The Nets finalized their 15-man regular-season roster Sunday with a shock transfer, waiving third-year guard Kobe Bufkin, who they acquired final month from the Atlanta Hawks for money concerns.
Bufkin, the fifteenth general choose within the 2023 NBA Draft, appeared in two preseason video games for Brooklyn, averaging 7.0 factors and a pair of.5 rebounds in 10.9 minutes per contest. Lastly wholesome after two injury-plagued seasons in Atlanta, the 22-year-old now enters free company on the lookout for a recent alternative.
By waiving Bufkin, the Nets will enter the common season $190K above the minimal wage flooring and maintain $15.3 million in accessible cap house, in accordance with ESPN’s Bobby Marks. If the Nets had failed to succeed in the minimal wage flooring, which is 90 % of the cap, they might have forfeited their share of the league’s projected $12.8 million luxurious tax distribution per group.
The Nets waived former first-round choose Dariq Whitehead and massive man Drew Timme final week. Their finalized group of ordinary contracts now consists of Cam Thomas, Egor Demin, Ben Saraf, Nolan Traore, Michael Porter Jr., Terance Mann, Ziaire Williams, Haywood Highsmith, Drake Powell, Tyrese Martin, Jalen Wilson, Nic Claxton, Day’Ron Sharpe, Noah Clowney and Danny Wolf. They’ve one open two-way spot.
Some anticipated Brooklyn’s ultimate roster spot to return right down to a battle between Wilson and Martin, however each gamers will enter the common season with their spots safe.
Brooklyn opted to maintain Haywood Highsmith over Bufkin regardless of the veteran’s harm issues. The group introduced Sunday that Highsmith, acquired from the Miami Warmth in August, skilled proper knee swelling throughout his restoration from a meniscectomy. He’ll bear a modified rehab program and be re-evaluated in eight weeks.
