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Most teams across the league got their work done early, trimming their rosters on Saturday ahead of Monday’s regular-season deadline, as detailed by Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors.
The early wave of cuts ensures players on non-guaranteed contracts clear waivers before the season begins. Teams that wait until Monday to make a move will be on the hook for two extra days of salary.
Teams Already Set
Of the 30 NBA clubs, 29 are already in compliance with the league’s roster limits of 15 standard contracts and three two-way deals.
Ten teams are carrying the full 15 on standard deals and three on two-ways:
The Hornets, Bulls, Mavericks, Pacers, Grizzlies, Pelicans, Thunder, Kings, Spurs, and Jazz.
Fifteen more teams are carrying 14 players on standard contracts and three on two-ways.
That list consists of the Hawks, Celtics, Nuggets, Pistons, Warriors, Rockets, Clippers, Lakers, Heat, Timberwolves, Knicks, Magic, 76ers, Suns, and Raptors.
Several of those clubs are pressed up against a hard cap — including the Warriors, Rockets, Clippers, Lakers, Knicks, and Magic — making it impossible to add a 15th man without shedding salary elsewhere.
Others are sitting near the tax line and keeping the final roster spot open for flexibility.
Detroit is one of the few teams comfortably below the tax and could still add a player if it chooses.
Still Some Room
The Cavaliers and Trail Blazers each remain one two-way spot short of the league maximum, Adams noted. Cleveland currently has 14 players on standard contracts and two on two-way deals, while Portland has 15 and two. Both teams are expected to fill those final two-way openings soon.
The Remaining One
That leaves just one team still needing to make a move. That team would be (drumroll, please) the Nets.
Brooklyn has 16 players on standard contracts and two on two-ways. Jalen Wilson’s partial guarantee and Tyrese Martin’s non-guaranteed deal make them the most likely cuts, but the Nets also need to stay above the salary floor.
To do that, they may have to guarantee more of one of their contracts before letting them go.
The Bucks were in a similar spot with 16 standard contracts — but are cutting Tyler Smith as a solution, per reports. Smith’s deal is fully guaranteed at nearly $2 million.Â
The Wizards, meanwhile, had also been sitting at 16 before waiving Dillon Jones on Sunday to reach the roster limit.
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