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NBA Teams With Open Roster Spots

March 30th, 2021 at 8:40am CST by Luke Adams

A total of 46 players were traded on deadline day last Thursday, and more have been waived and signed since then, resulting in major roster upheaval around the NBA.

With the dust settling a little, it’s worth checking in on which teams across the league now have open roster spots, and which clubs will need to fill at least one of those openings soon in order to meet the minimum roster requirements.

Let’s dive in…

Teams with two open spots on their 15-man rosters:

Golden State Warriors
Los Angeles Clippers
Miami Heat
New Orleans Pelicans
New York Knicks
Portland Trail Blazers
Toronto Raptors

The NBA allows team to carry fewer than 14 players on standard (or 10-day) contracts for up to two weeks at a time. So these clubs are allowed to have just 13 for now, but will soon need to add a 14th, either with a 10-day signing or a rest-of-season addition.

The Warriors, Heat, Trail Blazers, and Raptors all dipped below 14 players on deadline day (March 25), so they’ll all have until next Thursday (April 8) to get back up to the required roster minimum. The Knicks will have even longer, since they just waived Terrance Ferguson and Vincent Poirier on Sunday — they’ll have to add a 14th man by April 11.

The Pelicans and Clippers, meanwhile, reduced their roster counts to 13 players on March 20 and March 22, respectively, so they’ll need to make their moves sooner. New Orleans will have to add a player by this weekend at the latest, while the Clippers will do so by next Monday.

The Pels are right up against the luxury tax line, so they’ll likely sign someone to a 10-day contract. The Clippers have enough breathing room below their hard cap to complete a rest-of-season signing if they so choose.

Teams with one open spot on their 15-man rosters:

Cleveland Cavaliers
Indiana Pacers
Los Angeles Lakers
Memphis Grizzlies
Milwaukee Bucks
Minnesota Timberwolves
Orlando Magic

A report last Thursday indicated that the Pacers were signing Oshae Brissett, but they still have completed that 10-day deal, so they have an open roster spot for now. The Bucks technically have two open roster spots as of this writing, but are expected to sign Jeff Teague to fill one of them as soon as today.

The Lakers, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, and Magic all have 14 players on standard, rest-of-season contracts, with no obligation to fill their 15th spots anytime soon. The Cavaliers currently have 14th man Quinn Cook on a 10-day contract. When his deal expires on Wednesday night, the team will dip to 13 players and will have two weeks to re-add a 14th.

Teams with open two-way contract slots:

Minnesota Timberwolves
Oklahoma City Thunder
Phoenix Suns
Portland Trail Blazers

The Thunder opened up one of their two-way slots when they promoted Moses Brown to the standard roster over the weekend. I’d expect them and the Timberwolves to be more interested in filling their open two-way spots than the Suns and Trail Blazers. Oklahoma City and Minnesota are lottery teams and could benefit from a look at one more young player, while Phoenix and Portland are playoff clubs that have shown no desire to add a second two-way player all season long.

Also worth mentioning:

Brooklyn Nets
Detroit Pistons
San Antonio Spurs

The Nets, Spurs, and Pistons currently have full 15-man rosters, but won’t for much longer, as all three teams have players on 10-day contracts. Alize Johnson‘s deal with Brooklyn runs through Wednesday, while Cameron Reynolds‘ with San Antonio runs through Sunday and Tyler Cook‘s with Detroit expires after next Tuesday.

Note: Our full roster count breakdown can be found right here.

Cap/Cash Notes: Warriors, Drummond, Clippers, Rockets, More

March 29th, 2021 at 10:25am CST by Luke Adams

When the Warriors traded Marquese Chriss to the Spurs and Brad Wanamaker to the Hornets at the trade deadline, they included cash in both deals. By moving Chriss’ $1.82MM cap hit and Wanamaker’s $2.25MM salary off their books, Golden State will generate substantial tax savings, which will outweigh the cash they gave up in the two trades.

As a result, the Warriors didn’t mind sending $1.85MM to the Spurs along with Chriss, per Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link), and $2.2MM to the Hornets with Wanamaker, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic.

Teams are limited to sending out no more than $5.62MM in cash in 2020/21 trades, so the Warriors will be limited to about $1.57MM at the draft. Their yearly limit will reset once the new league year begins, so if Golden State reaches a draft-day trade that involves more than $1.57MM in outgoing cash, it’s a safe bet the team will wait until the 2021/22 league year starts to officially finalize it.

Here are a few more leftover cap-related notes from Marks and Hollinger on trades and buyouts:

Andre Drummond will earn the prorated veteran’s minimum of $794,536 on his new deal with the Lakers, which is – not coincidentally – the exact amount he gave up in his buyout with the Cavaliers, says ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). Marks notes that the Lakers still have enough room under the hard cap to sign a 15th player.
The Clippers sent $2.75MM to the Kings in the Mfiondu Kabengele salary dump and $1.25MM to the Hawks in the Rajon Rondo trade, reports Hollinger.
The Rockets took in Avery Bradley‘s $5.64MM salary using part of the traded player exception created in the James Harden trade, allowing them to generate a larger TPE for Victor Oladipo, says Hollinger. That means, instead of having a $10.65MM TPE that expires early next season and a $2.77MM that expires at next season’s deadline, Houston has TPEs worth $5.02MM and $8.18MM. You can see more details here.
Gorgui Dieng gave up $699,952 in a buyout with the Grizzlies, according to Hollinger. That’s the exact amount the big man would have earned on a minimum-salary deal if he officially signed with the Spurs on Wednesday, but he completed his deal with San Antonio today, so it’ll be worth $729,737.
That leaves LaMarcus Aldridge as the only player to give up significantly more than his prorated minimum in a post-deadline buyout. As Hollinger explains, the discrepancy between the reported amounts of Aldridge’s buyout was due to escrow. Aldridge gave up $7.25MM in his agreement with the Spurs, which will work out to $5.8MM after factoring in the league’s escrow cut.

Warriors Notes: Curry, Open Roster Spots, Oubre

March 29th, 2021 at 9:02am CST by Luke Adams

Although the Warriors won their first game following Stephen Curry‘s tailbone contusion last week, the team has slumped since then without its leading scorer, losing its last four straight.

With Golden State still clinging to the 10th seed in the Western Conference at 22-24, the team got some good news on Sunday, as head coach Steve Kerr said that Curry practiced in full and “looked good,” per Marcus White of NBC Sports Bay Area.

Curry hasn’t been cleared to return yet, but he has been upgraded to questionable for Monday’s game vs. Chicago, so he could be back on the court as soon as tonight. If not, he seems like a good bet to be ready for Thursday’s contest in Miami. Kerr indicated on Sunday that he’s looking forward not just to having Curry back but to having a healthier roster in general.

“When Steph is on the floor, we just have confidence and swagger that’s missing when he’s not,” Kerr said. “And that helps our defense. If you go back over the last eight or nine games, we’ve had a lot of stuff. Whether it’s injuries, (COVID-19) protocol … (these) are all reasons – not excuses, they’re just reasons – that we’ve struggled. But nobody really cares. It’s just what it is. Every team’s dealing with all kinds of adversity this year.”

Here’s more on the Warriors:

After trading away Brad Wanamaker and Marquese Chriss at last week’s deadline, the Warriors have two openings on their 15-man roster. President of basketball operations Bob Myers said the team is considering a number of options for those spots, including signing a player on the buyout market, promoting two-way players Juan Toscano-Anderson and/or Nico Mannion, or even bringing over draft-and-stash prospect Justinian Jessup from Australia. Decisions are expected soon (Twitter links via Kendra Andrews of NBC Sports Bay Area).
Following the trade deadline, Myers acknowledged that the Timberwolves’ top-three protected 2021 first-round pick – held by the Warriors – drew plenty of interest. “You gotta be open to anything, but it would take a lot to part with that,” Myers said of the pick (Twitter link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic). “You never say never.” If it lands in the top three this year, the Warriors will receive the Wolves’ unprotected first-rounder in 2022.
Myers didn’t have a problem with Kelly Oubre‘s comments suggesting he wouldn’t want to come off the bench if he’s back with the Warriors next season. “I like what he said,” Myers said (Twitter link via Slater). “He should want to start.”

Jazz Acquire Matt Thomas From Raptors

March 26th, 2021 at 10:06am CST by Dana Gauruder

MARCH 26: The trade is official, according to a press release from the Raptors.

MARCH 25: The Raptors are trading guard Matt Thomas to the Jazz for a future second-round pick, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. The pick will be the Warriors’ 2021 second-rounder that was owed to Utah, Blake Murphy of The Athletic tweets.

Thomas provides the Jazz with another shooter off the bench. Thomas, 26, made his NBA debut last season, appearing in 41 games and averaging 4.9 PPG in 10.7 MPG. He’s appeared in 26 games this season, averaging 2.7 PPG in 7.4 MPG. However, the 6’4” Thomas has knocked down 45.7% of his 3-point attempts over the last two seasons.

Thomas is making approximately $1.52MM. The Jazz will have to decide by the start of free agency whether to guarantee his $1.78MM salary next season.

Utah will use a $3,542,060 traded player exception to absorb Thomas’ salary, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets. The Jazz had an open roster spot.

Toronto will generate a $1.5MM TPE through this transaction. The Raptors also open up a roster spot, which they may need if they deal Kyle Lowry by the trade deadline.

Pacific Notes: Oubre, Warriors, Clippers, Zubac, Kings

March 26th, 2021 at 8:02am CST by Luke Adams

The subject of a few trade rumors leading up to the deadline, Warriors forward Kelly Oubre ended up staying put. Oubre – a free agent at season’s end – said on Thursday that he’d “love” to remain with Golden State beyond this season, though he didn’t sound particularly enthusiastic about the idea of moving to the bench to accommodate Klay Thompson‘s return, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN.

“I can’t speak for the future, brother,” Oubre said. “You keep asking me questions like I’m a psychic. But at the end of the day, I’m growing, I’m honing in on my skills in this league and I can offer a lot more than coming off the bench, so at the end of the day, this is my life. I can’t tell the future. Only God can.”

As Friedell observes, the Warriors have the NBA’s most expensive roster this season and there’s no real relief coming next year, especially if the team re-signs Oubre to a deal that matches or exceeds his current $14.38MM salary.

According to Friedell, when asked if he’d accept a below-market deal this offseason to remain in Golden State, Oubre simply replied, “Next question.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

Head coach Steve Kerr said last night that about 12 Warriors players and coaches received their COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, tweets Friedell.
The Clippers‘ hope that Rajon Rondo will become ‘Playoff Rondo’ this spring was the motivating factor behind their decision to send Lou Williams and two second-round picks to Atlanta for the veteran point guard, writes Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. As Greif notes, Rondo has a long-standing relationship with head coach Tyronn Lue, who began his coaching career as an assistant in Boston in 2011, when Rondo was an All-Star for the Celtics. That relationship – and the trust Lue has in Rondo – was a factor in the Clippers’ decision to make the trade.
Within the same story, Greif says the Clippers received calls from multiple teams about center Ivica Zubac, but didn’t seriously consider moving him, as they believe he’s a key part of the roster going forward.
James Ham of NBC Sports California broke down the Kings‘ deadline acquisitions after the team completed three separate trades.

Spurs Acquire Marquese Chriss From Warriors

March 25th, 2021 at 10:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

10:45pm: The Chriss deal is now official, per a tweet from the Warriors.

2:35pm: The Warriors will trade center Marquese Chriss to the Spurs, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Golden State will receive the rights to Cady Lalanne in return, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).

San Antonio will also get cash in the deal, adds ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). The move will enable the Warriors to save some money on the luxury tax, rather than spending it for an injured player (Twitter link).

Chriss underwent surgery after breaking his right fibula in late December and is expected to miss the rest of the season. He is making $1.8MM this season on an expiring contract.

Lalanne, a 28-year-old center, was a second-round pick by the Spurs in 2015, but has never made it to the NBA. He is currently playing in South Korea.

Warriors Trade Brad Wanamaker To Hornets

March 25th, 2021 at 10:37pm CST by Luke Adams

10:37pm: The Warriors tweet that they have officially dealt Wanamaker to the Hornets. The terms of the deal are as follows:

Hornets acquire Wanamaker, the Raptors’ 2022 second-round pick (top-54 protected), and cash.
Warriors acquire the Hornets’ 2025 second-round pick (top-55 protected).

2:19pm: The Hornets have agreed to acquire veteran guard Brad Wanamaker in a trade with the Warriors, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Golden State won’t receive any players or picks in return, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Charlotte has the room to absorb Wanamaker’s $2.25MM cap charge, so no salary-matching was necessary.

Cash will be involved in the deal, per Slater, though it’s unclear which team is receiving it. Given Wanamaker’s middling production and the Warriors’ sizeable tax bill, I’d expect Golden State to be the team sending out cash, but Wes Goldberg of The San Jose Mercury-News says it’ll be Charlotte doing so. We’ll have to wait for more details.

Wanamaker was expendable because Golden State views rookie Nico Mannion as its backup point guard moving forward, according to Monte Poole of NBC Sports (Twitter link). The Warriors were able to open two roster spots today ahead of the buyout season.

After signing with the Warriors as a free agent in November, Wanamaker appeared in 39 games, all as a reserve, and averaged 4.7 points and 2.5 assists per night.

Trade Rumors: Lowry, Rondo, Ball, Markkanen, Young, Green

March 25th, 2021 at 12:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

The clock is ticking on the trade deadline, with less than 90 minutes to go. Here are a few tidbits about possible last-minute deals:

ESPN is reporting that the Sixers have dropped their pursuit of Kyle Lowry after trading for George Hill, but the Heat are still trying to acquire the Raptors‘ point guard, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. A source tells Jackson the Lakers and Clippers have also contacted Toronto about Lowry.
The Clippers have asked the Hawks about point guard Rajon Rondo, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Twitter link from Mirjam Swanson of The Southern California News Group). L.A. was interested in signing Rondo in free agency, but he opted for a two-year, $15MM deal with Atlanta.
After acquiring All-Star center Nikola Vucevic from the Magic, the Bulls are trying to shake up their roster ever further, tweets K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports. Chicago is still talking to the Pelicans about Lonzo Ball, but New Orleans wants more than Lauri Markkanen in return. The Bulls used a lot of their draft capital in the Vucevic deal.
Offers for Thaddeus Young haven’t improved enough for the Bulls to consider moving him, tweets Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.
The Warriors could be a possible destination for Sixers guard Danny Green, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link).

Western Notes: Oubre, Okogie, Grizzlies, Pelicans, Lakers

March 25th, 2021 at 8:26am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran forward Kelly Oubre looks like the Warriors‘ top trade candidate, and he certainly didn’t hurt his value in his last game before the deadline, putting up 24 points and 10 rebounds on Tuesday in a loss to Philadelphia. With today’s deadline looming, head coach Steve Kerr praised Oubre for the way he has taken the trade rumors in stride, as Anthony Slater of The Athletic writes.

“I love Kelly,” Kerr said. “He’s a pro. We’ve talked a lot about his circumstances, being a free agent, having his name tossed around. It’s not an easy position to be in. But this is how it works. This is the NBA. He’s got an expiring deal, plays a position of need for a lot of teams. He’s athletic and long. He’s coveted. He’s definitely coveted. So his name is naturally going to be out there. He’s done a great job of handling everything. He’s really professional and poised and practical. So we’ll see what happens.”

Slater says he gets the sense that the Warriors want to be able to do something with Oubre’s salary slot in future seasons, as opposed to just letting him walk for nothing this offseason and not being able to replace him due to their cap situation. It remains to be seen whether that means ultimately investing in a longer-term agreement with Oubre or flipping him for another player today.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Timberwolves forward Josh Okogie entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Wednesday night, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link). It’s unclear how long Okogie will have to remain in the protocols before being cleared.
Mark Giannotto of The Memphis Commercial Appeal believes the Grizzlies need to make a big roster move at some point, but thinks it’s more likely to happen in the offseason or further down the road than at today’s deadline.
Today’s trade deadline may be the most revealing pivot point for the Pelicans under the direction of head of basketball operations David Griffin, says Scott Kuschner of NOLA.com. In particular, the club’s decision on Lonzo Ball will provide a strong hint of the way in which New Orleans wants to build its roster around Zion Williamson.
Some members of the Lakers organization are expected to receive the COVID-19 vaccine this week, sources tell Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. More teams are starting to get access to vaccinations, including New Orleans, Atlanta, Portland, and – most recently – the Heat (Twitter link via Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel).

Wiseman To Start At Center; Curry Out At Least Another Week

March 23rd, 2021 at 8:46pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Warriors big men James Wiseman and Eric Paschall have been given the green light to return to the floor for Golden State during tonight’s game against the Sixers, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). Both players have been quarantining per the league’s coronavirus protocols since last week.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr noted that All-Star point guard Stephen Curry will miss at least another week of play as he recovers from an inflamed tailbone, Anthony Slater of The Athletic writes. “This is going to be a little bit longer than we thought and hoped,” Kerr said. The team will reassess Curry’s injury next week.
Rookie Warriors center James Wiseman has been named the club’s starter at the position for the rest of the season, Anthony Slater of The Athletic reports. “James has come along really well. He’s picked up a lot of the concepts,” Kerr said. “He needs to be out there.”