2023/24 Non-Guaranteed Contracts By Team
As the NBA regular season approaches and teams reduce their rosters from the 21-player offseason limit to the 15-man regular season max, the best way to determine which players will survive preseason cuts is to consider their contracts. Players with guaranteed salaries for 2023/24 are far more likely to earn spots on 15-man rosters than players whose contracts aren’t fully guaranteed.
Keeping that in mind, we’re using the space below to keep tabs on the players on each NBA team who don’t have fully guaranteed contracts. The players listed here have non-guaranteed salaries, partially guaranteed salaries, or Exhibit 9 or Exhibit 10 contracts, which essentially function like non-guaranteed deals.
Unless otherwise noted, these players are on minimum-salary contracts. Some players on this list have partial guarantees, which we’ve also mentioned below.
Not all of these players will be waived before the regular season begins, so we’ll maintain this list for the next several months, up until January 10, 2024. That’s the day that all players still under contract will have their salaries fully guaranteed for the rest of the 2023/24 season.
[RELATED: Early NBA Salary Guarantee Dates For 2023/24]
Only players who have formally signed contracts are listed below, so if a player has reportedly reached an agreement with a team on a non-guaranteed deal, we’ll add him to our list when that deal becomes official and we confirm the details.
Without further ado, here’s the full list of players without fully guaranteed salaries for 2023/24, broken down by team:
Updated 1-10-24 (5:42am CT)
Atlanta Hawks
- None
Boston Celtics
- None
Brooklyn Nets
- None
Charlotte Hornets
- None
Chicago Bulls
- None
Cleveland Cavaliers
- None
Dallas Mavericks
- None
Denver Nuggets
- None
Detroit Pistons
- None
Golden State Warriors
- None
Houston Rockets
- None
Indiana Pacers
- None
Los Angeles Clippers
- None
Los Angeles Lakers
- None
Memphis Grizzlies
- None
Miami Heat
- None
Milwaukee Bucks
- None
Minnesota Timberwolves
- None
New Orleans Pelicans
- None
New York Knicks
- None
Oklahoma City Thunder
- None
Orlando Magic
- None
Philadelphia 76ers
- None
Phoenix Suns
- None
Portland Trail Blazers
- None
Sacramento Kings
- None
San Antonio Spurs
- None
Toronto Raptors
- None
Utah Jazz
- None
Washington Wizards
- None
Pacific Notes: Durant, Bates-Diop, Curry, Joseph
Kevin Durant takes credit for helping to lift the NBA’s ban on marijuana and talks about his desire to eventually get into ownership in an interview with CNBC, relays Dana Scott of The Arizona Republic.
The Suns star, who’s involved in cannabis business ventures, said he reached out to commissioner Adam Silver about removing the drug prohibitions from the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Players were previously required to enter the league’s treatment and counseling program after a first offense and faced fines and suspensions for multiple violations.
“I actually called him and advocated for him to take marijuana off the banned substance list,” Durant said. “I just felt like it was becoming a thing around the country, around the world that it was the stigma behind it wasn’t as negative as it was before. It doesn’t affect you in any negative way.”
Durant talked about his numerous business interests, which he said were starting to take up too much of his time. He and his agent, Rich Kleiman, agreed that he’ll take a step back from those commitments to focus more on basketball. Durant also discussed his longtime dream of becoming an NBA team owner, preferably with a new franchise in Seattle, where he debuted in the league.
“That would be cool for sure in a perfect world,” Durant said. “Whatever opportunity comes up, hopefully I can be a part of something special. But yeah, Seattle would be the ideal spot. They deserve to have a team there again, and I would love to be a part of the NBA in that fashion. But we’ll see.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Keita Bates-Diop is a defensive specialist, but he can help the Suns‘ offense as well, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports writes in an examination of what the free agent forward will bring to the team. “I think you’re gonna be surprised at some of the stuff he’s able to do around the rim with his length,” said Doug McDermott, who played alongside Bates-Diop in San Antonio. “Like, he can finish layups I’ve never seen just ’cause how long his arms are.”
- In a new PBS documentary, Warriors guard Stephen Curry says he still feels like he’s in “the prime of my career, in a sense of what I’m able to accomplish.” The project, titled ‘Stephen Curry: Underrated,’ traces his journey from unproven prospect to the top three-point shooter in NBA history.
- Veteran guard Cory Joseph is thrilled to have the chance to back up Curry and Chris Paul after signing a one-year deal with the Warriors, per Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. Joseph called it an “unbelievable opportunity” during an introductory press conference via Zoom. “I get to learn from two of the greats to ever do it at their position,” he said. “I’m extremely excited. I’m sure I’ll get there and learn a lot from them.”
Pistons Sign Tosan Evbuomwan To Exhibit 10 Deal
JULY 27: Evbuomwan’s Exhibit 10 deal with the Pistons is official, according to RealGM’s log of NBA transactions.
JUNE 23: The Pistons have agreed to a contract with undrafted Princeton forward Tosan Evbuomwan, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. Evbuomwan is signing an Exhibit 10 deal, Adam Zagoria tweets.
The 6’8” Evbuomwan spent three seasons with the Tigers and averaged 15.1 PPG, 6.3 RPG and 4.9 APG last season. The native of England was named the Ivy League Player of the Year.
He spearheaded Princeton’s run through the league tournament and also excelled in the NCAA Tournament. Evbuomwan had 24 points, nine assists and six rebounds against Creighton in the Sweet 16.
Players on Exhibit 10 deals can earn a bonus of up to $75K by joining the team’s G League affiliate — in this case, the Motor City Cruise — and spending at least 60 days with them if they’re waived by the NBA squad. Exhibit 10 contracts can also be converted into two-way deals, and Evbuomwan will compete for one of the Pistons’ three slots, his agent George Langberg told Zagoria.
Bradley Beal Hopes To Revive Career With Suns
Bradley Beal was at his son’s baseball game when his agent broke the news that he was being traded to Phoenix, he says in an interview with Deyscha Smith of Slam Magazine. Beal stayed and watched the rest of the game while speculation ran wild on social media about the new super-team in Phoenix and how Beal can co-exist with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Deandre Ayton.
It’s been about a month since the trade became official, and Beal is well into the process of connecting with his new Suns teammates. They set up a group chat to keep in touch throughout the summer, and Beal said they’ve made him feel welcome in his new home.
“Everybody’s been unreal in this whole transition,” he said. “This is all new for me, but I’m embracing it, and these guys have all embraced me. It’s like, I’m ready to get to work, you know? This is definitely an awesome group of guys to be a part of. We’re still building on our team, but it’s been a joy so far.”
Beal describes Durant and Booker as “humble” and says he tries to approach the game the same way they do. He doesn’t expect any problems as three players who’ve been primary scorers throughout their careers try to blend their talents into a cohesive unit.
Beal was a three-time All-Star in Washington, but his reputation has taken a hit recently as a result of injuries and a decline in performance. After averaging 30.5 and 31.3 PPG in back-to-back seasons, Beal fell off to 23.2 in the last two years while playing 40 and 50 games.
He told Smith that he hasn’t set any individual goals for the upcoming season, but he hopes to prove he can still be one of NBA’s best players on both ends of the court.
“Showing that I can really compete at a high level and play a meaningful game. You know, playing in the playoffs, winning in the playoffs, advancing past rounds,” Beal said. “Granted, I wanna get back to my All-Star level of play. I really believe that that’s who I am: All-NBA guy, All-Star guy. And I have a good group that can push me to be that every single day. So I’m excited about that opportunity. I get to be around like-minded guys and guys who will push me to make sure that I’m the best version of myself every day.”
Beal is trying to savor the changes in his life after spending his first 11 seasons with the Wizards. He said it felt like he “got drafted all over again” when he put on a Suns uniform for the first time, but he hopes the legacy he built in Washington will endure now that he’s on the other side of the country.
“I had so many great memories and so many great moments in DC,” Beal said. “It’s really hard to pinpoint one. I think I’m just grateful for all the bonds and the relationships I’ve built. I think that’s what I’ll propel into my next chapter of life. I want this chapter to be more or less open and me not trying to control everything.
“I think we, as humans, sometimes try to control our lives a little too much. I want to just let this wave kind of take me where it wants to go and let God lead the way and enjoy it every step of the way.”
Atlantic Notes: Reed, Simmons, Thibodeau, Keels
Paul Reed said that he didn’t expect the Sixers to match the offer sheet he received from the Jazz earlier this month, per Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire.
The three-year, $23MM contract was designed to be more onerous for Philadelphia than Utah because it puts the Sixers in danger of exceeding the luxury tax threshold and the final two years become guaranteed if Reed’s team advances past the first round of the playoffs. President of basketball operations Daryl Morey decided the gamble was worth it to hold onto a promising young talent like Reed.
“I didn’t know what was gonna happen to be honest,” Reed said. “I was a restricted free agent, so they had an opportunity to match. Then I seen they signed Trez (Montrezl Harrell) and (Mohamed) Bamba, my agent was like, ‘It’s probably not likely that they match,’ but when they matched, I was real surprised.”
As Reed noted, Philadelphia now has a logjam of centers behind Joel Embiid. But new head coach Nick Nurse has a expanded role in mind for Reed that will go beyond playing in the post.
“He talked about molding me into a Pascal Siakam-type player,” Reed said. “Somebody who can kind of do it all. Shoot the ball, drive, pass, but right now, it’s all about focusing on my shot mechanics. That’s the start.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Nets guard Ben Simmons is “as healthy as he has ever been since his last year in Philly,” a source tells Marc J. Spears of Andscape (video link from NBA Today). The source also said Simmons is in the “final stage” of preparing for the upcoming season and has been able to pass every health benchmark the team has set so far. Simmons has been dealing with back and knee problems over the past two years, along with mental health issues, and only played 42 games last season.
- Assuming the Knicks have another successful season, owner James Dolan will likely talk with coach Tom Thibodeau, team president Leon Rose and other members of the front office about contract extensions, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (video link). Thibodeau is heading into the fourth season of his five-year contract, and much of the management team is on the same timeline, Begley adds.
- The Knicks will retain the G League rights to Trevor Keels, who was waived on Wednesday, Begley tweets. Keels had a two-way contract last season and appeared in three NBA games.
Celtics Notes: Brown, Smart, Porzingis, Brogdon, White
After signing his extension on Wednesday, Jaylen Brown reflected on the changes the Celtics have undergone since losing in the conference finals, writes Brian Robb of MassLive. The most significant move was sending Marcus Smart to Memphis in a three-team trade to acquire Kristaps Porzingis. Brown said that even though he and Smart clashed frequently over the years, things won’t be the same without his “brother” and one of his best friends on the team.
“Marcus has been somebody that’s, like, we butted heads at times, we fought, we did it all, we put each other in headlocks, etc.,” Brown said. “The journey won’t feel the same without him to be honest. But it’s a part of life, it’s a part of what you do going forward and everything he’s instilled into this organization, everything he’s instilled into this community is still going to be with us, still carried with us. So we’re going to wish him well on his new journey. Obviously the city of Boston is going to feel the loss of his impact when he’s no longer here, but we’ll be able to keep moving forward.”
Brown indicated that he understands why the deal was made and he sees the benefit of having a versatile big man like Porzingis. However, he wants to make sure the Celtics don’t lose the intensity and commitment to defense that Smart inspired.
“I think what Kristaps can bring to us defensively and the additions some of our other guys can bring to us defensively,” Brown said. “… With Marcus gone, we don’t want our defensive identity to go out the door as well, so we have to really emphasize that at the start of training camp.”
There’s more from Boston:
- Brown wasn’t upset that it took more than three weeks to work out his extension, Robb adds in a separate story. Some of that delay was due to an overseas trip that Brown took as part of his duties as an NBPA vice president, but much of the time was needed to reach an agreement on non-monetary details. “I thought from my standpoint, they understood where I came from, I understood where he came from,” Brown said. “It was all about being in the place where it made sense for everybody and I was glad that we were able to finish it, get everything done and be able to have the community here.”
- The Celtics are going through a “healing process” and a “listening process” with Malcolm Brogdon, coach Joe Mazzulla told Souichi Terada of MassLive. It appeared Brogdon was going to be moved in an early version of the Porzingis trade, but that changed when the Clippers pulled out because they didn’t have time to review Brogdon’s medical records before Porzingis picked up his option.
- Mazzulla confirmed that Derrick White will replace Smart as the starting point guard, tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe.
Knicks Sign Dylan Windler To Two-Way Deal, Waive Trevor Keels
JULY 26: The Knicks have confirmed the signing of Windler and the previously reported release of Keels (Twitter link).
JULY 24: The Knicks are signing free agent wing Dylan Windler to a two-way contract, agents Andy Shiffman and Mark Bartelstein tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
The 26th pick of the 2019 draft, Windler spent all four of his NBA seasons with the Cavaliers, who chose not to give him a qualifying offer last month, making him an unrestricted free agent.
As Bobby Marks of ESPN observes (via Twitter), Windler would previously have been ineligible to receive a two-way contract, but a new provision in the CBA means he’s only counted as having three years of service because he missed his entire rookie season with an injury.
According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News (Twitter link), even though it was reported that Nathan Knight would receive a two-way deal (and confirmed by Bondy himself), the team’s press release didn’t specify that he actually received said two-way deal. However, NBA.com’s official transactions log has Knight on a two-way deal.
Knight’s contract situation is relevant because the Knicks would have all three two-way slots filled if the big man is indeed on a two-way deal. Jaylen Martin and Trevor Keels occupy the other two-way slots, while Duane Washington could still accept his two-way qualifying offer.
A source tells Fred Katz of The Athletic that Knight is on a one-year, two-way contract, so the Knicks will have to either convert one of their players on a two-way deal to a standard contract or release someone (Twitter links).
Windler, 26, only appeared in 84 games during his time with Cleveland, including three games for just 10 total minutes in 2022/23. He holds career averages of 3.3 PPG and 2.3 RPG in 11.7 MPG.
The former Belmont star played 11 regular season games (22.2 MPG) for the Cavs’ G League affiliate (the Cleveland Charge) last season, averaging 12.2 PPG and 5.9 RPG on .523/.407/.632 shooting.
Juancho Hernangomez Joins Panathinaikos On Two-Year Deal
Juancho Hernangomez is returning to Europe after seven NBA seasons, tweets Greek basketball writer George Zakkas, who confirms that Hernangomez has signed a two-year contract with Panathinaikos.
The 27-year-old forward has been a free agent since being waived by the Raptors at the end of February when the team signed Will Barton. Hernangomez spent less than a full season in Toronto and averaged 2.9 points and 2.9 rebounds in 42 games.
There was a report earlier this month that Hernangomez might join his brother in Barcelona, but he wanted to seek another NBA opportunity before committing to playing overseas. When that didn’t happen, Hernangomez accepted the offer from Panathinaikos.
A native of Madrid, Spain, Hernangomez played four seasons for his hometown club, Estudiantes, before being drafted by Denver with the 15th pick in 2016. He was traded to Minnesota after three-and-a-half seasons with the Nuggets and later had short stays with the Celtics, Spurs and Jazz before coming to Toronto.
Hernangomez, best known to some fans of Bo Cruz in the Netflix film ‘Hustle,’ has career averages of 5.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in 339 NBA games.
Lakers Sign Alex Fudge To Two-Way Deal, Waive Cole Swider
4:51pm: The contract with Fudge is official, the Lakers announced (via Twitter).
4:33pm: The Lakers will sign Alex Fudge to a two-way contract, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. They will open up a two-way slot by waiving Cole Swider, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Fudge, a 20-year-old forward, put up modest numbers during his college career at LSU and Florida, averaging 4.6 and 3.9 rebounds over two seasons.
Fudge played for L.A.’s Summer League team, and although his statistics didn’t stand out, he impressed the Lakers enough with his athleticism to earn a two-way opportunity. A previous report had indicated he would be signing an Exhibit 10 contract with the team.
Swider, a 24-year-old small forward, signed a two-way contract with L.A. last summer after going undrafted out of Villanova. He appeared in just seven games for the Lakers, spending most of his rookie year in the G League, where he averaged 17.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 27 regular season games.
Swider’s contract for the upcoming season is non-guaranteed, so L.A. won’t be on the hook for any more money. Colin Castleton and D’Moi Hodge occupy the team’s other two-way spots.
Jaylen Brown Extension Notes, Reactions
While it’s possible the Celtics will eventually regret giving Jaylen Brown a five-year super-max extension that projects to be the richest deal in NBA history, it was the only real option available to them, says Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.
As O’Connor outlines, Boston has title aspirations in 2023/24 and there was likely no viable trade involving Brown that would have raised the team’s ceiling in the short term. The Celtics could have tried to pay Brown less than his maximum, but would’ve risked alienating him and compromising their chemistry heading into an important season — not to mention potentially losing him in unrestricted free agency a year from now.
Executives around the league who spoke to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com agreed that giving Brown a super-max extension was the most logical path for the Celtics.
“It is a good deal because he is a star player and that is what they had to pay him,” an Eastern Conference executive said. “I love the people who say they should not have given him that contract. Like, OK, then what should they have done? Traded him? Let him go to free agency? The same people who are beating them up for signing him would be beating them up if they did not sign him. It’s crazy.”
With Jayson Tatum due for a super-max extension of his own in 2024, the Celtics may face financial challenges down the road, but having two young stars on big contracts is a “champagne problem,” O’Connor writes, suggesting that it’s not something the team needs to worry about right away. If Boston ultimately decides that it can’t win a title with a roster built around Tatum and Brown, the club is now better positioned to eventually make a trade rather than having to undergo a full reset.
Here’s more on Brown’s new deal:
- The extension signals that the Celtics intend to move forward with their plan to build around the trio of Brown, Tatum, and Kristaps Porzingis, all of whom are between 25 and 27 years old, writes Jay King of The Athletic. While they’ll likely miss Marcus Smart and Grant Williams, the C’s are optimistic that Porzingis’ presence will put them in a better position to attack certain defenses that have given them trouble in recent years, King explains.
- Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston takes a look at the short- and long-term implications of Brown’s new contract, observing that there may be a financial squeeze on the Celtics’ supporting cast in future seasons.
- While Brown’s extension is the new richest contract in NBA history, it won’t hold that title for long, notes Zach Kram of The Ringer. Given the rate at which the league’s salary cap is climbing, some massive contracts signed in the early 2020s already look like bargains, Kram writes. Brown’s deal may never qualify as team-friendly, but the super-max contracts being signed during the later years of his extension will be significantly more lucrative.