Knicks Sign Isaiah Roby To Multiyear Deal

11:05am: The Knicks have officially signed Roby, the team confirmed in a press release (Twitter link).


9:32am: Roby is getting $400K for the last day of the 2022/23 season, reports Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link). If he had received a minimum-salary deal, Roby would have been paid just $10,932 for the day, but New York was able to give him significantly more than that using a leftover portion of the team’s room exception.

Roby’s minimum salary for next season will be non-guaranteed, Katz adds.


8:40am: The Knicks have agreed to sign forward/center Isaiah Roby to a contract that covers the rest of the season and runs through 2023/24, agents Zach Kurtin and Mark Bartelstein tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Wojnarowski reports that the deal includes “significant” guaranteed money. It’s unclear whether that money will apply to this season’s cap hit (using the remainder of New York’s room exception) or if a portion of Roby’s ’23/24 salary will be guaranteed.

Roby, 25, spent most of the season with the Spurs after being claimed off waivers from the Thunder last summer. He was released just over a month ago when San Antonio needed a roster spot to accommodate its addition of Sandro Mamukelashvili.

In 42 games (11.3 MPG) this season as a Spur, Roby averaged 4.1 points and 2.5 rebounds per night, with a shooting line of .432/.300/.488. He was more effective in 2021/22 in Oklahoma City, averaging 10.1 PPG and 4.8 RPG on .514/.444/.672 shooting in 45 appearances (21.1 MPG) for the Thunder.

As we noted earlier today, the Knicks entered Sunday as one of three teams with a 15-man roster spot open, so no corresponding move will be necessary to make room for Roby. The Lakers and Rockets are the other two teams that still have openings on their standard rosters.

Because Roby was waived on March 3, he won’t be eligible to participate in the playoffs this spring.

Grizzlies Notes: Adams’ Absence, Jackson, Williams, Morant

Now that they know they can’t count on having Steven Adams back for the playoffs, the Grizzlies must embrace the new identity they’ve been establishing without Adams – and his offensive rebounding and screen setting – available, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.

As Cole outlines, that means Jaren Jackson Jr. may face more challenging defensive assignments in the postseason and that everyone will have to help out on the glass, including guards Ja Morant and Desmond Bane.

Cole also suggests that the Grizzlies should look to take advantage of the added versatility of their Adams-less lineups, since having David Roddy, Xavier Tillman, or Santi Aldama on the court makes the team more switchable on defense.

Here’s more on the Grizzlies:

  • Jackson believes he should win this season’s Defensive Player of the Year award, telling Tim MacMahon of ESPN that he wants it “bad.” However, while Jackson’s ability to protect the rim and anchor the Grizzlies’ defense was his greatest asset during the regular season, his scoring on offense might ultimately determine how high the team’s ceiling is this spring, according to MacMahon, who notes that the big man averaged 22.7 points per game on 51.1% shooting in the nine games Morant missed in March.
  • Writing for the Commercial Appeal, Cole looks back at the Grizzlies’ decision to select Ziaire Williams at No. 10 in the 2021 draft. Williams spent much of the 2022/23 season playing in the G League and battling injuries. Meanwhile, Trey Murphy – whom the Pelicans selected with the No. 17 pick they received from Memphis in the trade that also included the No. 10 pick, Adams, and Jonas Valanciunas – has enjoyed a breakout year in New Orleans, averaging 20.4 points per game on .506/.453/.903 shooting in his last 18 games.
  • In an exclusive report, Gus Garcia-Roberts and Molly Hensley-Clancy of The Washington Post provide more details on the off-court incidents that Morant was involved in during the past year and suggest that local police didn’t investigate those incidents as thoroughly as they could have. The Post’s duo identified and interviewed the teenager who was punched by the Grizzlies guard in a pickup game and spoke to a shoe salesman at a Memphis mall who said he was shaken up after allegedly being threatened by Morant.

What To Watch For On Final Day Of Regular Season

Sunday represents the 174th and final day of the NBA’s 2022/23 regular season, with all 30 teams in action at either 12:00 pm Central time (1:00 pm ET) or 2:30 CT (3:30 ET).

Not all of today’s games are must-see matchups, but there’s plenty at stake on Sunday, including several of the postseason seeds in the Western Conference.

Here’s what to watch for on the final day of the ’22/23 regular season:


Western Conference playoff seeding

The Nuggets (No. 1), Grizzlies (No. 2), Kings (No. 3), Suns (No. 4), and Thunder (No. 10) have locked in their seeds in the West, but none of those teams know which opponent they’ll be facing in the first round of the playoffs — or in the first round of the play-in tournament, in OKC’s case.

The results of four games today will determine which clubs end up holding the Nos. 5-9 seeds in the West. Those games are as follows:

  • New Orleans Pelicans at Minnesota Timberwolves
  • Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Lakers
  • Golden State Warriors at Portland Trail Blazers
  • Los Angeles Clippers at Phoenix Suns

There are 16 different combinations of potential winners in those four contests, so we won’t run through every single scenario, but they can all be found right here. Here are a few details, in simplified terms:

  • The Clippers, Warriors, and Lakers currently rank fifth, sixth, and seventh, respectively, and would hold those spots if all three teams win today. The Clippers can’t fall further than No. 7, while Golden State and the Lakers could end up as low as No. 8.
  • The loser of the Pelicans/Timberwolves game will be the No. 9 seed. New Orleans could move as high as No. 5 with a win in that game, while Minnesota would slide up to No. 7 or No. 8 with a victory.
  • The Lakers will be the No. 8 seed if they lose to Utah. If they win, they’ll mostly likely end up at No. 6 or No. 7, though there’s one scenario where they could defeat the Jazz and still drop to No. 8 (if the Pelicans, Warriors, and Suns all win).

The Suns will be resting most of their key players, including Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, and Deandre Ayton, on Sunday, so it would be a surprise if the Clippers lose that one, even though the game is in Phoenix. A Clippers win would lock the team into a first-round matchup against the Suns, which isn’t the most desirable outcome, but the Clips would risk slipping into play-in range with a loss, so they can’t get too clever.

Similarly, with the Blazers in all-out tank mode, it’s hard to imagine the Warriors losing that game in Portland, since doing so could result in a slide to No. 7 or No. 8.

It’s worth noting that all four of these games tip off at 2:30 pm CT, so no teams will take the floor knowing any outcomes of the other three games.


Draft and lottery positioning

There are several draft-related storylines worth monitoring today. Here are a few of the most important ones:

The Mavericks’ top-10 protected pick

With a loss on Sunday, the Mavericks would secure, at worst, the NBA’s 10th-worst record, giving them nearly an 80% chance to keep the top-10 protected first-round pick they owe the Knicks.

If the Jazz win and the Mavericks lose, the two teams would finish in a tie for the ninth-worst record and Dallas’ odds of keeping its first-rounder could increase significantly. If the Mavs were to win a coin-flip tiebreaker in that scenario, they’d have nearly a 97% chance to keep their pick.

On the other hand, a win today might put Dallas in a tie with the Thunder or Bulls for the league’s 10th-worst record and could significantly reduce the Mavs’ odds of hanging onto that first-rounder, depending on the results of the tiebreaker.

The fifth lottery spot

A loss today would assure the Trail Blazers of having the fifth-best odds in the lottery. That would give them a 10.5% shot at the No. 1 overall pick and a 42.1% chance to move into the top four.

A win could move Portland into a tie with the Magic and/or Pacers, potentially reducing those odds to 9.0% and 37.2%, respectively.

The Rockets’ second-round pick

The Pacers and Celtics will be keeping a close on the Rockets and Spurs today. As we previously outlined, Indiana will get Houston’s second-round pick if it’s at No. 32, while Boston will get it if it’s No. 33.

A Houston win and a San Antonio loss today would ensure that pick moves to No. 33; a Houston loss and a San Antonio win would lock it in at No. 32.

If both teams win or lose, that pick would be TBD. Where it lands would hinge on the results of a coin-flip tiebreaker and May’s draft lottery (if the two teams are tied, whichever one gets the lower pick in round one gets the higher pick in round two).

The Pelicans’ swap rights

The Pelicans have the right to swap first-round picks with the Lakers. Heading into today’s games, the two teams have identical 42-39 records.

However, even if the Pelicans win and the Lakers lose, New Orleans won’t necessarily end up using its swap rights — if the Lakers were to make the playoffs via the play-in tournament and the Pelicans lose in the play-in, New Orleans’ pick would be the higher one, regardless of regular season record.


Teams with open roster spots

The Jazz and Nets filled their open roster spots on Saturday, while the Grizzlies also made a series of roster moves in preparation for the playoffs. That leaves just five teams with open roster spots heading into Sunday. Those clubs are as follows:

Open 15-man roster spot:

  • Houston Rockets
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • New York Knicks

Open two-way slot:

  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • Phoenix Suns

It would be a surprise if the Rockets, Lakers, and Knicks don’t fill their roster openings today. There’s essentially no downside to signing a player to a multiyear contract that only includes one day’s worth of guaranteed money, with a team option or non-guaranteed salary for 2023/24.

The Pelicans and Suns could also make two-way signings today, though that’s a little less likely, since it’s harder to convince free agents to sign two-year two-way contracts, and those players won’t be eligible for the postseason.

It’s also worth noting that two of the Trail Blazers‘ hardship 10-day contracts (for Skylar Mays and Shaquille Harrison) expired overnight on Saturday, so if they want to bring those players back for their regular season finale, they’ll need to re-sign them on Sunday.

L.A. Notes: Playoff Race, George, Lakers’ Depth, Roster Spot

The Clippers kept the inside track on the fifth seed in the West, but they had to rally past a depleted Trail Blazers team on Saturday, writes Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. Coach Tyronn Lue admits there was “a lot of cussing” in his halftime speech as L.A. entered the locker room trailing by six after surrendering 70 first half points to a Portland squad that was missing most of its rotation players.

“We gotta be more professional with our approach, and we all realized that wasn’t our greatest first half,” Lue said. “We didn’t play the right way and we just can’t do that. And so they understood; that’s why they came out in the third quarter and played the way they did.”

The Clippers have control over their playoff destiny and can wrap up the No. 5 slot by beating Phoenix on Sunday. However, that would guarantee a first-round series against the Suns, who are undefeated with Kevin Durant in the lineup. Losing to Phoenix would carry an element of risk, as L.A. could still fall into the play-in tournament. Lue assured reporters that his plan is to play to win.

“I mean if you don’t treat the game right, basketball gods will make you pay for it,” Lue said.

There’s more from Los Angeles:

  • Paul George is working out again, but he doesn’t appear close to returning from the sprained right knee that has sidelined him since March 21, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Clippers officials said George didn’t suffer any damage to significant ligaments, but he had to keep the knee immobilized for a long time to promote healing.
  • In Friday’s win over Phoenix, the Lakers‘ reserves showed they can carry the team if LeBron James and Anthony Davis are having off nights, per Elliott Teaford of The Orange County Register. D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Malik Beasley combined for 67 points as L.A. displayed depth that it didn’t have before the trade deadline and kept its hopes alive for a top-six finish. “It’s huge for those guys to be able to carry the load and make some shots and have their own different segments during the game,” coach Darvin Ham said. “Huge, man. The more pressure we can take off Bron and AD to have to go out and save the day or make every play, the better. When they can just play manageable minutes and those other guys step up and play well, it just makes us that much more dangerous. And it saves some gas for our two big dogs.”
  • The Lakers still have an open roster spot, and Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report expects them to fill it Sunday, likely with a multiyear contract that is non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed for next season (Twitter link).

Northwest Notes: Malone, Watson, Edwards, Billups

The Nuggets have clinched the top seed in the West, but coach Michael Malone isn’t happy about the way his team is ending the regular season, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. Even though there was little at stake, Malone used his regular starting lineup for Saturday’s game at Utah. They saw regular minutes for three quarters before the reserves took over in the final frame of a 118-114 loss. Malone was visibly upset after watching his team give up 59 rebounds and get dominated inside.

“Maybe I’m just wired a little differently, man, I’m (ticked) off right now,” Malone said in his postgame press conference. “… The moment you think that losing is OK, it’s just another game, that starts to seep into who you are, the essence of who you are. And I heard a long time ago, there’s two types of people, those who like to win and those who hate to lose.”

Malone added that he hasn’t determined who will play in Sunday’s regular season finale. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray were both productive despite recent minor injuries, and Aaron Gordon said it’s important for all the regulars to stay active with the playoffs approaching.

“It’s not so much about motivation,” Gordon said. “It’s more about continuing to build good habits. If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse.”

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

  • Peyton Watson has been a late-season bright spot for the Nuggets, and some of the league’s best players are noticing, Singer adds in another Denver Post story. Kevin Durant praised the rookie guard, whom he worked out with during the pandemic. “Just liked the type of dude he is, man, and we just built the friendship since there,” Durant said. “I’m rooting for him. He has a bright future.”
  • Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards feels like he’s getting back to normal after dealing with a sprained right ankle and an illness that affected most of the team, per Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Edwards scored 33 points in Saturday’s win over the Spurs, and he hopes it will lead to better things in the postseason. “I feel like I’m back to myself, the young guy in the locker room who bring all the energy,” Edwards said. “… I mean, it was a little frustrating, for real, because I couldn’t play how I wanted to play. I wasn’t having the best games. I wasn’t feeling like myself out there. It was just something I had to go through.”
  • Coach Chauncey Billups would like to see the Trail Blazers add more size and experience this offseason, tweets Mark Medina of NBA.com. “We’re one of the youngest teams in the league,” Billups said. “It’s tough to win that way. It’s almost impossible to win that way.”

Jazz Sign Vernon Carey Jr. To Multiyear Deal

9:07pm: The signing is official, the Jazz announced in a press release.


1:01pm: Free agent center Vernon Carey Jr. has agreed to a new deal with the Jazz, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link), who reports that the agreement will run through the 2023/24 season.

It’s unclear at this time how much – if any – of next season’s money is guaranteed. Woj notes that Carey will also get in reps with Utah’s Summer League team this July.

The 6’9″ big man most recently played for the Wizards, though he failed to crack the club’s rotation before being waived last month. He appeared in just 11 games this season for the Wizards and 14 overall after joining the team at the 2022 trade deadline in the Montrezl Harrell deal with Charlotte.

The former Duke standout, who was drafted 32nd overall by the Hornets in 2020, played in 37 total games for Charlotte and Washington, with career averages of 1.9 PPG and 1.4 RPG in 5.1 MPG.

Carey enjoyed a far more expansive role with Washington’s G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go. He averaged 20.7 PPG on 61.9% field goal shooting, along with 8.3 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.9 SPG and 0.9 BPG. Utah will be hoping that some of that promise translates to the NBA level.

The Jazz had an open spot on their 15-man roster, so no corresponding move will be necessary to sign Carey.

Southwest Notes: Zion, Irving, Mavericks, Porter

After getting more discouraging news about Zion Williamson this week, the Pelicans are preparing to face the start of the postseason without him, writes William Guillory of The Athletic. Executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin announced that Williamson remains out indefinitely due to a hamstring injury, making him unavailable for the play-in tournament or possibly even a first-round playoff series if New Orleans is able to qualify.

Griffin told reporters on Friday that Williamson has participated in 3-on-3 drills with coaches, but he hasn’t been cleared for 5-on-5 scrimmages. Griffin also revealed that Williamson hasn’t met some “objective metrics” in the weight room or on the court, and he’s still hesitant sometimes when pushing off with the injured leg.

“We want Z back, for sure. But we can’t put a lot of time and focus into ‘What ifs.’ Right now, this is reality. That’s what we have to look at,” coach Willie Green said. “Over the last 10 games, we’ve been playing extremely well. We have to continue to do that. When that time comes when Z can step on the floor and go, then it’s, ‘Let’s go.’”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

  • When the Mavericks traded for Kyrie Irving in February, he requested that reporters refrain from asking him about free agency until the season was over, notes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. Those questions are sure to come on Sunday when Dallas ends a disappointing campaign that fell short of the play-in tournament. Townsend adds that although the Mavs have a 9-17 record since trading for Irving, he hasn’t created any distractions in Dallas after a string of off-the-court incidents with Brooklyn. The biggest question facing the team in the offseason is how much of a commitment to make to Irving, who is eligible for a five-year, $272MM contract with the Mavericks or a four-year, $201.7MM deal with another team.
  • After finding themselves under NBA investigation for resting players Friday night with a play-in spot still within reach, the Mavericks will use a depleted roster again on Sunday, Townsend tweets. Irving, Luka Doncic, Reggie Bullock, Tim Hardaway Jr.Josh Green and Maxi Kleber will all sit out the game against the Spurs.
  • Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. will miss Sunday’s game with soreness in his right knee, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. That will leave him at 59 games, one short of the 60 needed to make his games-played bonus for next season considered to be likely. Feigen adds that it won’t affect Porter’s salary (he could still earn the bonus by playing in 60 games next season), but it will open some cap room for Houston to use this offseason. The bonus accounted for $2.38MM of Porter’s cap hit for the 2023/24 season, explains Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).

Spurs Notes: Collins, Popovich, Champagnie, Offseason

Zach Collins doesn’t have a guaranteed contract for next season, but coach Gregg Popovich declared today that he’ll be the Spurs‘ starting center, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. The 25-year-old big man has revived his career over the past two years in San Antonio after an ankle injury caused him to sit out the entire 2020/21 season. Popovich’s declaration means the Spurs are virtually certain to guarantee Collins’ $7.7MM salary for next year.

Collins has excelled since taking over the starting spot after Jakob Poeltl was traded to Toronto in February, Orsborn notes. Over that time, he has averaged 16.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.1 blocks and 1.1 steals in 19 games while shooting 39.2% on three-pointers.

“He’s playing with abandon now, for a long time, for months,” Popovich said. “He’s added the three-point shot to his game, he’s balanced better on the post, he’s playing good defense. “… The fact he can shoot it and has gained confidence in it really makes him that much more dangerous.”

Popovich also revealed that Collins is finished for the season, missing this afternoon’s game and Sunday’s finale after being sent home due to a problem with stitches on his left hand.

There’s more on the Spurs:

  • The pronouncement from Popovich leads to speculation that he has already decided to return to the team next season, tweets NBA writer Marc Stein. The 74-year-old coach, who was announced as a Hall of Fame inductee last weekend, has been running the Spurs since 1996.
  • Julian Champagnie posted his fourth straight double-digit scoring performance on Saturday, Orsborn tweets. The rookie small forward has benefited from an increase in playing time over the past three weeks. “There is really only one way to learn the game, you have to just get thrown out there and learn to play,” Champagnie said. “That’s what they have been giving me.”
  • The most important work for the Spurs will start after the regular season wraps up on Sunday, Orsborn states in another Express-News article. The front office will turn its attention to the draft and free agency after one of the worst seasons in franchise history. However, the Spurs were able to accomplish their main goals, which were maximizing their chances at the No. 1 pick and developing the young talent they already have. “I feel like every single person on the roster got better,” Keldon Johnson said. “Obviously we didn’t win 30, 40, 50 games. We got better every single week and we stayed together the whole time.”

Cavaliers Notes: Okoro, Playoffs, Green, Mitchell

Isaac Okoro will miss his sixth straight game on Sunday with soreness in his left knee, but there’s hope that he might be ready for the Cavaliers‘ playoff opener, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. After today’s practice, Okoro went through an on-court workout, which Fedor described as set shots followed by movement-based jumpers from 18 to 23 feet.

Okoro hasn’t played since March 26, and coach J.B. Bickerstaff said he’s being considered day-to-day. A source tells Fedor that Okoro has a bone bruise that’s causing the soreness, but adds that he probably could have played in the past few games if they had been more meaningful.

Okoro will be part of a long injury list when the Cavs wrap up their regular season tomorrow. Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Caris LeVert and Dylan Windler are all listed as out, while Jarrett Allen is questionable.

There’s more from Cleveland:

  • After being eliminated in the play-in tournament last season, the Cavaliers are enjoying the security that comes with clinching the fourth seed, Fedor adds. The team will open the playoffs next Saturday or Sunday at home against the Knicks. “We are looking forward to it and I think it’s going to be a very, very fun series to play,” Cedi Osman said. “This is what we worked for. We worked really hard for this and I’m happy we achieved and we deserve to be in the playoffs. Now, going to go out there, try to do our best and try to go as far as we can.”
  • Danny Green is the Cavaliers’ most experienced playoff veteran, but he may not be part of the rotation when the postseason begins, Fedor observes in another Cleveland.com story. Green signed with Cleveland in mid-February after reaching a buyout with the Rockets, but he has only played 71 total minutes in seven games with his new team. “Not up to me to decide,” Green responded when asked about his potential playoff role. “They had been winning before I got here so I know they had that rotation of guys that were playing well and they earned their minutes and the right to be in the playoffs and in the rotation. So, it’s up to me to earn my minutes and showcase to the coaching staff that I’m able to help and be ready when my number is called.”
  • Mitchell and Jalen Brunson both had huge scoring outbursts in the regular season meetings between the Cavs and Knicks, Zach Braziller of the New York Post notes in an analysis of the upcoming series. Mitchell averaged 31.8 points per game in the four contests, while Brunson was at 25.3 PPG.

Wizards Notes: Kuzma, Porzingis, Gafford, Future

Kyle Kuzma knows he’ll get a huge contract wherever he goes in free agency, so that won’t be the main factor when he makes his decision on where to play, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Keeping Kuzma, who held an exit interview with team president Tommy Sheppard on Saturday, will be one of Washington’s top offseason priorities. The 27-year-old forward plans to listen to offers from all interested teams and will reach a final decision based on what he believes is best for his future.

“It’s not about money, I’m going to get paid regardless anywhere [I go] and here, too,” Kuzma said. “It’s about can I come into work every day and be the best version of myself, can I help lead guys, can I make other players better, can I light up rooms. All those things matter when you’re trying to be successful.”

Hughes notes that Kuzma has achieved his greatest NBA success during the two years he has spent with the Wizards. His stats have improved compared to his four seasons with the Lakers, and his overall game has expanded. Kuzma told reporters he has enjoyed his time in Washington and indicated that two years of losing might not cause him to seek a more successful franchise.

“I think you have to have patience,” he said. “I believe to certain extents what guys like (Damian Lillard) and even (Bradley Beal have said), those guys where they talk about how the grass is not always greener and stuff. Just because you go to a contender doesn’t mean you’re going to win a championship right away because health can be a factor.”

There’s more from Washington:

  • Kristaps Porzingis, who’s involved in extension talks with the Wizards, said he can foresee a long-term future with the team, per Ava Wallace of The Washington Post. Porzingis posted career highs in scoring and field goals percentage this season while appearing in 65 games, his largest total since 2016/17. “This was a great opportunity for me last season when I got traded here,” he said. “This was one of the places that I was looking at and I thought I could fit there very well, and, yeah, it’s been great. I believe this is a great place for me also, going forward.”
  • The Wizards will add center Daniel Gafford to their lengthy inactive list for the season finale on Sunday, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic.
  • Failing to reach the play-in tournament marked another disappointing season in Washington, states Candace Buckner of The Washington Post, who adds that a late-season tank left the team with only a remote chance to land one of the draft’s top prizes. Buckner reviews the season to determine what went wrong for the Wizards and whether there’s reason to believe the future will be any brighter.