the Cavaliers, Celtics, and Bulls.
Harrison has made 180 regular season appearances for six NBA teams since making his debut in 2018. Like Thompson, the 29-year-old guard hasn’t been in the league for most of this season, though he did play five games while on a 10-day contract with the Trail Blazers. That deal expired overnight on Saturday, freeing him up to join a new team.
Harrison was actually in training camp with the Lakers last fall, but was cut at the end of the preseason and ended up playing for the South Bay Lakers, L.A.’s G League affiliate. Known as a stout perimeter defender, he finished third in NBAGL Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Reed, who will turn 28 in June, joined the Lakers along with Mohamed Bamba as part of the four-team February trade that sent Thomas Bryant to Denver. He never cracked L.A.’s regular rotation though, logging just 27 total minutes across eight games with his new team. His minimum salary for 2023/24 is fully non-guaranteed, so the Lakers won’t be on the hook for any money for him beyond this season.
Both Thompson and Harrison will be eligible to play in the postseason for the Lakers because neither one has been waived since March 1.
Pelicans Re-Sign Dereon Seabron To Two-Way Contract
Just three days after waiving rookie shooting guard Dereon Seabron, the Pelicans have re-signed him to a new two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release.
The move is an unusual one, since Seabron had already been on a two-way deal. It’s possible his new contract covers the 2023/24 season instead of just the rest of this season like his old one did — we’ll have to wait for confirmation on the details to be sure.
Seabron signed with the Pelicans last summer after going undrafted out of North Carolina State. He appeared briefly in just five games at the NBA level, but was a regular for the Birmingham Squadron, New Orleans’ G League affiliate.
Seabron played in 17 Showcase Cup games in the fall, averaging 14.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists with a .484/.227/.729 shooting line in 32.3 minutes per night. He bumped his scoring average to 18.4 PPG on .503/.375/.778 shooting in 27 G League regular season appearances, adding 5.5 APG and 5.0 RPG in 34.5 MPG.
The Pelicans, one of two teams that entered Sunday with an open two-way slot, now have a full 17-man roster as they prepare for a crucial regular season finale.
Rockets Sign Willie Cauley-Stein
The Rockets have officially signed free agent center Willie Cauley-Stein, the team announced today (via Twitter).
Houston’s announcement doesn’t include any details on Cauley-Stein’s contract, so it’s unclear if it extends beyond this season at all or if it’s essentially just a one-day deal.
Cauley-Stein and the Rockets agreed to a one-year contract last offseason, but the big man’s salary was non-guaranteed and he was waived at the end of the preseason. He later rejoined the team on a 10-day deal near the end of February but has been an NBA free agent since that contract expired.
Cauley-Stein spent much of the season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Houston’s G League affiliate. In 13 NBAGL regular season games, he averaged 8.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 27.0 minutes per night. He also contributed 6.0 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.4 APG, and 1.0 BPG in 16 Showcase Cup contests (24.2 MPG).
The sixth overall pick in the 2015 draft, Cauley-Stein has appeared in 422 total regular season games for the Kings, Mavericks, Warriors, and Sixers, but is a borderline NBA player at this point, as his game isn’t an ideal fit for the league’s current style.
The Rockets were one of three NBA teams that entered Sunday with an open 15-man roster spot, so no one needed to be waived in order to make room for Cauley-Stein.
Knicks Sign Isaiah Roby To Multiyear Deal
11:05am: The Knicks have officially signed Roby, the team confirmed in a press release (Twitter link).
9:32am: Roby is getting $400K for the last day of the 2022/23 season, reports Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link). If he had received a minimum-salary deal, Roby would have been paid just $10,932 for the day, but New York was able to give him significantly more than that using a leftover portion of the team’s room exception.
Roby’s minimum salary for next season will be non-guaranteed, Katz adds.
8:40am: The Knicks have agreed to sign forward/center Isaiah Roby to a contract that covers the rest of the season and runs through 2023/24, agents Zach Kurtin and Mark Bartelstein tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Wojnarowski reports that the deal includes “significant” guaranteed money. It’s unclear whether that money will apply to this season’s cap hit (using the remainder of New York’s room exception) or if a portion of Roby’s ’23/24 salary will be guaranteed.
Roby, 25, spent most of the season with the Spurs after being claimed off waivers from the Thunder last summer. He was released just over a month ago when San Antonio needed a roster spot to accommodate its addition of Sandro Mamukelashvili.
In 42 games (11.3 MPG) this season as a Spur, Roby averaged 4.1 points and 2.5 rebounds per night, with a shooting line of .432/.300/.488. He was more effective in 2021/22 in Oklahoma City, averaging 10.1 PPG and 4.8 RPG on .514/.444/.672 shooting in 45 appearances (21.1 MPG) for the Thunder.
As we noted earlier today, the Knicks entered Sunday as one of three teams with a 15-man roster spot open, so no corresponding move will be necessary to make room for Roby. The Lakers and Rockets are the other two teams that still have openings on their standard rosters.
Because Roby was waived on March 3, he won’t be eligible to participate in the playoffs this spring.