Kings Waive Mitchell, N’Diaye, Reed
The Kings are the latest team to make roster cuts, announcing today in a press release that they've released Tony Mitchell, Hamady N'Diaye, and Willie Reed. The moves leave the Kings with 14 players under contract.
None of the three players received much playing time in the preseason, each averaging under two points per game in less than six minutes per contest. Since Mitchell, N'Diaye, and Reed were the only three Kings on non-guaranteed contracts, it appears all but certain that Sacramento will head into the season with its current 14-man roster.
Spurs Waive Wesley Witherspoon, JaMychal Green
The Spurs have officially waived camp invitees Wesley Witherspoon and JaMychal Green, the team announced today in a press release. The moves reduce San Antonio's roster to 15 players, the maximum number allowed in the regular season.
Witherspoon, signed in late September by the Spurs, played in three preseason games, averaging 8.3 PPG. Green, meanwhile, quietly signed with the team on October 22nd and didn't see any preseason action. Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News speculated earlier this week that both players could be released soon to join the Spurs' D-League affiliate, the Austin Toros. I expect that will be the case, especially for Green, whose signing doesn't make a lot of sense otherwise.
With 15 players under contract now, San Antonio may be finished making cuts. If that's the case, it's good news for Josh Powell, who currently represents the 15th man on the team's roster. His contract won't be fully guaranteed until January, so the Spurs could decide to keep him for the first few weeks of the season and release him before they're on the hook for his full salary. DeJuan Blair and Gary Neal also have non-guaranteed contracts, but their roster spots aren't in jeopardy.
Heat Waive Rodney Carney, Jarvis Varnado
The Heat have cut a pair of camp invitees, waiving Rodney Carney and Jarvis Varnado, according to Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida (via Twitter). The move reduces Miami's roster to 16 players, meaning at least one more player will have to be released before Monday.
As Tomasson adds in a second tweet, the news bodes well for Josh Harrellson, who appears to have made the roster. Guards Terrel Harris and Garrett Temple will likely be battling for the final roster spot, with the odd man out being the last player cut. Nothing is set in stone yet, however, as Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel tweets, noting not to rule out Juwan Howard.
Carney looked strong at times during the preseason with the Heat, finishing with 6.8 PPG in five games. Varnado didn't appear in any of the team's preseason contests due to a hamstring issue. Both players will become unrestricted free agents when they clear waivers.
Jazz Exercise Options On Four Players
The Jazz have picked up all four rookie contract options on their docket this offseason, according to Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune (via Twitter). The team exercised its fourth-year options on Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward, along with its third-year options on Enes Kanter and Alec Burks.
Favors, 2010's third overall pick, represents the priciest decision of the group, as he'll now be in line for a guaranteed $6.01MM salary in 2013/14. He and Hayward, who will earn $3.45MM in '13/14, will be eligible for restricted free agency in 2014 unless they're extended next summer. As for Kanter and Burks, they'll earn $4.51MM and $2.2MM in 2013/14, with the Jazz holding additional options on both players for the following season.
To follow option decisions from around the NBA in advance of next week's deadline, check out our rookie contract option tracker.
Jazz Waive Darnell Jackson, Chris Quinn
A week after waiving Trey Gilder and Brian Butch, the Jazz have made another pair of roster cuts, releasing Darnell Jackson and Chris Quinn after last night's game, tweets Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune. Luhm adds that Utah's roster now stands at 14 players, though that number doesn't include Raja Bell, who is technically still on the roster, albeit not with the team.
Jackson and Quinn had been the last two Jazz camp invitees on summer contracts, so the remaining 14 players under contract, not including Bell, appear to be safe. That includes Kevin Murphy, whose deal is guaranteed for just $200K.
Neither Jackson or Quinn made a huge impact for the Jazz in preseason action, but Utah star Al Jefferson had praise for Jackson, a former second round pick, as Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune writes.
"He's always been a tough-nosed type of player," Jefferson said. "Go hard every time you step on the court. So when I found out he was in our camp, I knew it was going to be a very physical camp, that he was going to make you step up and play hard…. It's not my decision, but a guy like him, every team needs a guy like him on it."
Mavericks Claim Eddy Curry, May Waive West
9:08pm: Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas reports that West will not return to the team.
5:01pm: Art Garcia of FOX Sports Southwest tweets that the Mavericks have claimed Curry off of waivers.
4:47pm: Eddie Sefko of SportsDay DFW writes that Delonte West is expected to be waived or traded in order to make room for Curry's signing. West signed a one-year agreement in July worth $1.22MM but is currently under suspension.
4:21pm: According to the Dallas Morning News (via Twitter), the Mavericks are close to signing Eddy Curry. In five pre-season games with the Spurs, the 7'0 center averaged 8.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, and shot 68% from the field in 15.4 MPG before being waived on Tuesday.
Dallas currently has 15 players on its roster, and would thus have to free up a roster spot in order to bring the ten-year veteran on board.
Suns Exercise Option On Markieff Morris
The Suns have exercised their 2013/14 option on Markieff Morris' contract, according to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic (via Twitter). Morris will earn a guaranteed $2.09MM salary for '13/14, with the team holding an additional option for 2014/15.
Morris' is one of two option decisions facing the Suns this month. Wesley Johnson also has a 2013/14 option on the fourth year of his rookie contract, worth $5.42MM. The fact that there's no word yet on Johnson's option suggests to me that perhaps the Suns will turn it down and let the former fourth overall pick unrestricted free agency next summer. The team still has until next Wednesday to make a decision, however.
Warriors Exercise Option On Klay Thompson
The Warriors have officially exercised their third-year option on Klay Thompson, according to a team release. That ensures that Thompson will make a guaranteed $2.32MM salary in 2013/14.
Thompson, who averaged 12.5 PPG for the Warriors in his rookie season, was voted the most likely player to have a breakout season by NBA general managers in NBA.com's annual survey. Golden State will have one more team option on him for the 2014/15 season, worth $3.08MM. Assuming that fourth-year option is picked up, Thompson will be eligible for restricted free agency in the summer of 2015.
Check out our rookie contract option tracker for all the latest decisions on third- and fourth-year options.
Cavaliers Sign D’Aundray Brown
While teams around the league are making cuts to pare their rosters down to the regular-season limit, the Cavaliers are actually adding players. The Cavs have signed D'Aundray Brown to a contract, the team announced today in a press release.
Brown, who turned 24 on Sunday, is an undrafted rookie out of Cleveland State. The 6'4" guard averaged 10.8 PPG and 4.5 RPG in his senior year in 2011/12.
The timing of the move is unusual, as Monday represents the deadline for teams to reduce their rosters to 15 players each. Having signed Brown, the Cavs now have 18 players under contract. I would guess the team brought the local product on board in hopes of sending him to their D-League affiliate in Canton.
Clippers Waive Trent Plaisted, Hank Thorns
The Clippers are the latest team to make roster cuts, officially announcing today that they've waived camp invitees Trent Plaisted and Hank Thorns. The Clips will have to make at least one more move before finalizing their roster, since they still have 16 players under contract.
The Clippers were carrying the maximum 20 players when camp began, but have cut Courtney Fortson and Chris Johnson in addition to Plaisted and Thorns. I would assume Marqus Blakely will be next to go, since he's the only remaining Clipper on a non-guaranteed contract.