NBA Blog: The NBA basketball news blog section of Inside Hoops
The San Antonio Spurs yesterday waived Two-Way guard Jamaree Bouyea.
Bouyea appeared in five games for the Spurs in the NBA 2K25 Summer League in Las Vegas, averaging 11.8 points, 3.6 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 3.00 steals in 24.3 minutes.
In three games for the Silver and Black last season, Bouyea averaged 3.7 points and 3.0 rebounds in 12.7 minutes. In 12 games with the Austin Spurs, he averaged 15.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 6.25 assists and 2.33 steals in 36.2 minutes.
The Dallas Mavericks recently re-signed forward Markieff Morris.
Appearing in 26 games last season for the Mavericks, Morris (6-9, 245) averaged 2.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 8.3 minutes and broke double-digit scoring once in 2023-24 by scoring 10 points (4-9 FG, 2-5 3FG) alongside five rebounds and four assists in Portland (12/16/23).
Throughout 776 career NBA games, 379 of which were starts, with Dallas (2023-24), Brooklyn (2022-23), Miami (2021-22), the Los Angeles Lakers (2019-21), Detroit (2019-2020), Oklahoma City (2019), Washington (2016-2019) and Phoenix (2011-16), Morris averaged 10.3 points, 4.9 rebounds,1.5 assists, and 23.6 minutes. After being acquired by the Lakers in 2019-20, Morris helped Los Angeles to an NBA championship, appearing in each of the 21 playoff games that season.
As the 13th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, the 13-year veteran was selected by the Phoenix Suns following three seasons (2008-11) at the University of Kansas.
The Orlando Magic recently signed four free agents – guard/forward Jarrett Culver, guard Myron Gardner, forward Jalen Slawson and forward Tre Scott, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced.
Culver (6’6”, 195, 2/20/99) played in 29 games (22 starts) last season with Rio Grande Valley of the NBA G League, averaging 20.9 ppg., 6.9 rpg., 3.6 apg. and 1.93 stlpg. in 32.4 minpg., while shooting .380 (65-171) from three-point range.
Originally selected in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2019 NBA Draft by Phoenix, Culver has appeared in 144 career NBA regular season games (43 starts) with Minnesota, Memphis and Atlanta, averaging 6.5 ppg., 2.8 rpg. and 1.2 apg. in 17.3 minpg. He has also played in 52 career NBA G League regular season games (36 starts) with College Park and Rio Grande Valley, averaging 19.2 ppg., 7.2 rpg., 3.2 apg. and 1.60 stlpg. in 32.2 minpg.
Culver played in 75 games (58 starts) during two seasons (2017-19) at Texas Tech, averaging 14.9 ppg., 5.6 rpg., 2.7 apg. and 1.31 stlpg. in 29.5 minpg. In 2018-19, he received numerous accolades, including Second Team All-America by The Associated Press and was named the Big 12 Player of the Year. Culver led the Red Raiders to their first-ever NCAA Final Four appearance and to the 2019 NCAA Championship Game.
Gardner (6’6”, 220, 5/21/01) played in 31 games last season with Osceola of the NBA G League, averaging 4.8 ppg. and 4.3 rpg. in 15.1 minpg..
Undrafted by an NBA franchise, Gardner appeared in 46 career games (43 starts) during two seasons at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (2021-23), averaging 12.1 ppg., 8.1 rpg., 3.2 apg. and 1.17 stlpg. in 30.7 minpg. He was named to the All-Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Second Team in 2022-23. Gardner also played one season (2020-21) at South Plains College and one season (2019-20) at Georgetown University.
Slawson (6’7”, 215, 10/22/99) played in 12 games last season with Sacramento, averaging 0.7 ppg. in 3.1 minpg. He also played and started in 30 games with Stockton of the NBA G League, averaging 13.6 ppg., 8.1 rpg., 3.9 apg., 1.43 blkpg. and 1.17 stlpg. in 34.4 minpg.
Originally selected in the second round (54th overall) of the 2023 NBA Draft by Sacramento, Slawson played in 153 career games during five seasons (2018-23) at Furman University, averaging 9.9 ppg., 5.5 rpg., 2.4 apg., 1.25 stlpg. and 1.18 blkpg. in 24.0 minpg., while shooting .518 (535-1,033) from the floor. He was named the 2022-23 Southern Conference Player of the Year, leading the Paladins to the conference regular season title and their first NCAA Tournament win since 1974.
Scott (6’8”, 225, 11/25/96) played in a combined 26 games (four starts) last season with both Greensboro and Osceola of the NBA G League, averaging 6.3 ppg. and 3.0 rpg. in 18.2 minpg. He appeared in nine games with Osceola, averaging 6.2 ppg. in 13.3 minpg.
Undrafted by an NBA franchise, Scott has appeared in two career NBA regular season games with Cleveland, averaging 3.0 ppg. and 1.0 rpg. in 5.5 minpg. He has also played in 80 career NBA G League regular season games (46 starts) with Salt Lake City, Agua Caliente, Cleveland, Greensboro and Osceola, averaging 10.0 ppg., 5.4 rpg. and 1.6 apg. in 27.6 minpg. Scott has also played professionally in Puerto Rico (2020), France (2022-23) and Canada (2023).
Scott played in 136 career games (65 starts) during four seasons at the University of Cincinnati (2016-20), averaging 6.5 ppg., 5.7 rpg. and 1.3 apg. in 21.2 minpg. He was named the American Athletic Conference’s (AAC) Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player in 2019-20. Scott also earned All-AAC First Team honors in 2019-20.
The Miami Heat recently waived Bryson Warren and Malik Williams.
Warren appeared in 17 regular season games (two starts) with the HEAT’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, last season and averaged 7.8 points, 1.9 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 19.6 minutes. He recently appeared in three Summer League games with the HEAT, including two during the California Classic in San Francisco and one while helping Miami capture the championship in the NBA2K25 in Las Vegas.
Williams appeared in 33 regular season games (24 starts) with the Sioux Falls Skyforce last season and averaged 11.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.21 blocks and 23.2 minutes while shooting 43.6 percent from the field. He also appeared in seven games (two starts) with the Toronto Raptors from April 3 through April 14 and averaged 2.7 points and 5.4 rebounds in 15.3 minutes of action.
The Long Island Nets, the NBA G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets, have named Tevin Baskin, Fortune Solomon and Jorge Gutiérrez as assistant coaches on Head Coach Mfon Udofia’s staff. They join Associate Head Coach Shawn Swords on Long Island’s bench.
Swords returns to Long Island for his second season as associate head coach after joining the organization ahead of the 2022-23 season as an assistant coach. Swords previously spent 15 seasons (2007-2022) as head coach at Laurentian University in Ontario, Canada, where he also played five collegiate seasons (1992-97) and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics. Prior to beginning his coaching career, the Ottawa native played professionally overseas for a decade (1997-2007) in France and Italy and on Team Canada at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
Baskin enters his third season with Long Island and his first as an assistant coach. He originally joined the Nets staff ahead of the 2022-23 NBA G League season as an assistant video coordinator/player development and was elevated to head video coordinator/player development the following season. Prior to joining the Nets, the Stamford, Conn., native spent one season (2021-22) at Mississippi State as the director of recruiting and analytics, where he also served as a graduate assistant for two seasons (2018-20). Baskin played two collegiate seasons (2012-14) at Appalachian State and later earned a master’s degree in workforce education leadership from Mississippi State.
Solomon joins Long Island as an assistant coach after spending the 2023-24 season as an assistant coach with the NBA G League’s Raptors 905. Prior to his stint with the 905, he spent two seasons (2021-23) as an assistant coach with the South Bay Lakers and four seasons (2017-21) with the Oklahoma City Thunder as a player development analyst. The Hayward, Calif., native also brings international coaching experience to Long Island, serving as an assistant coach for the South Sudan Men’s National Team since 2021, including the team’s recent performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Prior to beginning his professional coaching career, Solomon spent one season (2012-13) at the University of California, Bakersfield as head video coordinator before joining the University of San Francisco basketball program as a graduate assistant during the 2013-14 season, where he also earned a master’s degree in sports management.
Gutiérrez enters his first season with Long Island and his first as an assistant coach. He joins the coaching ranks after an 11-year professional career (2012-23) including three seasons (2013-16) in the NBA with Brooklyn, Milwaukee and Charlotte. Gutiérrez also played four seasons in the NBA G League with the Cleveland Charge (2012-16) and was selected by the Charge with the 26th overall pick in the 2012 NBA G League Draft. Prior to beginning his professional career, Gutiérrez played four collegiate seasons (2008-12) at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies. The Chihuahua, Mexico native received Pac-12 Player of the Year and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors during his senior season with the Golden Bears.
Additionally, Steven Kaner has been elevated to head video coordinator/player development. He enters his fourth season with Long Island after joining the organization as a team attendant ahead of the 2021-22 season.
The Portland Trail Blazers have signed guard Taze Moore to a Two-Way contract, it was announced today by Trail Blazers General Manager Joe Cronin.
Moore originally signed a 10-day contract with the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 20, 2024, then signed for the rest of the season on April 14. He appeared in four games during 2023-24 NBA season for Portland and totaled 18 points (8-19 FG, 1-2 FT), eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. In the season finale for the Trail Blazers on April 14, Moore scored a career-high 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists in 30 minutes at the Sacramento Kings.
The Houston alum appeared in 22 games for the Trail Blazers NBA G League affiliate, Rip City Remix during the 2023-24 season, accruing averages of 15.6 points (49.8% FG, 35.1% 3-PT, 73.3% FT), 5.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.4 steals in 30.7 minutes per game. Moore was originally acquired by the Rip City Remix on Jan. 11.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have re-signed center Tristan Thompson, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.
Thompson (6-10, 250), a member of the franchise’s first-ever NBA championship team in 2016, appeared in 49 games this past season, averaging 3.3 points and 3.6 rebounds in 11.2 minutes per contest. Selected by the Cavaliers as the No. 4 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and at the time was the highest drafted Canadian-born player in league history, Thompson ranks among the franchise’s all-time leaders in offensive rebounds (second, 2,188), total rebounds (third, 5,567), defensive rebounds (fifth, 3,379), blocks (fifth, 461), games played (fifth, 668) and minutes (eighth, 17,922). His 447 consecutive regular season games played from Feb. 10, 2012 to April 4, 2017 remains the longest streak in Cavaliers history.
The 13-year NBA veteran center has played in 779 regular season games (478 starts) for Cleveland, Boston, Sacramento, Indiana and Chicago with averages of 8.7 points on .521 shooting from the field and 8.1 rebounds in 25.8 minutes per contest.
Thompson, who started all 21 postseason games during the Cavaliers’ 2016 NBA title run, has played in 104 playoff games (70 starts) over his career, averaging 6.5 points on .557 shooting from the field and 7.2 rebounds in 25.2 minutes. Thompson is also the Cavaliers’ all-time postseason leader in offensive rebounds (297) and ranks second in franchise playoff history in total rebounds (686), third in defensive rebounds (389), second in games played (88), fourth in blocked shots (68), ninth in points scored (613) and ninth in field goals made (231).
The Cleveland Cavaliers have finalized their coaching staff for the upcoming 2024-25 season and named Johnnie Bryant as Associate Head Coach and Jordan Ott, Mike Gerrity, DeMarre Carroll, Trevor Hendry, Omar Cook, Bryan Tibaldi and Nate Reinking as Assistant Coaches on Head Coach Kenny Atkinson’s staff, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman and Atkinson announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.
To support the coaching staff, the Cavaliers have hired Alex Sarama as Director of Player Development and Patrick Licursi as Advance Scout. DJ Ham has been named Player Development/Video Assistant, Andrew Olson as Shooting Coach and Austin Peterson as Manager of Coaching Analytics. Additionally, the Cavaliers have also hired Aaron Robinson and Luke Webb as Video Assistants, as well as Adrian Culea as Special Assistant to the Head Coach.
Bryant brings over a decade of NBA experience to Atkinson’s staff, including the previous four seasons as associate head coach of the New York Knicks. Before joining New York, Bryant spent eight seasons with the Utah Jazz, serving as an assistant coach for six seasons (2014-2020) and two seasons as a player development assistant (2012-2014). Additionally, he ran the Bryant Sports Academy for three years (2009-2012), which helped develop the skills of NBA players along with numerous European players. Bryant played college basketball at the University of Utah, leaving the school as the 20th all-time leading scorer (1,301 points) and the leader in three-point field goal percentage (.440) while also earning dual bachelor’s degrees in human development and family studies and sports management. Following his college career, the Oakland, CA., native went on to play professionally overseas in Germany.
Ott was most recently an assistant coach for the past two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers (2022-2024). Prior to his tenure with the Lakers, Ott served as an assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets for six seasons (2016-2022), where he worked under Atkinson on the sidelines for his first four years in Brooklyn. Before working as an NBA assistant coach, Ott was the video coordinator for the Atlanta Hawks from 2013 to 2016. He served in the same capacity with the Michigan State men’s basketball program for five seasons (2008-2013) under Hall of Fame head coach Tom Izzo. Ott received his bachelor’s degree from Penn State in 2006 and earned his master’s degree from Michigan State in 2008. The McConnellsburg, PA, native also served as an assistant coach with the Dominican Republic national team in the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship in Mexico City.
Gerrity joins Atkinson’s staff after serving the previous two seasons (2022-2024) as head coach of the Cleveland Charge, the Cavaliers’ exclusively owned and operated NBA G League team. In his first season at the helm, he led the Charge to a 30-20 record, tying for the second-most regular season wins in team history, as well as securing the franchise’s first playoff win since the 2015-16 season. Gerrity also served as an assistant coach for the Cavaliers in 2021-22 and spent three seasons as the team’s Director of Player Development/Assistant Coach from 2018 to 2021. His additional roles with the organization include two seasons as Director of Player Development for the Charge and Player Development Assistant with the Cavaliers from 2016 to 2018, and an Assistant Video Coordinator in 2013. Before his coaching career, Gerrity played two seasons in the NBA G League for the Dakota Wizards, Erie BayHawks, and Maine Red Claws. He starred at the University of Southern California in 2009-10 after playing collegiate basketball at Pepperdine and UNC Charlotte.
Carroll comes to Cleveland after spending the previous two seasons as an assistant coach with the Lakers (2023-24) and Milwaukee Bucks (2022-23). Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Carroll played in the NBA for 11 seasons, including two seasons under Atkinson during their time with the Brooklyn Nets. Over his NBA playing career, Carroll appeared in a combined 578 games (339 starts) for Houston, San Antonio, Brooklyn, Toronto, Atlanta, Utah, Denver and Memphis with averages of 8.9 points and 4.2 rebounds in 23.7 minutes. He made at least 100 three-pointers in four of his NBA seasons and was a starter on Atlanta’s 60-win team in 2014-15. Drafted by the Grizzlies as the 27th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, Carroll also appeared in 64 career playoff games (52 starts), posting averages of 8.9 points and 4.3 rebounds in 27.4 minutes. He was an All-Big 12 First Team selection during his collegiate years at the University of Missouri.
Hendry arrives in Cleveland after spending the previous two seasons (2022-24) as an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets and the four seasons prior to that (2018-22) as Brooklyn’s head video coordinator. Hendry originally joined the Nets organization in 2014, serving in a variety of basketball operations roles prior to entering the video room. He then spent one season (2016-17) as video and player development assistant for the Long Island Nets in the NBA G League and one season in the same role for the Brooklyn Nets (2017-18) before becoming head video coordinator for Brooklyn where he worked under Atkinson for parts of four seasons. Prior to joining the Nets organization, the Waterford, CT, native earned both a Bachelor of Arts in business and a Master of Business Administration from Clark University in Worcester, MA.
Cook held the role as assistant coach/player development with the Cavaliers last season. He originally joined the organization in 2022-23 as an assistant coach with the Charge after a successful 22-year professional basketball career that included stints in the NBA and NBA G League, as well as playing professionally in over half a dozen countries internationally. Cook has led five different leagues in assists in a season and has been part of two FIBA Champions League winning teams (2020, 2021). The Brooklyn, NY native was a McDonalds All-American and First-Team Parade All-American at Christ the King High School and starred at St. John’s University before being drafted by the Orlando Magic as the 31st overall pick in 2001.
Tibaldi was most recently the player development/video assistant (2021-2024) for the Cavaliers after joining the organization as an assistant coach with the Charge during the 2019-20 campaign. Prior to that, he spent two seasons as an assistant at Cleveland State University, two seasons as the Director of Basketball Operations at DePaul (2015-2017), four years as a video coordinator and director of operations at Missouri (2011-2015) and two seasons as assistant video coordinator basketball operations assistant with the Chicago Bulls (2009-2011). A 2007 graduate of Michigan State, Tibaldi was a two-year letter winner as a walk-on for the Spartans. Following his playing days, Tibaldi was a graduate assistant under Tom Izzo from 2007-09, earning his master’s in Kinesiology in 2009.
Reinking enters his second season as Assistant Coach with the Cavaliers. He was previously Assistant Coach/G-League Liaison from 2021-2023 and Head Coach for the Charge from 2016-2021 when he held a combined 107-101 record over that span. Reinking has over 20 years of collegiate, professional and international experience as both a player and coach. He was named the head coach of the Great Britain National Team in the summer of 2019, leading the team on a 4-0 run, and continuing a record-setting seven-game winning streak, to secure a spot in a EuroBasket 2021 qualifying group. Additionally, he coached the team in the 2022 FIBA EuroBasket Games. Before beginning his coaching career, Reinking played for Great Britain from 2005-12, representing the nation in international tournaments such as the Olympics and European Championships. The Galion, OH, native graduated from Kent State University in 1996 after a four-year playing career with the Golden Flashes and was inducted into the school’s Varsity “K” Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019.
The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard-forward Vincent Valerio-Bodon.
Valerio-Bodon (6’9”, 200) appeared in 25 games (five starts) for the South Bay Lakers last season, averaging 6.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.2 blocks in 18.3 minutes. The 23-year-old scored in double figures in seven regular season contests, including a season-high 19 points at Santa Cruz March 27. On the international stage, he appeared in 83 games across four seasons (2019-23) playing for the Hungarian A League, averaging 5.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 19.8 minutes.
Valerio-Bodon most recently suited up for the Lakers’ 2024 summer league team, appearing in four contests (one start) and averaging 4.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 13.5 minutes.
The Indiana Pacers have signed guard T.J. McConnell to a contract extension.
“It is safe to say that every team in the NBA would like a player that possesses the same intensity, competitive spirit, and passion for the game and his teammates as T.J. McConnell,” said President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard. “T.J. has become a steadying veteran presence for our team both on and off the court, and his value to our franchise cannot be overstated. He was an integral part of our success last year and we’re happy that he will continue to be a part of what we’re building here.”