Pre-camp roster snapshot: Northwest division

Hoops Rumors has spent the last week taking a closer look at each NBA team’s current roster situation, evaluating which clubs still have some moves to make and which ones seem most prepared for training camp to begin.

This series is meant to provide a snapshot of each team’s roster right now, so these articles won’t be updated in the coming weeks as more signings, trades, and cuts are made. You can follow our roster counts page to keep tabs on teams’ open spots as opening night nears.

We’re wrapping up our pre-camp Roster Snapshot series today with the Northwest Division. Let’s dive in…

Denver Nuggets

• Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 15
  • Christian Braun, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Vlatko Cancar, Aaron Gordon, Justin Holiday, Reggie Jackson, Nikola Jokic, DeAndre Jordan, Jamal Murray, Zeke Nnaji, Jalen Pickett, Michael Porter Jr., Julian Strawther, Hunter Tyson, Peyton Watson
• Players on Exhibit 10 contracts: 3
  • Souley Boum, Armaan Franklin, Andrew Funk
• Players on two-way contracts: 3
  • Collin Gillespie, Jay Huff, Braxton Key

The Nuggets, whose last signing came on Aug. 3, apparently wanted to wrap up their offseason activity early. They’ve been carrying a full 21-man roster since then, including a group of 15 players on guaranteed contracts and three on two-way deals that appears pretty regular-season-ready.

The one question is whether Denver will hang onto Cancar, who tore his ACL this summer and may miss the entire 2023-24 season. I wouldn’t expect the Nuggets to make a final decision on him until later in the season when they have a better sense of whether or not they need to use that 15th roster spot on a healthy player. Cancar’s contract includes a $2.35M team option for 2024-25, so he could still provide value before he eventually reaches free agency.

Minnesota Timberwolves

• Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 14
  • Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kyle Anderson, Troy Brown, Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, Jordan McLaughlin, Leonard Miller, Shake Milton, Josh Minott, Wendell Moore, Naz Reid, Karl-Anthony Towns
• Players on Exhibit 10 contracts: 2
  • Daishen Nix, Vit Krejci
• Players on two-way contracts: 2
  • Jaylen Clark, Luka Garza
• Players who have reportedly reached contract agreements: 1
  • Javonte Cooke (training camp)

Squeezing in one more player below the luxury tax line is technically a possibility for the Timberwolves, but it’d be a tight fit, and the team has to account for $1.5M in unlikely incentives in Conley’s contract. I’d expect Minnesota — whose roster is pretty deep already — to be satisfied carrying 14 players into opening night.

That would leave the final two-way slot as the biggest preseason roster issue to resolve. Nix and Krejci both have multiple seasons of NBA experience under their belts but remain eligible for a two-way deal, so they could be viable options for that spot — especially if the Wolves are seeking a player who could step in and contribute right away if needed.

Oklahoma City Thunder

• Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 15
  • Davis Bertans, Ousmane Dieng, Luguentz Dort, Josh Giddey, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Tre Mann, Vasilije Micic, Victor Oladipo, Aleksej Pokusevski, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Cason Wallace, Jalen Williams, Jaylin Williams, Kenrich Williams
• Players on non-guaranteed standard contracts: 3
  • Jack White ($600K partial guarantee), Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins
• Players on two-way contracts: 3
  • Keyontae Johnson, Olivier Sarr, Lindy Waters III
• Players who have reportedly reached contract agreements: 1
  • Adam Flagler (training camp), Caleb McConnell (training camp)

The Thunder’s regular season roster decision won’t be as easy as waiving their players without fully guaranteed contracts, since Joe and Wiggins were solid rotation players last season and White was an offseason signee who has a partial guarantee.

I expect Oklahoma City to trade or waive at least two players with fully guaranteed salaries — Bertans, Mann, Oladipo, and Robinson-Earl are among those whose spots may not be locked in.

Portland Trail Blazers

• Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 12
  • Jerami Grant, Scoot Henderson, Keon Johnson, Damian Lillard, Nassir Little, Jusuf Nurkic, Kris Murray, Rayan Rupert, Shaedon Sharpe, Anfernee Simons, Matisse Thybulle, Jabari Walker
• Players on non-guaranteed standard contracts: 1
  • Moses Brown ($250K partial guarantee)
• Players on Exhibit 10 contracts: 1
  • George Conditt
• Players on two-way contracts: 2
  • Ibou Badji, John Butler
• Players who have reportedly reached contract agreements: 4
  • Antoine Davis (training camp), Ashton Hagans (training camp), Duop Reath(training camp), Malachi Smith (training camp)

The Trail Blazers’ roster situation remains very much in flux, with Lillard still on the trade block and Nurkic another prime candidate to be moved before the season begins.

Until the Lillard situation is resolved — either with a trade or with a decision that he won’t be moved before opening night — it’s hard to say what moves might be needed in Portland. A Lillard deal would likely see the Blazers take back more players than they send out, in which case additional free-agent additions probably wouldn’t be necessary.

Utah Jazz

• Players on guaranteed standard contracts: 12
  • Ochai Agbaji, Jordan Clarkson, John Collins, Simone Fontecchio, Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks, Talen Horton-Tucker, Walker Kessler, Lauri Markkanen, Kelly Olynyk, Brice Sensabaugh, Collin Sexton
• Players on non-guaranteed standard contracts: 3
  • Omer Yurtseven ($1.4MM partial guarantee), Luka Samanic ($400K partial guarantee), Kris Dunn
• Players on Exhibit 10 contracts: 3
  • Taevion Kinsey, Romeo Langford, Nick Ongenda
• Players on two-way contracts: 3
  • Joey Hauser, Johnny Juzang, Micah Potter

With just 12 players on fully guaranteed salaries, the Jazz have some flexibility, but I’d be surprised if they don’t simply start the season with Yurtseven, Samanic, and Dunn filling out the standard 15-man roster.

Yurtseven was an offseason signee, Dunn figures to be in the mix for the starting point guard job, and if the Jazz didn’t want to keep Samanic, they could’ve simply cut him before he received that $400K partial guarantee earlier this summer.

Previously:

• Atlantic Division
• Central Division
• Southeast Division
• Pacific Division
• Southwest Division