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NBA Teams With Open Roster Spots

February 13th, 2018 at 2:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Now that the dust has settled on last Thursday’s trade-deadline deals and the first round of veteran buyouts and cuts has been completed, it’s worth taking stock of which NBA teams have the flexibility to add a player or two without waivers anyone else.

With the help of our roster counts page, which we update all season, here are the NBA teams with open spots on their 15-man rosters. Open two-way contract slots aren’t included here, since teams are ineligible to sign new two-way contracts at this point in the season.

Teams with a player on a 10-day contract filling their open spot:

  • Phoenix Suns
  • Utah Jazz

Both the Suns and Jazz have 14 players on fully guaranteed NBA contracts, leaving one potential opening. For now, Josh Gray is filling that 15th spot in Phoenix and Naz Mitrou-Long is doing the same in Utah. However, they’re only on 10-day contracts, so both of these teams could soon create an open spot if necessary.

Teams with one open spot:

  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Chicago Bulls
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • New York Knicks
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Orlando Magic
  • Sacramento Kings
  • Toronto Raptors

The teams listed above represent a mix of playoff-bound squads and rebuilding non-contenders. Teams like the Bulls, Mavericks, and Knicks could use their open roster spots to take fliers on young players via 10-day contracts, while clubs like the Timberwolves, Thunder, and Raptors may be eyeing the buyout market for veterans who could fortify their respective benches.

Teams with two open spots:

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • Washington Wizards

NBA rules generally prohibit teams from carrying fewer than 14 players on their 15-man squads. However, clubs are permitted to dip to 13 – or even 12 – in special circumstances, as long as they get back up to 14 within two weeks. Roster moves made last week by the Hawks, Cavaliers, Trail Blazers, and Wizards left them below the limit, so they’ll each have to add at least one player by the end of the All-Star break.

Note: Roster info current as of Tuesday, February 13 at 2:00pm CT.

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Derrick Rose May Not Sign Until After All-Star Break

February 13th, 2018 at 12:58pm CST by Luke Adams

With just three more days of games scheduled before the NBA’s All-Star break begins, it’s increasingly possible that Derrick Rose‘s next move won’t be resolved until later this month, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link).

[RELATED: Community Shootaround: Derrick Rose’s Future]

Traded by the Cavaliers to the Jazz in the three-team deadline-day deal that saw George Hill and Rodney Hood land in Cleveland, Rose wasn’t part of Utah’s plans and was subsequently released. The former MVP cleared waivers on Monday, making him an unrestricted free agent.

According to various reports, the Timberwolves and Wizards are among the teams with some interest in Rose. However, as Stein notes, the 29-year-old may not find a new NBA home until teams resume practicing following the All-Star break. That makes sense, particularly for clubs with luxury-tax concerns. For instance, signing Rose now instead of waiting until after the break would put the Wizards on the hook for nine extra days of salary and taxes, and they’d only get one extra game out of the veteran.

If the Wizards – who have also been linked to guards like Ty Lawson and Ramon Sessions – go in another direction and Tom Thibodeau opts to pass on a reunion with Rose in Minnesota, it’s not clear where the former No. 1 overall pick might land. League sources tell Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net that several teams have heard from Rose’s agent in recent days, but have opted to pass on signing him.

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McCullough Making Most Of Scarce Playing Time

February 12th, 2018 at 6:45pm CST by marksuleymanov
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Wizards Seriously Considering Ty Lawson

February 12th, 2018 at 5:00pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Wizards‘ search for a point guard has the team seriously considering eight-year NBA veteran Ty Lawson, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (link via Twitter).

Lawson, 29, played in 69 games for the Kings last season. He spent the 2017/18 season in China with CBA’s Shandong Golden Stars. At one point, Lawson averaged at least 15.2 PPG with the Nuggets in each season from 2011-2015. However, several off-the-court issues, including a pair of DUIs, have hindered Lawson’s NBA career.

With John Wall still early in his rehab process, the Wizards have been looking for help outside the organization. The team has reportedly considered recently-waived Derrick Rose and talked with free agent Ramon Sessions. It was reported on Sunday that Washington will likely sign a point guard to a 10-day contract.

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Wizards Expected To Sign Point Guard To 10-Day Deal

February 12th, 2018 at 3:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

FEBRUARY 12, 3:34pm: Tomas Satoransky is scheduled to go through the concussion protocol on Tuesday, and if he passes, the Wizards will likely wait until after the All-Star Game to make a roster move, Aldridge tweets. The Wizards’ Wednesday game in New York is their last contest before the break.

FEBRUARY 11, 10:15am: The Wizards will probably use a 10-day contract to fill their vacancy at point guard through the All-Star break, tweets David Aldridge of TNT. He lists Ramon Sessions, Donald Sloan and Briante Weber as the top candidates. They may pursue Derrick Rose or other available players during the break.

Sessions, 31, played a season and a half in Washington from 2015 to 2016. He was waived last month by the Knicks after averaging 3.7 PPG and 2.1 APG in 13 games.

Sloan, 30, was in training camp with the Wizards, but was waived before the season began. He played for five teams in five seasons, with his last NBA experience coming in Brooklyn in 2015/16.

Weber, 25, was waived by the Rockets in mid-January after 13 games as a two-way player. He has bounced around the league since the 2015/16 season, having short stints with five organizations.

Rose, 29, will remain on waivers through tomorrow afternoon. Luxury tax concerns make it unlikely the Wizards will submit a claim on him, though they would be interested if he becomes a free agent.

Whoever Washington signs may get a limited chance to prove himself as the Wizards have just one game remaining before the break.

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John Wall Still Far Away From Return

February 11th, 2018 at 3:52pm CST by marksuleymanov
  • Wizards All-Star John Wall is still on crutches as he recovers from the minor knee surgery he underwent in late January. Wall is still a long way from being back on the court and still likely has another week left on crutches, Candace Bucker of The Washington Post writes.
  • Wall made several media appearances recently where he defended himself and made some controversial remarks in regard to his Wizards teammates, prompting coach Scott Brooks to weigh in on his superstar player and his importance to the team, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes. “For people to think that we’re not better with John, that’s for clickbait,” Brooks said. “It’s unfortunate that he had to defend himself. You wish he wouldn’t have to. Sometimes you have to.”
  • The Hawks cannot take on any more money after the team received nearly $688,000 from the Wizards in the Sheldon Mac deal, tweets Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders.
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Tim Frazier To Have Nasal Surgery

February 11th, 2018 at 11:18am CST by Arthur Hill

Wizards guard Tim Frazier, who suffered a nasal fracture during Saturday’s game, will undergo surgery today, tweets Chris Haynes of ESPN. There is no word yet on how long he will be out of action.

Frazier is in his first season with Washington after being acquired from the Pelicans in an offseason trade. He is averaging 3.3 points and 3.7 assists through 43 games and recently got an increase in playing time after starting point guard John Wall was sidelined by knee surgery.

The 27-year-old is making $2MM this season on an expiring contract and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

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Wizards Talking To Ramon Sessions

February 11th, 2018 at 8:52am CST by Arthur Hill

Yesterday, we told you the Wizards had interest in Derrick Rose, who recently waived by the Jazz. They are also talking to another veteran point guard about filling the void left by John Wall‘s injury.

The team has been in contact with Ramon Sessions ever since he was waived by the Knicks last month, according to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. Sessions has recent experience in Washington, spending a season and a half there after being traded to the Wizards in 2015.

The 31-year-old signed with New York in August, but was released when the team needed a roster spot to add former Wizards guard Trey Burke. Sessions appeared in just 13 games for the Knicks, averaging 3.7 points and 2.1 assists. He has been with eight teams in an 11-year career.

The Wizards may need to act quickly, as their top two active point guards were both banged up in Saturday’s game. Tim Frazier suffered a nasal fracture and Tomas Satoransky was taken to the locker room after a violent collision that resulted in an ejection for Chicago’s Bobby Portis. Satoransky offered a social media update on his condition this morning, saying he’s “relatively OK despite the hard crash.” (Twitter link)

Washington is more than $3MM above the luxury tax line, so it needs to economize in its search. That will probably discourage a claim on Rose, who will be on waivers through tomorrow afternoon. ESPN’s Bobby Marks explained (via Twitter)  that a waiver claim would cost the Wizards $2.4MM in tax penalties, opposed to $800K by waiting to sign him as a free agent. There could be competition for Rose in the free agent market, though, as the Timberwolves are also rumored to be interested.

John Wall had knee surgery at the end of January and isn’t expected back until mid- to late March.

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Wizards Interested In Derrick Rose

February 10th, 2018 at 2:30pm CST by clarkcrum

Another team said to be interested in potentially signing newly-waived point guard Derrick Rose is the Wizards, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. According to Wojnarowski, the Wizards may feel that Rose could help fill the hole caused by the injury to John Wall, who will remain out several more weeks while he rehabs his knee following surgery.

Rose will remain on waivers until Monday afternoon, and the Wizards could put in a waiver claim for Rose’s minimum salary contract before then. But, as Bobby Marks of ESPN details, Washington may be wise to wait until Rose becomes a free agent before acquiring him, as putting in a waiver claim would cost the Wizards $2.4MM in tax penalties, while a rest-of-season contract would only increase the tax by $800K.

In any event, the Wizards appear to have some competition for Rose’s services. As we relayed earlier this week, the Timberwolves and Rose’s former coach, Tom Thibodeau, are in the mix to sign Rose as well — Marc Stein of The New York Times is now reporting that Minnesota may look to make a waiver claim.

Rose, still only 29, has had a once-promising career devastated by injuries. The former MVP played only 19.3 minutes per game for the Cavaliers this season, a career-low by far, and has now been both traded and released in the last few days.

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Traded Player Exceptions Created In Deadline Deals

February 9th, 2018 at 12:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Before NBA teams started reaching trade agreements on Thursday, we published the latest entry in our Hoops Rumors Glossary, focusing on the traded player exception. As we explain in our breakdown, the traded player exception can allow over-the-cap teams to receive more salary than they send out in “simultaneous” trades.

The more common form of traded player exception is the one generated in a “non-simultaneous” trade, when a team send out a single player and takes back less salary – or none at all – in return. The team then has one calendar year to use that newly-created exception to acquire one or more players whose salaries fit into that exception.

For instance, the Raptors created a $11,800,000 trade exception in last July’s DeMarre Carroll trade with the Nets, meaning that on Thursday they could have acquired a player earning, say, $11MM without sending out any salary in return.

Not many teams took advantage of their outstanding trade exceptions on Thursday, but at least a couple teams appear to have completed trades with previously existing trade exceptions, or with disabled player exceptions. Nearly every trade completed on Thursday also generated at least one new trade exception, so we’ll round up those newly-created TPEs below.

With the help of tweets from cap experts Albert Nahmad and Bobby Marks, along with information from RealGM’s official transactions log, here’s a breakdown of the new TPEs, sorted by value. Not all of these exceptions have been confirmed with 100% certainty, but this is what we believe they’ll look like. These TPEs will expire if they’re not used by February 8, 2019:

Our list of outstanding traded player exceptions has been updated, and will be adjusted if necessary once we’re able to confirm all the TPEs listed above.

If you have any corrections or questions, please let us know in the comment section.

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