While the NBA transaction rumor mill has been relatively quiet for most the season, this week signifies a major change in the atmosphere of player movement around the league. As of Monday morning, teams can offer 10-day contracts to free agents for the first time this season, while the vast majority of players already under contract will see their salaries become fully guaranteed on Thursday.
NBA cuts: Key league dates ignite flurry of minor moves
With the impending deadline for guaranteed contracts looming and the new availability of 10-day contracts, NBA teams made a flurry of minor transactions over the past few days.
Ezra Shaw
Between those two key dates on the NBA schedule, teams across the league are scrambling on both ends -- to sign the most appealing free agents to 10-day contracts, the NBA equivalent of extended tryouts, and to waive players with non-guaranteed contracts before the deadline. That’s led to a flurry of transactions throughout the NBA, which we’ve conveniently compiled below.
- The Indiana Pacers waived forward Sam Young on Sunday to open a roster spot for Dominic McGuire, who was signed to a 10-day contract on Monday after being waived by the New Orleans Hornets. Young, in his fourth year out of Pittsburgh, averaged 3.6 points and 2.9 rebounds in 18 games played.
- The Washington Wizards released Shelvin Mack on Monday, just weeks after signing him to a non-guaranteed contract. The move signals that fellow guard Garrett Temple will have his contract guaranteed for the rest of the season, Michael Lee of the Washington Post reports.
- The Philadelphia 76ers will sign point guard Maalik Wayns to a 10-day contract on Tuesday, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld reports. The report comes less than a day after the Sixers released Wayns in order to avoid paying his non-guaranteed contract for the remainder of the season.
- The Los Angeles Lakers waived guard Darius Johnson-Odom, the 55th overall pick in the 2012 draft, on Monday. He appeared in just four games with L.A. this season, playing a total of six minutes.
- The Houston Rockets waived rookie point guard Scott Machado in order to make room for newcomer Patrick Beverley, who signed with the team on Monday. A 24-year-old point guard, Beverley was MVP of the 2011-12 Eurocup while playing for Spartak in St. Petersburg, Russia.
- The Dallas Mavericks will sign point guard Mike James to a 10-day contract on Monday night, ESPN's Marc Stein reports. He'll replace guard Chris Douglas-Roberts, who was waived Sunday, on the Mavs' roster.
- The New Orleans Hornets signed Donald Sloan to a 10-day contract on Monday, Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. The point guard has been playing in the D-League since being released by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Christmas Day.
- The Boston Celtics waived guard Kris Joseph and forward Jarvis Varnado on Sunday get a little bit of cap flexibility - the Celtics could be looking to move a player out of a loaded backcourt that will soon see the return of Avery Bradley.
- The Miami Heat waived big man Josh Harrellson on Monday. The 45th overall pick in the 2011 draft, he played a total of just 28 minutes for the Heat this season.
- The Cleveland Cavaliers waived forward Samardo Samuels on Sunday after the 23-year-old appeared in 18 games with the team this season. The 6'9", 260 pounder averaged 3.2 points and 1.6 rebounds with the Cavs this year, also spending time with the team's D-League affiliate.
- The Minnesota Timberwolves waived guard Lazar Hayward just days after picking him up as a free agent. The Marquette product appeared in two games with the T-Wolves after signing on Dec. 31.
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