The final round of roster decisions is forcing three teams to weigh the same uncomfortable tradeoff: keep the veteran, or make room by moving on from a younger player.
According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, that conversation is playing out in Memphis, Charlotte and Dallas as teams sort through trades and cuts before opening night.
In Memphis, the Grizzlies still need to open up two roster spots if they don’t complete a trade. Fischer reports that GG Jackson II and Walter Clayton Jr. have come up in those discussions, but there’s a wrinkle with Jackson. Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal says the Grizzlies are not discussing trades involving the young forward, leaving conflicting reporting to sort through as the team works its way toward a decision.
One name that does seem to be gaining traction as a cut candidate is Micah Peavy. Fischer says he is viewed as a strong possibility to be waived. Clayton, meanwhile, is a player to watch, though Fischer’s reporting only points back to past interest: the Warriors and Heat were intrigued by him before last year’s draft, but he did not name either team as a current suitor.
Charlotte is facing a similar squeeze, only the veteran the Hornets want to keep is Pat Connaughton. Fischer identifies Tidjane Salaun, the No. 6 pick in 2024, as a possible trade or waiver candidate if Charlotte holds onto Connaughton, whose salary is non-guaranteed. Liam McNeeley could also end up vulnerable.
That would be a major call on Salaun so soon after the Hornets used a high lottery pick on him. Fischer says Salaun improved over the summer, but his preseason has not done much to lock down his spot. He also notes that the view of Salaun’s upside has shifted, with the player now projecting more like a potential rotation piece than the star Charlotte originally imagined.
Connaughton’s appeal is more immediate. Fischer describes him as a valued locker room leader, which puts Charlotte in the position of deciding how much space it wants to carve out for that kind of presence. Neither Salaun nor McNeeley has been cut or traded.
Dallas is dealing with its own version of the same problem. The Mavericks want a path to keep Dwight Powell, whose value to the organization goes beyond his stat line. Powell’s partial salary guarantee rises from $1 million to $1.5 million if he makes the opening-night roster, and Fischer reports that Dallas is looking for ways to retain him.
That could leave second-year center Moussa Cisse on shaky ground. If Cisse becomes available, Fischer says there could be outside interest, with Philadelphia potentially looking his way after Ariel Hukporti suffered a torn Achilles in preseason. Jericho Sims of Milwaukee is another name Fischer identifies as a possible future target for the Sixers.
For now, though, that Philadelphia angle is only something to watch. The immediate issue in Dallas is Powell. And in all three cities, the same old roster math is doing its work: a veteran’s value can quickly become a younger player’s problem.
In Other News...
Charles Lee Called Out What Still Holding Back The Hornets
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Lee also singled out one player for bringing a true two-way mindset, noting the value of impact on both offense and defense as the team tries to establish a better standard. For a Hornets group still working to turn stretches of competitiveness into something more dependable, that kind of buy-in is part of the foundation, even if the bigger breakthrough is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Christian Anderson Jr. Showed Hornets Fans Exactly Why He Matters
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The Hornets were already short on guard help, so Andersons return arrived at a useful moment for a backcourt trying to sort itself out. He said he wants to contribute on both offense and defense, and the outing backed that up, with his energy on the perimeter and willingness to make plays showing up even in a preseason setting. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Make Another Back-End Roster Move With A Familiar Purpose
The Hornets kept working the edges of their preseason roster shuffle this week, cycling through a pair of undrafted guards as they continue sorting out Exhibit 10 candidates. Charlotte waived forward Wyatt Fricks, then signed DaJuan Gordon before waiving him and bringing in Latrell Wrightsell, a familiar kind of back-end move for a team trying to stock its camp with developmental depth and G League ties.
Gordon and Wrightsell both arrive with G League experience, which fits the purpose of these transactions as much as the names themselves do. Charlotte is not alone in taking this route, either, with teams like the Rockets, Hawks, Jazz and Nets using similar waiver-and-signings to line up their preseason paperwork and keep roster flexibility intact while the deeper competition for jobs plays out. [Read more 🡒]