Transactions Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pelicans Waive Perry Jones, Cliff Alexander

October 14th, 2017 at 2:20pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans have made a pair of cuts, according to Scott Kushner of The Advocate, who reports (via Twitter) that the club has waived Perry Jones and Cliff Alexander.

Jones, a former Thunder first-round pick, got off to a decent start in the preseason for the Pelicans, picking up 10 points and seven rebounds against his old team in Oklahoma City. However, in his next two games, Perry went scoreless in 17 total minutes.

A Kansas product, Alexander averaged 2.0 PPG and 3.8 RPG in limited minutes in four preseason games.

The Pelicans are now at 17 players, with 15 on NBA contracts and two on two-way deals, so they’re all set for the regular season. Since New Orleans doesn’t have a G League affiliate, Jones and Alexander will have to look elsewhere for opportunities.

Raptors Waive Davion Berry

October 14th, 2017 at 2:07pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Raptors have reached the roster limit by waiving guard Davion Berry, according to a tweet from the team.

The former Weber State guard signed with the organization on Wednesday and is likely headed to the G League. The 25-year-old, who has extensive overseas experience, received an Exhibit 10 contract that will pay him a $50K bonus that won’t count against Toronto’s cap.

Waiving Berry brings the Raptors to the roster limit with 17 players, including Lorenzo Brown and Malcolm Miller on two-way contracts.

Pacers Waive Three Players

October 14th, 2017 at 1:46pm CST by Luke Adams

A busy Saturday on the NBA transactions wire continues, with the Pacers announcing today in a press release that they’ve waived training camp invitees DeQuan Jones, Trey McKinney-Jones, and Ben Moore.

The series of roster moves for the Pacers should set up the club for the regular season, barring any further transactions. Indiana is currently carrying the maximum 17 players — 15 on NBA contracts and two on two-way deals.

With no additional cuts necessary, two players without fully guaranteed contracts – Jarrod Uthoff and Damien Wilkins – appears poised to open the season with the Pacers.

As for the three players who are now on waivers, McKinney-Jones is a veteran of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and seems like a good bet to return to the Pacers’ G League squad. Moore may also end up there as an affiliate player, but it’s not clear if Jones will land in Fort Wayne — he previously played for the Reno Bighorns in the G League, and I believe Reno still holds his returning rights.

Lakers Waive Blue, Wear, Weber

October 14th, 2017 at 1:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers have reached the roster limit by waiving Vander Blue, Travis Wear and Briante Weber, the team announced on its website.

Blue has played just five NBA games — three with the Celtics and two with the Lakers — since going undrafted out of Marquette in 2013. The 25-year-old was MVP of the G League last season with L.A.’s affiliate and had a strong showing in the Las Vegas Summer League. His camp contract contains a $50K guarantee.

Wear has an Exhibit 10 deal, which could still be converted to a two-way contract as the Lakers have an opening. The 27-year-old forward will receive a bonus if he winds up in the G League.

Weber, a 24-year-old point guard, played 13 games with the Hornets at the end of last season.

The moves bring the Lakers’ roster down to 16 players, including a two-way contract for Alex Caruso.

Heat Waive Liggins, McCree, Mitchell

October 14th, 2017 at 1:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

Miami trimmed its roster to 17 players by waiving DeAndre Liggins, Erik McCree and Tony Mitchell, the team announced on its website.

Liggins signed with the Heat on Tuesday after being acquired and waived by the Hawks last month. He started Friday’s preseason game and scored five points. A two-time G League Defensive Player of the Year, Liggins will likely wind up with Miami’s affiliate in Sioux Falls if he clears waivers.

Mitchell, a 25-year-old power forward who signed with Miami on Thursday, has played 96 games for Sioux Falls since 2013. McCree, who inked a training camp deal in September, is a 23-year-old forward from Louisiana Tech.

With Derrick Walton on a two-way contract, Miami still has one more move to make to reach the roster limit. It’s possible that rookie guard Matt Williams‘ contract could be converted to a two-way deal.

Jazz Waive Naz Mitrou-Long

October 14th, 2017 at 12:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jazz continue to inch toward the regular season roster limit, announcing today in a press release that they’ve waived another camp invitee, Naz Mitrou-Long. Mitrou-Long signed with Utah as an undrafted rookie out of Iowa State, and appears likely to play for the Salt Lake City Stars in the G League.

Following the release of Mitrou-Long, the Jazz are now carrying 18 players. Two of those players are on two-way contracts, so the club needs to make just one more cut – or trade – to get its NBA roster down to the 15-man limit. However, it’s not clear which player will be on the chopping block.

The Jazz have 15 players on guaranteed salaries, but Raul Neto and his non-guaranteed contract should start the regular season with the club. That means parting ways with a player on a guaranteed deal — a Friday report indicated that Utah’s decision figures to come down to Joel Bolomboy vs. Royce O’Neale.

The Jazz may not make a final decision on Bolomboy and O’Neale until Monday. Since both players have fully guaranteed contracts, there’s no rush to waive either of them today. Mitrou-Long’s non-guaranteed salary, on the other hand, would have started to count against Utah’s cap if he had remained under contract beyond today.

Timberwolves Waive Three Players

October 14th, 2017 at 12:20pm CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves have waived three players from their roster, the team announced today in a press release. Amile Jefferson, Melo Trimble, and Shawne Williams were the players cut, and they’ll become free agents on Monday, assuming they clear waivers.

The three cuts appear to signal that the Wolves have finalized their roster for the regular season. The team is now carrying 15 players in total, including 13 on guaranteed salaries, one (Marcus Georges-Hunt) on a non-guaranteed deal, and one on a two-way contract. Minnesota figures to head into the season with 14 players on its NBA roster, though the club may add a second two-way player.

As for Jefferson, Trimble, and Williams, they’ll likely end up playing for the Iowa Wolves, Minnesota’s new G League affiliate.

Wizards Waive Donald Sloan, Retain Carrick Felix

October 14th, 2017 at 12:08pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Wizards have waived veteran point guard Donald Sloan, according to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. Washington has confirmed the move in a press release.

This move paves the way for Carrick Felix to enter the regular season holding Washington’s final roster spot, Bucker notes. Washington’s roster now appears set at the 17-player maximum, with 15 on the NBA roster and two under two-way contracts.

Sloan, 29, did not play in the Wizards’ preseason finale on Friday, a 110-103 win over the Knicks. Sloan has made appearances in five different uniforms, suiting up for the Hawks, Hornets, Pacers, Cavaliers, and Nets.

As for Felix, 27, the former Cavaliers second-round pick (33rd overall) is looking to complete a full comeback from a series of knee injuries. He has not appeared in a regular season NBA contest since his rookie campaign when he averaged 2.7 PPG in seven games.

“Things like that, the injury I suffered, it happens to one percent of the world,” Felix said to reporters, including Bucker, earlier this week. “A lot of people break their knee cap and it kind of stays together [but] mine had a really big displacement, so I just had to take the time and really rest and let my body heal at once.”

Felix played in 66 minutes during the preseason, posting 32 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks in four games. Felix figures to replace Sheldon Mac on the depth chart after the young shooting guard suffered a potentially season-ending left Achilles’ tendon tear last week.

Jazz Sign, Waive Kendall Pollard

October 14th, 2017 at 12:03pm CST by Austin Kent

OCTOBER 14: Less than 24 hours after signing him, the Jazz have waived Pollard, the team announced in a press release. Utah is now in position to make Pollard an affiliate player for the Salt Lake City Stars, the club’s G League squad.

OCTOBER 13: The Jazz have signed forward Kendall Pollard, Matt Sanchez of the team’s official site writes. The 22-year-old Dayton product went undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft.

The signing brings Utah’s roster count up to 20 players, 15 of whom are already on guaranteed contracts. The franchise likely signed the free agent with the intention of waiving him to make him an affiliate player for their G League squad.

Cavaliers Cut Kendrick Perkins, Isaac Hamilton

October 14th, 2017 at 11:42am CST by marksuleymanov

The Cavaliers have waived veteran center Kendrick Perkins, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Perkins, 32, showed up to training camp in great shape, appearing in three preseason games with Cleveland. He racked up 12 points, 11 rebounds and three assists in 25 total minutes played.

Perkins — who missed the 2016/17 season — tells Wojnarowski that he wants to continue playing but will consider coaching if he decides to retire (via Twitter). Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue told reporters, including Cleveland.com’s Joe Vardon, that the organization has discussed bringing Perkins to the coaching staff if he cannot find an on-court role.

“We’ve already talked about that,” Lue said. “I think Perk was great because he holds everybody accountable. He plays the right way, tries to do the right thing every single day.”

Perkins started his career in 2004 with the Celtics and proceeded to spend parts of the following eight seasons in Boston. The 6’10”, 270-pound Perkins was a key player on the Celtics’ 2008 NBA championship team. After he was traded from Boston, Perkins spent parts of five seasons with the Thunder and, in recent years, made cameos with the Cavaliers and Pelicans. For his career, Perkins boasts averages of 5.4 PPG and 5.8 RPG in 781 career games.

“I definitely want to coach when I hang them up,” Perkins said this week, per Cleveland.com. “Right now my mind is on trying to play. Not only can I be a voice in the locker room, but I feel I can go out and contribute 8-to-12 minutes a night.”

The Cavaliers also waived Isaac Hamilton, ensuring that the roster is ready to go for the regular season. Hamilton is a good bet to join the franchise’s G League affiliate, the Canton Charge.