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Checking In On Roster Situations Around The NBA

October 16th, 2022 at 8:05am CST by Luke Adams

As expected, the majority of the NBA teams made their roster cuts on Saturday and didn’t wait until Monday’s deadline to set their regular season rosters.

Making those moves on Saturday will ensure the players on non-guaranteed contracts clear waivers on Monday, before the regular season begins. If a team had waited until Monday to waive a player on a non-guaranteed deal, he wouldn’t clear waivers until Wednesday, and the team would be on the hook for two days’ worth of his salary.

After yesterday’s flurry of roster moves, here’s where things stand around the NBA…

Teams whose rosters are within the regular season limits

Of the NBA’s 30 teams, 26 have rosters that comply with the league’s regular season roster limits, which state that clubs can’t carry more than 15 players on standard contracts or two on two-way contracts.

The following 16 teams are right at the limit, carrying 15 players on standard contracts and a pair on two-ways:

  • Boston Celtics
  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Chicago Bulls
  • Denver Nuggets
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New York Knicks
  • Orlando Magic
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Sacramento Kings
  • Toronto Raptors
  • Utah Jazz
  • Washington Wizards

Just because these rosters look ready for the regular season doesn’t mean they’re fully locked in. In fact, it would be a surprise if at least one or two of these teams don’t make minor tweaks before Monday’s regular season roster deadline. That could be as simple as swapping out one two-way player for another.

The Sixers are one team to watch, since Michael Foster Jr. – who is on an Exhibit 10 contract – remains on the roster. It’s possible Philadelphia intends to convert him to a two-way deal on Sunday or Monday, which would mean the club would have to waive one of its current two-way players (Charlie Brown Jr. or Julian Champagnie).

The following seven teams are carrying 14 players on standard contracts and two on two-ways:

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Miami Heat
  • Phoenix Suns

The majority of these teams have luxury tax concerns and will open the season with an open roster spot to keep their projected tax bill in check, though that’s not the case for all of them.

The Hornets are well clear of the tax, for instance, and could comfortably make a roster addition if they want to. They may also be leaving a spot open for Miles Bridges, though his NBA future is up in the air due to his legal situation.The Mavericks, meanwhile, are in the tax but are still expected to sign veteran guard Facundo Campazzo before the regular season begins.

We’ve covered 23 teams so far. That leaves three more who are in within the regular season limits. Those teams are as follows:

  • Cleveland Cavaliers: 14 players on standard contracts and one on a two-way deal.
  • New Orleans Pelicans: 15 players on standard contracts and one on a two-way deal.
  • Portland Trail Blazers: 14 players on standard contracts and one on a two-way deal.

The Trail Blazers are right up against the tax line and will likely keep their 15th spot open to start the season, but the Cavaliers could add a 15th man if they so choose. All three teams could be keeping an eye on players who were waived in recent days as they mull how to fill their open two-way slots.

It’s worth mentioning that the Pelicans still haven’t signed second-round pick E.J. Liddell, who suffered a torn ACL during Summer League play. I suspect New Orleans wants Liddell to sign a G League contract and rehab with the Birmingham Squadron this season so that the team can use its second two-way slot on someone who can actually contribute on the court, but it remains possible that Liddell could fill that two-way opening.

Teams that still have moves to make before Monday’s deadline

The following teams haven’t yet made their necessary cuts to get within the regular season roster limits:

Detroit Pistons: 16 players on standard contracts and two on two-way deals.

The final cut will be pretty simple for the Pistons. They still haven’t officially waived Kemba Walker, but they’re expected to do so before the start of the season. Because Walker’s salary is fully guaranteed, Detroit can afford to wait until Monday instead of waiving him on Saturday, since there will be no additional financial penalty.

Houston Rockets: 17 players on standard contracts and one on a two-way deal.

The Rockets‘ final moves also looks pretty straightforward. Derrick Favors, who has a guaranteed salary, and Darius Days, who is on an Exhibit 10 contract, remain on the team’s roster for now. Favors will reportedly be waived on or before Monday. The deadline to convert players from Exhibit 10 deals to two-way contracts is Monday, so if Houston converts Days to a two-way today or tomorrow, the club will be set for the season.

Oklahoma City Thunder: 17 players on standard contracts and two on two-way deals.

The Thunder will actually have to waive three players, not just two, because they’re also reportedly signing Isaiah Joe to their 15-man roster. David Nwaba is reportedly one of the players being cut, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the other two are also players the Thunder acquired from Houston last month: Trey Burke and Marquese Chriss.

San Antonio Spurs: 16 players on standard contracts and two on two-way deals.

The Spurs will have to waive one player to get to the 15-man limit. Keita Bates-Diop and Tre Jones don’t have fully guaranteed salaries, but the fact that San Antonio didn’t finalize its cuts on Saturday suggests that a player with a guaranteed contract will be the odd man out. Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News reported on Saturday that Joe Wieskamp and Romeo Langford are “on the bubble.”

Reported Exhibit 10 signings that never materialized

There are a handful of free agent contract agreements that were reported at some point during the offseason and, as far as we can tell, never actually materialized. Those agreements are as follows:

These players and teams could still technically finalize these deals on Sunday or Monday, but it’s also very possible they simply fell through for one reason or another. For instance, reporting in September indicated that Montero’s buyout from his Spanish team might be an issue.

We’re no longer assuming that these signings going to happen.

Hoops Rumors’ roster resources

We consistently maintain and update a number of lists and trackers that are designed to help you keep tabs on NBA rosters. They’re all up to date following Saturday’s cuts. Those resources, which can be found on the right-hand sidebar of our desktop site or on the “Features” page within our mobile menu, include the following:

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Hornets Waive LiAngelo Ball, Three Others

October 15th, 2022 at 1:23pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets have trimmed their roster down to 16 players in advance of the regular season, announcing today in a press release that they’ve waived LiAngelo Ball, Jalen Crutcher, Xavier Sneed, and Ty-Shon Alexander.

The older brother of Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball, LiAngelo has played for Charlotte’s Summer League team and signed Exhibit 10 contracts with the organization before each of the last two seasons. He spent 2021/22 with the Greensboro Swarm, the Hornets’ G League affiliate. In 28 games for the Swarm, he averaged 4.6 PPG and 1.1 RPG on .395/.357/.667 shooting in 13.2 minutes per contest.

Crutcher and Sneed also played for Greensboro last season and will likely return to the Swarm in 2022/23 after joining the Hornets on Exhibit 10 contracts.

Alexander, who appeared in 15 games for the Suns in 2020/21 and spent last season in Italy, just signed with the Hornets earlier today, as the team announced in a separate press release. He appears ticketed for the Swarm too.

Charlotte now has 13 players on guaranteed standard contracts, Dennis Smith Jr. on a non-guaranteed deal, and Theo Maledon and Bryce McGowens on two-ways.

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Hornets Sign Theo Maledon To Two-Way Contract

October 15th, 2022 at 9:57am CST by Luke Adams

OCTOBER 15: The Hornets have officially signed Maleon to his two-way deal, the team confirmed today in a press release. Charlotte created room on its roster by waiving Jaylen Sims and Anthony Duruji on Friday.

OCTOBER 14: Theo Maledon, who cleared waivers on Thursday after being cut by Houston on Tuesday, won’t have to wait long to get back on an NBA roster. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), Maledon is signing a two-way contract with the Hornets.

Maledon, the 34th overall pick of the 2020 draft, appeared in 116 regular season games (56 starts, 23.3 MPG) with the Thunder over the past two seasons before being traded to the Rockets last month. He averaged 8.8 PPG, 2.9 RPG and 2.9 APG on .371/.322/.766 shooting across those two years.

While Maledon struggled to score efficiently in Oklahoma City, he has good size for a point guard (6’4″) and is still just 21 years old, so it seemed likely that another NBA team would take a flier on him. The Frenchman reportedly wanted to remain stateside rather than returning to Europe to continue his career.

There could be an immediate path to playing time for Maledon in Charlotte, where starting point guard LaMelo Ball is recovering from a Grade 2 ankle sprain. Terry Rozier is expected to be the Hornets’ primary ball-handler while Ball is on the shelf, but the team doesn’t have a ton of depth at the position — Dennis Smith Jr., who is in training camp on a non-guaranteed deal, will likely be the backup.

The Hornets are currently only carrying one two-way player, Bryce McGowens, so the other two-way slot is open. However, the club has a full 20-man roster and will have to waive one of its camp invitees to make room for Maledon.

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Hornets Waive Jaylen Sims, Anthony Duruji

October 14th, 2022 at 2:50pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets are beginning to trim down their preseason roster, according to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer, who tweets that the team is waiving camp invitees Jaylen Sims and Anthony Duruji.

Sims went undrafted this June after spending four seasons at UNC Wilmington. The 23-year-old guard, a native of Charlotte, averaged 16.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 2.4 APG on .383/.357/.820 shooting in his final college season in 2021/22. He played for Toronto’s Summer League team in July before signing an Exhibit 10 deal with the Hornets in August.

Duruji, 24, split his college career between Louisiana Tech and Florida. The undrafted rookie forward averaged 7.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in 55 games (23.4 MPG) over the past two seasons with the Gators, then played for Atlanta at the Las Vegas Summer League before signing his own Exhibit 10 deal with Charlotte.

Both Sims and Duruji appear likely to become affiliate players for the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte’s G League team.

With two open spots on their 20-man roster, the Hornets can now move forward with their reported two-way deal for Theo Maledon. After signing Maledon, the team would have to make at least two more cuts before Monday’s regular roster deadline. LiAngelo Ball, Jalen Crutcher, and Xavier Sneed remain on the roster on non-guaranteed training camp contracts.

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Rozier To Play Point Guard In Ball's Absence; Bridges' Hearing Delayed Again

October 12th, 2022 at 2:12pm CST by Luke Adams
  • The Hornets, who aren’t exactly loaded with point guard depth, are expected to shift Terry Rozier over from his shooting guard spot to take on additional ball-handling responsibilities while LaMelo Ball recovers from an ankle sprain, according to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. “Look, Terry was the starting point guard on a team that went to the Eastern Conference Finals,” head coach Steve Clifford said, referring to the 2018 Celtics. “So it’s a role that he’s comfortable with. And if that ends up being the situation, that’s how we’d do it.”
  • The preliminary court hearing for Hornets forward Miles Bridges has been delayed yet again, according to Baxter Holmes of ESPN, who tweets that the new date is October 17. That hearing for Bridges, who has pleaded not guilty to three felony domestic violence charges, was initially scheduled for August 19.
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LaMelo Ball Has Grade 2 Ankle Sprain

October 11th, 2022 at 4:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Hornets All-Star guard LaMelo Ball has a Grade 2 ankle sprain and will miss some games early in the regular season, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

Ball underwent an MRI that confirmed the initial diagnosis of a left ankle sprain, which he suffered during Monday’s preseason game, the team’s PR department tweets. His return to full basketball activities will be determined by his response to rehab and treatment.

According to InStreetClothes.com’s Jeff Stotts (Twitter link), some other notable guards such as Mike Conley, Ja Morant, and Trae Young have suffered similar sprains in recent seasons. The average time lost is seven games or 19 days.

There’s a measure of relief in the Charlotte organization that the injury wasn’t more severe, Charania adds in another tweet. The injury occurred during the third quarter against Washington when his foot was stepped on by the Wizards’ Anthony Gill as Ball was driving the lane.

With Ball sidelined, James Bouknight, Dennis Smith Jr. and Cody Martin could see additional backcourt minutes.

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Miles Bridges' Hearing Delayed Again

October 9th, 2022 at 10:00pm CST by Luke Adams
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Kemba Walker Continues To Await Next Opportunity

October 8th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing at the Hornets/Celtics preseason game at Greensboro Coliseum on Friday, point guard Kemba Walker confirmed that he hasn’t gotten a satisfactory buyout offer from the Pistons yet and is remaining patient as he waits for his next NBA opportunity, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe.

The Pistons, who have 16 players on guaranteed contracts, are widely expected to waive Walker before the regular season begins, whether or not he agrees to forfeit any of the $9.17MM he’s owed in 2022/23. It doesn’t make sense for the veteran to give up money in a buyout agreement until another team offers him a guaranteed contract, and there’s no indication that has happened yet. But Walker feels healthy and believes it’s just a matter of time until he gets a shot from a new team.

“I’ve got something in the tank for sure,” he said. “I feel great. I’m going to be honest. I’m going to have my opportunity. I’m not in any rush right now. I’m just grinding and trying to feel as good as I can. And right now, I feel great. I feel as good as I’ve felt in a long time. I’m just waiting for the opportunity.”

A four-time All-Star, Walker has started every game he’s played since the 2014/15 season, but recognizes that after battling knee issues for the last few years, he can’t realistically expect to continue in that role going forward.

“I just want to be able to play basketball again; I don’t care if it’s the bench or not,” he said, per Washburn. “I started off my career playing basketball coming off the bench. Who cares? I just want to be able to play ball like I love to do, being around some great, great teammates and just have fun.”

There haven’t been many potential suitors connected to Walker this offseason, but one team rumored to have some interest is his old club in Charlotte. While it sounds like Walker is open to rejoining the Hornets before his career is over, he wants to make it clear that he doesn’t think he’ll be retiring anytime soon.

“That would be special,” Walker said when asked about a return to the Hornets. “(But) as far as closing my career, I’ve got a few more years left, in my opinion, so I’m not thinking about that yet. We’ll see. I’m just waiting. (Nobody’s) reached out to me. I’m just waiting.”

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Hornets Sign Xavier Sneed To Exhibit 10 Contract

October 6th, 2022 at 10:44am CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets are signing veteran free agent forward Xavier Sneed to an Exhibit 10 contract, according to Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).

Sneed, 24, went undrafted out of Kansas State in 2020 and has since played a regular role for the Greensboro Swarm, the Hornets’ G League affiliate. His solid play in the NBAGL earned him a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies last December and a two-way deal with Utah in February. Sneed appeared in nine games with the two teams last season at the NBA level, logging just 39 total minutes.

While Sneed’s two-way contract with the Jazz included a second season, Utah opted to waive him last month. Based on his new agreement with the Hornets, it seems likely that Sneed will head back to Greensboro as a returning rights player this season — his Exhibit 10 deal will put him in line for a bonus worth up to $50K on top of his G League salary if he spends at least 60 days with the Swarm.

As we noted earlier today, the Hornets have waived camp invitee Isaiah Whaley, so they have an open spot on their 20-man preseason roster for Sneed.

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Hornets Waive Isaiah Whaley

October 6th, 2022 at 9:03am CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets have waived rookie forward Isaiah Whaley, tweets Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. The move opens up a spot on Charlotte’s 20-man preseason roster.

Whaley signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Hornets this offseason after going undrafted out of UConn. In five seasons with the Huskies, he appeared in a total of 138 games for the Huskies, including 32 in 2021/22, when he averaged 7.7 PPG and 4.8 RPG in 28.5 MPG as a full-time starter.

Although Whaley wasn’t a major offensive threat at UConn, he earned a reputation as a talented defender. He averaged 2.4 blocks per contest across his final two college seasons, and was the co-winner of the Big East’s Defensive Player of the Year award in 2021.

Whaley will likely be headed for the Greensboro Swarm – Charlotte’s G League team – as an affiliate player after being waived by the Hornets. He’ll earn a $50K bonus if he spends at least 60 days with the Swarm.

Jalen Crutcher, Jaylen Sims, and Anthony Duruji remain on the Hornets’ roster on Exhibit 10 deals. They could be in the mix for the team’s open two-way slot.

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