Lakers Convert Nick Smith Jr. To Two-Year Standard Deal
1:05 pm: Smith’s promotion is now official, per NBA.com’s transaction log.
The Lakers will have a team option on Smith for next season and his 2026/27 salary is non-guaranteed, confirms Khobi Price of The California Post (Twitter link).
10:49 am: The Lakers are converting Nick Smith Jr.‘s two-way contract into a two-year standard deal, agent Lucas Newton tells Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Smith signed a two-way deal with the Lakers in late September, a few days after he was waived by the Hornets, who selected him 27th overall in the 2023 draft. Charlotte was facing a roster crunch at the time and Smith hadn’t taken meaningful steps forward in his first two NBA seasons.
Smith, who turns 22 years old next week, has averaged 6.0 points and 1.0 assist in 12.3 minutes per contest through 29 games in 2025/26. His shooting slash line is .433/.400/.733.
In addition to his NBA experience with the Lakers this season, Smith also played 18 G League games (29.2 MPG) with the team’s affiliate in South Bay, averaging 19.7 PPG, 5.0 APG and 3.6 RPG on .498/.370/.683 shooting splits.
Promoting Smith will make him eligible for the playoffs. The Lakers will have home court advantage in the first round, but their final seed — they can finish either third or fourth — will depend on the outcome of Sunday’s games.
Los Angeles created an opening on its standard roster on Friday, when the team waived Kobe Bufkin, another 2023 first-round pick. Smith will fill that 15th and final standard roster spot.
Smith’s salary for 2026/27 is unlikely to be guaranteed, though that hasn’t been confirmed. It also wouldn’t be surprising if his new contract features a team option for next season.
Nets Re-Sign Tre Scott On Hardship Deal
The Nets have re-signed Tre Scott via a hardship exception, reports Brian Lewis of The New York Post (via Twitter). Scott’s previous 10-day hardship contract with Brooklyn expired on Saturday night.
Scott’s new contract with the Nets will cover Sunday’s regular season finale at Toronto. He will be an unrestricted free agent after Sunday, since he’s technically not on the standard 15-man roster.
A team qualifies for a hardship exception when it has four players who have missed three consecutive games due to an injury and are expected to remain out for at least two more weeks. Day’Ron Sharpe (thumb), Egor Dëmin (foot), Michael Porter Jr. (hamstring), and Danny Wolf (ankle) all fit that bill for Brooklyn.
Scott, 29, has competed in Puerto Rico, France, and Canada since going undrafted out of Cincinnati in 2020, though he has spent most of his time in the G League, suiting up for the Salt Lake City Stars, Cleveland Charge, Ontario Clippers, Greensboro Swarm, Osceola Magic, and – most recently – the Long Island Nets.
In 47 total outings this season for Long Island, the 6’8″ combo forward averaged 12.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 27.9 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .453/.358/.609.
Scott, who had a 10-day stint with Cleveland back in 2021/22, has appeared in five games with the Nets this season, averaging 8.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 block in 31.2 minutes per contest. His shooting slash line is .381/.286/.667.
Scott will earn $11,773 on the final day of the regular season, increasing his year-end total to $174,503. That total includes both hardship deals and a $45K partial guarantee on a training camp contract he signed last fall.
Raptors Convert A.J. Lawson To Standard Contract
4:00 pm: Lawson’s new deal is official, per NBA.com’s transaction log.
3:16 pm: The Raptors are promoting two-way player A.J. Lawson to a standard contract that covers the rest of 2025/26, agents Todd Ramasar and Mike Simonetta tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Blake Murphy of Sportnet.ca confirms (via Twitter) that Lawson’s contract will expire this summer, making him a free agent. Converting Lawson’s contract will make him eligible for the postseason, as two-way players are unable to compete after the regular season ends.
A 6’5″ guard/forward, Lawson has appeared in 23 NBA games in his second season with the Raptors, averaging 4.0 points and 1.9 rebounds in 9.3 minutes per contest while shooting 41.5% from three-point range. He has also spent extended time in the G League with the Raptors 905, averaging 21.6 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.3 APG and 1.4 SPG on .465/.360/.792 shooting in 36 games (31.9 MPG).
Lawson, a Toronto native who went undrafted in 2021 out of South Carolina, is in his fourth NBA season, having previously spent time with Minnesota and Dallas. The 25-year-old was also promoted from a two-way deal to a standard contract by the Raptors last April. He was waived in mid-October, but re-signed with his hometown team two days later on a new two-way agreement.
Toronto created a roster opening on Friday when the team waived Tyreke Key, a G League standout who was essentially given a nice bonus for his play with the 905. The 27-year-old combo guard didn’t make any appearances during his brief stint with the Raptors, who were believed to be deciding between Lawson and two-way player Alijah Martin to fill the newly opened roster spot.
Assuming Lawson receives a minimum-salary deal and is officially converted on Saturday, he’ll make $27,343 on top of his $636,435 two-way salary. If he’s promoted on Sunday, he’ll earn $13,672.
The Raptors need to win Sunday’s regular season finale against the tanking Nets to clinch their first playoff berth since 2021/22.
Heat Promote Jahmir Young To Standard Contract
April 11: Young’s promotion is official, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link).
April 10: The Heat are converting Jahmir Young‘s two-way contract to a standard deal, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.
Young will be promoted a two-year contract, agent Scott Nichols tells ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). Young’s salary for 2026/27 will be non-guaranteed, reports Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (via Twitter).
Young’s promotion will make him eligible for the postseason. The Heat will be in the play-in tournament for the fourth straight season and will have to win two games to advance as the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.
A 6’0″ point guard who went undrafted in 2024, Young has played sparingly for the Heat in his second NBA season. In 13 appearances (including Friday’s win over Washington), he has played 55 total minutes for Miami.
While his NBA role has been very modest, Young thrived at the G League level with the Heat’s affiliate team, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. In 25 regular season contests (38.1 minutes per game) for the Skyforce in 2025/26, the 25-year-old averaged 26.0 points, 8.9 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 steals on .471/.376/.815 shooting splits.
Young, who spent his rookie season on a two-way deal with Chicago, was named the G League’s Player of the Month in January and earned a spot on the All-NBAGL Second Team for his play with Sioux Falls.
Miami created a roster opening on Friday when the team waived Terry Rozier, who has been on leave for essentially the entire season after being arrested in October on federal charges related to illegal gambling.
Jazz Sign Hayden Gray To Two-Year Contract
11:44 am: Gray’s deal is now official, per NBA.com’s transaction log.
9:20 am: The Jazz are signing guard Hayden Gray to a two-year contract, agent George S. Langberg tells Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The deal will cover the last game of the 2025/26 season and all of ’26/27, though next season is unlikely to feature any guaranteed money.
Gray, who went undrafted out of UC San Diego in 2025, signed a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract with Boston last July and was waived in September, lining him up to spend his first professional season with the Maine Celtics in the G League.
The 6’4″ shooting guard made 48 appearances for Maine in 2025/26, averaging 9.9 points, 5.8 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 steals in 27.8 minutes per game, with a .417/.332/.744 shooting line. Gray has a reputation for being an excellent defender — as a college senior in ’24/25, he led all Division I players in steals (3.1 per game) and was named the Big West’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Utah opened up a spot on its 15-man roster when guard Kennedy Chandler‘s 10-day contract expired overnight on Friday. Gray will fill that newly created opening and appears set to finish the season as the Jazz’s 15th man, while Chandler is once again an unrestricted free agent.
Gray’s rest-of-season salary will depend on whether he signs on Saturday or Sunday and whether the Jazz decide to give him more than the minimum. But at the very least, he’ll earn $7,315, which would be the prorated rookie minimum on Sunday. His salary for next season – which, again, is unlikely to be guaranteed – figures to be $2,150,917.
Celtics Sign Dalano Banton To Two-Year Deal
11:23 am: The Celtics have officially signed Banton, the team announced today in a press release.
10:06 am: The Celtics and free agent guard Dalano Banton have reached an agreement on a two-year deal, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). He’ll fill the open slot on the team’s 15-man roster.
Banton, 26, has appeared in 221 total regular season games since making his debut with Toronto in 2021. The former No. 46 overall pick holds career averages of 6.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 14.3 minutes per night, with a .402/.304/.730 shooting line.
Although he has made more total appearances for the Trail Blazers and Raptors, Banton is very familiar with the Celtics. The 6’8″ swingman had a stint with Boston during the 2023/24 season and signed a 10-day contract with the team this February. He’ll give the C’s an emergency 15th man who will be playoff-eligible and won’t be a total newcomer to their system.
Outside of 10-day stints with the Celtics and Clippers, Banton spent most of the 2025/26 season with the Texas Legends in the G League. He appeared in 44 games for the Mavericks’ affiliate, averaging 24.9 points, 7.0 assists, and 4.1 rebounds in 32.8 minutes per contest with a .438/.321/.799 shooting line.
The Celtics have been carefully managing their payroll since the trade deadline in order to ensure they’ll finish the season below the tax line. They currently have $38,040 in breathing room below that threshold. If Banton officially signs on Saturday, his prorated minimum salary would be $28,293; if he signs on Sunday, it would be $14,146. Either way, the club will finish the season as a non-taxpayer.
Banton’s 2026/27 salary will be $2,801,346, though it will be non-guaranteed, confirms Brian Robb of MassLive.com.
Lakers Waive Kobe Bufkin
4:50 pm: Bufkin has been waived, per NBA.com’s transaction log.
12:31 pm: The Lakers are placing guard Kobe Bufkin on waivers ahead of Friday’s 5:00 pm ET deadline, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
The transaction will open up a spot on Los Angeles’ standard 15-man roster and the team is expected to evaluate options for that opening this weekend, Charania adds. Sunday is the deadline to re-add a 15th man — a signing would have to be completed ahead of Los Angeles’ regular season finale.
The 15th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Bufkin was traded from Atlanta to Brooklyn last summer after two underwhelming, injury-plagued seasons with the Hawks, then was cut by the Nets at the end of the preseason. He spent most of the season with the South Bay Lakers in the G League, earning a spot on the All-NBAGL second team after averaging 24.8 points, 4.1 assists, and 4.0 rebounds in 32.5 minutes per game (24 contests), with a shooting line of .507/.423/.895.
Bufkin’s strong play in the G League earned him 10-day deals from the Grizzlies and Lakers before he signed a standard two-year contract with Los Angeles in February. However, he has played limited minutes at the NBA level since being called up, averaging 2.9 PPG on .300/.192/.917 shooting in 16 games (7.4 MPG).
Bufkin’s two-year deal, worth the minimum salary, wasn’t guaranteed beyond this season. He’ll receive his full $844,607 salary for 2025/26, but the Lakers won’t be on the hook for any money for ’26/27, regardless of whether or not he clears waivers on Sunday.
While there have been no reports yet on which players the Lakers are considering to replace Bufkin on their roster, backcourt depth is a potential area of need, with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves both sidelined due to injuries.
Sixers Promote Dalen Terry, Cut Cameron Payne
4:48 pm: Terry has been promoted and Payne has been waived, the Sixers confirmed in a press release.
1:55 pm: The Sixers are making a change at the back of their roster ahead of the postseason, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link), who reports that wing Dalen Terry is being promoted from his two-way contract to a standard deal, while point guard Cameron Payne will be placed on waivers.
A first-round pick in 2022, Terry spent his first three-and-a-half NBA seasons in Chicago before being traded twice and then waived by New Orleans in February. He caught on with Philadelphia on a two-way deal after clearing waivers and has since appeared in 13 NBA games for the team, averaging 4.3 points, 1.8 assists, and 1.5 rebounds in 13.0 minutes per night.
Terry, who was one game away from reaching his active-game limit as a two-way player, can be active on both Friday and Sunday if his promotion is finalized today. As a member of the standard 15-man roster, he will also be eligible to take part in any of the Sixers’ play-in and/or playoff games this spring.
According to Jones, Terry’s new contract will feature a team option for the 2026/27 season, giving the 76ers the opportunity to bring him back next season at a minimum-salary rate if they so choose.
As for Payne, he was another post-trade-deadline addition for Philadelphia, having signed a rest-of-season, minimum-salary deal on February 18. He saw action in each of his first 20 games as a Sixer but had fallen out of the rotation as of late, receiving a pair of DNP-CDs last week before suffering a hamstring strain over the weekend. The 31-year-old averaged 7.4 PPG and 2.6 APG on .376/.330/.864 shooting in 17.0 MPG.
Payne will clear waivers and become a free agent on Sunday.
Grizzlies Re-Sign Lucas Williamson To Hardship Deal
The Grizzlies have re-signed guard Lucas Williamson to a second hardship contract, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link). Williamson’s initial 10-day deal expired overnight on Thursday.
Because he’s being signed using a hardship exception, Williamson’s deal is considered to be a 10-day contract, though it’ll only actually cover the last three days (two games) of the regular season before expiring. He’ll earn $21,946, a prorated portion of the usual 10-day salary for a rookie.
A G League veteran who spent this season playing for the Memphis Hustle and Windy City Bulls prior to his call-up, Williamson appeared in five games during his first 10 days with the Grizzlies, averaging 9.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 28.2 minutes per contest. The 27-year-old has logged at least 36 minutes in each of his past three outings for a banged-up Memphis squad.
Williamson is one of four Grizzlies players signed to a hardship contract to close the regular season. The team is permitted to comfortably exceed the usual 15-man limit because it has seven total players who have missed at least three consecutive games and have been ruled out for the season. Dariq Whitehead, Toby Okani, and Adama Bal are also on 10-day deals that will expire on Sunday night, following Memphis’ regular season finale.
The Grizzlies are in full-on tank mode as the regular season winds down, having lost 19 of their past 21 games. Leaning heavily on their four late-season hardship additions has helped that cause — Williamson’s individual net rating is the best of the bunch at minus-15.4, while Whitehead’s is the worst at minus-29.4.
Heat Place Terry Rozier On Waivers
12:32 pm: The Heat have officially waived Rozier, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.
9:01 am: As expected, the Heat will waive guard Terry Rozier on Friday, before the end of the regular season, confirms ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).
The move has long been anticipated, with reports in March indicating that Miami still planned to move on from Rozier at some point before the postseason began. The 32-year-old has been on leave for nearly the entire 2025/26 season after being arrested in October in connection with a federal investigation into illegal gambling. He pleaded not guilty in December to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The Heat kept Rozier on their 15-man roster through the trade deadline due to the possibility that they might be able to use his expiring $26.6MM contract in a deal for matching purposes. However, no appealing trade opportunities arose.
Presumably, the Heat would also still like to recoup some of Rozier’s $26.6MM salary — they may be able to do so, depending on how his case plays out in the courts. But with the guard’s contract set to expire and no chance that he’ll contribute to the Heat in the play-in tournament, it didn’t make sense to keep him on the roster any longer.
Typically, the deadline to waive a player on an expiring contract would have been Thursday, but because none of Sunday’s games are starting before 6:00 pm Eastern time, a player waived before 5:00 pm ET on Friday will clear waivers in time to give all 30 teams a shot at him before their final game of the season (though, of course, no team will be signing Rozier).
The Heat will have an open roster spot after waiving Rozier and local beat writers have suggested as of late that elevating a two-way player to a standard contract is a real possibility. None of Miami’s three players on two-way deals have played significant roles this season, with Jahmir Young appearing in 12 games, Vladislav Goldin playing in seven, and Trevor Keels seeing action in six, but the club may like the idea of locking up one of them to a favorable multiyear contract.
The Heat will have until Sunday to sign a 15th man.