Pistons Cut Quincy Olivari
Guard Quincy Olivari has been waived by the Pistons, per the NBA’s transaction log. Detroit signed Olivari to an Exhibit 10 contract earlier this week.
After going undrafted last summer, the former Xavier guard spent the first half of his debut pro season in 2024/25 with the Lakers. Olivari played in just two games for Los Angeles, but put up encouraging numbers with the team’s G League club, the South Bay Lakers.
In 31 regular season games for South Bay, Olivari registered averages of 17.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per contest, with shooting splits of .401/.342/.781.
More recently, Olivari joined the Nets’ Summer League squad in July.
This moves leaves only Charles Bediako, Dawson Garcia and Brice Williams signed to Exhibit 10 agreements. The Pistons will likely fill that newly opened roster spot prior to the start of camp.
Olivari, meanwhile, is a good bet to end up with Detroit’s G League team, the Motor City Cruise. Should he remain with Motor City for 60 days or more, Olivari could net a bonus worth as much as $85,300.
Pistons Signing Quincy Olivari
The Pistons are signing free agent guard Quincy Olivari, his agent Darrell Comer tells Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Olivari, 24, had been on a two-way deal with the Lakers for part of 2024/25. The 6’3″ Xavier alum appeared in just two contests for Los Angeles last season after signing on with the club as an undrafted rookie.
The Lakers waived him in January 2025, and he finished his season with L.A.’s NBAGL affiliate, the South Bay Lakers. He suited up for Brooklyn’s Summer League club in July.
Across 31 outings with South Bay, including 29 starts, Olivari averaged 17.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, with a shooting line of .401/.342/.781.
Details of the contract have yet to be revealed, although it seems likely given his limited experience that Olivari has agreed to a training camp deal with Exhibit 10 language.
Detroit currently has three other players — Charles Bediako, Dawson Garcia and Brice Williams — signed to Exhibit 10 deals. All three of the Pistons’ two-way contracts are occupied, while the team has 14 of its 15 standard roster spots filled.
Should Detroit cut Olivari before the start of the season and sign him to its affiliate team, the Motor City Cruise, Olivari could be eligible for a bonus worth up to $85,300 — provided he sticks with Motor City for at least 60 days.
Lakers Release Two-Way Player Quincy Olivari
The Lakers have cut two-way guard Quincy Olivari, sources inform Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). The move has been confirmed in the NBA’s official transaction log.
As Scotto notes, Olivari has put up solid numbers this season while mostly playing for L.A.’s NBAGL affiliate squad in El Segundo, the South Bay Lakers.
Across 13 combined Tip-Off Tournament and G League regular season games, Olivari averaged 17.2 points, 4.4 dimes, and 4.4 boards per night. He also notched a .421/.406/.711 shooting line, taking 7.8 three-point tries per game to reach that 40.6% mark.
The 23-year-old rookie guard cameoed in just two contests for the Lakers at the NBA level, logging 10 total minutes of mop-up time.
Scotto reports that Olivari is anticipated to have a market as a free agent.
The 6’3″ guard spent his first four collegiate seasons as an All-Conference USA talent at Rice, before finishing out his NCAA tenure at Xavier in 2023/24. He went undrafted over the summer, but impressed the Lakers enough in the 2024 preseason to earn a two-way slot.
The Lakers are reportedly expected to fill their newly opened two-way slot by signing big man Trey Jemison. Forward Armel Traore and center Christian Koloko are the club’s other two-way players.
Los Angeles Notes: Porter Jr., Harden, Olivari, James Family
The NBA’s investigation regarding Clippers guard Kevin Porter Jr. remains ongoing, Law Murray of The Athletic tweets. Porter will be able to play until the NBA decides whether to take disciplinary action. The Clippers signed Porter to a two-year contract in the summer despite his past troubles with the law.
In 2023, following an arrest on a domestic assault charge, Porter was traded by the Rockets to Oklahoma City shortly before the start of the regular season. The Thunder waived him the day after the deal was completed and he didn’t play in the league last season.
Porter reached a plea agreement of a third-degree reckless assault misdemeanor in January. He was required to complete a court-ordered program, after which his plea was to move to not guilty with no criminal record.
We have more on the Los Angeles teams:
- With Kawhi Leonard out indefinitely due to his knee rehab, James Harden is thrust into the role of primary scorer for the Clippers. However, coach Tyronn Lue doesn’t want to place too much of a burden on the 35-year-old guard. “Yeah, we got to be smart about it. We’ve been talking about it, meeting about it, just making sure we don’t run him into the ground,” Lue told Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. “When you lose a power player like Kawhi to start, you can see yourself playing James way more minutes than you need to. So, we just got to make sure we keep him healthy and make sure we’re doing the smart thing, and we’re still working on that right now as far as minutes and what we try to have to start the season.”
- Quincy Olivari had his Exhibit 10 contract converted into a two-way deal by the Lakers after his strong preseason showing. He’s thrilled to make the roster but has loftier goals in mind. “This ain’t my end goal in life, but it’s another milestone that I’ve completed and accomplished and I’m just ready,” Olivari told Khobi Price of the Orange County Register. “I’m just glad I was able to come back here to practice, honestly. I woke up and I was like, ‘It might be early, I might still be tired, but there’s some people that don’t have this blessing that I have so I’m just going to take full advantage.’ It changed my whole mindset.”
- Will Bronny James appear on the court at the same time as his father in the Lakers’ season opener? LeBron James says there’s no rush to make history. “Whenever it happens, it will happen,” he said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “If it’s tonight or if it’s down the line, whenever it happens, it will happen. But it’s been a treat, and just in preseason, the practices, just every day … just bringing him up to speed of what this professional life is all about and how to prepare every day as a professional.” The Lakers host Minnesota on Tuesday.
Pacific Notes: Olivari, Bronny, Warriors, McLaughlin
Before his new two-way contract with the Lakers became official, rookie point guard Quincy Olivari got to play in front of his childhood basketball hero Friday night, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Warriors star Stephen Curry, who sat out due to a sprained finger, talked to Olivari after the game and presented him with autographed sneakers.
“I used to sleep under that jersey,” Olivari told reporters. “I just wanted to be like him so bad. So just to be able to meet him, him be able to have some respect for me and for us to talk in the back — he gave me a pair of his shoes and signed them. Like, that meant the world to me.”
The 23-year-old Olivari has been a pleasant surprise in training camp after going undrafted out of Xavier. He shot 57.1% from the floor during the preseason and capped it off with a 22-point performance Friday night.
“I just want a job in the NBA,” he said. “Like, it’s the only thing I’ve wanted since I was like 5 years old, and my dad always said my biggest gift is my energy. Energy can never be created or destroyed, only transferred. So I bring energy to whatever team wants me, and I bring every group up.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Friday also marked the best preseason showing for second-round pick Bronny James, who posted 17 points, four rebounds, three steals and a block, McMenamin adds. He points out that James also got off to a slow start in Summer League, but improved as he saw more game action. “[It gives me] just a little bit of confidence going into the season even though I might not be in that rotation, might not be playing, but just going into practice, maybe G League games with that confidence in myself to go out there and play my game,” James said.
- At Thursday’s practice, Curry aggravated a finger injury he suffered last week, but he’s expected to be ready when the Warriors begin their season Wednesday at Portland, per Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. Coach Steve Kerr had hoped to get some clarity about his starting and closing lineups on Friday, but he suggested he may try several combinations early in the season. “I suppose both could change. I suppose both could change from one night to the next,” Kerr said. “I’d like to get a consistent starting five — and a consistent closing five. But it has to reveal itself.”
- There’s some concern in Sacramento after the Kings wrapped up their first winless preseason in 33 years, observes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. One positive is Jordan McLaughlin, who seems to be fully recovered from an ankle sprain earlier in the preseason. “I feel solid,” said McLaughlin, who joined the team in free agency this summer after five years in Minnesota. “I’m still getting my legs back and getting my wind back from being hurt, but so far, so good, and I’m just looking forward to growing in this system.”
Lakers Sign Quincy Olivari To Two-Way Deal, Waive Colin Castleton
The Lakers have signed training camp standout Quincy Olivari to a two-way contract, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto (Twitter link). Los Angeles is waiving Colin Castleton to make room, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).
Olivari drew rave reviews from Lakers staffers during the offseason, and he backed it up with impressive play during the preseason. He averaged 8.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game while shooting a blistering 57.1% from beyond the arc across four preseason appearances (including one start). He closed out the preseason on Friday with a 22-point performance.
Olivari played four collegiate seasons at Rice before transferring to Xavier for his final season. He averaged 19.2 PPG and shot 40.9% on 7.6 three-point attempts per game last season. He went undrafted in the 2024 class but is now set to make the Lakers’ opening-day roster.
Castleton appeared in 16 games with the Lakers last season on a two-way deal after going undrafted out of Florida. He didn’t play much at the NBA level, but impressed in the G League with averages of 16.4 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.
The Lakers made him a restricted free agent this offseason before re-signing him to a two-way deal amid a summer league performance that saw him average a near-double-double. L.A.’s frontcourt depth is down right now with Christian Wood and Jarred Vanderbilt injured and Christian Koloko still needing medical clearance (though the team is optimistic he’ll receive it sooner than later).
That seemed like a recipe for Castleton to perhaps receive some early season minutes, but he only averaged 2.4 points in 13.7 minutes during the preseason. The Lakers are reportedly looking for at options for center depth.
The Lakers are still one spot over the regular season limit from setting their opening night roster. They have Grayson Murphy occupying an Exhibit 10 slot, but he’ll almost certainly be waived in the coming hours. The Lakers have a full 18-man roster beyond that, with Olivari, Armel Traore and Koloko occupying their two-way slots.
Lakers Notes: Vanderbilt, Reaves, Olivari, Trade Market
Jarred Vanderbilt probably won’t play during the preseason, but the Lakers remain hopeful that he’ll be ready when the regular season tips off on October 22, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. The team is bringing Vanderbilt along slowly after he had surgery on both feet in May, and he continues to make progress toward being available for opening night. Head coach J.J. Redick told reporters after Saturday’s practice that Vanderbilt hasn’t experienced any complications since training camp began.
“He’s following our ramp-up protocol,” Redick said. “He has not done any contact work. He has not participated in any non-contact practice. But we’re still trying to target the beginning of the season. Our ramp-up process, we’re on, sort of, target. So it remains to be seen if he’ll be available. But no setbacks. And he just continues to work his way back.”
Vanderbilt became an immediate starter after being acquired from Utah at the 2023 trade deadline and played an important role as the Lakers reached the Western Conference Finals. Injuries limited him to 29 games last season, and his return could be vital for Redick as he installs new defensive schemes.
“We’ve had some fun with one of our zones,” Redick said. “We haven’t practiced it, but we’ve used it in a game a couple times. We have another version of a zone that features [Vanderbilt]. I’m looking forward to experimenting with that. Probably won’t get to experiment with it in the preseason.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Austin Reaves missed Thursday’s game with soreness in his right ankle, but Redick doesn’t believe it’s a long-term concern, Price adds. He was a non-contact participant in today’s practice and could return for Tuesday’s matchup with Golden State.
- Quincy Olivari, who’s in camp on an Exhibit 10 deal, made a strong impression on his teammates and coaches Thursday night, per Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. The rookie guard out of Xavier put up 11 points, five rebounds and two assists in the fourth quarter and helped to spark a 20-0 run. Olivari said it was a “fairly easy decision” to join the Lakers, even though there’s not a roster spot available, especially after he was recruited following the draft by Nick Mazzella, general manager of the team’s South Bay affiliate in the G League. “He takes the game very seriously,” Redick said. “He’s a player who, I talk about care factor, he’s a player who has a care factor for doing it the right way and wanting to execute whatever vision you give him. I’m excited that he’s in our program, I really am. We look at him as a coaching staff in very high regard.”
- The Lakers are exploring the trade market in hopes of adding another center, Shams Charania of ESPN said Friday in his debut appearance on NBA Today (video link). Charania didn’t mention any potential targets, but he pointed out that Christian Wood continues to recover after having knee surgery last month, while two-way player Christian Koloko still hasn’t received medical clearance to return to the league, even though Lakers doctors remain confident it will eventually happen.
Lakers Sign Kylor Kelley, Quincy Olivari To Exhibit 10 Deals
6:26pm: Both moves are official, the Lakers announced (via Twitter).
1:09pm: The Lakers have signed free agents Kylor Kelley and Quincy Olivari to Exhibit 10 contracts, according to reports from Jovan Buha of The Athletic and Trevor Lane of Lakers Nation (Twitter links). Olivari’s agreement with the team was first reported in June, but Lane indicates that it’s official now (Twitter link).
Kelley, who went undrafted out of Oregon State in 2020, has played in the G League and a handful of other non-NBA leagues – including in England and Denmark – since going pro.
The 7’0″ center spent the 2023/24 season with the Maine Celtics, Boston’s affiliate, and earned NBAGL All-Defensive honors after averaging a league-leading 2.9 blocks per game in 29 regular season appearances (22.0 MPG). Kelley, 26, also contributed 7.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest.
Olivari, meanwhile, was a two-time All-CUSA honoree during his four seasons at Rice who transferred to Xavier for his final season of NCAA eligibility in 2023/24. The 6’2″ guard posted averages of 19.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals per night last season, with shooting splits of .425/.409/.814.
Olivari played for the Lakers’ Summer League team last month, while Kelley suited up for the Thunder’s Summer League squad.
A player on an Exhibit 10 contract can earn a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he’s waived by his NBA team and then spends at least 60 days with his club’s G League affiliate. Exhibit 10 deals can also be converted to two-way contracts before the start of the regular season.
The Lakers now have 20 players under contract, including 15 on guaranteed standard deals and three on two-way pacts.
Lakers Signing East, Olivari To Exhibit 10 Contracts
The Lakers are planning to sign a pair of undrafted free agent guards to Exhibit 10 contracts.
Per Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress.com and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter links), Missouri combo guard Sean East II and Xavier’s Quincy Olivari are expected to join Los Angeles’ offseason roster.
The 6’3″ East played for four college programs across his five NCAA seasons, but spent the past two with Missouri. In 2023/24, as a full-time starter, he averaged 17.6 points, 4.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game, with an impressive shooting line of .521/.450/.856.
Olivari, a two-time All-CUSA honoree during his four seasons at Rice, transferred to Xavier for his final season of NCAA eligibility in 2023/24. With the Musketeers, the 6’2″ guard posted averages of 19.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals a night. He logged shooting splits of .425/.409/.814.
Exhibit 10 deals are non-guaranteed agreements that can be converted to two-way deals ahead of the regular season. If an Exhibit 10 signee is cut by his team and spends at least 60 days with the club’s G League affiliate, he’s eligible to earn a bonus. Last year, that bonus could be worth up to $75K; it will increase at the same level as the league’s salary cap for 2024/25.
Draft Workouts: Spurs, Suns, Pacers, Blazers, Lakers, Wolves, Thomas
The Spurs, who are widely expected to draft at least one guard next Wednesday, recently worked out both Stephon Castle of UConn and Devin Carter of Providence, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic.
As we relayed on Wednesday, recent mock drafts from ESPN and Bleacher Report both have San Antonio drafting Castle at No. 4, and the team is said to be high on Carter as well. Iko confirms as much, writing that the Spurs have “strong interest” in Carter, Castle, and Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard, with Carter’s private workout “resonating” among the team’s decision-makers.
Here’s more pre-draft workout news from around the NBA:
- After a previous report indicated that the Suns may target Tyler Kolek with the No. 22 pick, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic says Phoenix brought the former Marquette guard in for a workout on Thursday. Kolek is the No. 25 prospect on ESPN’s board and the Suns are believed to be in the market for a point guard this offseason.
- The Pacers held their sixth pre-draft workout on Thursday, with Adem Bona (UCLA), RayJ Dennis (Baylor), Ariel Hukporti (Germany), Daniss Jenkins (St. John’s), Keshad Johnson (Arizona), and Babacar Sane (G League Ignite) in attendance, per a press release from the team. Bona (No. 33) is the highest-rated player of the group on ESPN’s board.
- International prospects Yongxi Cui and Quinn Ellis and G Leaguer Bryson Warren were among the players who participated in a pre-draft workout with the Trail Blazers on Friday, tweets Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. Tristan Enaruna (Cleveland State), Oso Ighodaro (Marquette), and Nae’Qwan Tomlin (Memphis) also took part.
- The Lakers brought in a handful of potential second-rounders or undrafted free agents on Thursday, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link), who says Quinn Slazinski (West Virginia), Jalen Bridges (Baylor), Raequan Battle (West Virginia), Quincy Olivari (Xavier), and Lance Jones (Purdue) attended the session. McMenamin also says Xavier Johnson participated, though he doesn’t specify whether that’s the Xavier Johnson from Indiana or Southern Illinois.
- Keion Brooks Jr. (Washington), Tyler Wahl (Wisconsin), N’Faly Dante (Oregon), Aaron Estrada (Alabama), and Isaac Jones (Washington State) worked out for the Timberwolves on Friday, according to the club (Twitter link). It’s worth noting that it was Estrada’s second workout for Minnesota, which may signal real interest.
- Tyler Thomas of Hofstra has recently worked out for the Cavaliers, Rockets, Magic, Timberwolves, and Knicks, a source tells Adam Zagoria of NJ.com (Twitter link). Thomas isn’t considered a top-100 prospect by ESPN, but could catch on with a team in free agency if he goes undrafted.