Monday the San Antonio Spurs introduced the staff had waived level guard Cameron Payne.
Again on July 17, the Spurs had acquired Payne, a 2025 second spherical decide (through New Orleans), and money issues from the Phoenix Suns in alternate for a protected second spherical decide in 2024.
The following 48 hours can be fascinating to look at within the occasion a staff claims Payne off waivers. Groups with cap house (Indiana Pacers), disabled participant exceptions (Chicago Bulls), and groups with commerce participant exceptions (a number of groups) giant sufficient to soak up Payne’s contract can declare Payne off waivers. Ought to this occur, Payne’s $6.5 million cap hit will not be on the Spurs’ books, and as an alternative on the claiming groups cap sheet.
The Spurs are able the place they’ve too many gamers on assured contracts on the roster. Whereas groups can carry as much as 21 gamers on the roster within the offseason, selections must be made earlier than opening night time, when probably the most gamers a staff can have on the roster are 15 assured contract gamers and three two-way gamers.
With Payne waived, the Spurs now have 17 gamers on assured offers and two gamers on two-way contracts. This implies San Antonio will nonetheless should waive or commerce two gamers on assured contracts earlier than the primary recreation of the season.
When wanting on the Spurs’ cap sheet, the almost definitely gamers to be traded or waived are Khem Birch, Cedi Osman, Reggie Bullock, and/or Devonte’ Graham.
Whereas it’s unknown who the beginning 5 can be, Tre Jones, Graham, and Blake Wesley stay the three level guards on the roster with Payne now gone.
The Spurs can nonetheless add another participant on a two-way contract, however so far as full roster spots go, they’ll must make some extra roster strikes throughout the subsequent month and a half.
Coaching camp is predicted to start within the first week of October after which the primary preseason recreation approaches October 9 towards Oklahoma Metropolis. After 5 preseason video games, the teaching employees and entrance workplace must resolve who can be on the opening night time roster earlier than tip-off of the common season October 25 towards Dallas.
