NBA Teams With Open Roster Spots
January is generally a month full of roster shuffling in the NBA. The opening of the 10-day contract period (January 5), the salary guarantee deadline (January 7), the two-way contract deadline (January 15), and the upcoming trade deadline (February 6) all incentivize teams to make changes to their rosters.
With those dates in mind, we’re taking a look today at which teams around the NBA still have openings on their 15-man rosters and which ones have a two-way contract slot available.
Listed below, with the help of our roster counts breakdown, are the teams that aren’t carrying full rosters.
Teams with an open 15-man roster spot:
- Denver Nuggets
- Golden State Warriors
- Note: The Warriors have two open roster spots.
- Houston Rockets
- Miami Heat
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Orlando Magic
- Portland Trail Blazers
Not carrying a full 15-man roster saves a team some money and gives that team the flexibility to add a player in a trade or on the buyout market. For most the teams listed above, the financial factor probably outweighs the roster-flexibility factor — the Warriors, Rockets, Heat, Thunder, and Trail Blazers are all in tax territory, while the Nuggets are close. Only the Magic don’t have immediate tax concerns.
It’s worth noting that because Golden State has two open roster spots, the team has a two-week window after waiving Marquese Chriss on Tuesday to get to the required minimum of 14 players. They’re expected to promote two-way player Damion Lee, which would open up a two-way contract slot.
Teams whose full 15-man rosters include at least one 10-day contract:
- Atlanta Hawks
- Brooklyn Nets
- Cleveland Cavaliers
Paul Watson is currently on a 10-day contract with the Hawks, while Justin Anderson has one with the Nets. Those deals will expire at the end of the day on January 15, so each team could open up a roster spot at that point by not re-signing Watson or Anderson to a second 10-day pact.
As for the Cavaliers, they have two players on 10-day contracts after re-signing Alfonzo McKinnie and Tyler Cook on Thursday. Those deals will run through January 18, at which time Cleveland could re-sign one or both players, or move forward with just 13 players for up to two weeks.
Teams with an open two-way contract slot:
- Phoenix Suns
The Suns have been the only NBA team carrying just one two-way player all season long. Phoenix has its own G League affiliate and two-way contracts don’t count against the cap at all, so the franchise’s motivation for not filling that spot remains unclear. While there’s no indication a move is imminent, it would be surprising if the Suns don’t sign a second two-way player before the January 15 deadline.
Spencer Dinwiddie Set To Launch Digital Investment Vehicle
After several months of back-and-forth with the NBA, Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie is set to launch his digital investment vehicle on January 13, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic. Dinwiddie confirmed the news on his Twitter account.
We first heard nearly four months ago that Dinwiddie intended to turn his current NBA contract into a digital investment vehicle. The plan was for investors to secure a “Dinwiddie bond” in the form of a digital token and eventually be paid back the principal amount with interest. The veteran guard would be giving up some future income on his three-year, $34MM+ deal with the Nets in order to secure smaller lump sum payments up front, which he could then immediately invest.
The NBA objected to Dinwiddie’s plan, arguing that it violated the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. So, as Charania explains, Dinwiddie is no longer tying the platform specifically to his NBA contract and has removed from the league’s likeness and name from the digital token. He has turned it into what he “believes to be a safe and secured investment bond,” sources tell Charania.
While Dinwiddie and his camp are confident that the new plan will appease the NBA, the league is still reviewing final proposals and documents sent by the guard’s group, per Charania. Dinwiddie has been preparing for any potential disciplinary action from the NBA, just in case.
The machinations involved in launching his digital investment vehicle haven’t stood in the way of Dinwiddie enjoying a career year on the court. He has averaged 22.4 PPG and 6.2 APG in 36 games (30.8 MPG) for the Nets, keeping the team in the playoff mix without Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
If he makes this year’s All-Star Game, Dinwiddie intends to bring eight fans and investors in his digital token along with him, according to Charania.
Prosecutors Submit Evidence Against Kurucs
- Prosecutors from Brooklyn’s District Attorney’s Office turned over the evidence against Nets forward Rodions Kurucs this week in his domestic violence case, writes Andrew Denney of The New York Post. Kurucs, who is facing a series of charges that include third-degree assault and second-degree harassment, is due back in court on February 11.
Kyrie Irving Feels He Will Return Within Week
Kyrie Irving has missed nearly two months with a right shoulder injury but the point guard could be close to a return. Irving practiced today and he hopes to return within the next week, Malika Andrews of ESPN.com relays.
“We just see where we end up in the next few days,” Irving said. “Realistically, we will re-evaluate tomorrow. See how I feel tomorrow. Then go Saturday — probably another practice.”
Irving participated in 5-on-5 drills and had no limitations other than his shoulder rehab.“Hopefully, I get some game reps in addition to practice probably in the next week or so, it could be less than that but I’ll give myself a week,” Irving said.
It’s not clear whether the Nets’ medical staff agrees with Irving’s projection. On Wednesday, the 27-year-old told reporters that the cortisone shot he received in his shoulder was working and called it a “great stepping stone to work my way to getting back on the floor.”
Nets Sign Justin Anderson To 10-Day Contract
The Nets have officially signed free agent wing Justin Anderson to a 10-day contract, the club announced today in a press release. No corresponding roster move was required, as Brooklyn recently waived David Nwaba to open up a spot on its 15-man squad.
Anderson, the 21st overall pick in the 2015 draft, had spent this season so far with the Raptors 905, Toronto’s G League affiliate. He averaged 21.2 PPG and 6.9 RPG with a .484/.343/.762 shooting line in 13 NBAGL games (33.5 MPG), earning an NBA audition with the Nets.
Anderson, who has appeared in 216 total regular season games, last played in the NBA for Atlanta in 2018/19, recording 3.7 PPG in 48 games (9.6 MPG) for the Hawks. He signed a training camp deal with the Wizards in the fall, but didn’t make Washington’s regular-season roster.
We first heard last Thursday that Anderson would receive a 10-day deal from Brooklyn, but NBA teams weren’t permitted to begin signing those contracts until Sunday. The Nets waited one additional day in order to maximize their 10-day window with Anderson — the team will play six times during his 10-day stint, which ends on January 15.
The Nets now have a full roster, with 15 standard contracts and a pair of players on two-way contracts. The club has made a series of roster moves in recent days, releasing Nwaba and two-way player Henry Ellenson and replacing them with Anderson and new two-way player Chris Chiozza.
Atlantic Notes: LeVert, Irving, Siakam, Gasol, Leonard
Nets guard Caris LeVert made his highly-anticipated return against the Raptors on Saturday night, seeing his first in-game action with the team since November 10.
LeVert, who had missed the last 24 games after undergoing surgery to address ligament damage in his thumb, finished with 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting off the bench despite being on a minutes restriction.
“I felt pretty good out there. Obviously we wanted to get a win, but just me personally, I felt pretty good,” LeVert said, as relayed by Brian Lewis of the New York Post.
LeVert is widely considered as one of the most talented players on the Nets when healthy, and it’s possible he’ll rejoin the team’s starting lineup in the coming weeks. He averaged 13.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game in 40 contests last season.
“Just adds one of our best players to the lineup quite honestly,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said of LeVert’s return. “A dynamic player, athleticism, quickness, speed. A guy that knows our system too. It’s not like some guy we signed out of the blue. I feel comfortable once he gets his rhythm. He knows what we’re doing on both sides of the ball so that’s a big comfort level.”
The Nets have been plagued with injuries to start the season, playing without Kevin Durant (torn Achilles’ rehab), Kyrie Irving (right shoulder; 11 games played), LeVert and others. Brooklyn owns the seventh-best record in the East at 16-18.
Here are some other notes from the Atlantic Division tonight:
- Alex Schiffer of The Athletic details what we know about Kyrie Irving‘s lingering right shoulder injury, which has forced the six-time All-Star to miss the past 23 games. Irving recently received a cortisone shot for the shoulder impingement, opting to go this route instead of having arthroscopic surgery — for now. “I’m in a better place now that it’s been some significant time,” Irving said. “I tried to go without any anti-inflammatories, which is why it took so long. Now I’m at a place where the next step was to either get a cortisone shot or get surgery. So that was the ultimatum I was fixed with. So now I’m just doing the best I can to live off this cortisone and move forward if I need surgery in the future.”
- Raptors big men Pascal Siakam (groin) and Marc Gasol (hamstring) still aren’t close to returning to action, head coach Nick Nurse said, as relayed by Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link). “I would still say, if I was guessing, the order of comeback would probably be Matt [Thomas] and Norm [Powell], Marc and then lastly Pascal if that’s the case,” Nurse said. “But I think we’re still, I mean, we’re still a ways away with Marc and Pascal. I think Norm and Matt are in the front-view mirror, let’s put it that way.”
- Kawhi Leonard said he never considered joining the Knicks in free agency and denied scheduling a meeting with the team, Ian Begley of SNY.tv writes. “I never said I was considering going to the Knicks. Everybody knew where I wanted to go once I requested the trade so I don’t know where that came from,” Leonard said. New York lost out on Kawhi, who signed with the Clippers, as well as Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, who signed with the Nets. The Knicks claimed they pulled out of a scheduled meeting with Leonard.
Two-Way Player Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot Nearing 45-Day Limit With Nets
- Nets wing Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot is getting close to reaching the 45-day limit two-way players can spend with an NBA team, the New York Post’s Brian Lewis hears from YES Network and Fox Sports television analyst Sarah Kustok (Twitter link). The Nets will have to make a determination on whether or not they convert Luwawu-Cabarrot to a standard NBA contract. In 12 games with Brooklyn, Luwawu-Cabarrot has averaged 4.9 PPG and 2.2 RPG, while shooting 76.5% from the free-throw line and 37% from deep.
Nets Sign Chris Chiozza To Two-Way Contract
JANUARY 4: Chiozza has been signed to a two-way contract, the Nets announced in a press release.
JANUARY 3: After being waived by the Wizards in December, point guard Chris Chiozza is expected to sign with the Nets, reports Ben Standig of The Athletic (via Twitter).
Brooklyn is shaking up the back of its roster this week, having already released injured swingman David Nwaba, with two-way player Henry Ellenson expected to follow him to waivers. Those moves opened up one spot on the 15-man roster and one two-way contract slot. With Justin Anderson reportedly set to sign a 10-day contract, the Nets and Chiozza may be on track for a two-way deal, though that remains unclear.
Chiozza, 24, has appeared in a total of 17 NBA games for Houston and Washington since going undrafted in 2018, having spent most of the last season-and-a-half in the G League. The former Florida Gator has struggled with his efficiency this season in 10 games (31.1 MPG) for the Capital City Go-Go, averaging 10.8 PPG on .333/.328/1.000 shooting. However, he has contributed in other ways, recording 6.4 APG and 2.7 SPG.
The Nets’ backcourt depth has been hit hard by injuries this season. Kyrie Irving and Caris LeVert have been sidelined since mid-November and Garrett Temple currently day-to-day with a knee issue. The club is on track to get LeVert back on Saturday though, and Chiozza and Anderson should provide added depth.
Kyrie Irving Gets Cortisone Shot, Hopes To Avoid Shoulder Surgery
Kyrie Irving is taking steps to avoid surgery on his injured right shoulder, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
Talking to reporters today for the first time since Nov. 14, Irving said he got a cortisone shot on Christmas Eve and the team plans to see how he responds after about two months (Twitter link). Irving admitted he has considered an arthroscopic procedure on the shoulder, but is hesitant because it would sideline him for three to four months.
Irving consulted with a shoulder specialist in Phoenix before opting for the shot (Twitter link), adding, “There was some bursitis in there that was impacting me.” (Twitter link). He has missed 22 games since suffering the injury, which the Nets are calling a shoulder impingement, in a November 4 game against the Pelicans.
Irving believes he’s “doing a lot better” since the shot, although he is still struggling to lift his shoulder when he shoots jumpers, relays Malika Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link).
The Nets looked like huge winners on the first day of free agency when they signed Irving, Kevin Durant and DeAndre Jordan. With Durant sidelined for the season, they were counting on Irving to emerge as the team leader. He has averaged 28.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists, but has been limited to 11 games.
New York Notes: Robinson, Irving, Nwaba, Ellenson, Payton
The past two seasons, one of the few bright spots on the Knicks‘ roster has been athletic center, Mitchell Robinson. As an elite shot-blocker and rebounder who has developing scoring ability, Robinson has cemented himself as a key part of New York’s future.
Offseason acquisition and NBA veteran Taj Gibson has taken on the role of mentor for the 21-year-old big man. In Gibson’s opinion, Robinson possesses talent that could make him an NBA All-Star, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes.
“This guy, a lot of players don’t have a niche. A lot of them don’t know where to start,” he said. “A lot of guys just come in and think it’s all about scoring and not defense. A lot of players are lost in the sauce with that. With Mitch, he already knows what he has to do. He’s a starting center and all he has to do is grow. If he pushes himself like he’s doing, he’ll be an All-Star. He doesn’t know how good he is.”
Check out more news from New York’s basketball teams:
- Nets point guard Kyrie Irving will miss out on two additional bonuses, worth $125K each, for failing to play in at least 60 games this season, ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (Twitter link). This brings the total money in incentives lost to $375K for the mercurial Brooklyn guard. We detailed Irving’s eight $125K incentives, totaling $1MM, right here.
- Injuries and other roster needs forced the Nets to part with injured guard David Nwaba and Henry Ellenson in recent days. As Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes, Brooklyn is currently exploring options to upgrade the roster. “Obviously with all our injuries, we need the roster spot. We’re in discussions to see who we bring in,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said.
- It was a life-changing and busy day for Knicks point guard Elfrid Payton, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. After his girlfriend gave birth to their son on Friday morning, Payton flew to Phoenix for the Knicks’ evening tilt against the Suns. Payton finished with 15 points, six assists and five rebounds.