The Pelicans have officially waived two players on non-guaranteed contracts, Lance Thomas and Arinze Onuaku, according to a press release from the team. The cuts clear two roster spots for the team to sign Josh Childress and Louis Amundson, who have now formally been added to the roster.
While Thomas’ contract had included a $15K guarantee, that partial guarantee was so small that the 25-year-old had already earned more than that. The Pelicans will be on the hook for about two weeks’ worth of salary for both Thomas and Onuaku. Terms of the team’s agreements haven’t been reported yet — we can assume they’re both minimum salary contracts, but it’s unclear whether or not they’re partially or fully guaranteed.
Neither Thomas nor Onuaku had played a significant role so far for the Pelicans. Thomas had appeared in five games, while Onuaku had played in three, and both players averaged just over eight minutes per contest. I imagine New Orleans will be expecting more consistent production off the bench from veterans Childress and Amundson, as the club looks to contend for a playoff spot.