The Mavericks spent Tuesday shuffling the back end of their preseason roster, cycling through several names at the 21st spot before landing on a bigger body.
Dallas first waived Matt Cross, then used that opening to sign guard Darin Green Jr. Green didn’t last long either. The Mavericks then moved on from him to add forward Chris Mantis, and after that, Mantis was waived so the team could sign Jorge Diaz Graham.
The newest addition appears to have a bit more staying power than the others. Dallas announced Diaz Graham’s jersey number - No. 23 - which suggests he’ll stick around at least for now rather than being cut right away. The 6-foot-10 forward/center had already been taken by the Texas Legends with the No. 1 pick in this year’s NBAGL international draft, so the Mavericks’ G League affiliate had his rights in place.
Diaz Graham also spent time with Dallas in July during Summer League after finishing his college run at Oregon State. Across five games in Las Vegas, he put up 7.2 points and 5.4 rebounds in 18.2 minutes per night.
Green, Mantis and Diaz Graham are all believed to be on non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contracts, which would make them eligible for bonuses of up to $91K if they’re waived and then spend at least 60 days with the Legends this season. Green was in Israel last season with Hapoel Holon, while Mantis played rotation minutes for the Capital City Go-Go. The Legends had already picked up both players’ returning rights in separate trades.
Elsewhere around the league, the Clippers brought Fletcher Loyer back on a new Exhibit 10 deal after waiving Yuki Kawamura on Monday. Loyer, a former Purdue guard, had been with L.A. for the first week of training camp before getting cut last Tuesday. His prior contract also came with a full $91K bonus, so the Clippers may be giving him another look with their open two-way spot in mind.
The Jazz also made a move, waiving big man Mohamed Wague. Utah signed the undrafted rookie forward/center to an Exhibit 10 contract last week, and he’ll receive a $5K bonus if he spends at least 60 days with the Salt Lake City Stars in the G League this season. With Wague gone, the Jazz now have one open spot on their 21-man preseason roster.
In Other News...
Clippers Just Made A Tough Call On A Guard Fans Noticed
The Clippers trimmed their camp roster by waiving point guard Yuki Kawamura, a move that fits the usual churn around preseason as teams sort out the back end of the roster. Kawamura had been on an Exhibit 10 contract, the kind of low-risk deal that gives a player a chance to stick through camp while keeping doors open for a potential G League path.
Los Angeles has been making the same kind of housekeeping moves other teams around the league are making, with New Orleans waiving Caleb Houstan, Dallas signing Matt Cross and Memphis bringing in Zach Cleveland. For Kawamura, the next step is now tied to where he lands in the system, and the Clippers still have that developmental route available if he stays in their orbit. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Just Opened A Roster Spot With Yuki Kawamura Decision
The Clippers have made another early roster move, waiving Japanese point guard Yuki Kawamura and trimming their preseason group to 20 players. Kawamura had been with Los Angeles on an Exhibit 10 contract after previous two-way stints with the Grizzlies and Bulls, giving him a chance to compete for a deeper look while the team sorted through its backcourt options.
For now, the path appears to lead back toward the G League, where the Clippers affiliate can keep him in the organization if he chooses to continue there. His brief preseason run was enough to show why the team brought him in, and this next decision will determine whether that stay becomes more than just an audition. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Already Have One Huge Offensive Problem To Solve
The Clippers went into the offseason looking for more punch, and on paper they got it by adding Brandon Ingram to a roster that needed another go-to scorer. The idea is straightforward enough: once healthy, Ingram is supposed to be the primary option for Tyronn Lue, with Darius Garland already in place and Rui Hachimura offering some support behind him.
The problem is the timetable, and it leaves Lue trying to map out an offense before the pieces are really in place. Ingram is still recovering from a partially torn Achilles, while Bradley Beal is dealing with knee inflammation and may not be ready when the season opens, which means the Clippers may have to lean on limited scoring options longer than they hoped. [Read more 🡒]