With R.J. Hunter poised to officially join the Bulls, the only NBA team with an open roster spot will be adding a 15th man, meaning every one of the league’s 30 clubs will be at the regular-season roster limit. However, that doesn’t mean those teams are locked into those 15 players for the season.
As we saw in the days leading up to opening night, plenty of teams were willing to cut ties with players on fully guaranteed salaries, with the increased cap giving clubs a little extra flexibility to eat salary. Still, generally speaking, teams will be less inclined to waive a player if his 2016/17 salary is already fully guaranteed, preferring to cut a non-guaranteed salary if they need to make an addition.
So, with the season underway, it’s worth taking a look at which teams have 15 fully guaranteed salaries on their roster and which teams are carrying a non-guaranteed contract or two. Those non-guaranteed deals will perhaps give those clubs a little extra flexibility up until January 10, at which point everyone still on an NBA roster has his salary become fully guaranteed.
Here are the teams with 15 fully guaranteed salaries on their roster:
- Boston Celtics
- Brooklyn Nets
- Detroit Pistons
- Indiana Pacers
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Milwaukee Bucks
Meanwhile, the following teams are carrying 14 fully guaranteed salaries, with just one player on a non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed deal:
- Atlanta Hawks: Mike Muscala (partial)
- Dallas Mavericks: Dorian Finney-Smith (partial)
- Denver Nuggets: Jarnell Stokes (partial)
- Golden State Warriors: JaVale McGee (partial)
- Miami Heat: Rodney McGruder (partial)
- Minnesota Timberwolves: John Lucas III
- New Orleans Pelicans: Lance Stephenson (partial)
- New York Knicks: Ron Baker (partial)
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Semaj Christon (partial)
- Phoenix Suns: Derrick Jones (partial)
- Portland Trail Blazers: Tim Quarterman (partial)
- Sacramento Kings: Ty Lawson
- Toronto Raptors: Fred VanVleet (partial)
- Utah Jazz: Jeff Withey
That leaves nine teams dedicating multiple roster spots to players on non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed salaries early in the season. That doesn’t necessarily mean these teams are more likely to make back-of-the-roster moves over the next couple months, but it gives them a little more financial flexibility to do so. Here are those nine teams:
- Charlotte Hornets: Treveon Graham (partial), Aaron Harrison
- Cleveland Cavaliers: DeAndre Liggins (partial), Jordan McRae
- Houston Rockets: Kyle Wiltjer (partial), Bobby Brown
- Los Angeles Lakers: Thomas Robinson, Metta World Peace
- Memphis Grizzlies: Vince Carter (partial), JaMychal Green (partial), Troy Williams (partial)
- Orlando Magic: Arinze Onuaku, Damjan Rudez
- Philadelphia 76ers: Robert Covington (partial), Jerami Grant, T.J. McConnell, Hollis Thompson
- San Antonio Spurs: Bryn Forbes (partial), Nicolas Laprovittola
- Washington Wizards: Danuel House (partial), Sheldon McClellan (partial), Daniel Ochefu (partial)
The 30th team? Those aforementioned Bulls, who had been carrying 13 guaranteed salaries, as well as Cristiano Felicio‘s non-guarantee deal. Depending on whether or not R.J. Hunter‘s new contract is guaranteed, Chicago will either fall into the second or third group above.
Don’t the Cavs only have 14 players? They appear to have an open roster spot right now after waiving John Holland.
Their 15th player is Mo Williams, who technically remains on the roster despite having retired.