Hope Kobe lands somewhere and plays really well!
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Iâm trying to think of a team that could take a chance on giving some young guard a chance. Two years ago, Iâd say the Pistons. Troy liked seeing if he could find a treasure from someone elseâs trash. It never really paid off but he tried.
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Probably going to have to do some work in the g league then capitalize on opportunities. Otherwise itâll be overseas. Best of luck to him.
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OK, so at this stage the intrigue in terms of roster decisions is basically âWill Houstan or Goldin start the year on the NBA roster?â
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This is a Clipper beat guy at the Athletic, canât find elsewhere but maybe Vlad made the opening day roster?:
âȘ@lawmurraythenu.bsky.socialâŹ
2025 undrafted class that won jobs: - Cardwell (SAC) - Love (POR) - Youngblood (OKC) - Hepburn (TOR) - Jones (DEN) - Ndiaye (ATL) - Sallis (PHI) - Telfort (LAC) - Sears (MIL) - Kelly (DAL) - Nembhard (DAL) - Bates (DEN) - Goldin (MIA) - Cisse (DAL) - Mañon (LAL) - Dickinson (NO) - Huntley (PHO)
âŹAlso, Hunter
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Vladâs on a two-way, so is Hunter IIRC.
Yes I know - Iâm saying I believe theyâre both starting the season on the NBA team.
I hadnât been following Hunterâs situation but had written that based on their roster of who was on guaranteed, two-way, and X10 contracts, Goldin being on the NBA roster in Miami made sense.
Gotcha, I think thatâs mostly a list of two-way guys from the class though?
If two-way guys are gonna play around ~50 games, is there something meaningful about where they start the year? The G-League doesnât begin yet, right? Genuinely not sure how that usually works out for those guyhs.
I think it means theyâre in the top 15 (if teams are using all active slots) as of today. Plenty of two-way guys donât really play - so I guess itâs a better sign than not being on the opening roster
Gotcha, looks like the rosters have 17-18 spots listed. I more just mean, it isnât like trying to make the team or something, or like a bunch of two-way guys get cut at this point in the preseason.
A lot of Michigan guys, Big Ten guys and almost Michigan guys on the two-way roster 
I listed the following former UM players on two-way contracts: Houstan, Goldin and Livers plus Castleton and Dickinson. (Not to mention Almost-a-Wolverine Caleb Love.) I donât follow the NBA nearly as much as you and many on the board, but my question is this: Which onw or two of the two-way contract players are a surprise to you that they âonlyâ got as two-way contract? I mean, I donât follow the NBA all that much and I donât know exactly what NBA teams are exactly looking for, but I thought some of the players on the two-way list were REALLY good players in college.
Itâs generally either a result of less than ideal size or incomplete skill set
Like Caleb Love was a good volume on-ball player, but is he so good at that that an NBA team is going to take reps from someone else? If not, what else is left?
I want the Suns in on Kobe. Itâs the type of chance they need to be taking. They have the roster spot I believe too.
At the expense of Livers, tho?
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Heâs in too. I think they just cut Butler and I thought I read they had an open spot now so Suns fans were confused why theyâd cut him.
Kobe would be a nice gamble for their team. They need ball handlers and have no picks. A former first round pick coming off injuries makes a ton of sense at the end of the bench for them imo
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They have 14 guaranteed contracts (room for 1 more) and 3 two-ways (maxed out)
So they could add 1 player. My feeling is that Bufkin at this stage doesnât warrant a guaranteed deal and would be surprised if he got one, but an X10 or something to start makes sense
Iâm not arguing it should be the case, but this team is SHOCKINGLY expensive (7th in payroll) given its quality (big booty cheeks), over the tax, and a minimum deal takes them over the first apron (not the dreaded second, most just cuts down on flexibility some). I donât see them adding a guaranteed deal right now without Bufkin âproving itâ first
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Apparently, the Bufkin thing was a financial charade. The Nets were below the salary floor - at which point they donât get luxury tax disbursements - despite having 15 guaranteed contracts and 3 two-ways. So, they waived Bufkinâs (guaranteed) deal, which they need to pay anyway, and signed another player, getting over the floor.
Donât mean to be a naysayer but if thatâs the rationale behind cutting him, his cachet is not particularly high.
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Load management already for the King!
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