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NBA Teams With Open Roster Spots

January 10th, 2020 at 10:10am CST by Luke Adams

January is generally a month full of roster shuffling in the NBA. The opening of the 10-day contract period (January 5), the salary guarantee deadline (January 7), the two-way contract deadline (January 15), and the upcoming trade deadline (February 6) all incentivize teams to make changes to their rosters.

With those dates in mind, we’re taking a look today at which teams around the NBA still have openings on their 15-man rosters and which ones have a two-way contract slot available.

Listed below, with the help of our roster counts breakdown, are the teams that aren’t carrying full rosters.

Teams with an open 15-man roster spot:

Denver Nuggets
Golden State Warriors
- Note: The Warriors have two open roster spots.
Houston Rockets
Miami Heat
Oklahoma City Thunder
Orlando Magic
Portland Trail Blazers

Not carrying a full 15-man roster saves a team some money and gives that team the flexibility to add a player in a trade or on the buyout market. For most the teams listed above, the financial factor probably outweighs the roster-flexibility factor — the Warriors, Rockets, Heat, Thunder, and Trail Blazers are all in tax territory, while the Nuggets are close. Only the Magic don’t have immediate tax concerns.

It’s worth noting that because Golden State has two open roster spots, the team has a two-week window after waiving Marquese Chriss on Tuesday to get to the required minimum of 14 players. They’re expected to promote two-way player Damion Lee, which would open up a two-way contract slot.

Teams whose full 15-man rosters include at least one 10-day contract:

Atlanta Hawks
Brooklyn Nets
Cleveland Cavaliers

Paul Watson is currently on a 10-day contract with the Hawks, while Justin Anderson has one with the Nets. Those deals will expire at the end of the day on January 15, so each team could open up a roster spot at that point by not re-signing Watson or Anderson to a second 10-day pact.

As for the Cavaliers, they have two players on 10-day contracts after re-signing Alfonzo McKinnie and Tyler Cook on Thursday. Those deals will run through January 18, at which time Cleveland could re-sign one or both players, or move forward with just 13 players for up to two weeks.

Teams with an open two-way contract slot:

Phoenix Suns

The Suns have been the only NBA team carrying just one two-way player all season long. Phoenix has its own G League affiliate and two-way contracts don’t count against the cap at all, so the franchise’s motivation for not filling that spot remains unclear. While there’s no indication a move is imminent, it would be surprising if the Suns don’t sign a second two-way player before the January 15 deadline.

Amick: Aaron Gordon Chatter In Orlando?

January 10th, 2020 at 8:15am CST by Luke Adams

“There is chatter coming from Orlando” related to forward Aaron Gordon, one executive tells Amick. However, a source with knowledge of the Warriors‘ activity gave Amick a hard “no” when asked specifically about the possibility of the Magic trading Gordon for D’Angelo Russell. Another source said a Russell deal is “unlikely” to happen this season, Amick adds.

[SOURCE LINK]

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 1/9/20

January 9th, 2020 at 9:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Thursday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

The Pacers assigned Victor Oladipo to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants for practice as part of his injury rehab, per the team (Twitter link). Oladipo is targeting a January 29 return to action.
The Magic assigned swingman Melvin Frazier to the G League, according to the team (Twitter link). Frazier has bounced back and forth between the NBA and NBAGL this season, with 11 appearances for Orlando and three for Lakeland.
After re-signing him to a 10-day contract today, the Cavaliers sent Tyler Cook to the Canton Charge, the team noted in a press release. We have more on Cook’s new deal right here.
The Clippers assigned rookies Mfiondu Kabengele and Terance Mann to the G League, the club announced today. The Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario are in action on Thursday night and both Kabengele and Mann are in the starting lineup for L.A.’s affiliate.
According to the G League’s assignment log, the Sixers sent Zhaire Smith to the Delaware Blue Coats today, while the Jazz assigned Miye Oni to the Salt Lake City Stars.

Magic Apply For Two Disabled Player Exceptions

January 9th, 2020 at 6:43pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic have applied for a pair of disabled player exceptions, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that the team has requested DPEs for both Al-Farouq Aminu and Jonathan Isaac.

As we outline in our glossary entry on the disabled player exception, a team can apply for a DPE to replace a seriously injured player. In order for the exception to be granted, an NBA-designated physician must determine that the player is “substantially more likely than not” to be sidelined through at least June 15 of the current league year.

The Magic haven’t announced specific recovery timetables for Aminu and Isaac, simply ruling both players out indefinitely. The club said last Thursday that Isaac’s knee injury would be re-evaluated in eight-to-10 weeks and said yesterday that Aminu’s knee injury would be re-evaluated in 12 weeks.

If the NBA determines that both players are likely to be sidelined through June 15, the resulting disabled player exceptions would allow the Magic to sign replacement players for 50% of the injured players’ salaries. A DPE, which doesn’t give a team an extra roster spot, can also be used to acquire a player on an expiring contract via trade or waivers if his salary fits into the exception.

A disabled player exception for Aminu would be worth $4,629,000, while one for Isaac would be worth $2,903,220.

The Magic are far enough below the tax line that they could safely use one or both of those exceptions to make a play for a free agent. I wouldn’t expect Orlando to be a top choice for the highest-profile veterans on the buyout market this winter, so the club’s ability to offer well above the minimum could come in handy when recruiting those players.

The deadline to use a disabled player exception is March 10. The Wizards, Pelicans, Trail Blazers, Lakers, and Nets all have DPEs available.

Fultz Finds Home In Orlando; No Surgery For Isaac

January 8th, 2020 at 3:30pm CST by Luke Adams

After two turbulent years to begin his NBA career, former No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz has found a happy home in Orlando, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Fultz is coming off perhaps his best game as a pro, a 25-point showing in a Monday win over Brooklyn. “The biggest thing is that I took the time to get healthy,” Fultz said of the strides he has made with the Magic. “I’m feeling very good. My body’s feeling good, and that’s the biggest thing. I just think that I took the time to make sure my shoulder was right, and everything with my body is right, and now I’m back to being me.”
The Magic will treat Jonathan Isaac‘s knee injury without surgery, a team official tells Robbins (Twitter link). The standout forward is expected to be sidelined until at least March, and perhaps for the rest of the season.

Magic’s Aminu Out At Least 12 Weeks Following Knee Surgery

January 8th, 2020 at 1:32pm CST by Luke Adams

It looks like it may be a lost first season for Al-Farouq Aminu in Orlando. The Magic announced today in a press release that the veteran forward has undergone successful surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.

Orlando doesn’t offer a specific timetable for Aminu’s return, announcing that he has been ruled out indefinitely. However, the team noted it will be approximately 12 weeks before he’s re-evaluated. That means he’s unlikely to return before April, and there’s a chance we won’t see him on the court again this season.

Aminu, 29, was one of the first free agents to come off the board during the summer of 2019, agreeing to a three-year deal with Orlando worth the full mid-level exception. He was coming off a solid season in Portland in which he averaged 9.4 PPG and 7.5 RPG on .433/.343/.867 shooting while playing strong defense.

However, Aminu has been limited to just 18 games during his first season with the Magic, having been sidelined with his torn meniscus since the start of December. Even when he was healthy, the veteran struggled in a part-time role, with his shooting line dipping to an abysmal .291/.250/.655.

This is the second major injury for the Magic, who also lost Jonathan Isaac to a potentially season-ending knee injury. The club announced last Thursday that Isaac would be re-evaluated in eight-to-10 weeks.

With neither Aminu nor Isaac expected back anytime soon to fortify the frontcourt, the Magic will have to rely more heavily on forwards like Aaron Gordon and Wesley Iwundu as they look to hang onto a playoff spot. Orlando is currently the No. 7 seed in the East, with a 17-20 record and a three-game cushion on the ninth-seeded Hornets.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Magic Notes: Isaac, Fultz, Bamba, Fournier

January 6th, 2020 at 2:05pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic didn’t offer a specific return timetable for Jonathan Isaac when they issued an update on his left knee injury last week. However, the up-and-coming forward isn’t expected to be re-evaluated for eight-to-10 weeks, and Josh Robbins of The Athletic suggests Isaac will likely miss the rest of the 2019/20 season.

As Robbins writes in a separate story for The Athletic, Isaac’s absence will be a tough blow for a Magic team that had already played below its expectations in the first half. While Orlando currently holds the No. 8 seed, the team had hoped to move up in the standings after winning 22 of its final 31 games last season. Instead, the Magic are just 16-20 so far, and without perhaps their best defensive player, there’s no guarantee they’ll hang onto that postseason spot.

Here’s more on the Magic:

Despite his injury, Isaac is one of two Magic players viewed by Robbins as untouchable in trade talks, as The Athletic’s Orlando reporter details in his deadline primer. The second player? Markelle Fultz, whom team officials believe will continue to improve as a shooter and defender. It’s hard to imagine a scenario in which the club trades either player, Robbins writes.
While Mo Bamba isn’t in the same untouchable tier as Isaac and Fultz, that doesn’t mean the Magic have any interest in moving him, according to Robbins, who suggests the team is unlikely to give up young players or first-round picks for a short-term fix, given the ceiling on this year’s roster.
The Magic face a similar dilemma with Evan Fournier that they did a year ago with Nikola Vucevic and Terrence Ross, Robbins observes. Vucevic and Ross were veterans headed for unrestricted free agency, but Orlando chose not to trade either player and eventually re-signed both. It’s not clear whether the team will head down a similar path with Fournier — Robbins speculates that the Magic will be open to inquiries but would insist on receiving high value in any deal.
Fultz has supplanted D.J. Augustin as the Magic’s starting point guard, but head coach Steve Clifford hasn’t hesitated to play the two guards together, and the results have been positive, writes Josh Cohen of OrlandoMagic.com. Orlando has a 104.7 offensive rating and 106.1 defensive rating on the season, but those marks have improved to 111.4 and 101.9, respectively, when Augustin and Fultz share the court.

Magic May Fill Vacant 15th Roster Spot

January 5th, 2020 at 2:59pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Following injuries to versatile forwards Jonathan Isaac and Al-Farouq Aminu, the Magic are considering filling their vacant 15th roster spot, according to The Athletic’s Josh Robbins (Twitter link).

Lakers Notes: Augustin, Collison, Rondo, Kuzma

January 5th, 2020 at 12:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

D.J. Augustin could be an option for the Lakers as they seek help at point guard, writes Sean Deveney of Heavy. A source tells Deveney the team would be the front-runner to land Darren Collison if he’s serious about returning to the NBA, but the Lakers’ front office is exploring other options as well.

LeBron James has been handling most of the point guard duties, with help from 33-year-old Rajon Rondo and combo guards Alex Caruso and Avery Bradley. Offseason addition Quinn Cook has fallen out of the rotation.

Augustin, who has an expiring $7.25MM contract, would provide a more dependable option in the postseason. Deveney speculates that he might be available if the Magic decide to point toward next season after this week’s injury to Jonathan Isaac, particularly now that Markelle Fultz replaced Augustin as a starter. The Lakers don’t have a second-round pick to offer until 2023, but Deveney notes they do have Talen Horton-Tucker, who was drafted by Orlando last year.

There’s more Lakers news to pass along:

Collison, who said he wants to join one of the L.A. teams, would be the Lakers’ best option if he has kept his game sharp during his brief retirement, writes Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. Pincus points out that Collison spent the 2013/14 season with the Clippers, but also played for Lakers coach Frank Vogel in Indiana.
Rondo said he was convinced to spend another year with the Lakers after the organization acquired two of his former teammates by trading for Anthony Davis and signing DeMarcus Cousins, relays Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Cousins, who hasn’t played because of injury, was especially important, with Rondo telling general manager Rob Pelinka during free agency, “If you go grab Cous, you got me.”
The Lakers have started listening to trade offers involving Kyle Kuzma, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. After hearing his name included in numerous rumors during his first two NBA seasons, Kuzma feels ready for whatever happens, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “I’ve been in trade rumors ever since I came here,” Kuzma said. “I think that’s just a thing that happens when you’re a Laker. You’re always in trade rumors, especially in this time, so it doesn’t really matter at the end of the day. Just control what you can control.”

Jonathan Isaac Out Indefinitely With Hyperextended Left Knee

January 2nd, 2020 at 4:55pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

JANUARY 2: The Magic have released a statement (Twitter link) declaring that, following an MRI today, ascendant third-year forward Jonathan Isaac suffered “a posterior lateral corner injury and a medial bone contusion.”

The team also noted that Isaac would be out indefinitely and will be re-evaluated in eight-to-10 weeks. Orlando is considering “operative and non-operative treatments” for Isaac. This is a huge blow for the Magic, who are already dealing with numerous injuries to their front court as they scrap to make the 2020 playoffs.

ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (via Twitter) that the Magic still have an open roster spot, which could be used to add some frontcourt help.

JANUARY 1: Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel reports that Isaac injured his left knee this afternoon while driving on a layup attempt during the first quarter of game action against the Wizards.

The Magic have tweeted that Isaac’s injury is a hyperextended left knee. They note that he will be re-evaluated with an MRI tomorrow, when the team returns to Orlando.

The 22 year-old big man lingered on the floor for several minutes clutching the knee. He eventually sat up and was carried off the Capital One Arena hardwood of on a stretcher. Isaac’s fellow Magic forwards Aaron Gordon (sore left Achilles) and Al-Farouq Aminu (knee) are also battling injuries.

Isaac, a 6’11” combo forward out of Florida State, was drafted by Orlando with the sixth overall pick in 2017. He has been enjoying his best statistical pro season to date, averaging a solid slash line of 12.3 PPG/7.1 RPG/2.5 BPG/1.6 APG. Isaac is also shooting a career-best 46.3% from the field. Nicknamed the “Minister of Defense” on the Magic, Isaac has been particularly strong on that side of the floor.

If Isaac, Gordon and Aminu miss extended time with their maladies, second year power forward Amile Jefferson, undrafted in 2017, may get additional run for the Magic. Parry noted that Jefferson was the first on-court replacement for Isaac after the starrier Orlando prospect went down today.

According to Josh Robbins of the Athletic (Twitter link) Isaac told his colleague Fred Katz after the game, “I’ve never hurt my knee before. But as I was down there (on the court), I started to feel better and better just being down there. So I kind of felt just a reassurance that I was going to be OK.”