Decisions On Non-Guaranteed Contracts
February 10th marks the day that all players on non-guaranteed contracts will have their deals guaranteed for the remainder of the season. However, if a team wants to meet that Friday deadline, it will need to make its decisions today, allowing its player(s) to pass through waivers in time.
Some non-guaranteed players, such as DeJuan Blair and Jeremy Lin, are in no danger of being waived. However, with a few dozen players on non-guaranteed deals across the league, there will be plenty of cuts before the day is out. Some of those players will sign 10-day contracts shortly after being cut, while others could join the D-League or find a place on our list of current unrestricted free agents.
We'll track all the day's decisions on non-guaranteed contracts right here, with the latest news up top:
- Other players who will have their contracts guaranteed for the remainder of the year: Ivan Johnson, Jannero Pargo, Jerry Stackhouse (Hawks), Cory Higgins (Bobcats), Brian Scalabrine, John Lucas (Bulls), Samardo Samuels, Alonzo Gee (Cavaliers), Sean Williams (Mavericks), Julyan Stone (Nuggets), Vernon Macklin, Damien Wilkins (Pistons), Dominic McGuire, Chris Wright (Warriors), Sundiata Gaines, Keith Bogans (Nets), Steve Novak, Jerome Jordan (Knicks), Ryan Reid (Thunder), DeAndre Liggins (Magic), Lavoy Allen, Francisco Elson (Sixers), Danny Green, Gary Neal (Spurs), Jeremy Evans (Jazz).
- The Jazz will guarantee Jamaal Tinsley's contract, according to Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune (via Twitter).
- The Pistons are keeping guard Walker Russell, agent Giovanni Funicello told HoopsHype (via Twitter).
- The Hornets have waived DaJuan Summers and Carldell Johnson, league sources tell Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
- The Rockets waived Jeff Adrien, reports Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). The move clears a roster spot for Greg Smith.
- The Wizards have waived Hamady N'Diaye, according to a team release.
- Chris Johnson received a call from Trail Blazers GM Chad Buchanan this morning saying his contract would be guaranteed, tweets Mike Tokito of The Oregonian.
- The Celtics will hang on to Greg Stiemsma and guarantee his deal, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
- The Lakers have waived Derrick Caracter. Caracter broke the news himself, tweeting "It's over before it begun!!! …. On to the next chapter of my life" (Twitter links). The Lakers will hang on to Devin Ebanks, Andrew Goudelock, and Darius Morris, tweets Mike Breshnahan of the Los Angeles Times.
- The Clippers have cut Solomon Jones, reports Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter).
- The Heat have waived Mickell Gladness, the team announced (Twitter link). Miami's other two players on non-guaranteed deals, Eddy Curry and Terrel Harris, look safe, tweets Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
- The Grizzlies have waived Josh Davis, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
- The Spurs announced they've waived Malcolm Thomas, who was assigned to the team's D-League affiliate last week.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Wizards Working To Move Blatche
The Wizards are actively looking to move power forward Andray Blatche, according to Marc Stein in his Weekend Dime. Washington has attempted to initiate a Blatche for Tyrus Thomas swap with the Bobcats. Stein adds that ideally, the Wizards would get Boris Diaw and his expiring deal in return, but Charlotte is unlikely to take on Blatche's salary without sending Thomas and his similar sized deal to Washington.
After averaging 16.8 PPG and 8.3 RPG in 2011, Blatche has been a disappointment in 2012, averaging only 10.3 PPG and 7.1 RPG while shooting a paltry 38% from the field. Blatche has three years, and nearly $23MM remaining on a contact extension he signed in September of 2010.
Odds & Ends: Nowitzki, Noah, Heat, Wizards
This year's later-than-usual trade deadline means we shouldn't expect the same amount of February player movement we'd normally see. Still, flipping the calendar page from to January to February means we're that much closer to seeing a few deals go down. While we wait to see where Dwight Howard, Chris Kaman, and the rest of this year's trade candidates land, let's round up today's odds and ends from around the league:
- Asked about his future in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, Dirk Nowitzki said he plans to play "at least two more years" in the NBA (hat tip to BallinEurope.com). I wouldn't read too much into that statement — even when Dirk's current contract with the Mavericks expires in 2014, he'll be just 36. I'd be surprised to see him retire at that point, barring a major injury or drop-off in the next couple seasons.
- Joakim Noah admitted to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune that the pressure he felt after signing a $60MM contract extension with the Bulls contributed to his struggles early this season.
- The Heat have kept their expectations for the Eddy Curry experiment in check, and still may look to add another center, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sentinel. Their first choice is presumably Joel Przybilla, who will reportedly decide between the Heat and Bulls this week.
- Despite the team's struggles this season, president Ernie Grunfeld doesn't intend to abandon the Wizards' long-term strategy, as he tells Michael Lee of the Washington Post.
- Chris Paul's departure has left something of a leadership void in New Orleans, writes Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
- Marcus Banks has officially joined the D-League's Idaho Stampede, tweets Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside. The eight-year NBA veteran signed with the D-League last week.
Odds & Ends: Wizards, Adelman, Irving
Notes from around the league on Monday night:
- Washington's rebuilding efforts must begin with buying out Rashard Lewis and using the amnesty clause on Andray Blatche, writes Ben Golliver of CBSSports.com. Blatche will be out three to five weeks with a strained calf muscle, coach Randy Wittman reported. The Wizards announced they're recalling center Hamady Ndiaye from the Iowa Energy, the team's D-League affiliate.
- Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman, formerly with the Rockets, says there was a lack of communication between himself and Houston owner Leslie Alexander, reports Jonathan Feigan of the Houston Chronicle.
- Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio analyzes the progress of top-pick Kyrie Irving.
- Ben Rohrbach of WEEI's Celtics Blog says Boston's struggles this season can't be pinned on the team's bench play.
- The injury-depleted Nets may be primed to make a move. They figure to have only 10 players available for Tuesday's game with Indiana, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
- Teams in need of depth on the wing won't be able to turn to Sonny Weems. His Lithuanian team told Sportando they won't be letting him out of his contract before the team's season is over.