Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Hoops Rumors Originals

NBA Teams With Open Roster Spots

February 11th, 2023 at 1:00pm CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of Thursday’s trade deadline, several rosters around the NBA remain in flux. Some players will be waived or bought out in the coming days, while others will sign with new teams as free agents, either on 10-day contracts or rest-of-season deals.

With that in mind, we’re doing a Saturday afternoon check-in on open roster spots across the league. Given how much action we expect on the transaction wire in the coming days, it may not take long for this list to become outdated, but this is a snapshot of where things stand as of 1:00 pm Central time on February 11.

With the help of our roster counts page, which will continue to be updated for the rest of the season to account for each new transaction, here are the teams that currently have open roster spots:

Teams with two open roster spots:

  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • New York Knicks
  • Phoenix Suns

These three teams all sent out more players than they received in trade-deadline deals and are carrying just 13 players apiece on standard contracts.

Technically, NBA teams are required to carry a minimum of 14 players on standard contracts, but they’re allowed to dip to 13 for up to two weeks at a time, so these clubs will have until February 23 to fill at least one of their two openings.

Teams with one open roster spot:

  • Boston Celtics
  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Denver Nuggets
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Miami Heat
    • Note: The Heat’s 14th roster spot is occupied by Jamaree Bouyea, who is on a 10-day contract, so they’ll open up a second roster spot when his deal expires during the All-Star break.
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
    • Note: The Thunder have a full 15-man roster, but one of their two-way contract slots is open.
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Utah Jazz

We’re still waiting to see which players are officially bought out, but more roster spots will open when those moves are completed. For instance, the Magic currently have a full 15-man roster, but would create two openings if they finalize buyouts for both Terrence Ross and Patrick Beverley — they’re said to be in talks with both players.

The Jazz would open up a second spot on their 15-man roster if they buy out Russell Westbrook.

The Rockets and Pacers currently have full 15-man rosters, but will create openings by officially waiving John Wall and Serge Ibaka, respectively. However, the expectation is that they’ll re-sign Boban Marjanovic and James Johnson, respectively, to fill those newly opened spots.

The Wizards are in a similar situation — they’re reportedly working on a buyout with Will Barton, but the expectation is that they’d use their 15th roster spot in that scenario to promote Jordan Goodwin from his two-way deal. That would create a two-way opening for the team.

Finally, while the Mavericks and Pistons technically have full rosters at this time, each team’s 15th man (Chris Silva for Dallas, Stanley Umude for Detroit) is in a 10-day contract, so they’re both in good position to open up a spot if they need it.

Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

2023 NBA Trade Deadline Recap

February 10th, 2023 at 12:00am CST by Luke Adams

Any concern that the 2023 NBA trade deadline might be a quiet one went out the window when Kyrie Irving requested a trade last Friday. In the week that followed, NBA teams completed a total of 15 trades, including 12 that were finalized on deadline day.

The two most significant deals of those 15 included Irving, who was sent from Brooklyn to Dallas on Monday, and his teammate Kevin Durant, who landed in Phoenix on Thursday.

The blockbuster that sent Durant from the Nets to the Suns featured four teams and was a prime example of the creativity on display from NBA teams at this year’s trade deadline — six of Thursday’s 12 swaps involved at least three clubs, and four of those six trades were four-team deals.

In total, a staggering 49 NBA players were on the move on deadline day, plus four draft-and-stash players. Additionally, 44 draft picks (seven first-rounders and 37 second-rounders) were included in Thursday’s trades, along with three pick swaps (two first-rounders and one second-rounder).

Here’s a recap all of 2023’s deadline deals:

Trades made on deadline day

The Suns go all-in for a future Hall of Famer (story)

  • Suns acquire Kevin Durant and T.J. Warren.
  • Nets acquire Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, the Suns’ 2023 first-round pick (unprotected), the Suns’ 2025 first-round pick (unprotected), the Suns’ 2027 first-round pick (unprotected), the Suns’ 2029 first-round pick (unprotected), the right to swap first-round picks with the Suns in 2028, the Bucks’ 2028 second-round pick, the Bucks’ 2029 second-round pick, and the draft rights to Juan Pablo Vaulet (from Pacers).
  • Bucks acquire Jae Crowder.
  • Pacers acquire Jordan Nwora, George Hill, Serge Ibaka, either the Bucks’ 2023 second-round pick or the least favorable of the Cavaliers’ and Warriors’ 2023 second-round picks (whichever is most favorable), the Bucks’ 2024 second-round pick, the Pacers’ 2025 second-round pick (from Bucks), and cash (from Nets).
  • Note: The Bucks acquired the Pacers’ 2025 second-round pick in a prior trade.

Three Western teams swap point guards in a blockbuster (story)

The Raptors reacquire their 2016 lottery pick (story)

  • Raptors acquire Jakob Poeltl.
  • Spurs acquire Khem Birch, the Raptors’ 2024 first-round pick (top-six protected), the Raptors’ 2023 second-round pick, and the Raptors’ 2025 second-round pick.

The Nuggets land a backup center while the Clippers roll the dice on a young scorer in a four-team trade (story)

Eric Gordon gets out of Houston while the Grizzlies obtain a sharpshooter (story)

  • Clippers acquire Eric Gordon, the Raptors’ 2024 second-round pick (from Grizzlies), either the Pacers’ 2024 second-round pick or the least favorable of the Cavaliers’ and Jazz’s 2024 second-round picks (whichever is most favorable; from Grizzlies), and the Grizzlies’ 2027 second-round pick.
  • Grizzlies acquire Luke Kennard and the right to swap a 2026 second-round pick (the most favorable of the Celtics’, Pacers’, and Heat’s picks) for the Clippers’ 2026 second-round pick.
  • Rockets acquire Danny Green, John Wall, and the right to swap the Bucks’ 2023 first-round pick for either the Clippers’ or Thunder’s 2023 first-round pick (whichever is least favorable; top-six protected; from Clippers).

The Sixers, Blazers, and Sixers swap forwards in a four-team trade (story)

  • Knicks acquire Josh Hart, the draft rights to Bojan Dubljevic (from Trail Blazers), and the draft rights to Daniel Diez (from Trail Blazers).
  • Trail Blazers acquire Matisse Thybulle, Cam Reddish, Ryan Arcidiacono, the Knicks’ 2023 first-round pick (top-14 protected), and the draft rights to Ante Tomic (from Knicks).
  • Sixers acquire Jalen McDaniels, the Knicks’ 2024 second-round pick (from Hornets), and the Trail Blazers’ 2029 second-round pick.
  • Hornets acquire Svi Mykhailiuk, either the Hornets’, Hawks’, or Nets’ 2023 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable; from Sixers), and either the Pelicans’ or Trail Blazers’ 2027 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable; from Trail Blazers).
  • Note: The Hornets traded away their 2023 second-round pick in a prior deal.

The Warriors move on from a former No. 2 overall pick in yet another four-team deal (story)

  • Hawks acquire Saddiq Bey.
  • Pistons acquire James Wiseman.
  • Warriors acquire Gary Payton II, the Hawks’ 2026 second-round pick, and the Hawks’ 2028 second-round pick.
  • Trail Blazers acquire Kevin Knox, either the Hawks’, Nets’, or Hornets’ 2023 second-round pick (whichever is second-most favorable), the Hawks’ 2024 second-round pick, the Hawks’ 2025 second-round pick (protected 41-60), the Grizzlies’ 2026 second-round pick (top-42 protected), and the Warriors’ 2028 second-round pick.
  • Note: The Hawks previously traded their 2024 second-round pick to the Trail Blazers with top-55 protection. Those protections were removed as part of this deal.

The Clippers acquire a veteran backup center (story)

The Pelicans secure some help on the wing (story)

  • Pelicans acquire Josh Richardson.
  • Spurs acquire Devonte’ Graham, either the Pelicans’ or Bulls’ 2024 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable), either the Pelicans’ or Trail Blazers’ 2026 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable), the Pelicans’ 2028 second-round pick, and the Pelicans’ 2029 second-round pick.

The Celtics shore up their frontcourt (story)

  • Celtics acquire Mike Muscala.
  • Thunder acquire Justin Jackson, a 2023 second-round pick (details below), and the Celtics’ 2029 second-round pick.
  • Note: If the Rockets’ second-round pick lands at No. 31 or No. 32, the Thunder will receive either the Mavericks’, Heat’s, or Trail Blazers’ 2023 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable). If the Rockets’ pick lands lower than No. 33, the Thunder will receive either the Rockets’ or Trail Blazers’ 2023 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable).

The Suns swap forwards and reduce their payroll (story)

The Hawks save some money while the Rockets stockpile more draft assets (story)

Notable trade candidates who stayed put

Players waived on deadline day

Officially released:

Expected to be bought out or waived:

Trades made earlier in the week:

The Nets grant Kyrie Irving’s trade request (story)

The Spurs accommodate a salary dump (story)

  • Spurs acquire Dewayne Dedmon and the Heat’s 2028 second-round pick.
  • Heat acquire cash ($110K).

The Nets generate some cap and tax savings (story)

Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

Hoops Rumors’ 2023 NBA Trade Deadline Primer

February 9th, 2023 at 5:43am CST by Luke Adams

Deadline day is finally here. NBA teams will have until today at 2:00 pm Central time to finalize trade agreements. Anyone not traded by that time will be ineligible to be moved until after his team’s season comes to an end this spring.

It has already been an extremely eventful trade season, due in large part to the Nets, who traded star guard Kyrie Irving to the Mavericks on Sunday and reached a blockbuster agreement late on Wednesday night to send Kevin Durant to the Suns.

The Lakers, Jazz, and Timberwolves have also agreed to a major three-team trade that will see Russell Westbrook, Mike Conley, and D’Angelo Russell end up in new homes, while Jakob Poeltl and Josh Hart are among the other notable players reportedly changing teams.

Even with all that action so far, there are still plenty of storylines to keep an eye on as Thursday’s deadline nears.

After agreeing to acquire Poeltl, the Raptors may not be done dealing, with Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr., and OG Anunoby still considered trade candidates. Hawks big man John Collins, Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic, and Nuggets guard Bones Hyland are among the many other players who could be on the move on Thursday. And as we saw with the Durant trade, you never know when another star might shake loose.

We’ll be keeping tabs on all the latest news and rumors all day long on Hoops Rumors, leading up to 2:00 pm CT.

In the meantime, here are some of our features and trackers to help you prepare for today’s action:

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Support Hoops Rumors With A Trade Rumors Front Office Subscription

February 9th, 2023 at 5:42am CST by Hoops Rumors

The Hoops Rumors team works hard every single day to bring you all the latest NBA news and rumors, as we have for the last 11 years. If you’re enjoying our coverage leading up to this year’s trade deadline, we’d appreciate your support in the form of a Trade Rumors Front Office subscription, which costs $2.99 per month or $29.89 per year.

A subscription allows you to browse Hoops Rumors – and all of the other sites in the Trade Rumors network – without ads. It also includes exclusive weekly articles and live chats.

If you’re already a subscriber, you’ll know that our Front Office content to date has been very MLB-centric, with members of MLB Trade Rumors’ writing staff providing baseball articles and chats each and every week. Beginning this month, however, we’re expanding Front Office to include weekly NBA articles from Luke Adams, as well as weekly NFL articles from Sam Robinson of Pro Football Rumors.

Check out all the benefits of Trade Rumors Front Office here and consider giving it a try!

Retweet 1 Share 0 Send via email0

Community Shootaround: Kyrie Irving Trade

February 5th, 2023 at 5:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Well that was quick.

Just a couple of days after Kyrie Irving requested a trade, the Nets found a taker in the Mavericks. Brooklyn didn’t get any stars in return but considering Irving’s reputation and a short window to make a deal, the front office is probably happy to excise Irving from the locker room.

Dallas was desperate to find another ball-handler and star talent to pair with Luka Doncic, who has the highest usage rate among all NBA guards.

Irving has played well when he hasn’t stirred controversy this season. That backcourt dynamic will be fascinating to watch.

Coach Jason Kidd and GM Nico Harrison have past relationships with Irving and believe they can keep him happy, which may be a foolish assumption. Irving has been called the worst teammate in any sport by some media members.

If he can work out an extension agreement with the front office, perhaps he’ll be satisfied and motivated for at least the remainder of this season.

The Nets received two rotation players – Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith – in return, as well as some draft capital.

The loss of Finney-Smith could impact the Mavs’ defense and they still have the Christian Wood situation (extend him, trade him or allow him become a free agent after the season?) to deal with before the trade deadline.

As for Brooklyn, it’s quite familiar with Dinwiddie, who figures to absorb a good portion of Irving’s minutes. The Nets now have three players – Finney-Smith, Royce O’Neale and Ben Simmons – who don’t provide significant scoring. They may have to make another move this week to address that issue.

That brings us to today’s topic: What do you think of the Mavs-Nets deal? Does Dallas become a serious championship contender with the addition of Kyrie Irving? Has the Nets’ window closed or will they be better off without Irving and all the drama he creates?

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

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Community Shootaround: All-Star Reserves

February 2nd, 2023 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

The 2023 NBA All-Star reserves will be officially announced on Thursday night during TNT’s broadcast prior to the tip-off of the Grizzlies/Cavaliers game.

As Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press writes, there will likely be plenty of players left disappointed once the announcements are made, given that there have been more All-Star caliber performances this season than there are spots on the All-Star rosters.

In the Eastern Conference, Sixers center Joel Embiid is a lock to be an All-Star reserve after missing out on a starting five that features Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, and Kyrie Irving, and Celtics wing Jaylen Brown is probably a safe bet to join him.

That leaves five spots up for grabs for a group that includes Heat teammates Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler, Knicks teammates Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson, Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, Sixers guard James Harden, Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan, and Bucks guard Jrue Holiday.

At least four of those players will miss the cut, and that’s before we even get to other worthy All-Star contenders like Hawks guard Trae Young, Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, and Bulls guard Zach LaVine.

In the West, where LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Zion Williamson, Luka Doncic, and Stephen Curry are starters, a handful of would-be All-Stars may not have played enough games to earn a spot on the team.

The coaches who voted on reserves will have had to decide whether high-level performances by the likes of Suns guard Devin Booker (29 games), Lakers big man Anthony Davis (28 games), Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (28 games) outweigh the fact that they’ve been unavailable for significant chunks of the season.

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, Kings center Domantas Sabonis, and Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen are probably the best bets to be named Western Conference reserves. If they all make it, that would leave two spots open.

Voters who believe Booker, Davis, and Leonard haven’t played enough may lean toward Leonard’s Clippers teammate Paul George, Sabonis’ Kings teammate De’Aaron Fox, Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, or Pelicans guard CJ McCollum, among others.

Of course, injuries could open up more All-Star spots beyond the standard 12 in each conference. It remains to be seen whether Durant and Williamson will be able to play in Salt Lake City, and it’s possible more players will have their availability compromised in the next couple weeks. But picking this year’s initial 24 All-Stars is no easy feat.

We want to know what you think. Which seven players in each conference would you select as your All-Star reserves now that the starters have been locked in? Which players are the most difficult omissions?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your picks!

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Trade Candidate Watch: Players On Rookie Scale Contracts

February 1st, 2023 at 3:52pm CST by Rory Maher

Leading up to the February 9 trade deadline, we’re keeping an eye on potential trade candidates from around the NBA. We’re continuing today with a handful of former first-round picks who are still on their rookie scale contracts.

This list does not include players in the last year of their rookie contract, as those players could become restricted free agents in the offseason. We covered some of those players here.

Bones Hyland, G, Nuggets

2022/23: $2.2MM
2023/24: $2.3MM
2024/25: $4.16MM team option

The No. 26 overall pick of the 2021 draft, Hyland is looking like perhaps the most likely player to be traded out of this group.

Hyland only makes a combined $4.5MM this season and next, with a $4.16MM club option for 2024/25. That’s really cheap for a talented shooter (37.8% on threes, 86.6% on free throws) who has a fairly substantial role (19.5 MPG, 10.3 FGA) on the West’s No. 1 seed.

On the other hand, he might be looking for more minutes, and has reportedly had “occasional clashes” with head coach Michael Malone. His decision-making and shot selection can be questionable, his net rating (-8.4) is kind of a disaster (Denver’s bench units haven’t been great), and some advanced stats say he’s one of the worst defenders in the league.

Denver is said to be looking for a two-way wing and/or draft compensation for Hyland.

Saddiq Bey, F, Pistons

2022/23: $2.96MM
2023/24: $4.56MM

The No. 19 pick of the 2020 draft, Bey was productive right away for Detroit, earning a spot on the All-Rookie First Team by averaging 12.2 PPG and 4.5 RPG while shooting 38% on threes.

He had a tough start to his sophomore year, averaging 11.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 2.3 APG on .345/.296/.735 shooting through 26 games (31.7 MPG). However, he was solid the rest of the way, averaging 18.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG and 3.1 APG on .417/.364/.849 shooting over his remaining 56 contests (33.6 MPG).

Bey, who turns 24 in April, can be wildly inconsistent from game-to-game offensively. For example, last March he scored a career-high 51 points (on 17-of-27 shooting) against Orlando, but in the five games preceding that victory, he posted a .321/.235/.737 shooting line.

One of Bey’s best attributes is that he has been quite durable, having played all 82 games in ‘21/22 and only missing six of a possible 206 games to this point in his career. The Knicks are reportedly among the teams that have shown interest in Bey, who is eligible for a rookie scale extension in the offseason.

Obi Toppin, F, Knicks

2022/23: $5.35MM
2023/24: $6.8MM

It’s hard to know what to make of Toppin, who was the No. 8 pick of the 2020 draft. On one hand, he averaged 20.3 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 3.0 APG on .571/.436/.818 shooting in 10 games as a starter last year. On the other, those numbers were somewhat inflated because most of them came in early April, when many teams aren’t exactly taking the games seriously.

Toppin is shooting – and making – more threes this season in an effort to expand his game, but it has come at the cost of his rim-running, which is a little strange (he shot 64.7% on twos over his first two seasons, but is only at 48.9% in ‘22/23). I’m not sure it’s wise for him to be attempting more threes than twos, and it hasn’t helped him get more playing time.

It’s a tough spot for both the player and team, as Julius Randle has been a better all-around player and head coach Tom Thibodeau hasn’t shown much interest in playing the two power forwards together. Toppin is a limited defensive player, but he tries.

Randle is under contract through at least ‘24/25, with a player option in ‘25/26. What’s the pathway for Toppin to become a starter in New York going forward? Does that matter to him?

The Pacers reportedly showed interest in Toppin earlier this season, though it’s unclear if they remain interested.

Payton Pritchard, G, Celtics

2022/23: $2.24MM
2023/24: $4.04MM

Pritchard, who just turned 25 over the weekend, was the No. 26 overall pick of the 2020 draft. The former Oregon standout is a career 39.8% three-point shooter who has seen his minutes reduced due to a backcourt logjam.

After averaging 19.2 minutes per game as a rookie in ‘20/21, he logged 14.1 MPG last season and is down to 12.5 MPG in ‘22/23. He has also been a healthy scratch several times this season.

The Celtics have the NBA’s best record, and having a cheap insurance policy like Pritchard capable of filling in when called upon is a reflection of the team’s depth. He has posted a positive net rating in each of his three seasons.

However, you could also make the case that his presence is more of a luxury than a necessity, with Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon all ahead of him in the backcourt pecking order. If the Celtics want to upgrade their depth at another position (center?), Pritchard could be used as part of a return package.

The Warriors are among the teams that have reportedly expressed interest in Pritchard. As was the case with Bey and Toppin, the 6’1″ guard will be extension-eligible in the summer.

Note: This list isn’t meant to be comprehensive, just a brief overview. A number of other former first-rounders on their rookie scale deals could be traded ahead of next week’s deadline, including Cam Thomas, Day’Ron Sharpe, James Wiseman, Moses Moody, Jaden Springer, James Bouknight, Kai Jones and Shaedon Sharpe, among others.

Some of the aforementioned young players haven’t been involved in rumors to this point, but are worth keeping an eye on due to their roles and/or team situations. For example, in Sharpe’s case, the Blazers are reportedly a buyer, but their ability to trade a first-round pick is limited due to protections from a previous deal, making the 19-year-old a logical trade chip.

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Community Shootaround: John Collins

January 29th, 2023 at 8:28pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Myles Turner‘s extension agreement with the Pacers may take him off the trade market. If that’s the case, Hawks forward John Collins could be the top available trade target at this season’s deadline.

In just the past two weeks, the Pelicans, Rockets, Jazz, Heat and Wizards have been mentioned as potential destinations for Collins.

Atlanta seemed somewhat reluctant to re-sign Collins after his rookie deal but eventually gave him a five-year, $125MM deal in 2021. He’s currently in the second year of that contract, which includes a player option in the final season.

That’s a significant salary commitment for an acquiring team, since Collins is viewed as a solid starter but not an All-Star level talent. He’s also been nicked up the last couple of seasons. He only appeared in 54 regular-season contests last year.

He’s played in 42 of 50 games this season, averaging 13.5 points per night, his lowest output since his rookie season. That can be attributed in part to the Hawks’ guard-oriented attack, as well as Collins’ subpar 3-point shooting (26.3 percent). He’s second on the team in rebounding (7.7) behind center Clint Capela.

There have been conflicting reports regarding what the Hawks are seeking in a Collins trade, but they certainly don’t view him as a salary dump. It’s a safe bet they’re seeking to upgrade their rotation to become a more dangerous playoff contender built around the backcourt duo of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.

It’s not a given that the Hawks will trade Collins. They could simply ride with what they’ve got and seek a better offer for Collins during the offseason.

That brings us to today’s topic: Should the Hawks trade Collins? If so, which team would benefit the most from his services?

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

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Trade Candidate Watch: Veteran Guards

January 29th, 2023 at 12:45pm CST by Rory Maher

Leading up to the February 9 trade deadline, we’re keeping an eye on potential trade candidates from around the NBA. We’re continuing today with a handful of veteran guards.

D’Angelo Russell, Timberwolves

2022/23: $31.4MM

2023/24: UFA

Like many players on Minnesota’s roster, Russell had a slow start to the season, averaging 14.4 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 6.7 APG and 1.3 SPG on a sub-optimal .425/.318/.759 shooting line (53.1 true shooting percentage) through the end of November (22 games, 31.3 MPG).

However, he has been on fire ever since, averaging 20.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 5.9 APG and 1.0 SPG on .496/.441/.931 shooting (65.7 TS%) over his past 27 games (34.4 MPG).

Overall, he is averaging 17.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 6.2 APG and 1.1 SPG. He’s posting career-best shooting splits from all over the court, including 54.2% on twos, 39.1% on threes (46.6% from the field), and 87.1% from the free throw line, for a career-high (by far) 60.5 TS%.

Part of the reason he’s had so much success scoring lately is because the Wolves been using him more off the ball – he’s shooting 39.3% on catch-and-shoot threes, per NBA.com. It will be difficult for the Wolves to replace the former All-Star’s production, as they rank just 18th in 3PT%, and he has been the team’s second-leading scorer with Karl-Anthony Towns injured.

That’s not to say he’s a perfect player by any means, as he has always been a below-average defender and rebounder who can frustrate with lack of effort. His decision-making can also be questionable at times, which is why he’s best utilized as more of a combo guard than a traditional point.

Russell, who turns 27 next month, is not making it an easy decision for the Wolves to move him in his contract year. They have been winning lately, and he’s had a big role in that. Do they want to pay him in free agency if they don’t extend him, especially after last year’s poor playoff performance?

Mike Conley, Jazz

2022/23: $22.7MM

2023/24: $24.4MM ($14.3MM guaranteed)

Conley, on the other hand, is more of a traditional pass-first floor general, with an elite 4.73-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. At 35 years old, he is on the downside of his career, but the Jazz have been better (+2.0 net rating) when he’s on the court, going 21-19 when he plays and 5-7 without him.

While he isn’t scoring much this season (10.3 PPG), Conley is dishing out a career-high 7.6 APG, and his 36.6% mark from deep is above league average. He’s fallen off a little more on the other end – Conley used to be one of the better point-of-attack defenders in the league, but isn’t as quick as he once was.

The big thing with Conley isn’t whether he provides an immediate positive impact (he does), it’s more about paying a small, aging point guard $24.4MM next season. His large partial guarantee makes it impractical to waive him, because whichever team he’s on would still be on the hook for a substantial amount.

Patrick Beverley, Lakers

2022/23: $13MM

2023/24: UFA

As is the case with Russell, it’s been a tale of two halves for Beverley. Through 20 games (26.9 MPG), he was averaging just 4.5 PPG on a miserable .298/.234/.760 shooting slash line.

Over the past 21 games (26.7 MPG), that has completely flipped, as he’s averaging 8.2 PPG on an excellent .473/.434/.875 shooting line. He’s up to 34.7% from deep on the season, which isn’t great, but it’s respectable (his career mark is 37.6%).

Beverley’s fit with the Lakers has been a little more awkward than anticipated, but it’s probably not a coincidence that he’s been playing some of his best basketball while two other guards (Austin Reaves and Lonnie Walker) have been injured (Walker just returned on Saturday against Boston). That’s more a product of poor roster construction than anything against the players individually.

The 34-year-old is a natural trade candidate because he’s the only player on the roster who makes more than $7MM and less than $37MM, plus his deal expires at the end of the season. Beverley’s improved play of late makes him more than just a salary-matching piece – the Lakers will need a legitimate upgrade if they move him, even if it almost seems inevitable.

Seth Curry, Nets

2022/23: $8.5MM

2023/24: UFA

Fun fact: Curry is the NBA’s active leader with a career mark of 43.9% from three-point range, good for third-best all-time. In ’22/23, he’s shooting 43.8% from deep.

Curry, who turns 33 this summer, is an impending free agent with an affordable expiring contract. He got off to a slow start following offseason ankle surgery, but he is a very good offensive player due to his elite shooting (he’s also great on mid-range pull-ups).

The problem is he’s only 6’2” and is definitely more of a two guard than a lead ball-handler. He has always been a negative defensively.

Curry would provide value on a lot of teams – the main issue is the Nets have multiple small guards who can shoot and struggle defensively, making his skill set a little redundant. Adding frontcourt size and depth seems like it should be a priority.

Note: This list isn’t meant to be comprehensive, just a brief overview. There are a number of other guards that have been in the rumor mill, including Kyle Lowry (though he seems unlikely to be traded), Russell Westbrook (ditto), Bones Hyland, Derrick Rose, R.J. Hampton, Grayson Allen and Gary Harris, among others.

Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Minimum Salary Players Who Can’t Be Acquired Using Minimum Salary Exception

January 29th, 2023 at 10:50am CST by Luke Adams

As we explain in our glossary entry, the NBA’s minimum salary exception doesn’t just allow over-the-cap teams to sign players to minimum salary contracts. It also allows clubs to trade for players on minimum contracts without having to send out any matching salary.

However, not every player on a minimum salary contract can be acquired using the minimum salary exception. Since the exception only allows teams to sign players to one- or two-year contracts, similar rules apply in trades. A team can’t use the minimum salary exception to acquire a player on a three- or four-year contract, even if he’s earning the minimum.

What does that mean in practical terms? Let’s use Rockets forward Kenyon Martin Jr. as an example, since his name has surfaced in some trade rumors in recent months.

Martin is earning $1,782,621 this season, which is his minimum salary based on the contract he signed in 2020. Since he’s currently in the third year of a four-year contract though, a team acquiring him can’t absorb his salary using the minimum salary exception. That team, assuming it’s over the cap, would either have to own a trade exception big enough to take on Martin’s $1,782,621 salary or send out a player to match it.

If Martin were on a one- or two-year minimum salary contract, he could be traded straight up for, say, a draft pick without his new team requiring a trade exception or an outgoing salary. That’s the case for a trade candidate like Bucks big man Serge Ibaka, who is on a one-year minimum deal.

This rule shouldn’t be a major impediment for any transactions this season, since many teams have trade exceptions available and those that don’t should have at least one expendable minimum salary player to send out for matching purposes.

Still, it’s worth keeping tabs on the minimum salary players like Martin who fit this bill, since it could affect how certain deals are constructed at this season’s deadline.

Here’s the list of players earning the minimum salary who can’t be acquired using the minimum salary exception in 2022/23:

Atlanta Hawks

Boston Celtics

Charlotte Hornets

Chicago Bulls

Cleveland Cavaliers

Dallas Mavericks

Detroit Pistons

Golden State Warriors

Houston Rockets

Indiana Pacers

Los Angeles Clippers

Memphis Grizzlies

Miami Heat

Minnesota Timberwolves

New Orleans Pelicans

New York Knicks

Oklahoma City Thunder

Philadelphia 76ers

Portland Trail Blazers

Sacramento Kings

San Antonio Spurs

Washington Wizards

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts