Nuggets make final roster cuts ahead of opening night

Cut-down day has come for the Denver Nuggets, who waived two players Friday ahead of opening night Oct. 17 against the Clippers.

The team released reserve point guard Donald Sloan and Xavier Silas, who were both signed to training camp deals.

Sloan, 30, appeared in two preseason games for Denver. He logged 22 minutes against the Lakers in the Nuggets’ second preseason matchup, finishing with 12 points, three rebounds and four assists. Sloan has played for five different NBA teams across his five-year career and will try to sign with another franchise in need of point guard depth ahead of the regular season opener or head overseas. The 6-foot-3 point guard spent the last two seasons playing for the Guangdong Southern Tigers in China.

Silas, 30, appeared in two games for the Nuggets this preseason. He played 12 minutes against the Clippers, going scoreless and finishing with two rebounds and one assist. Silas plans to stay local but will “stay ready for the right opportunity,” he told BSN Denver.

Emanuel Terry, who was waived earlier this week after spending training camp and a portion of the preseason with the Nuggets, signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Terry is likely heading to the Cavs’ G League affiliate but logged six minutes in Cleveland’s preseason loss to the Pistons Friday, recording two points and two rebounds.

The Nuggets have 17 players on their roster for opening night in Los Angeles Oct. 17. Denver also has two players — undrafted free agent DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell and Thomas Welsh — signed to two-way deals.