There is about a month left in the NBA offseason, and only three teams have filled all their training camp spots. Conversely, nine teams have 14 or fewer players on standard contracts.
According to the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, NBA teams are permitted to carry 15 players on standard deals, though they must carry 14 players on their regular-season roster.
During the period from the first day of the Regular Season through the last day of the Regular Season (or, for Teams that qualify for the “postseason” (as defined below), through the Team’s last game of the Season), each Team agrees to have either fourteen (14) or fifteen (15) players, in aggregate, on its Active List and Inactive List.
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Phoenix, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Oklahoma City, Detroit, Minnesota, New Orleans, Sacramento, and Cleveland are the teams without 15 players. However, the Cavaliers are the only squad beneath the 14-player threshold, as they currently have 12 on their roster.
In addition, 10 NBA teams have at least one two-way spot available, including three (Orlando, Brooklyn, and Cleveland) with two open minor league contracts up for grabs.
While several quality veterans are still on the open market, some youngsters are still available. E.J. Liddell, Taevion Kinsey, Jaylin Galloway, and Leaky Black are some young players who recently became available after being released by NBA squads. But I’m going to look at four recent draft picks who are still available. These players are Quenten Post, Nikola Djurisic, and Luke Travers.
Quenten Post
Post is one of two unsigned draft picks in 2024. The 24-year-old, 7-foot Amsterdam native, who became the first Netherlands player to be drafted in 15 years, was selected by Golden State with the No. 52 draft pick. On draft day, he was traded twice to OKC and Portland before being sold back to the Warriors for cash.
Post spent five years in college, playing the first two seasons at Mississippi and three years at Boston College. Post started to enter the NBA prospect as a senior with the Eagles due to his shooting ability and was named 2023 ACC Most Improved Player.
He really came into his own as a graduate player. He was named to the 2024 All-ACC second team and All-ACC Defensive team.
Here is NBA.com’s scouting report on Post:
Post is a traditionally sized center with three-and-D upside. Over his past two seasons at BC, he went 73-for-170 (43%) from distance. That translated to the free-throw line, where he shot 144-for-173 (83%). On the block, he uses his size and strength to make basic hook shots and drop steps. However, his limited athleticism doesn’t make him a top-shelf lob threat. It also doesn’t help on defense, where he struggles outside of the paint. Post, for his size, is also simply an adequate rebounder.
Golden State has 18 players under contract for 2024-25. The Warriors have 14 players on standard contracts with Gui Santos having a nonguaranteed deal. The Dubs also have all three of their 2-way spots filled with Reece Beekman, Daequon Plowden, and Pat Spencer.
The Warriors have three training camp spots left, having already signed Jackson Rowe to an Exhibit 10 deal. It would be surprising if Post doesn’t get a training camp deal unless he finds somewhere to play overseas as a draft and stash prospect.
Post likely needs some seasoning in the G-League, and the Warriors don’t really need in the frontcourt now. He did show off his offensive versatility during the summer league, compiling 10.0 points on 63.6% shooting and 40.0% from the 3-point line, along with 2.5 rebounds in 15 minutes over two contests.
Nikola Djurisic
Djurisic will likely sign with the Atlanta Hawks, who traded for him on draft day in a three-team deal after being selected by the Miami Heat with the No. 42 pick. But there is no hurry, as he suffered a fractured left foot during the NBA Summer League. He is expected to be out until at least November.
The 20-year-old 6-8 Serbian wing has played professionally since 2020 in his native country. He spent the last three seasons with KK Mega Basket. He was tabbed as the Euroleague NGT in 2022 and the ABA League Top Prospect in 2023.
Djurisic is known for his shooting ability. Here is his NBA.com scouting report:
Djurisic stands at 6-foot-8 and has excellent positional size, as his shooting touch and overall instincts resemble those of a shooting guard rather than those of a small forward. He’s an effective passer and can score at all three levels, often using his dribbling ability to create for himself but also showing vision to create for others. Djurisic had an excellent showing in the 2024 NBA Draft Combine, which certainly boosted his draft stock. Djurisic has top-notch shooting mechanics, and his size allows him to easily shoot over defenders, particularly when deployed in the backcourt. He needs to improve his decision-making and passing ability, but he’s shown promise there and could be a serviceable playmaker at the NBA level. One area where Djurisic needs improvement is on defense: he lacks lateral quickness to defend on the perimeter but he compensates for that with effort and above-average size.
Djurisic struggled in his two Summer League appearances. In 33 minutes of action, he scored nine points on 2 of 7 shooting, including 0 of 3 from the 3-point line and 5 of 9 from the free throw line. He also compiled two assists and five turnovers.
Atlanta currently has all 15 roster spots and three two-way slots filled. So, we will see what happens once he is cleared.
Luke Travers
The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Travers with the No. 56 pick in 2022, though he has remained in Australia the last two seasons as a draft and stash prospect. He spent the 2022-23 campaign in the NBL1 with the Cockburn Cougars and last season with Melbourne United. Melbourne United granted the 22-year-old his release to pursue NBA opportunities.
The 22-year-old, 6-7 wing has spent three summers with the Cavaliers, including this past season. Travers is best known for his high-motor and all-around game. He averaged 8.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists with shooting splits of 48.7/0.0/87.5%.
Travers is expected to sign with Cleveland, with the most likely scenario being a two-way deal.
“Cleveland has three standard roster spots, plus all three (now two) of their two-way spots, still open,” Olgun Uluc/ESPN Australia said. “It’s expected that Travers will fill one of those open spots for the Cavaliers for next season.”
