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Per multiple reports, the Atlanta Hawks have fired head coach Nate McMillan.
The team is 29-30 this season, which is the 8th best record in the Eastern conference.
Their leading scorers so far in 2022-23 are Trae Young at 26.7 PPG, Dejounte Murray at 20.7 PPG, and De’Andre Hunter at 15.9 PPG.
The Hawks offense has been average in the league this season, while their defense needs improvement.
The Washington Wizards have waived forward Will Barton.
Barton was originally acquired from Denver, along with Monte Morris, prior to the start of the 2022-23 season. The 10-year veteran appeared in 40 games for Washington, averaging 7.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.
The Orlando Magic have converted the contract of forward Admiral Schofield to a standard NBA contract, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today.
Schofield (6’5”, 240, 3/30/97) signed as a free agent to a two-way contract by Orlando on July 22, 2022. He has played in 27 games this season, averaging 4.6 ppg. and 1.9 rpg. in 13.0 minpg. He also played in two games (one start) with Lakeland of the NBA G League during the NBA G League Winter Showcase, averaging 13.0 ppg., 2.5 rpg. and 1.0 apg. in 24.2 minpg. Schofield has scored in double figures three times, including a season-high 13 points on December 3 @ Toronto and December 18 @ Boston.
Originally selected in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2019 NBA Draft by Philadelphia, Schofield has played in 98 career NBA regular season games (three starts) with Washington and Orlando, averaging 3.8 ppg. and 1.9 rpg. in 12.1 minpg. He has also appeared in 53 career NBA G League regular season games (50 starts) with Capital City, Greensboro and Lakeland, averaging 14.8 ppg., 5.8 rpg. and 2.3 apg. in 29.5 minpg.
Schofield played in 132 career games (94 starts) during four seasons at the University of Tennessee (2015-19), averaging 11.9 ppg., 5.3 rpg. and 1.3 apg. in 24.9 minpg., while shooting .387 (184-476) from three-point range. As a senior (2018-19), he played and started in 37 games, averaging 16.5 ppg., 6.1 rpg. and 2.0 apg. in 31.7 minpg., while shooting .418 (74-177) from three-point range. He was named to the All-SEC First Team by the conference coaches, earned All-SEC Tournament Team honors and was also an honorable mention All-American by Associated Press. As a junior (2017-18), Schofield was named to the All-SEC Second Team by the conference coaches and earned All-SEC Tournament Team honors.
Schofield wears #25 for the Orlando Magic.
The Orlando Magic have waived guard R.J. Hampton, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today.
Upon clearing waivers, Hampton will become a free agent.
Hampton (6’6”, 190, 2/7/01) has played in 26 games this season with Orlando, averaging 5.7 ppg., 1.5 rpg. and 1.3 apg. in 13.9 minpg., while shooting .838 (31-37) from the free throw line. He scored in double figures eight times, including a season-high 15 points on Oct. 30 @ Dallas and Nov. 3 vs. Golden State.
Originally selected in the first round (24th overall) of the 2020 NBA Draft by Milwaukee, Hampton has played in 141 career NBA regular season games (15 starts) with Denver and Orlando, averaging 7.0 ppg., 2.9 rpg. and 2.0 apg. in 18.8 minpg. He was acquired by the Magic from Denver, along with Gary Harris and a future first round draft pick, in exchange for Gary Clark and Aaron Gordon on Mar. 25, 2021.
Hampton appeared in 116 career games (15 starts) with the Magic, averaging 8.0 ppg., 3.1 rpg. and 2.3 apg. in 20.8 minpg.
On behalf of Chicago Bulls Executive Vice President – Basketball Operations Artūras Karnišovas:
“Despite making significant increases in strength and function over the past several months, Bulls guard Lonzo Ball continues to experience performance limiting discomfort during participation in high level basketball-related activities. Considering the required time period to achieve the necessary level of fitness to return-to-play and the current stage of the NBA season, Ball will not return this season. The focus for Ball will continue to be on the resolution of his discomfort and a full return for the 2023-24 season.”
The Brooklyn Nets and Head Coach Jacque Vaughn have agreed to a multi-year contract extension.
“Jacque has made an immediate and immeasurable impact on our entire organization since assuming the role of head coach earlier this season,” said Nets General Manager Sean Marks. “On the court, he’s clearly demonstrated his leadership through his ability to connect and communicate at a very high level while displaying tremendous instincts for the game. As a person, they don’t come any better than Jacque. His character is impeccable, and there is not a better representative for our team and our borough. We are thrilled to have Jacque lead the Nets for years to come.”
Vaughn took over as Brooklyn’s acting head coach on Nov. 1 and assumed the position on a full-time basis on Nov. 9. Since Nov. 1, Vaughn has guided the Nets to the fifth-best record in the league (32-19), trailing only Boston (38-15), Denver (37-15), Philadelphia (34-15) and Milwaukee (35-17), and the third-best road record in the league (16-11), behind only New York (17-9) and Boston (16-9).
The Miami Heat have signed forward/center Kevin Love.
Per the South Florida Sun Sentinel, “Love, who has been assigned No. 42, was signed to the remaining $3.1 million the Heat had from their biannual exception. The agreement means the Heat cannot put their biannual exception into play in 2023 NBA free agency.”
Per the Miami Herald, “Love (6-8, 251 pounds) helps address multiple Heat needs as a shooting big who can play as a center when Adebayo is on the bench as part of smaller lineups or alongside Adebayo as a power forward. There’s also the possibility that Love will become the Heat’s new starting power forward if the team wants to shift Caleb Martin (6-5, 205 pounds) back to a bench role to play his more natural position as an athletic two-way wing.”
Love, a 2016 NBA Champion, has appeared in 41 games this season (three starts) with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In his three starts, Love averaged 15.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 38.9 percent from the field, 39.3 percent from three-point range and 87.5 percent from the foul line. He scored 21 points, dished out 10 assists and grabbed eight rebounds on November 4 at Detroit, becoming the first player in Cavs history to record at least those numbers off the bench, doing so in only 23:26 minutes, the least amount of time by any reserve in NBA history during the shot clock era (1954).
Love started this season averaging at least 12 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting at least 40 percent from three-point range to become the first player since the 1979-80 campaign to average at least those totals through the first 10 games of a season while playing under 21 minutes per game. He grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds on January 2 vs. Chicago and scored a season-high 29 points on October 30 vs. New York, connecting on a career-tying eight three-point field goals, including five in the fourth quarter, the most treys during a final frame in his career.
Additionally, the HEAT have taken 57 charges this season, the second-most in the NBA, as Love joins the team with 17 of his own, tying the fourth-most by any player in the league this season.
The 15-year NBA veteran has career averages of 17.2 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 30.4 minutes while shooting 43.9 percent from the field, 37.2 percent from three-point range and 83 percent from the foul line. He has shot at least 36 percent from three-point range in 11 different seasons and is just one of four players in NBA history to shoot at least 35 percent from downtown and average at least 10 rebounds in their career.
After nine seasons in Cleveland, he leaves the Cavaliers among the all-time leaders in field goals made (second), defensive rebounds (third), total rebounds (sixth), free throws made (eighth), rebounds per game (eighth), points (ninth) and field goals made (10th).
Love will wear number 42.
The Miami Heat have signed nine-year NBA veteran Cody Zeller.
Zeller last appeared in 27 games with the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2021-22 season and averaged 5.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in 13.1 minutes of action while shooting 56.7 percent from the field and 77.6 percent from the foul line. The former fourth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft and 2013-14 NBA All-Rookie Second Team selection scored in double figures twice last season while grabbing at least six rebounds 11 times and dishing out multiple assists on three occasions. Additionally, Zeller has appeared in 494 career NBA games (273 starts) averaging 8.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 22.2 minutes while shooting 52 percent from the field and 73.1 percent from the foul line.
Zeller will wear number 44.
The Utah Jazz have waived guard Russell Westbrook.
Westbrook (6-3, 200, UCLA) was acquired via trade on Feb. 10, 2023. In his 15th NBA season, he is averaging 15.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists in 28.7 minutes per game.
Per the Salt Lake Tribune, “the nine-time All-Star will instead finalize a buyout with Utah and sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, ESPN reported Monday. The Jazz were set to owe Westbrook $16 million if he played, but this buyout figures to lower that figure.”
More from the Tribune: “The team is expected to give guards Collin Sexton and Talen Horton-Tucker an extended evaluation period to see if they can become pieces of a contending roster.”
The LA Clippers have waived Moses Brown, it was announced today by president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank.
Brown, 23, appeared in 34 games with one start for the Clippers this season, averaging 4.6 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 63.5% from the field. The 7-foot-2 center has appeared in 126 career games, averaging 5.6 points and 5.3 rebounds with the Portland Trail Blazers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Clippers.