Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Hoops Rumors Originals

Early NBA Minimum Salary Projections For 2024/25

September 24th, 2023 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s minimum salary is one of several figures that changes from year to year at the same rate as the league’s salary cap. If the cap increases by 5% from one season to the next, the minimum salary will rise by the same amount.

That means that even though we don’t know yet exactly where the minimum salaries will end up for the 2024/25 season, we can make an educated estimate. The NBA’s most recent projection for ’24/25 called for a $141,000,000 cap, which is the number we’ll use to project next season’s minimum salaries.

[RELATED: NBA Minimum Salaries For 2023/24]

A player’s minimum salary is determined in part by how much NBA experience he has — a veteran who has 10+ seasons under his belt is eligible for a significantly higher minimum salary than a rookie would be.

Based on the current 2024/25 cap estimate, next year’s rookie minimum salary will surpass $1.16MM, while the minimum for a veteran with 10+ years of service will exceed $3.33MM.

Here are the current minimum salary projections for the 2024/25 season, using a $141,000,000 cap:

Years of Experience Salary
0 $1,160,544
1 $1,867,722
2 $2,093,637
3 $2,168,944
4 $2,244,249
5 $2,432,511
6 $2,620,778
7 $2,809,042
8 $2,997,308
9 $3,012,229
10+ $3,313,453

Given the rate at which the NBA’s salary cap has increased in recent years, the league’s projection of a 3.7% increase appears relatively conservative. In each of the past two offseasons, the cap has increased by the maximum allowable 10%.

While it’s rare for the NBA’s projection to be so far off, it’s not entirely out of the question that a 10% rise could occur again in 2024. Certainly, player agents are hoping for it — that’s why an extension like Jaylen Brown‘s super-max contract with the Celtics was reported to be worth in excess of $300MM+, rather than the $286MM that Brown’s deal would be worth based on a 3.7% cap increase.

A 10% increase, rounded to the nearest thousand, would result in a $149,623,000 cap. Here’s what the minimum salaries would look like in 2024/25 if the cap were to rise to $149,623,000:

Years of Experience Salary
0 $1,231,518
1 $1,981,945
2 $2,221,675
3 $2,301,588
4 $2,381,498
5 $2,581,274
6 $2,781,054
7 $2,980,832
8 $3,180,612
9 $3,196,445
10+ $3,516,090

We’ll update these figures later in the season if the NBA adjusts its cap projection for the 2024/25 season, and then again next year when the league officially sets the ’24/25 cap.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Pre-Camp Roster Snapshot: Northwest Division

September 24th, 2023 at 8:40am CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors has spent the last week taking a closer look at each NBA team’s current roster situation, evaluating which clubs still have some moves to make and which ones seem most prepared for training camp to begin.

This series is meant to provide a snapshot of each team’s roster right now, so these articles won’t be updated in the coming weeks as more signings, trades, and cuts are made. You can follow our roster counts page to keep tabs on teams’ open spots as opening night nears.

We’re wrapping up our pre-camp Roster Snapshot series today with the Northwest Division. Let’s dive in…

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets, whose last signing came on August 3, apparently wanted to wrap up their offseason activity early. They’ve been carrying a full 21-man roster since then, including a group of 15 players on guaranteed contracts and three on two-way deals that appears pretty regular-season-ready.

The one question is whether Denver will hang onto Cancar, who tore his ACL this summer and may miss the entire 2023/24 season. I wouldn’t expect the Nuggets to make a final decision on him until later in the season, when they have a better sense of whether or not they need to use that 15th roster spot on a healthy player. Cancar’s contract includes a $2.35MM team option for 2024/25, so he could still provide value before he eventually reaches free agency.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Squeezing in one more player below the luxury tax line is technically a possibility for the Timberwolves, but it’d be a tight fit, and the team has to account for $1.5MM in unlikely incentives in Conley’s contract. I’d expect Minnesota – whose roster is pretty deep already – to be satisfied carrying 14 players into opening night.

That would leave the final two-way slot as the biggest preseason roster issue to resolve. Nix and Krejci both have multiple seasons of NBA experience under their belts but remain eligible for a two-way deal, so they could be viable options for that spot — especially if the Wolves are seeking a player who could step in and contribute right away if needed. However, Matt Ryan, who still has a two-way qualifying offer on the table, figures to get first dibs.

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder’s regular season roster decision won’t be as easy as waiving their players without fully guaranteed contracts, since Joe and Wiggins were solid rotation players last season and White was an offseason signee who has a partial guarantee.

I expect Oklahoma City to trade or waive at least two players with fully guaranteed salaries — Bertans, Mann, Oladipo, and Robinson-Earl are among those whose spots may not be locked in.

Portland Trail Blazers

The Trail Blazers’ roster situation remains very much in flux, with Lillard still on the trade block and Nurkic another prime candidate to be moved before the season begins.

Until the Lillard situation is resolved – either with a trade or with a decision that he won’t be moved before opening night – it’s hard to say what moves might be needed in Portland. A Lillard deal would likely see the Blazers take back more players than they send out, in which case additional free agent additions probably wouldn’t be necessary.

Utah Jazz

With just 12 players on fully guaranteed salaries, the Jazz have some flexibility, but I’d be surprised if they don’t simply start the season with Yurtseven, Samanic, and Dunn filling out the standard 15-man roster.

Yurtseven was an offseason signee, Dunn figures to be in the mix for the starting point guard job, and if the Jazz didn’t want to keep Samanic, they could’ve simply cut him before he received that $400K partial guarantee earlier this summer.

Previously:

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Hoops Rumors Glossary: Affiliate Players

September 23rd, 2023 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Throughout the offseason and preseason, NBA teams are permitted to carry up to 21 players, but that total must be cut down to 15 (plus three two-way players) in advance of opening night. However, up to four players waived by a team prior to the season can be designated as “affiliate players” and assigned to that team’s G League squad.

The players have a say in this decision. If they’d prefer to sign with a team overseas, or if they get an opportunity with another NBA club, they’re under no obligation to become affiliate players. But if the player’s NBA team has designated him as an affiliate player and he signs a G League contract, he is automatically assigned to that team’s NBAGL roster.

Since most NBA and international teams aren’t looking to bring in extra players by the time the NBA regular season begins, the opportunity to continue playing in the same system appeals to many of those preseason cuts — especially since many of them will be in line for bonuses worth up to $75K after having signed Exhibit 10 contracts. Plus, they’ll continue to be NBA free agents while they play in the G League.

A player whose returning rights are held by a G League team can’t become an affiliate player for another club, which is why undrafted rookies typically make up a substantial portion of the annual league-wide list of affiliate players.

Additionally, an affiliate player must have signed with his team during the current league year, which explains why we often see players signed and quickly waived in the days and weeks leading up to the regular season.

An affiliate player also can’t have received a partial guarantee worth more than $75K on his standard or two-way contract — a larger guarantee would make him ineligible to join his club’s NBAGL affiliate for the rest of that league year.

Finally, while 29 NBA teams will have a G League affiliate in 2023/24, the Suns still don’t have one, meaning they have no place to send affiliate players and therefore aren’t permitted to designate any.

Hoops Rumors typically publishes the annual list of affiliate players around the start of the G League season, so if you’re interested in it, you can keep an eye out for it in November.

This is a Hoops Rumors glossary entry. Earlier versions of this post were published in 2015, 2019, and 2021 by Chuck Myron and Luke Adams.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Pre-Camp Roster Snapshot: Southeast Division

September 23rd, 2023 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is in the process of taking a closer look at each NBA team’s current roster situation, evaluating which clubs still have some moves to make and which ones seem most prepared for training camp to begin.

This series is meant to provide a snapshot of each team’s roster right now, so these articles won’t be updated in the coming weeks as more signings, trades, and cuts are made. You can follow our roster counts page to keep tabs on teams’ open spots as opening night nears.

We’re continuing our pre-camp Roster Snapshot series today with the Southeast Division. Let’s dive in…

Atlanta Hawks

Capela and Hunter were among the Hawks veterans whose names frequently surfaced in trade rumors earlier in the summer, and when Atlanta acquired Mills, it wasn’t clear whether the move was just about saving some money or if the team intended to keep him.

But all three players remain on the roster with training camp around the corner and seem likely to start the season as Hawks. Barring a late change of direction, Atlanta’s roster looks good to go for opening night.

Charlotte Hornets

It appears No. 31 overall pick James Nnaji will be sticking with Barcelona for the 2023/24 season rather than joining the Hornets. And while Theo Maledon is one of the final restricted free agents left on the market, his qualifying offer is for a two-way contract and Charlotte appears to holding a two-way slot open for him.

That puts Ntilikina and Thor in position to join the 13 Hornets with guaranteed salaries on the 15-man roster to open the season.

Miami Heat

Despite an apparent lack of involvement in the recent Damian Lillard trade talks, the Heat remain the odds-on favorites to land the star point guard. If that happens, some additional moves will probably be necessary to fill out the roster, since Miami would almost certainly send out more players than it receives in any deal for Lillard.

If no Lillard trade materializes, the Heat could end up having a pretty quiet preseason. They’d need to retain Orlando Robinson and add a 14th man to their standard roster in order to meet the regular season minimum. In that scenario, Cain would be a solid candidate for a promotion, which would open up a two-way slot for one of the Exhibit 10 camp invitees. The club could also consider adding a veteran free agent such as Goran Dragic.

Orlando Magic

There’s no indication that the Magic will part ways with Isaac, so it seems safe to pencil him in for the final spot on the 15-man roster. Orlando’s two-way slots could be more up in the air, since Harris is a carryover from last season and may not hang onto his spot if some of the team’s camp invitees make strong impressions. It wouldn’t be a surprise if McClung and/or Queen end up being converted to a two-way deal.

Washington Wizards

I examined the Wizards’ roster crunch at length in this week’s exclusive article for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers, concluding that Cooks, Gallinari, and Rollins are some of the players most at risk of being cut if no trades materialize. Washington would likely prefer to get down to 15 players on standard contracts by dealing a couple players, if possible — I expect the club would welcome offers for Shamet and Wright.

If the Wizards don’t have a specific player in mind for the third two-way slot, camp invitees like Audige and Vasiljevic could make their cases for it in the preseason.

Previously:

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Poll: Western Conference Outlook For 2023/24

September 23rd, 2023 at 12:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this week, we discussed the contenders to come out of the Eastern Conference in 2023/24, noting that many of the presumed favorites have major question marks hanging over them as training camps near.

The same is true in the Western Conference, where there’s no powerhouse poised to run roughshod over its rivals like Golden State did during the Kevin Durant years.

The Nuggets are the defending champions, and made a convincing case during their title run this spring that they’re the team to beat in the West. But they’re not bringing back quite the same roster that won the 2023 championship.

The team’s two most-used reserves in the postseason, Bruce Brown and Jeff Green, headed elsewhere in free agency, while Vlatko Cancar will likely miss the season after tearing his ACL this summer. Denver will have to rely on young players like Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, and Zeke Nnaji to take on increased roles and hope Reggie Jackson can give the club more than he did down the stretch last season.

The Suns have the most star-studded roster in the West, with Bradley Beal joining Durant, Devin Booker, and Deandre Ayton as part of an extremely talented starting lineup. But the rest of the roster is comprised of nearly entirely minimum-salary players, many of whom are newcomers, so it may take some time for Phoenix to develop chemistry. And an injury to one of its stars would seriously test the team’s depth.

The Warriors are a perennial threat as long as Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green are on the roster, and adding Chris Paul to the mix will give the franchise another experienced veteran to lean on in big moments. But all four of those players will be at least 34 years old when the playoffs tip off in the spring and may not withstand the rigors of a deep postseason run as comfortably as they would have a few years ago.

The Lakers made the Western Conference Finals last season and are bringing back a similar roster, swapping out role players like Dennis Schröder, Lonnie Walker, Troy Brown, and Malik Beasley for guys like Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, Christian Wood, Cam Reddish, and Jaxson Hayes. As long as LeBron James and Anthony Davis are healthy, Los Angeles is a contender, but that certainly hasn’t always been the case in recent years.

The other Los Angeles team, the Clippers, has had even more trouble keeping their stars – Paul George and Kawhi Leonard – healthy for the playoffs, but would be a legitimate threat in the West if both of those stars are at their best.

The Kings were one of the NBA’s best stories last season, with a feel-good squad that snapped a 16-year playoff drought. But their postseason run was short-lived, and it remains to be seen if De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis can be the best players on a title contender.

In the Southwest, Luka Doncic certainly looks capable of being the best player on a contender, but the Mavericks may still not have enough talent around him to seriously vie for a title. The Grizzlies have won 107 regular season games over the last two seasons, but have yet to translate that success to the playoffs, and will have to get through at least the first 25 games of the season without suspended star Ja Morant. The Pelicans looked like a potential top-four seed during the first half of last season when Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram were healthy, but that hasn’t happened often.

Among the dark horse options, the Thunder are an exciting team on the rise, but didn’t even make it out of the play-in tournament last season and may still be a year or two away from taking a huge leap. The Timberwolves could be a legitimate threat if Anthony Edwards makes the jump to superstardom, but they still have to figure out whether the Rudy Gobert/Karl-Anthony Towns experiment will work in the frontcourt.

The betting website BetOnline.ag currently lists the Nuggets (+240) as the favorite to win the West, followed closely by the Suns (+325). The Warriors (+650), Lakers (+750), and Clippers (+900) make up the next tier, followed by the Mavericks (+1200) and Grizzlies (+1400).

The Pelicans (+2000), Kings (+2500), Thunder (+3300), and Wolves (+3500) are all longer shots, while the Spurs, Rockets, Trail Blazers, and Jazz aren’t considered likely contenders.

We want to know what you think. Which team is your early choice to come out of the West? Are you taking one of the betting favorites or is there a dark horse that you like?

Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to weigh in with your predictions!

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Pre-Camp Roster Snapshot: Southwest Division

September 22nd, 2023 at 9:16am CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is in the process of taking a closer look at each NBA team’s current roster situation, evaluating which clubs still have some moves to make and which ones seem most prepared for training camp to begin.

This series is meant to provide a snapshot of each team’s roster right now, so these articles won’t be updated in the coming weeks as more signings, trades, and cuts are made. You can follow our roster counts page to keep tabs on teams’ open spots as opening night nears.

We’re continuing our pre-camp Roster Snapshot series today with the Southwest Division. Let’s dive in…

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks spend much of the early part of the offseason on the hunt for a reliable veteran center, having been linked to players like Deandre Ayton and Clint Capela. They’d probably still welcome a trade for a big man if one falls into their laps, but if not, they seem likely to open the season with a full 15-man roster that features their current 14 players on guaranteed contracts, plus Morris.

Dallas’ Exhibit 10 camp invitees, including Brown, Walker, and Wieskamp, could end up vying to earn the team’s final two-way contract.

Houston Rockets

It’s extremely unlikely that Porter will play another game for the Rockets — the question is whether he’ll be traded, released, or simply sent home for the start of the season.

Whether or not Porter remains on the roster, Houston is in position to add one more player to its 15-man squad before opening night, since grouping Marjanovic and Holiday with the 12 players with guaranteed salaries would leave one opening.

Memphis Grizzlies

Five games into Morant’s suspension, the Grizzlies will be able to move him to the suspended list and open up an extra roster spot. However, that won’t be possible at the start of the season, so Memphis will have to trade or waive two of its 17 players with guaranteed contracts by opening night. Christopher and Todd appear to be the most at risk, especially if no trade opportunities arise.

New Orleans Pelicans

Alvarado is a lock to make the roster, of course, which would give the Pelicans 14 players on standard contracts. New Orleans is a little over the tax and would rather duck below that line (perhaps by trading Lewis) than go further above it, so I wouldn’t expect the team to add a 15th man for opening night unless it can make a cost-cutting trade.

The Pelicans’ primary offseason goal could be finding a pair of players who will join Seabron on two-way deals. Jemison, Jones, Nolley, and Robbins haven’t been officially signed yet, but they could all be contenders for one of those spots.

San Antonio Spurs

Like Memphis, San Antonio will have to trade or release two players with guaranteed salaries before the season begins. A report last week suggested that the Spurs probably won’t make any more cuts before training camp begins, with all 17 of those players on guaranteed deals given the opportunity to make a strong impression at camp.

Of course, some roster spots are more secure than others. Osman, Bullock, McDermott, and perhaps Bassey could be trade candidates, while Birch and Graham will have little trade value and might be the odd men out if San Antonio decides to simply waive two players. The Spurs already removed one veteran on an expiring contract from their roster when they cut Cameron Payne earlier this month.

Previously:

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Pre-Camp Roster Snapshot: Atlantic Division

September 21st, 2023 at 8:01am CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is in the process of taking a closer look at each NBA team’s current roster situation, evaluating which clubs still have some moves to make and which ones seem most prepared for training camp to begin.

This series is meant to provide a snapshot of each team’s roster right now, so these articles won’t be updated in the coming weeks as more signings, trades, and cuts are made. You can follow our roster counts page to keep tabs on teams’ open spots as opening night nears.

We’re continuing our pre-camp Roster Snapshot series today with the Atlantic Division. Let’s dive in…

Boston Celtics

No team has fewer players on guaranteed contracts than the Celtics, but Boston doesn’t necessarily need to make any more roster additions. Simply hanging onto Banton, Mykhailiuk, and Kornet to start the season would give the club a 14-man roster and an open 15-man slot to maximize flexibility.

If the Celtics have any doubts about Banton and Mykhailiuk, they’ll probably want to make a decision on them by opening night — both players will have their partial guarantees increase to $1MM+ if they’re not waived before the start of the regular season.

Brooklyn Nets

At this point, the Nets seem likely to let Bazley, Watford, and Giles – three frontcourt players – vie for the two openings on the 15-man roster to start the season. Hall, Sykes, and Gardner figure to end up in the G League with Long Island, but if one of them (or another camp invitee) impresses in camp, he could have his contract converted into a two-way deal.

Giles remains eligible for a two-way contract despite having four years of NBA experience, since he missed a full season due to an injury. But his Exhibit 9 contract can’t be directly converted into a two-way deal, so the Nets would have to waive him and re-sign him if they want him to fill their final two-way slot.

New York Knicks

The Knicks have the flexibility to add another free agent or two on a guaranteed contract, but have shown no urgency to do so and may end up starting the season with two or three players on non-guaranteed salaries filling out the back of the roster.

Jeffries, Roby, Arcidiacono, and Washington are in the mix for those spots. I wouldn’t bet against Arcidiacono, who made the Knicks’ regular season roster despite being being on a non-guaranteed deal in both 2021 and 2022.

Philadelphia 76ers

With Harden’s trade request still pending, the Sixers’ roster could look quite different in a month than it does now. On the other hand, there’s no indication that the Harden trade talks have been all that active lately, so perhaps he’ll remain in Philadelphia for the foreseeable future.

If the roster doesn’t undergo additional changes, the 76ers will have to decide who the odd man out on the 15-man roster is. The team is signing Oubre to join a group of 13 players on guaranteed contracts, plus Petrusev and Green. There would be room for both Petrusev and Green if Philadelphia decides to trade or release one of the players who has a guaranteed deal — Harrell, who is expected to be out all season with an ACL tear, would be a prime candidate.

Toronto Raptors

Dowtin played well for the Raptors down the stretch in a backup point guard role last season, but could be on the outside looking in this fall, given that the team is carrying 15 players on guaranteed salaries.

If Dowtin shows in camp and the preseason that he deserves a place on the 15-man roster, it may not bode well for one of the veterans on an expiring contract who’s not necessarily assured of a rotation role — Flynn, Temple, Young, and Porter could all fall into that group.

Previously:

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Poll: Eastern Conference Outlook For 2023/24

September 20th, 2023 at 10:31am CST by Luke Adams

During the latest episode of The Lowe Post podcast (YouTube link), ESPN’s Zach Lowe and Kevin Pelton briefly discussed the Eastern Conference pecking order, noting that there doesn’t appear to be a clear-cut favorite to represent the East in the NBA Finals in 2024.

Pelton says he would pick the Celtics at this point, while Lowe agrees that he’d probably lean toward Boston by “default,” despite the fact that he’s unsure how losing Marcus Smart and Grant Williams and adding Kristaps Porzingis will impact the team. The Celtics’ new identity without a longtime leader like Smart is certainly something to monitor heading into the season, but several of the East’s other would-be contenders will have significant questions of their own to answer.

The Bucks, for instance, are coming off a first-round playoff exit and may feel added pressure following Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s comments about his long-term future; the Heat lost two key rotation players in Max Strus and Gabe Vincent, and they’ve been unable to complete a trade for Damian Lillard; the Sixers have yet to resolve James Harden‘s trade request.

Milwaukee, Boston, and Philadelphia were the East’s best teams during the regular season in 2022/23, while Miami had an incredible playoff run to win the conference. On paper, those four teams might be the frontrunners in the East again, but that hierarchy could easily be upended, Lowe notes.

“Maybe in two months this will just be nonsense,” Lowe said. “(Maybe) James Harden will be back and playing well, and the Celtics will look awesome. (Maybe) Milwaukee will be totally fine and who cares what Giannis said two months ago, they’ll be 23-4. It just feels a little more unstable than it did last year.

“… Like, if we woke up in the conference finals and New York or Cleveland or Team X was one of the two teams in it… I’m not sure I’m going to pick that, but right now I wouldn’t be surprised.”

The oddsmakers at BetOnline.ag currently list the Celtics, Bucks, Heat, and Sixers, in that order, as the best bets to come out of the East. Those four teams are followed by the Cavaliers (+1100) and the Knicks (+1800), with the rest of the East’s clubs, including the Hawks (+3300), Raptors (+4000), and Nets (+5000) viewed as extreme long shots.

We want to know what you think. If you had to make your pick today, which team would you choose to come out of the East? Which of the potential concerns for the conference’s top teams do you view as legitimate and which ones are overblown?

Make your pick in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Pre-Camp Roster Snapshot: Pacific Division

September 19th, 2023 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is in the process of taking a closer look at each NBA team’s current roster situation, evaluating which clubs still have some moves to make and which ones seem most prepared for training camp to begin.

This series is meant to provide a snapshot of each team’s roster right now, so these articles won’t be updated in the coming weeks as more signings, trades, and cuts are made. You can follow our roster counts page to keep tabs on teams’ open spots as opening night nears.

We’re continuing our pre-camp Roster Snapshot series today with the Pacific Division. Let’s dive in…

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors will likely open the season with 14 players on standard contracts rather than 15 in order to maintain roster flexibility and avoid a higher tax bill. That 14th man may end up being a veteran free agent — Golden State has been working out a number of them and is meeting this week with Dwight Howard.

Until Golden State signs a 14th non-two-way player, the team won’t be able to begin signing its training camp invitees to Exhibit 9 contracts. That’s likely the reason why so many of the Dubs’ reported camp deals haven’t yet been finalized. Once they’re officially under contract, those players could be in the mix for the team’s final two-way slot.

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers’ roster could still undergo a partial overhaul if talks for Sixers guard James Harden are rekindled and result in a trade agreement, but nothing seems imminent – or even close – at this point.

If they don’t make a move for Harden, the Clippers’ biggest roster decision this fall might be whether or not to keep Preston around — his salary would become fully guaranteed if he remains under contract through October 1, so L.A. will probably have to make that call before the preseason begins.

If Preston is cut and no trades are made, the Clippers can focus on filling out their 21-man roster with camp invitees and figuring out who will fill the third two-way slot.

Los Angeles Lakers

Like the Warriors, the Lakers appear likely to enter the season with an open spot on their 15-man roster for the sake of flexibility. If that’s the plan, they’re pretty much good to go, with 14 players on standard contracts and all three two-way spots filled.

Phoenix Suns

The fact that the Suns are only carrying 13 players on fully guaranteed salaries means they’re in position to make changes if need be. But Goodwin’s almost certainly not going anywhere — following the trade of Cameron Payne, he’s in line for a significant role at point guard.

Penciling Goodwin onto the opening night roster gives Phoenix 14 players and means the only real decision is whether or not to hang onto Wainright, whose salary is entirely non-guaranteed. Team owner Mat Ishbia has shown no desire to pinch pennies since assuming control earlier this year, so I’d expect Wainright to be on the roster to start the season.

The Suns also have a two-way opening, but they’re the only team without a G League affiliate, so they’re not as incentivized to fill that spot as other clubs would be.

Sacramento Kings

It looked like centers Nerlens Noel and Neemias Queta might be battling for the 15th and final spot on Sacramento’s standard roster. However, after the Kings signed McGee, they waived both Noel and Queta in order to give them an opportunity to catch on with new teams for training camp (Queta has since agreed to sign with Boston).

Unlike many of their division rivals, the Kings aren’t in the tax and could comfortably afford to fill that 15th spot with a minimum-salary player if they want to. I expect that to happen eventually, but it’s unclear whether or not they’ll do it for the start of the regular season.

If there’s no rush to add a 15th man, the Kings’ preseason roster business would consist primarily of bringing in camp invitees and lining up G League bonuses.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Community Shootaround: Pacers Prediction

September 18th, 2023 at 8:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pacers could be one of the more interesting, and unpredictable, teams in the league this upcoming season.

Fresh off signing a rookie scale extension and enjoying an impressive summer with Team USA, Tyrese Haliburton is the undisputed franchise player. Numerous teams are still kicking themselves for letting a potentially longtime All-Star point guard drop to the No. 12 pick of the 2020 draft.

Of course, he was playing in Sacramento until he was dealt to Indiana in a blockbuster 2022 trade. Both sides won, as Domantas Sabonis was just what the Kings needed to end their long playoff drought.

Haliburton’s longtime backcourt partner was seemingly secured in last year’s draft. Bennedict Mathurin, the sixth overall pick in 2022, averaged 16.7 points per game while mainly coming off the bench in his rookie year. Indiana has a solid veteran backup for Haliburton in T.J. McConnell.

Buddy Hield, entering his walk year, remains one of the league’s steadiest 3-point threats. The Pacers made a big splash in free agency by signing Bruce Brown, a key component in Denver’s drive to the championship. A high-level defender with a much improved offensive game, Brown will play major minutes at the wing and perhaps see some action at the point as well.

The Pacers have also got a high-scoring center and premier shot-blocker in Myles Turner. They traded for Obi Toppin, who could blossom after serving as Julius Randle‘s backup in New York. Toppin will battle for minutes at power forward with this year’s lottery selection, Jarace Walker.

There are also a number of young, hungry reserves on the roster, including Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Jalen Smith and Isaiah Jackson.

On paper, they look like a pretty solid group and they have one of the best and most experienced coaches in the league, Rick Carlisle, running the show.

Yet no one is talking about the Pacers as being a legitimate contender. They are mostly considered a middle-of-the-pack club that could challenge for a spot in the play-in tournament.

That brings us to today’s topic: How do you think the Pacers will fare this season? Are they underrated or do you think they’re destined for another trip to the lottery? What do you think their ceiling is, given their current roster?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts