When Non-Guaranteed Deals Become Guaranteed
With the dust having settled on preseason cuts, NBA teams have eliminated most players on summer contracts and non-guaranteed deals from their rosters. However, there are still plenty of players on non-guaranteed contracts who made their respective teams' regular season rosters. Does that means their contracts are now guaranteed for the season? Well, in most cases, no.
In order for most non-guaranteed contracts to become fully guaranteed for the season, the player must remain on an NBA roster until January 10th. If the player's contract doesn't clear waivers on or before the 10th, his full salary will become guaranteed for the season. Until that date, he'll receive either a prorated portion of his salary, or some other previously-agreed-upon set amount.
However, there are a handful of players whose contracts will become guaranteed before that January 10th date. E'Twaun Moore's minimum-salary deal with the Magic, for instance, stipulates that his contract will become guaranteed if he's not waived by October 30th, which means he looks to be pretty safe.
Per Mark Deeks of ShamSports, here are the other players on non-guaranteed contracts who will see their deals become fully guaranteed prior to January 10th:
- Julyan Stone (Nuggets): October 31st*
- DeJuan Blair (Spurs): November 1st
- P.J. Tucker (Suns): December 1st*
- Cory Higgins (Bobcats): December 10th
- Nate Robinson (Bulls): January 1st
Notes: Stone's contract becomes guaranteed if he's not waived by "opening night," which is assumed to be the Nuggets' opening night, rather than the NBA's opening night. Tucker's guarantee increases to $400K as of opening night before becoming fully guaranteed on December 1st.
Odds & Ends: Knicks, Higgins, Bogut, Carlisle
On the cusp of an earlier report this week that said most Knicks players were working out together before training camp, New York enters this season as a team with no excuses, writes Keith Schlosser of KnicksJournal.com.
Here are a few other notes from around the league.
- According to a tweet from the Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell, Cory Higgins will be in Bobcats training camp competing for the team's third point guard spot.
- Warriors center Andrew Bogut is expected to be in uniform and ready to play in the team's season opener against the Suns, reports Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.
- Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle has to deal with five incoming free agents, but unlike most coaches in the league, it shouldn't be a problem for the lead man in Dallas, writes ESPNDallas.com's Richard Durrett.
- In the midst of rebuilding, the Pistons are loaded with young players that should hopefully grow into a something special given the time they're putting in the gym this offseason, writes Pistons.com's Keith Langlois.
- The Orlando Sentinel's Brian Schmitz tweets that the Magic are expected to sign one or two more free agents to fill out their training camp roster.
- The Clippers have added several veterans this offseason, like Grant Hill, Lamar Odom, and Jamal Crawford. NBA.com's Eric Patten writes that if the additions can stay healthy, the Clippers have positioned themselves to make a deep playoff run.
- Sam Amico of FoxSportsOhio.com covers the remaining free agents that have yet to be signed.
- Dwyane Wade believes the Bulls need Derrick Rose at full strength if they want to contend in the Eastern Conference Finals, let alone the NBA championship, writes ESPNChicago.com's Nick Friedell.
Decisions On Non-Guaranteed Contracts
February 10th marks the day that all players on non-guaranteed contracts will have their deals guaranteed for the remainder of the season. However, if a team wants to meet that Friday deadline, it will need to make its decisions today, allowing its player(s) to pass through waivers in time.
Some non-guaranteed players, such as DeJuan Blair and Jeremy Lin, are in no danger of being waived. However, with a few dozen players on non-guaranteed deals across the league, there will be plenty of cuts before the day is out. Some of those players will sign 10-day contracts shortly after being cut, while others could join the D-League or find a place on our list of current unrestricted free agents.
We'll track all the day's decisions on non-guaranteed contracts right here, with the latest news up top:
- Other players who will have their contracts guaranteed for the remainder of the year: Ivan Johnson, Jannero Pargo, Jerry Stackhouse (Hawks), Cory Higgins (Bobcats), Brian Scalabrine, John Lucas (Bulls), Samardo Samuels, Alonzo Gee (Cavaliers), Sean Williams (Mavericks), Julyan Stone (Nuggets), Vernon Macklin, Damien Wilkins (Pistons), Dominic McGuire, Chris Wright (Warriors), Sundiata Gaines, Keith Bogans (Nets), Steve Novak, Jerome Jordan (Knicks), Ryan Reid (Thunder), DeAndre Liggins (Magic), Lavoy Allen, Francisco Elson (Sixers), Danny Green, Gary Neal (Spurs), Jeremy Evans (Jazz).
- The Jazz will guarantee Jamaal Tinsley's contract, according to Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune (via Twitter).
- The Pistons are keeping guard Walker Russell, agent Giovanni Funicello told HoopsHype (via Twitter).
- The Hornets have waived DaJuan Summers and Carldell Johnson, league sources tell Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
- The Rockets waived Jeff Adrien, reports Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). The move clears a roster spot for Greg Smith.
- The Wizards have waived Hamady N'Diaye, according to a team release.
- Chris Johnson received a call from Trail Blazers GM Chad Buchanan this morning saying his contract would be guaranteed, tweets Mike Tokito of The Oregonian.
- The Celtics will hang on to Greg Stiemsma and guarantee his deal, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
- The Lakers have waived Derrick Caracter. Caracter broke the news himself, tweeting "It's over before it begun!!! …. On to the next chapter of my life" (Twitter links). The Lakers will hang on to Devin Ebanks, Andrew Goudelock, and Darius Morris, tweets Mike Breshnahan of the Los Angeles Times.
- The Clippers have cut Solomon Jones, reports Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter).
- The Heat have waived Mickell Gladness, the team announced (Twitter link). Miami's other two players on non-guaranteed deals, Eddy Curry and Terrel Harris, look safe, tweets Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
- The Grizzlies have waived Josh Davis, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
- The Spurs announced they've waived Malcolm Thomas, who was assigned to the team's D-League affiliate last week.
Zach Links contributed to this post.