Wizards Expected To Cut Childress, 2 Others
The Wizards are set to waive camp invitees Josh Childress, Pops Mensah-Bonsu and Xavier Silas, a source tells J. Michael of CSNWashington.com (Twitter link). All three are with the team on non-guaranteed deals. Washington entered the preseason with 15 guys on fully guaranteed contracts, so it appears none of the players the team brought to camp compelled the Wizards to cut one of their guaranteed salaries. The team released D’or Fischer, its other camp invitee, last week.
All three of the Wizards about to hit waivers have NBA experience, and none more extensive than Childress. The swingman from Stanford impressed in a sixth-man role for the Hawks during his first four-year stint in the NBA, but he hasn’t been able to regain his footing in the league after signing a lucrative deal with a Greek team in 2008. He returned to the NBA in 2010/11, but the Suns amnestied his contract after two seasons, and he didn’t make it until New Year’s Day last season with the Nets. He scored eight points in 32 minutes over four preseason games with Washington.
Mensah-Bonsu spent this month trying to return to the NBA after a two-season absence, while Silas has been seeking to add to his abbreviated NBA regular season game log, which includes just a pair of games with the Sixers in 2011/12. Neither saw significant action in any of the Wizards’ preseason games.
Bobcats Waive Patrick O’Bryant
The Bobcats have waived center Patrick O’Bryant, the team announced via press release. The former ninth overall pick was in camp with Charlotte on a non-guaranteed deal. The release, sent via email, states that the club now has 16 players on its roster, but the 16 guys listed on the roster that appears on the team’s website include O’Bryant, so the team seems to be down to 15 players.
O’Bryant washed out of the league after four seasons, the first two of which he spent with the Warriors, the team that used its 2006 lottery pick on him. The 7-footer appeared in a total of just 90 NBA regular season games, averaging 2.1 points in 5.8 minutes per contest. He was well-traveled after the Raptors let him go in 2010, playing in Puerto Rico, Greece, Lithuania and the D-League before finally getting another chance this month in Charlotte. Though he grabbed five rebounds in his one-game, six-minute preseason stint, it wasn’t enough to make the Bobcats opening-night roster.
The ‘Cats could open the season with the 15 players they have, but they could also make two more cuts. Jeff Adrien and James Southerland figure to be the most likely to go, since neither of them has a guarantee on his deal. Jannero Pargo‘s contract is partially guaranteed for $300K.
Cavs Pick Up ’14/15 Options On Four Players
The Cavaliers have exercised their options for 2014/15 on a pair of third-year players and a pair of second-year players, ensuring that all four Cavs remain under contract for at least the next two seasons. The team announced today in a press release that it has picked up its ’14/15 options on Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, Dion Waiters, and Tyler Zeller.
Irving and Thompson, members of the 2011 draft class, will be eligible for extensions next offseason, and Irving at least seems like a good bet to sign one. Even if they don’t sign extensions though, Irving and Thompson can remain with the Cavs through 2015 before becoming restricted free agents. Irving, the former first overall pick, will earn about $7.07MM in 2014/15, while Thompson will make about $5.14MM.
Meanwhile, Waiters and Zeller are each now locked up for a third NBA season, with Waiters set to earn $4.06MM in ’14/15 and Zeller in line for about $1.7MM. The Cavs hold additional options for 2015/16 on both players.
You can follow all of this month’s rookie contract option decisions right here.
Blazers Waive Bost, Singler, Howell
The Trail Blazers have waived Dee Bost, E.J. Singler, and Richard Howell, according to a tweet from CSNNW.com’s Chris Haynes. All three will join the Idaho Stampede.
From the University of Oregon, Singler, the younger brother of Pistons forward Kyle Singler, was a non-roster camp invite, along with Bost, in September. A forward at North Carolina State last season, Howell was also signed to a training camp deal in September.
None of the three were expected to make Portland’s roster when the team extended them contracts last month (Bost’s deal was $25K guaranteed, and Howell’s was believed to be partially guaranteed as well). The moves put the Trail Blazers’ roster at 15, meaning it’s unlikely the club makes any further roster cuts.
Mavs Waive Balkman, Ebanks, Kennedy, Melo
5:02pm: The Mavs have waived Renaldo Balkman, Devin Ebanks, D.J. Kennedy and Fab Melo, the team announced via press release. The move makes official the news about Balkman that he himself revealed earlier today, and leaves Mickey McConnell as the team’s only camp invitee left. McConnell, a 24-year-old guard, was the only player without NBA experience that Dallas brought to camp, but it appears as though he might have made the strongest impression. Still, it seems unlikely he’ll remain with the club through the end of the week, since the Mavs would have to cut someone on a fully guaranteed deal to keep him.
It’s the second time in two months that Melo has hit waivers, after the Grizzlies let him go in late August. That was shortly after Memphis acquired him from the Celtics, and it appears the NBA career of the center whom Boston drafted 22nd overall in 2012 is in jeopardy. Ebanks turned down a $650K offer from China to sign with the Mavs, so perhaps he’ll head overseas, if the Chinese club is still interested. An Italian team had interest in Kennedy before he indicated he would prefer to sign in the NBA, so he could be headed for international ball, too.
Balkman admits his violent incident while playing in the Philippines last year could make some front offices squeamish, but his camp stint with the Mavs, where coach Rick Carlisle counted him as a welcome presence, could help his chances of returning to the NBA at some point. All four players the Mavs waived today were on non-guaranteed deals, so the team isn’t on the hook for any of their salaries.
4:57pm: Renaldo Balkman has told Puerto Rican radio station TAB Deportes 101.3 that the Mavs have let him go (Twitter link; translation via Sportando). The team has yet to officially announce the move, but the subtraction would be no surprise, since he’s one of five players with non-guaranteed deals on the Mavs, who have 15 others on fully guaranteed contracts, as our roster counts show.
Wolves To Exercise Derrick Williams’ Option
The Wolves will exercise Derrick Williams‘ option for the 2014/15 season, owner Glen Taylor tells Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (Twitter link). Minnesota technically has until October 31st to trigger the option.
The former No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 draft struggled in his rookie year but took a step forward in 2012/13, averaging 12 PPG and 5.5 RPG in 24.6 minutes per contest. For his part, the 22-year-old has been confident that the option would be picked up. Now, it’s all but certain that Williams will earn $6.33MM in the fourth and final year of his rookie deal.
The Arizona product has been linked to trade talk seemingly since the day he was drafted, but president Flip Saunders put that talk to rest over the summer.
Clippers Waive Brandon Davies
The Clippers have officially released undrafted rookie Brandon Davies, the team announced today in a press release. Davies’ contract had included a partial guarantee worth $50K, so the team will be on the hook for that amount, unless he’s claimed on waivers.
Davies, a 21-year-old power forward, played four seasons at BYU, averaging 17.7 PPG and 8.0 RPG in 36 contests during his senior year. He was picked up by the Clips shortly after this June’s draft, playing for the club’s Summer League squad and appearing in five preseason games.
With Davies no longer on the roster, the Clips are down to 15 players, meaning they won’t necessarily have to cut anyone else before opening night. Maalik Wayns‘ knee injury will likely ensure that he remains on the roster, as we explained last week. Louis Amundson is the only other Clipper on a non-guaranteed contract.
Hawks Release James Johnson
The Hawks have waived James Johnson, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). The move reduces the Hawks’ preseason roster to 17 players, so the team will still have to make at least two more cuts before next week.
Johnson reportedly chose a non-guaranteed camp invite from Atlanta over multiple overseas offers, so perhaps now he’ll reconsider one of those offers, assuming they’re still on the table. The 26-year-old has spent four NBA seasons with the Bulls, Raptors, and Kings since being selected 16th overall in the 2009 draft.
Of the 17 players on the Hawks’ roster, 12 have fully guaranteed contracts, making them solid bets to make the regular season roster. Mike Scott also has a small guarantee, while Shelvin Mack, Eric Dawson, Cartier Martin, and Royal Ivey have fully non-guaranteed deals, putting them in danger of being waived by opening night.
Heat Waive Varnado, Drew, Westbrook
The Heat have parted ways with three players on non-guaranteed contracts, according to a release from the team. The club announced today that it has waived Jarvis Varnado, Larry Drew II, and Charlie Westbrook.
Varnado, 25, signed a deal with the Heat last season that included a non-guaranteed salary for 2013/14. He was set to receive a partial guarantee of $250K if he remained on the roster until opening night, but the likelihood of camp invitees Michael Beasley and Roger Mason Jr. making the team reduced Varnado’s chances. As for Drew and Westbrook, both players were on summer contracts, and could end up joining Miami’s D-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
After releasing Varnado, Drew, and Westbrook, the Heat are now carrying 17 players. Eric Griffin and Justin Hamilton look like they’ll be the last two roster casualties, but the club still has a few more days to make its final decision.
Spurs Waive Courtney Fells And Dan Nwaelele
The Spurs announced this afternoon that they have waived guard/forward Courtney Fells and guard Dan Nwaelele. Neither player was on a guaranteed contract for San Antonio.
Fells appeared in three preseason games, averaging 4.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in 12.4 minutes of action. Nwaelele saw action in three preseason games, averaging 3.7 points and 1.7 rebounds in 12.3 minutes. Coach Gregg Popovich gave both players minutes during crunch time in preseason action.
The Spurs have now cut five players in five days after axing Corey Maggette, Myck Kabongo, and Marcus Cousin on October 15th. San Antonio now has 14 players on the roster and they’re all on guaranteed deals. GM R.C. Buford & Co. are reportedly comfortable with starting the year one man shy of the maximum roster size.