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Pre-Camp Roster Snapshot: Central Division

August 29th, 2022 at 12:52pm 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 at this time, 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 Central Division. Let’s dive in…

Chicago Bulls

The roster situation in Chicago looks pretty straightforward. The 15 players on guaranteed contracts are all good bets to open the season on the 15-man roster, and Hill is probably the frontrunner to fill the second two-way spot.

Barring a surprise, the main lingering question is whether the Bulls will remain committed to having Lewis fill one of their two-way slots after he suffered an ACL injury.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Sexton’s restricted free agency is the only major issue the Cavaliers have yet to resolve. They reportedly have a three-year, $40MM offer out to Sexton, who is seeking a larger payday — the Cavs seem unlikely to increase that offer, since they’re only about $13MM below the luxury tax line and are committed to staying out of tax territory.

If Sexton returns, either on that three-year offer or on his qualifying offer, the Cavs will have 16 players on standard contracts and could trade or release a player with a guaranteed salary in order to carry both Stevens and Wade. Osman and Windler are among the candidates to be the odd man out in that scenario.

Detroit Pistons

The Pistons have to trade or waive two players on guaranteed contracts before opening night. Walker is the most obvious candidate to be one of them — a report nearly two months ago indicated he and the team were close to finalizing a buyout agreement, but Detroit may be hanging onto him to see if his expiring contract can be used in a trade.

Lee and McGruder are among the candidates to be the other roster casualty, with Lee perhaps more at risk — it would be an unusual move for the Pistons to sign McGruder to a fully guaranteed contract in free agency only to release him a couple months later.

Indiana Pacers

After having their offer sheet for Deandre Ayton matched, the Pacers have a ton of cap room available and continue to explore various ways to use it. There’s also still a possibility Indiana will make a trade involving Hield and/or Turner, so the roster is far from set.

If no trades are forthcoming, the Pacers would have three roster spots to fill — one on their projected 15-man squad, along with a pair of two-way deals. Brown – one of this year’s last remaining unsigned draftees – seems more likely to end up on a two-way contract than a standard deal, but Indiana could go either way with him, depending on how the rest of the offseason plays out.

Milwaukee Bucks

If a rival suitor were interested in making a serious play for Nwora, it probably would’ve happened by now, so a return to Milwaukee is the likeliest outcome for his restricted free agency. If he re-signs, he’d fill the final open spot on the Bucks’ 15-man roster — and with both two-way slots filled, the team’s roster would look pretty set.

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NBA Free Agents Who Have Joined International Teams

August 29th, 2022 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

With a new crop of rookies entering the NBA this fall, there won’t be enough room for all of the free agents who finished the 2021/22 season on NBA teams to find new jobs in the league.

Some of those players who are left on the outside looking in will retire. Many others will find work around the world, in one of the many professional basketball leagues in Europe, Asia, Australia, or South America.

As our free agent tracker shows, there have been 15 players so far who were on an NBA roster when the season ended in April and have since joined an international team.

That list of 15 doesn’t include players like Semi Ojeleye or James Ennis, who played in the NBA in 2021/22 but weren’t under contract with a team at the end of the season. We’ve been keeping tabs on many of those players and their new teams throughout the offseason, but the players listed below were all NBA free agents this spring.

Here are the details on where those players are headed:

Australia

China

France

Germany

Greece

Italy

Lithuania

Philippines

  • Bay Area Dragons: Myles Powell, Sixers (story)
    • Note: The Dragons normally play in Hong Kong, but are temporarily based in Manila in the Philippines due to COVID-19 restrictions in Hong Kong.

Spain

Turkey

With dozens of veterans still unsigned just four weeks before NBA training camps begin, it’s a safe bet that we’ll be adding a few more names to the above list before the season tips off in October.

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Community Shootaround: Nets’ Title Hopes

August 27th, 2022 at 8:31am CST by Dana Gauruder

All that drama surrounding the Nets this offseason can be filed under “Much ado about nothing.”

Kyrie Irving remains on the roster. So does Kevin Durant, who has rescinded his trade demand after potential suitors couldn’t meet the Nets’ astronomical asking price. Steve Nash is still the head coach and Sean Marks is still running the front office, even though Durant wanted them both fired a few weeks ago.

While the franchise appeared foolish and dysfunctional throughout the process, there’s one caveat: The Nets, on paper, have a really good team. In fact, they may be even better than they looked at the start of last season, when Durant, Irving and James Harden were expected to carry them to the Finals.

Irving won’t have to miss home games due to his vaccination status. Durant, who missed a chunk of last season due to a knee injury, will enter camp healthy and presumably motivated by all the drama he created.

Then, of course, there’s Ben Simmons, who never suited up last season due to mental health issues and a back injury that required surgery. From all indications, he’ll be ready to go by training camp. His passing skills and defensive versatility could make him a better fit alongside Durant and Irving than Harden was.

Joe Harris, the team’s highly-paid floor spacer, should be ready to stretch defenses again after rehabbing from an ankle injury that wrecked his 2021/22 campaign. Royce O’Neale was acquired from Utah to fill a “dirty work” role at forward and the front office took a flyer on T.J. Warren, who could provide an offensive boost off the bench if he’s finally recovered from his foot ailments.

Though they lost some role players (Bruce Brown, Goran Dragic), the Nets still have rotation pieces Seth Curry, Nic Claxton, Patty Mills, Cam Thomas and Kessler Edwards, plus some roster openings to add more depth.

That brings us to our question of the day: Now that the Nets and Durant have decided to continue their partnership, is Brooklyn once again a serious contender for the championship? Do you foresee them being a major factor in the postseason or will more turmoil and drama bring them down?

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

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Pre-Camp Roster Snapshot: Southwest Division

August 26th, 2022 at 1:45pm 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 at this time, 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 are carrying some role players on eight-figure contracts whose names will likely come up in trade rumors in the coming months, but there’s no need for the team to make any major moves before the regular season begins.

Given that team salary is well over the luxury tax line, Dallas could either add a 15th man or leave the spot empty for now — the club is more likely to fill its open two-way slot, with camp invitees like Gueye, Hall, and Wright perhaps vying for consideration.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets will have to trade or release at least three players before the regular season begins, but seem to be in no rush to make those moves quite yet.

Brown, Burke, and Chriss – all acquired from Dallas in the Christian Wood trade – are among the players whose roster spots are in jeopardy. If Houston wants Fernando and/or Cauley-Stein on its regular season roster, more than three players with guaranteed contracts will need to be let go.

Once the Rockets start parting ways with players on guaranteed salaries, they could fill out their 20-man offseason roster with camp invitees and perhaps one more two-way player.

Memphis Grizzlies

Green, who is recovering from a torn ACL and may not return until the spring, is the most obvious odd man out for the 15-man regular season roster, but it’s possible the Grizzlies have other plans. Green, whose $10MM expiring contract is already guaranteed for $6.96MM, could be useful as a trade chip or even as a rotation player in the playoffs if he’s able to make it back.

If they want to retain Green, the Grizzlies could look to make a minor trade involving a player like Santi Aldama, Killian Tillie, or Xavier Tillman to create room on the roster.

New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans made their big 2022 addition at the February trade deadline when they acquired McCollum, so it’s no surprise they’ve had a quiet offseason. Still, it’s almost been eerily quiet in New Orleans, with their second-round pick (Liddell) still unsigned, and a reported two-way agreement for Seabron still not finalized.

The Pelicans’ 15-man regular season roster, at least, looks pretty set — most of Alvarado’s minimum salary is guaranteed and he’d be a lock to make the team even if it wasn’t. So it’s mostly a matter of determining who will fill the two-way slots.

It’s possible those spots are simply earmarked for Liddell and Seabron, but Liddell tore his ACL during the Las Vegas Summer League, so the team may prefer he signs a G League contract and spends the season rehabilitating in Birmingham, while reserving a two-way slot for a player who can actually contribute on the court.

San Antonio Spurs

With approximately $30MM in cap room still available, it’s possible the Spurs still have another move or two up their sleeves before the season begins.

For now, there’s a bit of a roster crunch, but if San Antonio were to trade, say, McDermott and Richardson to Los Angeles for Russell Westbrook and draft picks, then bought out Westbrook, that would create the roster flexibility necessary to carry Bates-Diop, Jones, and one more player (perhaps Johnson) in addition to the 12 others on guaranteed deals.

If the Spurs don’t make any trades and want to keep Bates-Diop and Jones, they’ll have to cut at least one player with a guaranteed salary.

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The Complications Of Protecting Far-Off Traded Picks

August 26th, 2022 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

Much has been made this offseason of the Lakers‘ ability to trade only their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks. That limitation is the result of two NBA restrictions related to draft-pick trades — the “Stepien” rule and the “seven-year” rule.

As we explain in our glossary entry, the Stepien rule prevents teams from leaving themselves without a first-round pick in two consecutive future drafts, while the seven-year rule prohibits teams from trading draft picks more than seven years in the future.

The Lakers traded their 2024 first-round pick to the Pelicans in the Anthony Davis blockbuster and gave New Orleans the option to defer that pick to 2025. Because New Orleans may receive that pick in ’24, the Stepien rule prohibits the Lakers from leaving themselves without a first-rounder in 2023. And because New Orleans may defer the pick to ’25, L.A. also can’t trade its ’26 first-rounder.

That leaves the Lakers’ 2027, 2028, and 2029 first-round picks as tradable — their picks in 2030 and beyond are currently off-limits because they’re eight or more drafts away. But moving the 2028 pick would render the ’27 and ’29 first-rounders unmovable due to the Stepien rule, which is why we haven’t heard that ’28 selection mentioned in any rumors this summer.

As the Lakers mull the possibility of attaching their 2027 first-round pick and/or their 2029 selection to Russell Westbrook‘s contract in order to acquire multiple rotation players, the potential protection on those first-rounders will be a major consideration.

NBA clubs are generally hesitant to move unprotected first-round picks, especially when they’re so far down the road — after all, it’s entirely possible that neither LeBron James nor Davis will be a Laker by 2027. Los Angeles will want to give itself some protection – even if it’s light protection – in the event that the club bottoms out and that ’27 pick ends up at No. 1.

However, pick protections become complicated when discussing draft assets that are five, six, or seven years down the road due to the seven-year rule. Not only can a team not trade a 2030 pick right now, but it also can’t push the protections on a pick beyond 2029.

As a reference point, let’s consider the first-round pick that the Pistons sent the Rockets in the Isaiah Stewart/Trevor Ariza/Christian Wood trade during the 2020 offseason. At the time of that deal, the protections on the Pistons’ traded first-rounder were as follows:

  • 2021: Top-16 protected
  • 2022: Top-16 protected
  • 2023: Top-18 protected
  • 2024: Top-18 protected
  • 2025: Top-13 protected
  • 2026: Top-11 protected
  • 2027: Top-9 protected

The Pistons pushed the seven-year rule to the limit with that traded first-rounder, applying protections to all seven years in which the pick might change hands.

The selection, which has since been rerouted from Houston to Oklahoma City to New York, has yet to convey, but there’s a very good chance it will do so eventually, unless the Pistons’ rebuild really crashes and burns. If the first-rounder remains protected through 2027, the Knicks would instead receive the Pistons’ 2027 second-round pick, since Detroit wasn’t able to push the protections into 2028 due to the seven-year rule.

With that in mind, it’s worth considering what the Lakers can realistically do with protections on their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks.

Let’s suppose they want to put top-10 protection on their 2027 first-rounder, then push that first-rounder to 2028 if it lands in the top 10 in ’27. Due to the Stepien rule, taking that approach would jeopardize their ability to trade their 2029 pick, since they wouldn’t be able to trade both their 2028 and 2029 first-rounders.

To work around that issue, the Lakers might suggest leaving those top-10 protections on the 2027 pick and sending their trade partner second-round picks in 2027 and 2028 if the first-rounder lands in its protected range. That would leave the 2028 first-round pick untouched and would preserve L.A.’s ability to trade its 2029 first-rounder.

However, the Lakers’ trade partner would likely be reluctant to sign off on those terms, since that team would only have one shot at the 2027 first-round pick before it turns into a pair of far less valuable second-rounders. Any team discussing a deal with the Lakers would presumably push for that 2027 pick to be unprotected or extremely lightly protected in order to avoid that risk.

So let’s say the Lakers agree to make the 2027 pick unprotected. Could they then add protections to the 2029 pick instead? Well, due to the seven-year rule, there are even fewer options in establishing a backup plan for a protected 2029 first-rounder, since the Lakers wouldn’t have the ability to push that pick to 2030.

Realistically, if the Lakers wanted to add protections to their 2029 first-round pick, they could only agree to send their 2029 second-round pick in its place if the first-rounder landed in its protected range. That’s an even greater risk for a potential trade partner.

The ability to protect traded draft picks gives teams the ability to drastically influence the value of those traded picks. For example, if a lottery-bound team agrees to trade its 2023 first-round pick, but insists on adding top-20 protection and sending a 2026 second-round pick in its place if the first-rounder lands in its protected range, that’s not a very valuable trade asset. On the other hand, if that lottery team agrees to reduce the protections on that traded 2023 first-round pick for each year it doesn’t convey and eventually makes it unprotected, it suddenly becomes far more valuable as a trade chip.

Because the Lakers aren’t really able to take the latter approach with their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks at this point, it will be extremely difficult for them to add meaningful protections to those picks without significantly decreasing their value.

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Community Shootaround: NBA Head Coaches On Hot Seat?

August 25th, 2022 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

Nets head coach Steve Nash participated in the recent meeting between Kevin Durant and team leadership that ended with all parties agreeing to “move forward” with their partnership and focus on basketball. Nash also received a vote of confidence from team owner Joe Tsai earlier this month when word first broke that Durant had asked Tsai to trade him or to fire Nash and general manager Sean Marks.

Still, while Nash’s job may be safe for now, it’s hard to imagine he feels fully secure heading into a season in which the Nets are under pressure to finally deliver on their tantalizing potential and make a deep playoff run. Tsai wasn’t going to give in to Durant’s public request to fire Nash this summer, but it’s not as if Nash’s résumé in his two years coaching the club is spotless — if Brooklyn gets off to a slow start this season, his seat could start to get very hot.

Of the NBA’s 30 head coaches, Nash might be the one whose hold on his job is most tenuous, but there are others who will be worth keeping an eye on over the course of the 2022/23 season.

There was some chatter about Tom Thibodeau‘s job security during a disappointing Knicks season in ’21/22, and while it didn’t amount to anything at the time, that chatter will likely pick up again if New York underachieves for a second straight year after signing Jalen Brunson in free agency.

The Sixers are also under some pressure to take a major step forward this season, and while I’d be a little surprised if Doc Rivers is fired, it’s worth noting that he joined the team before president of basketball operations Daryl Morey did, so he wasn’t a Morey hire. If the 76ers fall short of their expectations and exit the postseason early, I could envision Rivers and the team agreeing to “mutually” part ways.

Chauncey Billups only has one year under his belt as the Trail Blazers‘ head coach, so he shouldn’t be in any immediate danger, but expectations will be significantly higher for Portland this year than they were at the end of last season. The same goes for the Hawks and head coach Nate McMillan, as well as Wizards and head coach Wes Unseld Jr.

Dwane Casey of the Pistons and Stephen Silas of the Rockets have been tasked with overseeing rebuilding projects, so it’s difficult to assess their job performances based on win-loss records. As those teams’ rebuilds begin to move into a new stage, it will be interesting to see if Detroit and Houston remain happy with the jobs that Casey and Silas are doing.

We want to know what you think. Are there any head coaches you believe are already on the hot seat, or ones whose jobs might be in danger if they get off to poor starts this season? Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts and predictions!

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Teams Have One More Week To Stretch 2022/23 Salaries

August 24th, 2022 at 11:43am CST by Luke Adams

Wednesday, August 31 is the last day that an NBA team will be able to waive a player who has a guaranteed salary for 2022/23 and stretch that player’s ’22/23 salary across three seasons.

[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Stretch Provision]

A player who is waived between September 1 and the end of the 2022/23 season can still have his cap hit(s) for 2023/24 and future years stretched across multiple years, assuming he’s owed guaranteed money beyond this season. But his ’22/23 cap charge would remain unchanged in that scenario, unless he reaches a buyout agreement with his team.

The stretch provision allows teams to gain some short-term relief at the cost of reduced long-term flexibility. It’s used most frequently by teams in the luxury tax that want to either lower their tax bill (or duck out of tax territory entirely) or by teams that want to create a little extra cap room to accommodate a specific roster move.

Teams haven’t employed the stretch provision very frequently over the last couple years, but we saw it utilized in a couple instances last month. The Pacers waived three players with modest 2022/23 salary guarantees and stretched their cap hits across three seasons in order to help make room for their offer sheet to Deandre Ayton.

In that case, Nik Stauskas had his $2,106,932 partial guarantee turned into annual cap hits of $702,311 through 2024/25; Juwan Morgan‘s $1,728,689 partial guarantee was stretched to become three annual cap hits of $576,230; and Malik Fitts‘ $1,665,650 partial guarantee turned into three annual cap hits of $555,217.

The Trail Blazers, meanwhile, stretched Eric Bledsoe‘s $3.9MM partial guarantee across three seasons for equal cap hits of $1.3MM through 2024/25, which allowed Portland to narrowly sneak below this season’s luxury tax line.

Conversely, when the Spurs waived Danilo Gallinari, they simply applied his $13MM partial guarantee to their 2022/23 cap rather than stretching it across three seasons. Stretching that $13MM would’ve created an extra $8.67MM in cap room for San Antonio, but the team had no immediate use for that extra room this season, and opted to keep Gallinari’s dead money off its books for 2023/24 and ’24/25.

There aren’t many remaining candidates to have their 2022/23 salaries stretched, but the deadline is still worth keeping in mind for the possibilities it will take off the table.

For example, while multiple reports have indicated that the Lakers have no plans to waive-and-stretch Russell Westbrook and his $47MM+ cap hit, it’s still technically an option for the club up until next Wednesday. Once the calendar flips to September 1, stretching Westbrook’s salary is no longer a possibility for L.A., and the only way for the club to reduce his ’22/23 cap hit would be to agree to a buyout.

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Community Shootaround: Minnesota Timberwolves

August 23rd, 2022 at 8:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

A big reason why Kevin Durant wasn’t traded and Donovan Mitchell remains on Utah’s roster is that the Timberwolves gave up multiple rotation pieces and first-round picks for a player who’s averaged 12.4 points in his career.

The haul that the Jazz received for Rudy Gobert included Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, 2022 first-round pick Walker Kessler, and four future first-rounders. All but one of those picks are unprotected.

Of course, Minnesota didn’t acquire Gobert for his offensive skills. Minnesota led the NBA last season with a 115.9 point average but ranked 24th in points allowed (113.3) and 16th in defensive field goal percentage (46.0%).

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year will provide an imposing presence it has lacked at that end of the floor. Gobert is also a prolific rebounder — he led the league in that category last season — and one of the NBA’s top shot-blockers.

By surrendering so many assets, Minnesota essentially took an “all-in” approach, viewing Gobert as the missing piece to a title contender. The Timberwolves now have their own Big Three in Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards and Gobert.

Towns is one of the league’s most prolific scorers, as he displayed in his 60-point game in March. He has finished as a top-20 scorer in five of his seven NBA seasons.

There were doubts about Edwards when he was chosen with the first overall pick in 2020 but he has been an offensive force since the second half of his rookie campaign. Edwards averaged 21.3 PPG in his second season and was even more dangerous in six playoff games (25.2 PPG).

The starting lineup is rounded out by point guard D’Angelo Russell and Jaden McDaniels. Russell has been a trade candidate after some poor playoff performances (33.3% shooting, 12 PPG) but he’s averaged nearly 18 points in his career. Last season, he also averaged a career high in assists (7.1 APG) with low turnover numbers (2.5 per game).

Minnesota insisted on keeping McDaniels in trade talks with Utah. A late 2020 pick, McDaniels is viewed by the franchise as one of the top young defensive wings in the league.

The trade sapped the Timberwolves’ depth and they tried to fortify it by using a chunk of their mid-level exception on forward Kyle Anderson. They also added sharpshooter Bryn Forbes and veteran guard Austin Rivers on one-year deals. They still have Jordan McLaughlin to back up Russell and Naz Reid as the primary reserve big man.

The Timberwolves led the league in 3-pointers made (14.8 per game) last season, though percentage-wise they’re just average in that category. Towns is the only member of the lineup who’s an above-average shooter from deep.

Another concern, especially in the postseason, is whether they can keep Towns and Gobert on the floor at the same time when opponents go with small-ball units.

That brings us to our question of the day: Did the acquisition of Gobert make the Timberwolves a serious contender for the NBA championship? If not, what else do they need to reach that level?

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

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Pre-Camp Roster Snapshot: Southeast Division

August 23rd, 2022 at 2:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Over the next week or two, Hoops Rumors will be 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 at this time, 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 beginning our pre-camp Roster Snapshot series today with the Southeast Division. Let’s dive in…

Atlanta Hawks

Martin, whose minimum salary is partially guaranteed for $450K, is a strong bet to be the Hawks’ 14th man. Because Atlanta’s team salary is a little over the luxury tax line, the team may keep its 15th regular season roster spot open to start the season, and could even try making a cost-cutting trade at some point before the 2023 deadline to sneak below the tax line. Otherwise though, their standard roster appears pretty set.

One of the Hawks’ two-way players (Forrest) is newly signed, while the other (Brown) is a holdover from last season. It’s possible Brown’s two-way spot could be in jeopardy if another camp invitee makes a strong impression this preseason — I’d expect more camp invitees to join Etienne on Exhibit 10 contracts in the coming weeks.

Charlotte Hornets

Bridges’ NBA future is uncertain following his arrest on domestic violence charges, but the Hornets are keeping a roster spot open for him as his case plays out in the legal system. The team also has one more opening on its 15-man roster and seems likely to use it on a point guard. Charlotte has been linked to veterans like Isaiah Thomas and Kemba Walker.

The Hornets also still have one two-way contract slot open. They could hold a preseason competition for that opening, with Whaley among the camp invitees vying to have his Exhibit 10 contract turned into a two-way deal.

Miami Heat

Haslem’s decision to re-sign with the Heat means the team’s roster is pretty much set. With Haslem and Highsmith joining the other 12 players on guaranteed contracts, Miami will just barely be under the luxury tax line and almost certainly won’t add a 15th man until very late in the season.

The Heat’s two-way contract slots may not be set in stone, however. Days and Garrett hold those spots for now, but if a camp invitee like Bouyea, Cain, or Robinson makes a major impact during the preseason, the team could make a change.

Orlando Magic

Barring a preseason trade involving a veteran like Ross, the Magic’s 15-man roster looks ready for opening night. And Harris and Schofield were both signed to new two-way deals this offseason, so Orlando seems unlikely to replace either player before the start of the season — Harris’ spot looks especially safe, since his two-way contract is for two years.

Although the Magic have reportedly agreed to sign more players than it has room for on its 20-man offseason, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Cannady and another player will have to be waived before camp to complete those signings. I’d expect Orlando to churn its back-end roster spots, signing-and-waiving one or more of those Exhibit 10 players quickly in order to secure their G League rights and/or to ensure they receive bonuses for becoming affiliate players with the Lakeland Magic.

Washington Wizards

Like the Magic, the Wizards have 15 players on guaranteed contracts who seem likely to make the regular season roster, barring a last-minute surprise. With one two-way contract still up for grabs though, Jackson, Mintz, and other camp invitees will be looking to stand out this fall.

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Longest-Tenured NBA Players By Team

August 22nd, 2022 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

A surprising number of the NBA’s longest-tenured players by team have stayed put since we compiled our most recent list in August 2021.

Since then, stars like Bradley Beal and Damian Lillard have had the opportunity to seek out teams closer to contention by requesting trades (or, in Beal’s case, by signing elsewhere as a free agent), but chose to remain in Washington and Portland, respectively. Zach LaVine also re-upped in Chicago as a free agent, while Mitchell Robinson did the same in New York, despite rumors he may head elsewhere.

Meanwhile, many other long-tenured players frequently mentioned as trade candidates, including John Collins, Joe Harris, Terrence Ross, Eric Gordon, Kevin Love, and Marcus Smart, have remained with their respective teams.

Given how many trade candidates and players on expiring contracts are on the list, it’s possible our 2023 update will include a ton of new names. But for the time being, 25 of the NBA’s 30 teams still have the same longest-tenured player they did a year ago — and a 26th might end up joining that group (Miles Bridges is the longest-tenured Hornet, but his NBA future is up in the air following his arrest for domestic violence).

Here are the NBA’s current longest-tenured players by team:

(Note: This is a snapshot as of August 2022 and won’t be updated throughout the season. This list includes each team’s longest-tenured player, so only one player per team is listed.)

  1. Miami Heat: Udonis Haslem (free agent), August 2003
  2. Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry (draft), June 2009
  3. Washington Wizards: Bradley Beal (draft), June 2012
  4. Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard (draft), June 2012
  5. Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo (draft), June 2013
  6. Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid (draft), June 2014
  7. Boston Celtics: Marcus Smart (draft), June 2014
  8. Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic (draft), June 2014
  9. Cleveland Cavaliers: Kevin Love (trade), August 2014
  10. Dallas Mavericks: Dwight Powell (trade), December 2014
  11. Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns (draft), June 2015
  12. Indiana Pacers: Myles Turner (draft), June 2015
  13. Phoenix Suns: Devin Booker (draft), June 2015
  14. Toronto Raptors: Pascal Siakam (draft), June 2016
  15. Houston Rockets: Eric Gordon (free agent), July 2016
  16. Brooklyn Nets: Joe Harris (free agent), July 2016
  17. Orlando Magic: Terrence Ross (trade), February 2017
  18. Sacramento Kings: De’Aaron Fox (draft), June 2017
  19. Utah Jazz: Donovan Mitchell (draft trade), June 2017
  20. Atlanta Hawks: John Collins (draft), June 2017
  21. Chicago Bulls: Zach LaVine (draft trade), June 2017
  22. Memphis Grizzlies: Dillon Brooks (draft trade), June 2017
  23. New York Knicks: Mitchell Robinson (draft), June 2018
  24. Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James (free agent), July 2018
  25. San Antonio Spurs: Jakob Poeltl (trade), July 2018
  26. New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson (draft), June 2019
  27. Charlotte Hornets: P.J. Washington (draft), June 2019
    • Washington is the Hornets’ longest-tenured player by a matter of hours. He was selected 12th overall in the 2019 draft, while Cody Martin (No. 36) and Jalen McDaniels (No. 52) were drafted by Charlotte later in the night.
    • Miles Bridges, acquired in a 2018 draft trade, would be the Hornets’ longest-tenured player if he re-signs with the team as a restricted free agent.
  28. Los Angeles Clippers: Ivica Zubac (trade), February 2019
  29. Oklahoma City Thunder: Darius Bazley (trade) / Luguentz Dort (free agent), July 2019
    • Bazley and Dort officially joined the Thunder on the same day (July 6, 2019). The team reached agreements on draft night (June 20) to acquire Bazley and sign Dort.
  30. Detroit Pistons: Killian Hayes (draft), November 2020

The teams with new longest-tenured players this year are the Kings (Fox replaced Buddy Hield), Jazz (Mitchell replaced Rudy Gobert), Spurs (Poeltl replaced Dejounte Murray), Hornets (Washington replaced Bridges, for now), and Pistons (Hayes replaced Sekou Doumbouya).

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