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Trail Blazers Cut Payton, Oliver, Onuaku

October 13th, 2018 at 2:44pm CST by clarkcrum

The Trail Blazers have waived Gary Payton II, Cameron Oliver and Chinanu Onuaku, according to an official release from the team. The news was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. All three players were on fully non-guaranteed contracts, so Portland won’t be on the hook for any money.

With the moves, the Trail Blazers have lowered their roster count to 15 players in anticipation of the upcoming regular season. Portland could have kept one or two of Payton, Oliver, and/or Onuaku as two-way players, but with no G League affiliate, the team decided not to go that route.

Payton, 25, is the son of NBA Hall-of-Famer Gary Payton. He has seen a little NBA action over the last two seasons with the Lakers and Bucks, but spent most of his time in the G League.

Oliver, 22, signed a training camp contract with the Rockets after going undrafted in 2017, but was waived before the regular season. He averaged 10.8 PPG and 7.1 RPG in 39 total G League games last season.

Onuaku, 21, was selected in the second-round of the 2016 NBA Draft, but has only appeared in six NBA regular season games in his first two NBA seasons. Like Payton and Oliver, he has extensive G League experience, playing in 83 total games for the Rockets’ G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers the past two seasons.

Bulls Waive Four Players

October 13th, 2018 at 2:35pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls have released four players from their 20-man preseason roster, the team announced today (via Twitter). Antonius Cleveland, Derrick Walton Jr., Kaiser Gates, and JaKarr Sampson will all become unrestricted free agents on Monday, assuming they clear waivers.

Cleveland was claimed by the Bulls off waivers from the Hawks back in July, while the other three players signed camp deals with Chicago in August and September.

Of the four, Sampson has the most NBA experience, having appeared in 169 total regular season games for the 76ers, Nuggets, and Kings. Cleveland and Walton saw some action last season in Atlanta and Miami respectively, while Gates – a rookie out of Xavier – has yet to make his NBA debut.

The Bulls now have 16 players under contract, with 15 on standard deals and one (Rawle Alkins) on a two-way pact. Today’s moves clear the way for Ryan Arcidiacono, who has a $50K partial guarantee on his contract, to open the season on Chicago’s roster.

Timberwolves Sign Canyon Barry, William Lee

October 13th, 2018 at 2:08pm CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves have signed a pair of players, issuing a press release to announce their deals with free agent guard Canyon Barry and rookie forward William Lee.

Barry, who finished his college career in Florida, joined the Knicks for Summer League action in 2017 after going undrafted, then played for teams in Finland and the Czech Republic. As for Lee, the former Alabama-Birmingham forward averaged 10.4 PPG and 6.8 RPG in his senior year in 2017/18 before going undrafted this spring.

Neither player figures to stick with the Timberwolves once the team sets its roster for the regular season — I imagine we’ll hear very shortly that both players have been waived. However, signing Barry and Lee to Exhibit 10 contracts will allow the Timberwolves to award them bonuses worth up to $50K apiece if they play for the Iowa Wolves – Minnesota’s G League affiliate – for at least two months this season.

Heat Release Briante Weber, Three Others

October 13th, 2018 at 1:40pm CST by Luke Adams

1:40pm: As expected, the Heat have waived Purvis, Putney, and Stokes along with Weber, the team announced today in a press release. They’re all candidates to end up with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Miami’s G League squad.

10:29am: The Heat have moved toward the regular season roster limit by waiving guard Briante Weber, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link). Weber hinted earlier today that he had been released by Miami, tweeting, “Some things just don’t change smh.”

Weber’s frustration is understandable — this is the third time in the last four years that he has been waived by the Heat before the start of the season. He had been hoping this year would be different, suggesting last month that there was “nothing else” for him to do in the G League. “My game speaks for itself down there. I am here for the NBA,” Weber said at the time.

However, after being cut by the Heat, Weber may have to decide between returning to the G League once again or trying to find a job overseas, unless another NBA opportunity arises. The 6’2″ guard has appeared in 87 total G League games, primarily for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, over the last three seasons.

Miami will need to make at least a couple more cuts before Monday to set their roster for the regular season. Rodney Purvis, Raphiael Putney, and Jarnell Stokes remain under contract on non-guaranteed deals, and all three will be released if the Heat decide to start the season with an open roster spot.

Grizzlies Cut Three Players To Finalize Roster

October 13th, 2018 at 1:36pm CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies have finalized their roster for the start of the 2018/19 season, the club announced today in a press release. In order to reach the regular season roster limit, the club waived guard Markel Crawford, guard Brandon Goodwin, and center Doral Moore.

The moves don’t come as a surprise, as the Grizzlies had four players on non-guaranteed salaries and needed to cut at least three of them in order to reduce their roster to 15 standard contracts. The fourth player with a non-guaranteed deal, Andrew Harrison, wasn’t in any real danger of being waived — he remains on Memphis’ roster.

Crawford, Goodwin, and Moore all signed with the Grizzlies earlier this year as undrafted rookies. If they decide to sign G League contracts for the 2018/19 season, Memphis can make them affiliate players, assigning them to the Memphis Hustle.

The Grizzlies are now carrying 17 players, including a pair on two-way contracts.

Spurs Waive Okaro White, Nick Johnson

October 13th, 2018 at 1:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs have removed a pair of players from their preseason roster, announcing today in a press release that they’ve waived forward Okaro White and guard Nick Johnson.

White, who missed a good chunk of the 2017/18 campaign with a broken foot, was waived by the Cavaliers in August and joined the Spurs for camp. Formerly a member of the Heat, the Florida State alum has appeared in 41 NBA games over the last two seasons for Miami, averaging 2.9 PPG and 2.3 RPG in 13.4 minutes per contest.

Johnson, meanwhile, hasn’t played in the NBA since a 28-game stretch with the Rockets during the 2014/15 season. However, he has thrived in the G League, earning NBAGL Finals MVP honors last season for the Austin Spurs. Given the injuries to San Antonio point guards Dejounte Murray and Derrick White this fall, Johnson seemed to have an increased chance of making the Spurs’ roster to start the season, but he’ll hit waivers instead.

San Antonio now has 15 players on standard contracts and one on a two-way deal. I believe Manu Ginobili, who announced his retirement this summer, is also technically still under contract with the team, since his release has yet to show up in the NBA’s transactions logs. If so, the Spurs figure to release him by Monday to finalize their regular season roster.

Lakers Waive Johnathan Williams, Scott Machado

October 13th, 2018 at 12:56pm CST by clarkcrum

The Lakers officially announced that they have waived forward Johnathan Williams and guard Scott Machado, leaving the club with 16 players, including two two-way players, on what is likely their final regular season roster. Shams Charania of The Athletic first reported the news on Williams.

Williams, 23, went undrafted out of Gonzaga after averaging 13.5 PPG and 8.3 RPG during his senior season and earning first team All-WCC honors. He played for the Lakers’ during Summer League in Las Vegas before he signed with the club back in July.

Machado, 28, was looking for a return to the NBA after he appeared in six games for the Rockets during his rookie season in 2012/13. He spent last season with the South Bay Lakers, L.A.’s G League affiliate, where he may very well end up again this season alongside Williams.

Knicks Waive Joakim Noah, Allen, Coby

October 13th, 2018 at 12:35pm CST by clarkcrum

The Knicks have officially announced that they have waived center Joakim Noah, with both Adrian Wojnarowski and Ian Begley of ESPN reporting that the club will utilize the stretch provision on his contract after failing to reach a buyout agreement.

The team also officially announced the release of Kadeem Allen and Jeff Coby, thereby bringing its roster down to 17 players, including two two-way players, in time for the beginning of the regular season.

We wrote in extensive detail about Noah’s situation a few days back, with Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News reporting that the Knicks would likely waive Noah when they set their 15-man regular season roster if and when the team was unable to find a deal to trade the veteran big man.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes, the Knicks will incur an $18.5M cap hit this season for Noah, which could be reduced by $522,252 if the center signs a guaranteed minimum salary contract elsewhere. For the next 3 seasons (2019-20 to 2021-22), the Knicks will be charged $6.4M per season.

Allen, a 2017 second-round draft pick by Boston, spent his rookie season on a two-way contract with the Celtics, but was waived earlier this summer before he signed a one-year, non-guaranteed contract with the Knicks. He could end up with the Westchester Knicks, New York’s G League affiliate, if he’s not picked up on waivers by another team.

Coby, 24, and a member of the Haitian national team, played four seasons in the Ivy League at Columbia before heading overseas and then going undrafted last year before signing with the Knicks earlier this month. He’s also a good bet to end up in Westchester.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pacers Sign, Waive Demetrius Denzel-Dyson

October 13th, 2018 at 12:24pm CST by Luke Adams

1:24pm: Approximately two hours after announcing his signing, the Pacers have waived Denzel-Dyson, according to the team.

While that may seem cruel, Denzel-Dyson is certainly on board — he should be in line for a bonus worth up to $50K as a result of his short stint on the NBA roster, assuming he signed an Exhibit 10 contract and spends at least two months with Indiana’s G League affiliate.

11:33am: The Pacers have signed free agent guard Demetrius Denzel-Dyson, the team announced today in a press release. The move increases Indiana’s roster count to 18 players for now.

Denzel-Dyson, who went undrafted out of Samford University this spring, averaged 15.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 1.1 APG in 30.8 minutes per contest during his senior year.

I expect Denzel-Dyson’s stay with the Pacers will be very brief. The team doesn’t have room for him on its regular season roster, and likely envisions him as a candidate to play for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Indiana’s G League affiliate. He can be designated as an affiliate player by the Pacers if he’s cut and clears waivers.

Pelicans Waive Jarrett Jack, Garlon Green

October 13th, 2018 at 12:21pm CST by clarkcrum

The Pelicans have made two moves to get themselves to the required roster limit in anticipation of the upcoming regular season, officially announcing that they have waived veteran point guard Jarrett Jack and rookie forward Garlon Green.

With the moves, New Orleans’ roster now stands at 16, including two-way player Trevon Bluiett. As Will Guillory of The Athletic notes, these cuts likely mean that both Kenrich Williams and Troy Williams will make the final roster, although it’s possible one of those player’s contracts will get converted to the team’s other two-way deal alongside Bluiett.

Jack, who we indicated yesterday would probably make the team after the front office decided to part ways with Darius Morris, will likely draw some interest from other teams around the league looking for veteran leadership. He has averaged 10.8 points and 4.6 assists per game in his 13 NBA seasons.

Green, meanwhile, who signed with the Pelicans back in July after playing on the club’s summer league team in Las Vegas, averaged 4.0 points and 1.5 rebounds in four preseason games. The team will incur a $50K cap hit for him, which amounts to the amount of money guaranteed to Green in his contract.