Sixers Hope To Be Active On Buyout Market
The Sixers are in position to add two players on the buyout market, with Chris Boucher, Lonzo Ball and Haywood Highsmith among the potential targets, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). Pompey cites Khris Middleton as another possibility if he agrees to a buyout with the Mavericks.
Philadelphia currently has two players holding 10-day contracts, with Charles Bassey on his second and Patrick Baldwin Jr. on his first. Both will expire during All-Star weekend, giving the team two open roster spots.
In addition, Paul George has already served five games of his 25-game suspension for taking a banned substance, so he can be moved to the suspended list, allowing the Sixers to add another player until he returns in late March.
However, finances will factor into the decisions. Philadelphia is currently $1.57MM below the tax line and $3.75MM away from the first apron. The team can add two rest-of-season minimum-salary contracts without moving into tax territory, according to Pompey.
Boucher and Ball were both traded to Utah on Thursday and waived by the end of the day. Boucher, a 33-year-old big man, appeared in just nine games with Boston before being dealt. He spent five seasons playing for Sixers head coach Nick Nurse in Toronto.
Ball, a 28-year-old guard, played 35 games for Cleveland this season, mostly in a reserve role. Pompey notes that he could provide backcourt depth after Jared McCain and Eric Gordon were both traded last week.
Highsmith, a 29-year-old forward, was waived by Brooklyn to open up a roster spot for a three-team deal. He hasn’t played yet this season after undergoing surgery on a torn meniscus in August, but he’s nearing a recovery and is attracting interest from several playoff teams. Pompey points out that Highsmith began his career as a two-way player with the Sixers in 2019.
Middleton, who was sent from Washington to Dallas in the Anthony Davis trade, is the biggest name on the list. There’s been speculation that the 34-year-old swingman may become available, but there have been no reported buyout talks and he plans to make his Mavericks debut Tuesday night.
The Sixers could fill one of their open spots by promoting forward Jabari Walker to a standard contract, Pompey adds. Walker reached his 50-game limit on a two-way contract last week and has been inactive for the team’s last two contests.
“He’s been a tremendous next man up type contributor,” president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said of Walker. “We hope to have his services going forward, but we do have to weigh optimal use of our sort of scarce two roster spots, and against the other opportunities as well. So that’ll be written over time, whether or not we do that conversion there.”
Sixers Sign Patrick Baldwin Jr. To 10-Day Deal
4:27 pm: The Sixers have officially signed Baldwin to a 10-day deal, per the transaction log at NBA.com.
3:23 pm: The Sixers plan to sign free agent forward Patrick Baldwin Jr. to a 10-day contract, according to Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports (Twitter link).
The 28th overall pick in the 2022 draft, Baldwin has appeared in 95 regular season games for the Warriors, Wizards, and Clippers since making his NBA debut. He finished last season on a two-way contract with L.A. and rejoined the team for training camp before being waived at the end of the preseason.
Baldwin, who signed a 10-day deal with the Clips last month, has spent the majority of the season in the G League with the San Diego Clippers. The 23-year-old has averaged 21.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals on .530/.343/.667 shooting in 25 NBAGL games (33.6 MPG).
Philadelphia traded Jared McCain and Eric Gordon prior to Thursday’s deadline without acquiring any players in return, enabling the team to dip below the luxury tax line, add draft assets, and open two roster spots. The 76ers will soon have 14 players on their standard roster, as they’re adding Baldwin and re-signed Charles Bassey to a second 10-day deal.
Two-way forward Jabari Walker reached his 50-game limit on Tuesday and will be ineligible to play for the rest of the season unless Philadelphia converts him to a standard deal. Assuming that happens, the 76ers would have a full 15-man standard roster, which would give them the option of keeping Dominick Barlow on a two-way deal for the time being — he can still be active for 10 more games.
The Sixers would have to maintain a full 15-man roster in order to continue using Barlow on his two-way contract, since they’ve hit their “under-15” limit for two-way players — teams can only use their two-way players for a combined total of 90 games while they’re carrying fewer than 15 players on standard contracts. Philadelphia, which has been carrying just 14 players for most of the season, recently reached that 90-game limit.
Pacific Notes: Warriors, James, Clippers, Brooks
Many factors will go into any trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but among realistic suitors, the Warriors could have the cleanest path to putting together a compelling trade package, writes ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Marks looks at 11 teams who could potentially make a move for the Bucks’ star. Among those 11, he has the Warriors and Pistons tied for the lowest degree of difficulty in terms of making an enticing offer due to the two teams’ combination of young players, salary-matching contracts, and available draft picks.
He notes that Jimmy Butler‘s two-year, $111MM contract would be required in any deal for Antetokounmpo, and that the Warriors could then include Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, four first-round picks (including one in this year’s loaded draft) and up to three pick swaps. Such a deal would require taking back either Bobby Portis or Kyle Kuzma, whom the Bucks would likely be interested in moving off.
While Antetokounmpo’s preference will likely come into play in any deal, the number of picks the Warriors can offer should appeal to the Bucks. By comparison the Heat can only offer two first-rounders starting in 2030, while the Knicks can’t trade a first-round selection until the offseason outside of a protected Wizards 2026 pick that is unlikely to convey.
We have more from around the Pacific Division:
- LeBron James is almost certain to stay with the Lakers through this trade deadline, but some in his circle have speculated he could play another season in the NBA somewhere outside of Los Angeles, reports Shams Charania for ESPN (YouTube video link). “If he does actually play one more season, there is definitely chatter,” Sharania said. “Where could that be? Could that be in Cleveland? Where could that be? Could it be back in L.A.?” Charania emphasized that James’ focus at present is playing out the year with the Lakers, who will be active trying to improve the team at the trade deadline.
- With Patrick Baldwin Jr.‘s 10-day deal having expired, the under-15 clock is back on for the Clippers, notes Spotrac’s Keith Smith (via Twitter). This rule prevents a team from having its two-way players active for more than 90 combined games while carrying fewer than 15 players on its standard roster. Unless the team re-adds a 15th man, Los Angeles has just five more games in which both Kobe Sanders and Jordan Miller can be active. Converting one of the two of them to a standard contract after the trade deadline could solve the issue, with Miller looking the more likely candidate for a promotion. The third-year wing has averaged 14.3 points in 28.5 minutes per game over his last 10 games.
- A technical foul that Dillon Brooks received in the second quarter of Tuesday’s game between the Suns and Nets, the NBA announced (Twitter link). This puts Brooks at a league-leading 14 technicals for the season, one ahead of the Lakers’ Luka Doncic, which means he’s still two techs away from a one-game suspension.
Clippers Sign Patrick Baldwin To 10-Day Contract
3:53 pm: Baldwin’s 10-day contract is official, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.
12:13 pm: The Clippers intend to sign forward Patrick Baldwin Jr. to a 10-day contract, reports Law Murray of The Athletic (via Twitter).
It doesn’t sound like the signing will happen immediately. According to Murray, the expectation is that Baldwin will join the team for Monday’s game in Washington. The Clippers play the Raptors in Toronto on Friday night before getting Saturday and Sunday off.
The 28th overall pick in the 2022 draft, Baldwin has appeared in 93 regular season games for the Warriors, Wizards, and Clippers since making his NBA debut. He finished last season on a two-way contract with L.A. and rejoined the team for training camp before being waived at the end of the preseason.
So far in 2025/26, Baldwin has played for the San Diego Clippers, L.A.’s G League affiliate. In 17 NBAGL contests, the forward – whose height is now listed at 7’0″, has averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.7 steals in 33.9 minutes per game, with a .546/.321/.652 shooting line.
The Clippers have an open spot on their 15-man roster, so no corresponding move will be necessary to make room for Baldwin. He’ll carry a cap hit of $131,970, which will move the club to within about $1.15MM of its first-apron hard cap.
As Murray points out (via Twitter), carrying a full 15-man roster for 10 days will give the Clippers some extra flexibility with two-way players Kobe Sanders and Jordan Miller. While a player on a two-way contract is permitted to be active for up to 50 regular season games, a team carrying fewer than 15 players on standard deals can’t use more than 90 combined active games for its two-way players.
As long as the Clippers have a 15th man under contract, they could have Sanders, Miller, and TyTy Washington Jr. active without any of those games being considered an “under-15” game and counting toward the team’s 90-game limit. Those games would still count toward each player’s individual limit.
So far this season, the Clippers have used 74 total active games for five two-way players: Sanders, Miller, Washington, Jahmyl Telfort, and RayJ Dennis. Telfort and Dennis have since been waived.
Clippers Waive Three Players, Convert Telfort To Two-Way Deal
5:43 pm: All of the Clippers’ roster moves outlined below, including Telfort’s promotion to a two-way deal, are now official, per NBA.com’s transaction log.
2:32 pm: The Clippers are setting their regular season roster by waiving Jason Preston, Patrick Baldwin Jr., and TyTy Washington Jr. while converting Jahmyl Telfort to a two-way contract, according to Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Shams Charania of ESPN first reported (via Twitter) that Telfort would fill L.A.’s open two-way slot. The team created that opening four days ago by cutting Trentyn Flowers.
Telfort, who went undrafted out of Butler in June, averaged 16.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game as a super-senior in 2024/25 before becoming draft-eligible. The 6’7″ forward suited up for the Clippers’ Summer League team in July, averaging 3.6 PPG, 2.4 RPG, and 1.4 APG in 12.3 MPG across five appearances in Las Vegas.
Telfort appeared in three of the Clippers’ preseason games, scoring just nine total points in about 29 minutes of action, but the team has decided to keep him around over Preston, Baldwin, and Washington, all of whom have NBA experience and all of whom were also on Exhibit 10 contracts. According to Murray (Twitter link), Telfort has impressed the team in recent weeks with his awareness, defensive effort and versatility, and toughness.
Preston, Baldwin, and Washington would each be eligible to earn a bonus worth $85,300 if they report to the San Diego Clippers this fall and spend at least 60 days with L.A.’s G League affiliate.
The Clippers, who are too close to their hard cap to carry a full roster to open the season, will have 14 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals once these transactions are official.
Contract Details: Gill, Potter, Spurs, Clippers
Anthony Gill‘s new one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Wizards is guaranteed, Hoops Rumors has confirmed.
While that had been expected, it’s worth noting that it once again creates a roster crunch in Washington, where the team is now carrying 15 players on guaranteed contracts along with rotation regular Justin Champagnie on a non-guaranteed deal. The Wizards will have to trade or waive one of those 16 players before the regular season begins, with Dillon Jones and Malaki Branham among the potential odd men out.
As part of his new agreement with the Wizards, Gill also waived his right to veto a trade during the 2025/26 season. A player who signs a one-year contract with his previous team typically gets an implicit no-trade clause, but a club can ask the player to give it up when he re-signs.
While the Wizards can now freely trade Gill beginning on December 15, he has established himself as a veteran locker-room leader in D.C. in recent years and will be earning the minimum, so he doesn’t seem like an obvious candidate to be moved ahead of February’s deadline.
Here are a few more details on recently signed contracts:
- The non-guaranteed contracts that Micah Potter and Adam Flagler signed with the Spurs contain both Exhibit 9 and Exhibit 10 language, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. Potter and Flagler would each earn bonuses worth $85,300 if they’re waived by San Antonio and then spend at least 60 days with the Austin Spurs in the G League.
- Both Riley Minix and Harrison Ingram simply accepted their two-way qualifying offers when they re-signed with the Spurs, so their two-way deals are both one-year pacts that include partial guarantees of $85,300 apiece.
- Patrick Baldwin Jr. and TyTy Washington Jr. both got maximum Exhibit 10 bonuses ($85,300) on their deals with the Clippers. Los Angeles already holds Baldwin’s G League rights and could obtain Washington’s by designating him as an affiliate player, so it appears likely both players will end up with the San Diego Clippers in the NBAGL if they aren’t converted to two-way contracts prior to the regular season.
Clippers Sign Baldwin, Washington To Exhibit 10 Deals
The Clippers have officially signed Patrick Baldwin Jr. and TyTy Washington Jr. to Exhibit 10 contracts, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac.
Washington (29th overall) was selected directly after Baldwin (28th) in the first round of the 2022 draft. Neither player has found much consistency at the NBA level to this point, and they’ll reportedly be competing for a two-way contract in training camp.
Baldwin, 22, was drafted by Golden State and spent his rookie season with the Warriors. He was traded to Washington in the 2023 offseason and spent a year-and-a-half with the Wizards, who sent him to San Antonio in February.
The 6’9″ forward was released by the Spurs but caught on with the Clippers, inking a two-way contract in March. He was waived in late July to make roster space for Jordan Miller, with Law Murray of The Athletic stating at the time that Los Angeles was interested in re-signing Baldwin to an Exhibit 10 deal.
Washington, 23, played a limited role across 31 outings for the Rockets as a rookie and was traded twice during the 2023 offseason – from Houston to Atlanta to Oklahoma City – before being waived by the Thunder. He subsequently spent his second season on a two-way contract with Milwaukee and his third year on a two-way deal with Phoenix.
Both Baldwin and Washington have three years of NBA experience and one year of two-way eligibility remaining. The Clippers’ two-way spots are currently held by Miller, 2025 second-rounder Kobe Sanders, and 20-year-old wing Trentyn Flowers.
If Baldwin and/or Washington are cut before the 2025/26 season begins and decide to play in the G League, they would be eligible for bonus worth up to $85,300 if they spend at least 60 days with the San Diego Clippers.
The Clippers now have 19 players under contract, including 14 on guaranteed standard deals.
Jordan Miller Signs Two-Way Contract With Clippers
July 29: Miller’s two-way deal is official, according to Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link). Baldwin has been officially waived, as we detailed in a separate story.
July 26: After waiving Jordan Miller earlier this month, the Clippers are bringing him back on a two-way contract, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
The 25-year-old small forward was one of the stars at the Las Vegas Summer League, earning first-team honors after averaging 22 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting 53% from the field and 39% from three-point range.
L.A. will create an opening for Miller by waiving Patrick Baldwin Jr., according to Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link), who states that the team has interest in signing Baldwin to an Exhibit 10 contract if he clears waivers. TyTy Washington Jr., whose impending signing was reported earlier today, will have an Exhibit 10 deal and will also compete for a two-way contract, Murray confirms.
The Clippers elected to part with Miller 18 days ago rather than give him a $350K guarantee on his $2.19MM salary for next season. His previous contract would have included another guarantee if he earned a spot on the opening night roster.
L.A. originally gave Miller a two-way contract in 2023 after selecting him out of Miami with the 48th pick in the draft. He remained on the two-way deal through most of last season before it was converted to a standard contract on March 1.
Miller appeared in 37 games last season, putting up 4.1 points and 1.6 rebounds in 11.4 minutes per night with .433/.211/.800 shooting numbers.
Kobe Sanders, who signed on July 10, and Trentyn Flowers occupy the team’s other two-way spots.
Clippers Waive Patrick Baldwin Jr.
As expected, the Clippers have waived forward Patrick Baldwin Jr., according to the NBA’s official transaction log.
A report over the weekend indicated that Baldwin would be waived to open up a two-way contract slot for Jordan Miller. That report, from Law Murray of The Athletic, noted that the Clippers would have interest in bringing back Baldwin on an Exhibit 10 contract if he clears waivers.
The 28th overall pick in the 2022 draft, Baldwin played limited minutes as a rookie in Golden State before being sent to Washington in the Jordan Poole/Chris Paul trade during the summer of 2023. He also played a limited role in D.C. across a season-and-a-half until he was dealt to the Spurs at the 2025 trade deadline. San Antonio waived the 22-year-old shortly after acquiring him and he finished last season on a two-way contract with L.A.
In 93 total NBA outings, Baldwin has averaged 3.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 8.9 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .405/.373/.658. The 6’9″ forward has played more of a featured role in the G League, including in 2024/25, when he put up 17.3 PPG and 6.8 RPG on .489/.364/.594 shooting in 23 games for the Capital City Go-Go and San Diego Clippers. He also filled up the box score with 2.4 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.3 steals per contest.
Baldwin still has one more year of two-way eligibility remaining.
The Clippers, meanwhile, can now officially move forward on their new two-way agreement with Miller, who will join Kobe Sanders and Trentyn Flowers as the team’s two-way players.
Clippers Sign Patrick Baldwin, Seth Lundy; Waive Kai Jones
4:11pm: Jones has been waived, the Clippers announced (via Twitter). The team has also officially completed its two-way deals with Baldwin and Lundy, per NBA.com’s transaction log.
1:40pm: The Clippers are signing free agent wings Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Seth Lundy to two-way contracts, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Los Angeles will open up one two-way slot by promoting Jordan Miller to the standard 15-man roster, as Charania reported earlier this afternoon. The team will create a second opening by waiving big man Kai Jones, Charania adds.
Baldwin, 22, was selected 28th overall in the 2022 draft by Golden State. The 6’9″ forward has appeared in 91 total NBA regular season games, averaging 3.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 9.0 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .401/.366/.658. He was traded from Washington to San Antonio in the four-team Kyle Kuzma/Khris Middleton deal last month, then was cut by the Spurs.
Lundy, who will turn 25 next month, was the 46th overall pick in the 2023 draft. He appeared in nine NBA games while on a two-way contract with the Hawks as a rookie and opened the 2024/25 campaign on a two-way deal too before being waived in December. Lundy was dealing with an ankle injury when he was cut by Atlanta and hasn’t played at all in the NBA or G League this season.
Jones, meanwhile, appeared in 28 games for the Clippers this season after spending most of 2023/24 out of the NBA. The former 19th overall pick, who fell out of favor in Charlotte after two years as a Hornet, averaged 2.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in 7.4 minutes per night for Los Angeles. He had a semi-regular rotation role earlier in the season but has played primarily in garbage time since the calendar turned to 2025.
Taking into account the Clippers’ roster moves reported earlier today, the team will be completing a total of five transactions — signing Baldwin and Lundy, waiving Jones and MarJon Beauchamp, and promoting Miller. Once the dust has settled, L.A. will once again have a full 18-man roster, with 15 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals.