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Checking In On NBA’s Open Roster Spots

March 10th, 2022 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

Several of the NBA teams that had open roster spots following the trade deadline have since filled them, either with free agent signings, such as DeMarcus Cousins (Nuggets) and DeAndre Jordan (Sixers), or with promoted two-way players, like Caleb Martin (Heat) and Daishen Nix (Rockets).

However, there are still a number of clubs around the league with openings available, either on their standard 15-man roster or among their two-way contract slots.

Here, with the help of our roster counts page, is a look at the teams that have open roster spots as of March 10:

Teams with open 15-man roster spots:

Atlanta Hawks
Boston Celtics (2) *
Charlotte Hornets *
Cleveland Cavaliers *
Detroit Pistons
Indiana Pacers
Milwaukee Bucks
Minnesota Timberwolves
New Orleans Pelicans *
Orlando Magic
Toronto Raptors *
Utah Jazz

* The teams marked with an asterisk each technically have full rosters as of today, but are carrying at least one player on a 10-day contract. We’re considering those roster spots “open” because those 10-day deals will soon expire.

Despite a series of signings since last month’s trade deadline, there are still 12 NBA teams that aren’t carrying 15 players on full-season standard contracts. However, four of those clubs have filled their open roster spot(s) with 10-day signings, and a fifth will join that group when the Cavaliers complete their reported 10-day deal with Moses Brown.

The Celtics are one team to watch here. When the second 10-day contracts for Malik Fitts and Kelan Martin expire next Monday night, Boston will either have to sign at least one of them to a rest-of-season contract or add another player within the next two weeks in order to get back to the league-mandated minimum of 14 players on standard deals.

Teams with open two-way spots:

Houston Rockets
Phoenix Suns
Sacramento Kings

Following the trade deadline, five teams had open two-way contract slots. Four of those teams have since filled them — the Suns are the only holdout, having not carried a second two-way player since they released Chandler Hutchison in early January.

The Rockets have had an open two-way slot since they promoted Nix to the 15-man roster nearly a month ago, while the Kings‘ opening has existed since they waived Louis King on February 17.

Brandon Ingram Suffers Hamstring Strain, Will Be Reevaluated In 7-10 Days

March 9th, 2022 at 8:23pm CST by Rory Maher

Pelicans star Brandon Ingram underwent an MRI on his right leg Wednesday, revealing a mild hamstring strain. He’ll be reevaluated in seven-to-10 days, the team announced.

New Orleans is just 2-13 without Ingram this season, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, so any extended absence could have a major impact on the team’s record.

Ingram, 24, was the No. 2 overall pick of the 2016 draft. In 50 games this season, he’s averaging 22.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 5.5 APG on .462/.335/.816 shooting. Although his three-point percentage is down compared to the last couple seasons, the 5.5 assists per game are a career-high and he’s shown improvement on defense.

A one-time All-Star, Ingram has helped keep the Pelicans afloat during the season-long absence of Zion Williamson. Coach Willie Green said Williamson won’t be on the bench for Wednesday’s contest vs. Orlando, but he’ll be with the team starting Thursday (Twitter link via Andrew Lopez of ESPN).

The Pelicans are the No. 10 seed in the West with a 27-38 record, but they’re 25-25 with Ingram. They trail the No. 9 seed Lakers by one-and-a-half games and hold a one-and-a-half game lead on the No. 11 seed Trail Blazers. New Orleans currently trails Orlando 56-41 at halftime on Wednesday.

Pelicans Notes: Playoff Race, B. Graham, Williamson

March 8th, 2022 at 1:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Passing the Lakers in the standings should be the motivating factor that drives the rest of the season for the Pelicans, writes Scott Kushner of NOLA.com.

As Kushner notes, moving ahead of the Lakers would be doubly beneficial for the Pelicans. For one, the two teams currently rank ninth and 10th in the Western Conference standings, and the No. 9 seed will host the No. 10 team in a win-or-go-home game in the play-in tournament next month.

Additionally, the Pelicans will receive the Lakers’ first-round pick if it lands in the top 10, so pushing the Lakers further down the standings would increase the likelihood of New Orleans getting that lottery pick. Currently, the Lakers have the NBA’s 11th-worst record.

The Pelicans will host the Lakers on March 27, then will face them in Los Angeles on April 1, so they’ll have a couple opportunities in the coming weeks to directly help their own cause.

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

An assistant general manager in the Pelicans’ front office, Bryson Graham is viewed as a strong candidate to continue climbing the basketball operations ranks, either in New Orleans or elsewhere, writes Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. “I think he’s really good,” one NBA executive said of Graham. “He’s smart, he works hard and he knows his s–t. (He) will be a GM in the next five years.”
Graham tells Vorkunov that he’s thrilled to be an assistant GM in New Orleans, but his goal is to ultimately run a team. “I mean, I’m winning right now, just being in the door,” Graham said. “But for me to sit here and say that, ‘Oh, I don’t care about being the GM one day or being the vice president.’ Eh, that’s a bunch of bull. I want that opportunity. And I think everybody that’s in my shoes ultimately should strive, as long as it’s coming from a good place.”
With Zion Williamson eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason, Keith Smith of Spotrac explores what the former No. 1 overall pick’s next contract could look like. As Smith observes, Williamson’s history of health issues, his “uneasy” relationship with New Orleans, and his incredible production when he has played will make the situation a fascinating one to watch.
In case you missed it, Williamson – who is back in New Orleans after rehabbing his foot injury elsewhere for much of the year – is expected to rejoin the Pelicans when the team returns home this week. The club’s road trip wraps up with tonight’s game in Memphis.

Southwest Notes: Pelicans, Wieskamp, Primo, Nix

March 6th, 2022 at 8:30pm CST by JD Shaw

The Pelicans‘ recent surge is largely because of their improved defense, William Guillory of The Athletic writes. New Orleans has won four straight games, including a 124-90 victory over the Jazz on Friday.

Prior to that, the Pelicans held the Kings and Lakers to 95 points each, plus the Suns to 102 points. On the season, the team has allowed 108.7 points per game, which ranks 13th in the league. New Orleans currently holds the No. 10 seed in the West at 27-36.

“I feel like we’re doing a great job of defending, keeping guys out of the paint and just forcing them into tough shots,” said Herbert Jones, one of the league’s rising young defenders. “We’re flying all over the place, helping each other out. One guy gets beat, it’s another one of our brothers there to help him out. Hopefully, we can stay consistent and keep defending how we’re defending.”

There’s more from the Southwest:

Joe Wieskamp earned a standard deal with the Spurs by trusting in their development process, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News explores. The Spurs converted Wieskamp’s two-way deal into a traditional contract on Friday. San Antonio drafted the 22-year-old with the No. 41 pick last year.
In a separate story for the San Antonio Express-News, Orsborn examines a number of recent Spurs takeaways, including a learning lesson for rookie Joshua Primo. The 19-year-old played 11 fourth-quarter minutes against the Hornets on Saturday, finishing with 10 points.
Daishen Nix has offered the Rockets a glimpse into the future, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. Nix has averaged 22.5 points in the G League this season, shooting 49% from the floor and 40% from deep. Houston promoted him from his two-way deal and signed him to a four-year deal last month.

Williamson To Re-Join Team Next Week; Jones Impresses With Defense

March 5th, 2022 at 3:13pm CST by JD Shaw

Pelicans star Zion Williamson will rejoin the team when it returns from its road trip next week, Andrew Lopez of ESPN tweets. New Orleans will play Denver on Sunday and Memphis on Tuesday. Williamson is progressing to full-weight bearing activities and his future timetable remains unclear.
Despite being a rookie, Pelicans forward Herbert Jones already appears to be one of the NBA’s best defenders, Christian Clark of NOLA.com opines. Jones’ defense was a major reason why Jazz star Donovan Mitchell scored just 14 points on 5-for-18 shooting on Friday, with the Pelicans winning by 34. “Herb, you just expect it from him almost,” head coach Willie Green said. “That’s what he does. He doesn’t say much. He just goes out and does his work. What he’s doing, we don’t take for granted. It’s hard to guard the best player every single night.”

Zion Williamson Returning To New Orleans, Progressing In Basketball Activities

March 5th, 2022 at 10:41am CST by Dana Gauruder

Another positive development in Zion Williamson‘s recovery from a foot injury could mean he’ll return to action before the end of the regular season.

Williamson is returning to New Orleans after rehabbing in Portland and has been cleared to progress in basketball activities, The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Will Guillory report (via Twitter).

The top pick in the 2019 draft hasn’t appeared in a game since last May. The Pelicans have been on a hot streak since the All-Star break, winning their last four games and currently holding the last spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament. Naturally, the insertion of Williamson into the lineup would make them a dangerous team in the postseason.

Earlier this week, the Pelicans provided an update on Williamson’s rehab from right foot surgery, stating that recent imaging showed “improved bone healing” in the fifth metatarsal. However, the update also struck a cautious tone with no established timetable for his return.

Williamson will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason and it would certainly be helpful for both parties to see him back in action before the season’s end.

McCollum Thriving As Lead Guard

March 3rd, 2022 at 7:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

CJ McCollum is thriving with the Pelicans since being acquired from Portland. McCollum says added responsibility has led to his strong start in New Orleans, according to Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. He is averaging 26.6 PPG on 51.9% shooting and 6.0 APG since the deal. “I’m the primary ball-handler now,” McCollum said. “Before, Dame (Damian Lillard) was the primary ball-handler.” McCollum is in the first year of a three-year, $100MM extension.

Pelicans Provide Update On Zion Williamson’s Recovery

March 2nd, 2022 at 3:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans provided a brief update today on Zion Williamson‘s recovery from right foot surgery, issuing a press release that said recent imaging showed “improved bone healing” in the fifth metatarsal of his foot.

According to the team, Williamson will gradually progress to full weight-bearing exercise and basketball activities. However, while the star forward’s recovery is trending in the right direction again after a couple setbacks in December, he’s still out indefinitely, per today’s announcement.

Williamson underwent surgery on his right foot during the 2021 offseason and has yet to play at all this season. Comments that he and head of basketball operations David Griffin made on Media Day in September strongly suggested the 21-year-old was targeting opening night for his return. Griffin later claimed that when he said Williamson would be ready for the season, he hadn’t meant the start of the season, but Zion himself was clearly aiming to be back for opening night.

It has now been more than five months since Griffin and Williamson addressed reporters on Media Day, and time is running out for the former No. 1 overall pick to play at all in 2021/22 — the Pelicans’ regular season schedule will conclude in just five-and-a-half weeks, and the club wouldn’t be guaranteed more than a single play-in game unless it can move up to No. 8 in the conference standings.

Whether or not Williamson plays this spring, the coming offseason will be a very significant one for him. The former Duke standout will be eligible for a rookie scale extension, and signing a long-term deal would go a long way toward answering questions about whether or not he wants to be in New Orleans. If he and the Pelicans don’t reach a deal, rumors about his possible discontent would only intensify.

Pelicans Sign Alize Johnson To 10-Day Contract

March 2nd, 2022 at 10:44am CST by Luke Adams

MARCH 2: Johnson’s 10-day deal with the Pelicans is now official, the team announced in a press release. As noted below, it’ll run through March 11, covering New Orleans’ next six games.

FEBRUARY 28: The Pelicans are adding some frontcourt depth by signing free agent forward Alize Johnson to a 10-day contract, agent George Langberg tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Johnson, 25, began the 2021/22 season with the Bulls after earning a 15-man roster spot in training camp. He was waived in December when Chicago required a spot on the roster for Alfonzo McKinnie and subsequently joined the Wizards on a 10-day hardship deal.

In total, Johnson has appeared in 19 NBA games this season for Chicago and Washington, averaging 1.7 PPG and 2.5 RPG in 7.3 minutes per contest. He has career averages of 2.5 PPG and 3.0 RPG in 68 appearances (7.5 MPG), having also spent time in Indiana and Brooklyn since he was selected 50th overall in the 2018 draft.

The Pelicans have an opening on their 15-man roster, so no corresponding move will be required to sign Johnson, who will get a standard 10-day contract. The deal will pay him $99,380, with the team taking on a cap hit of $95,930.

New Orleans doesn’t play its next game until Wednesday, so the club could wait until then to officially sign Johnson in order to maximize his 10 days. If he formally joins the Pelicans on Wednesday, Johnson would be under contract through March 11, making him eligible for six games. If he signs today or tomorrow, Johnson’s deal would expire before the team’s March 11 contest vs. Charlotte.

O'Connor: Pelicans' Supporting Cast Is Ideal For Zion

March 2nd, 2022 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

After acquiring CJ McCollum last month, the Pelicans have put together a supporting cast capable of complementing and enhancing Zion Williamson‘s unique skill set, opines Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. Now, the team just needs its star forward to get healthy to see what all the pieces look like together.