NBA teams are trimming down fast with the Oct. 19 roster deadline closing in, and Oct. 14 brought a fresh wave of cuts across the league. The Lakers, Clippers and Spurs were among the busiest, while the Cavaliers, Nuggets and Raptors also moved on from players as clubs work to get under the 15-man limit.
The Los Angeles Clippers parted with Cam Christie and DeAndre Williams. Christie appeared in the NBA for the Clippers last season and finished with averages of 2.8 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 0.3 steals per game. Williams spent last season with the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats, where he averaged 17.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game, and is likely to join the San Diego Clippers for the 2026-27 season.
The Los Angeles Lakers also made a pair of moves, waiving Cole Swider and Jahmir Young while signing Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones. Swider had averaged 4.0 points and 1.0 rebounds over three preseason games before being let go.
Young, who posted 26.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game in the G League last season, was waived in short order after the Lakers initially cut Swider to make room for him. Both players could land with the Coachella Valley Lakers this season.
San Antonio was the most active team on the day, waiving Taelon Peter, Malik Williams, and Terry Taylor. Peter averaged 13.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists with the Noblesville Bloom in the 2025-26 season, then played two preseason games for the Spurs but managed just 1.5 points and 0.5 rebounds while shooting 20.0% from the field.
Williams last played in the NBA during the 2023-24 season, when he averaged 2.7 points and 5.4 rebounds with the Toronto Raptors. More recently, he spent time with the Bulls’ Summer League team and averaged 3.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks in five games before signing with San Antonio on September 24.
Taylor, who was signed and waived within hours, last played for Sacramento in the 2024-25 season and then averaged 10.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 0.8 steals per game for the G League’s Iowa Wolves in the 2025-26 season. All three are likely headed toward the Austin Spurs.
Cleveland waived Jax Robinson just five days after signing him to a training camp deal. The 23-year-old forward was part of the Cavaliers’ Summer League team and played in five games, starting three, while averaging 9.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 steals on 38.7% shooting. He is likely to wind up with the Cleveland Charge.
Denver also moved on from Steven Crowl on Oct. 14.
The 25-year-old center had previously been on the Utah Jazz’s training camp roster before being waived last season, then spent the 2025-26 season with the Salt Lake City Stars, where he averaged 6.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. He also represented Detroit’s Summer League squad, but did not do enough to earn a spot.
Toronto waived Trey Jemison, who was part of New York’s title-winning squad last season. Jemison was in the Raptors’ preseason group, but Toronto decided he had not done enough to stick as a two-way player. The move gives the Raptors some flexibility to add another player on a two-way contract.
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The issues Kerr pointed to were the ones that tend to matter once the games start counting: turnovers, uneven execution and an offense that never settled into a clean rhythm for long. A rally against the Lakers can still count as a win, but for Golden State it also served as a reminder that a preseason comeback does not necessarily mean the details are where they need to be. [Read more 🡒]
