Sunday is March 1, which is the last day that a player can be waived and retain his postseason eligibility for a new team. Although we haven’t heard many buyout rumors this week – beyond a small update on Evan Turner – it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a couple more veterans hit the waiver wire by Sunday night and become free agents next week.
Any team can sign a free agent between now and the end of the season, but teams with open roster spots have a cleaner path to doing so. And those teams are worth keeping an eye on in the coming weeks, since even if no appealing targets emerge on the buyout market, those roster spots will likely be filled at some point.
During the regular season, there are benefits to carrying 14 – or even 13 – players for long stretches, particularly for healthy teams with luxury-tax concerns. But when the postseason rolls around, there’s little downside to filling the entire roster, even if it just means adding a 15th man during the final week (or day) of the season.
With that in mind, here are the teams in the top eight in each conference that still have at least one open spot on their 15-man rosters and seem likely to sign a player between now and April 15:
Playoff teams with an open roster spot:
- Denver Nuggets
- Houston Rockets
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Memphis Grizzlies *
- Oklahoma City Thunder
The Rockets are only on this list due to a technicality — Jeff Green‘s 10-day contract expired last night and he hasn’t yet officially signed his rest-of-season deal with the team. Once he does, Houston will have a full 15-man roster.
The other teams are worth keeping an eye on though. I’d guess the Thunder will save their 15th roster spot for two-way player Luguentz Dort, but the Nuggets and Clippers don’t have obvious internal candidates for promotions, so they could target a veteran free agent if they want to add a little more depth.
* As for the Grizzlies, they technically have a full 15-man roster for the time being, but Jarrod Uthoff is on a 10-day contract, so he could be replaced after it expires next weekend.
Playoff contenders with at least one open roster spot:
- Phoenix Suns
- Portland Trail Blazers
- San Antonio Spurs
Of the teams within five games of a playoff spot, these are the ones with roster openings. The Trail Blazers have tax concerns and may not add a 15th man, but the Suns and Spurs are candidates to do so. Phoenix, in particular, is reportedly keeping an eye on the free agent market in the wake of Kelly Oubre‘s knee injury.
For a full breakdown of the current NBA roster counts, be sure to check out our tracker.
Evan Turner becomes available Lakers should cut troy Daniels and pick up turner.
Blazers with Nurkic Collins and Hood all out and Lillard coming back from injury should make the most of that roster spot.
Signing someone to a rest of the season deal would be worth about 500k in pay and let’s say another 500k in tax I think it’s probably worth it.
Plus they actually have a genuine chance of a playoff upset against the Lakers. Dame is absolutely unstoppable when he wants to be and I can’t see anyone on that roster stopping him. Green and Bradley can’t stop Lillard and McCollum. Melo vs Bron would be a fun match up and AD vs Whiteside would be interesting. Whiteside would challenge AD and tire him with his efforts in rebounding and his shot blocking. Plus if Nurkic returns that’s another body they could use also.
Ariza is a pretty good defender and could try slow down LeBron just keep sending him to the line where he struggles would be an option.
I’d suggest signing a player who can defend well, and shoot the 3 ball alright that plays the 3/4 position. Maybe Jonthan Simmons, Joe Johnson, Lance Thomas, Justin Anderson, Luc Mbah a Moute and Dante Cunningham.
Defensively Anderson is the best, shooting wise Johnson is the best, overall I’d say Lance Thomas is probably the best
Once you make it past the Lakers you’d likely have the Mavs or Nuggets next which is again a winnable series. Jokic and Porzingod vs Whiteside and Nurkic. Both teams would really struggle to stop Dame and McCollum and Ariza could do a good job on the wing defensively. However both these teams have good benches.
Portland was swept in the WCF by a decimated Warriors team. They’re not going to upset the Lakers in the first round, even if by some miracle they somehow find a way to make the playoffs this season.
My MVPs let me remind you
That Warriors team was actually really strong
Curry averaged 36.5/8.3/7.3
Green averaged 16.5/12/9/2.5/3
Klay averaged 21.5/4/3/2/1.5
Even Looney averaged 10/6.5/1/1/1
Plus atleast they made the playoff WCF where did the Rocket finish? That’s right they also lost to the Warriors 4-2.
Blazers I believe have a better chance of upsetting the Lakers than the other teams in contention of that 8th playoff spot. And if the blazers overcome the Lakers they have a good chance at also beating the the Nuggets/Mavs in the second round
Portland was fortunate enough to finish 3rd last year and barely got by Denver 4-3. The true WCF matchup was Houston/Golden State.
Your now talking hypothetically. This should’ve and that should’ve.
Rockets lost to the Warriors as did the Blazers but they Blazers overcame OKC and the Nuggets in long series and eventually run out of puff for GSW, that’s facts.
The true WCF are the two teams that make the WCF not who you like.
Portland couldn’t face Denver/Mavs until the WCF, as Denver is & will finish #2-3. If by the greatest miracle ever in NBA history PTB beats the Lakers, which they would have to be missing LBJ or AD or both, then they would play Houston/Utah or even Clips on the R2WC. BTW all of this is depending in them even making it to the playoffs, which right now looks a definite no, despite Whiteside balling at All-NBA level!!!