July 2017 – Page 4 – NBA Blog – NBA Basketball Blog

Spurs sign Matt Costello to a two-way contract

The Spurs have signed forward Matt Costello to a two-way contract.

Costello, 6-10/240, most recently played with Minnesota in the 2017 MGM Resorts Summer League, leading all players in rebounding in Las Vegas and averaging a double-double of 11.3 points and 12.0 rebounds to go along with 1.75 steals and 1.25 blocks in 25.8 minutes. He also appeared in the 2017 Orlando Pro Summer League with Orlando.

Spending last season with the Iowa Energy of the NBA G League, Costello averaged 9.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.65 blocks in 25.3 minutes over 23 games (14 starts). After going undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft, the forward played for Atlanta last preseason, averaging 4.0 points and 3.5 rebounds in 9.0 minutes.

Costello played four years at Michigan State and is the school’s all-time leader in blocked shots (146). During his senior season, Costello averaged 10.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.20 blocks in 22.9 minutes, earning All-Big Ten honors.

Two-way contracts were added to the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement and will go into effect for the 2017-18 season. Each team will now be able to have the standard 15 players on their roster, as well as up to two additional players on two-way contracts. Two-way players will spend the bulk of the season in the NBA G League, which includes San Antonio’s exclusively owned and operated affiliate, the Austin Spurs.

Heat sign Derrick Walton Jr. to two-way contract

The Heat have signed guard Derrick Walton Jr. to a two-way contract.

Walton appeared in four Summer League games (one start) with the Magic in Orlando and averaged 10.0 points, 3.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 20.5 minutes while shooting 46.9 percent (15-of-32) from the field, 50 percent (6-of-12) from three-point range and 66.7 percent (4-of-6) from the foul line. His 50 percent shooting from downtown tied for the third-highest during the Orlando Summer League with a minimum of 10 attempts.

Walton appeared in 127 games (126 starts) at the University of Michigan, becoming the only player in program history to score at least 1,000 points, grab 500 rebounds and dish out 400 assists. Among the school’s all-time leaders, he finished second in free throw percentage (.837), third in starts, fourth in assists (499), tied for fourth in three-point field goals made (233), seventh in steals (146), eighth in minutes (4,053), tied for 15th in games played and 22nd in points (1,471). He helped lead the Wolverines to the 2017 Big Ten Championship and was named the Big Ten Tournament MVP as he continued to guide Michigan to a Sweet 16 berth in the NCAA Tournament after defeating No. 2 Louisville in the previous game. Additionally, he dished out a single-game school record 16 assists at Nebraska on March 5, 2017 and recorded just the fifth triple-double in Michigan history after tallying 10 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists against Youngstown State on December 19, 2015.

Pistons sign Luis Montero to two-way contract

The Pistons have signed guard/forward Luis Montero to a two-way contract.

Montero, 6-7, 190, played 49 games last season with the Sioux Falls Skyforce and the Reno Bighorns of the NBA G League. In 36 games with Sioux Falls (15 starts), Montero averaged 8.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.0 steals in 24.4 minutes per game. He was traded to Reno on March 2, 2017 and averaged 8.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.0 steals in 13 games with the Bighorns. Montero played in four games with the with the Santa Cruz Warriors during the 2015-16 season and averaged 16.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.8 blocks in 28.3 minutes per game. He saw action in 12 NBA games with the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2015-16 season and averaged 1.2 points, 0.3 rebounds and 0.1 assists.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Montero played one year at Westchester Community College (2013-14) where he averaged 15.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.

Per NBA rules, teams are permitted to have two Two-Way players on their roster at any given time, in addition to their 15-man regular season roster. Two-Way players for the Pistons will provide services primarily for the Grand Rapids Drive, the team’s G League affiliate, but can spend up to 45 days with the Pistons, not including any time prior to the start of the Drive’s training camp and at the conclusion of their season.

Report: Knicks to hire Gerald Madkins

As the memory of Phil Jackson steadily fades, the Knicks will soon make another front office hire. Here’s the NY Post reporting:

According to multiple league sources, Gerald Madkins will be named the Knicks new assistant general manager, leaving the Clippers, where he was director of basketball operations since September 2012.

Madkins, 48, who played parts of three NBA seasons with the Cavaliers and Warriors, has been an executive with four other NBA teams — including the Knicks, for whom he served as a scout from 2003-2007.

Sources said Madkins was “going to New York” after his time in Los Angeles, but the Knicks have not formally announced the hire. That could come this week. One other source, acknowledging the team’s interest, said any definitive claims of a hire were “premature.” But that could be a matter of a variation on Yogi Berra’s claim that “it’s not done till it’s done.”

Hawks add Nicolas Brussino off waivers

The Hawks have claimed guard/forward Nicolas Brussino off waivers, it was announced today by General Manager and Head of Basketball Operations Travis Schlenk. He was waived by the Dallas Mavericks on July 20.

Brussino, 6’8, appeared in 54 games as a rookie last season with the Mavericks, averaging 2.8 points and 1.8 rebounds in 9.6 minutes. He also spent time with the Texas Legends of the NBA G League, averaging 16.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 35.8 minutes (.628 FG%, .520 3FG%, .842 FT%) in five contests.

Prior to Dallas, the 24-year-old played professionally in his native Argentina with Penarol (2015-16) and Regatas Corrientes (2012-15). He has also been a member of the Argentinian National Team since 2012, including participating in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Jazz sign Ekpe Udoh

The Utah Jazz announced yesterday (Friday) that the team has signed forward/center Ekpe Udoh (pronounced EPP-ay You-Doe) to a multi-year contract.

Standing 6-10 with a 7-foot-4½-inch wingspan, Udoh (6-10, 245, Baylor) enters his first season with the Jazz, after a successful stint with Fenerbahce Ulker (Turkey) from 2015-17. During the 2016-17 season, he appeared in 61 games (47 starts) in the Euroleague and Turkish Basketball Super League, averaging 11.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.9 blocks in 29.4 minutes per game. Udoh led Fenerbahce to their first ever Euroleague title and was named Final Four MVP. He averaged 14.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 3.5 blocks in wins against Real Madrid and Olympiacos Piraeus in the semifinals and finals, respectively. He finished the season leading the Euroleague during league play in rebounds per game (7.8) and blocks per game (2.1) while setting a single-season Euroleague record with 68 blocks.

The 30-year-old was also named a 2017 All-Euroleague First Team member and Turkish Super League All-Star as well as a runner-up for the Best Defender Trophy.

Originally selected in the first round (sixth overall selection) of the 2010 NBA Draft by Golden State, Udoh has appeared in 270 career games (52 starts) over five seasons in the NBA with Golden State, Milwaukee and the LA Clippers. He owns career averages of 4.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 16.9 minutes.

Udoh played two collegiate seasons at Michigan (2006-08) where he was named to the All-Big Ten Defensive Team as a sophomore before transferring to Baylor. During his lone season with the Bears, he set a Big 12 and Baylor record with 133 blocks leading to All-Big 12 and All-American recognition by conference coaches and media after averaging 13.9 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 3.7 blocks in 35.1 minutes over 36 games.

A fan favorite known throughout his basketball travels for establishing book clubs and holding movie nights with fans, Udoh was born and raised in Edmond, Okla., where he attended Santa Fe High School. Of Nigerian descent, his full given name is Ekpedeme, which translates to “Lion.”

He will wear No. 33 for the Jazz.

Nets sign Yakuba Ouattara

The Brooklyn Nets yesterday (Friday) signed Yakuba Ouattara to a two-way contract.

Ouattara (6’3”, 185) spent the 2016-17 season playing for AS Monaco Basket of the French LNB Pro A league. In 32 total games, he averaged 11.8 points on 51.4 percent (147-of-286) shooting from the floor, including a 40.0 percent (40-of-100) clip from beyond the arc, while pulling down 3.3 rebounds in 23.9 minutes per contest.

A native of Tepa, Ghana, Ouattara has been a member of the French national team because of the unavailability of a Ghanaian national team. The 25-year-old began playing professionally in 2012 and spent two seasons playing for Elan Chalon (2012-14) in the French LNB Pro A league before joining AS Monaco Basket for the past two seasons (2015-17).

Per NBA rules, teams are permitted sign two players to two-way contracts in addition to the 15-man regular season roster. A two-way player for the Nets will provide services primarily to the team’s NBA G League affiliate – the Long Island Nets – but can spend up to 45 days with Brooklyn, not including any time prior to the start of Long Island’s training camp and at the conclusion of their season.

Grizzlies sign second rounder Dillon Brooks

Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace announced yesterday (Friday) that the Grizzlies signed 2017 second round draft pick Dillon Brooks.

Brooks (6-6, 220), selected 45th overall pick by the Houston Rockets and traded to the Grizzlies for a future second round draft pick, appeared in 35 games (27 starts) and averaged 16.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.09 steals in 25.3 minutes last season as a junior at the University of Oregon. The 21-year-old, who led the Ducks to their first Final Four since 1939, was named the 2017 Pac-12 Player of the Year and earned All-Pac 12 First Team and All-America First Team honors from USA Today. In addition, Brooks also was one of five finalists for the Julius Erving Award, given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the nation’s top collegiate small forward.

The Mississauga, Canada native appeared in 109 games (98 starts) over his three-year career at Oregon and averaged 14.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 28.9 minutes.

Thunder sign Dakari Johnson

The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed center Dakari Johnson, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

During the 2016-17 G League season, Johnson played in 49 games (all starts), leading the Oklahoma City Blue to its first Southwest Division title, as he averaged a team-leading 18.5 points per game (13th in the league) and 7.9 rebounds in 29.0 minutes. He set career highs in points, assists (2.3), blocks (1.27) and field goal percentage (.557) in the regular season.

“Dakari is the latest Thunder player to have benefitted from his commitment to his development plan with the Blue,” said Presti. “As a result, he showed tremendous growth on both ends of the floor over the past two seasons and is ready to embark on his NBA career more prepared. Dakari adds to the core of young talent on our roster that we feel is an important tenet to our ability to sustain our success as we enter into a decade of Thunder basketball.”

The center was named Performer of the Week twice and was named the Player of the Month for November this past season. Johnson became the first player in franchise history to be named to the All-NBA G League First Team and was selected to the G League All Star Game.

Johnson’s assists ranked first among all centers in the G League last season and he contributed a career-high 13 double-doubles while scoring in double figures 45 times.

Originally selected No. 48 overall in the 2015 NBA Draft, the University of Kentucky standout spent two full seasons with the Blue, appearing in 99 games (96 starts), and tallying 15.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.21 blocks in 28.3 minutes.

Hawks re-sign Ersan Ilyasova

The Atlanta Hawks have re-signed forward Ersan Ilyasova, it was announced today by General Manager and Head of Basketball Operations Travis Schlenk.

According to multiple reports, it’s a one-year, $6 million contract.

“Ersan is a versatile and skilled big man who impacts the game on both ends of the floor,” Schlenk said. “He was a good fit in Coach Bud’s system, and we’re glad we were able to retain him.”

In 26 games (12 starts) with Atlanta last season, the veteran forward averaged 10.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 24.3 minutes. He also appeared in 53 games with Philadelphia and three contests with Oklahoma City last season, playing in 82 games for the first time in his career. The 6’10 forward led the NBA in charges taken, drawing 36 offensive fouls.

He was acquired by the Hawks from the 76ers on February 22, 2017, in exchange for Tiago Splitter, a 2017 second-round pick and the right to swap another 2017 second-round pick.

Through nine NBA seasons, Ilyasova is averaging 11.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 24.4 minutes (.442 FG%, .366 3FG%, .770 FT%).