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Rockets exercise contract options on Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Usman Garuba and Josh Christopher

The Houston Rockets have exercised the third-year options for Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Usman Garuba and Josh Christopher.

Green was the second overall pick by Houston in the 2021 NBA Draft. He is averaging 20.7 points this season after scoring 20-plus points in 17 of the final 25 games in 2021-22 while earning All-Rookie First Team honors. Green is averaging 2.8 3-pointers made on 37.0% shooting this season and is tied for the fourth-most 3FGM (174) through the first 73 games played of a career.

Sengun was originally the 16th overall pick by Oklahoma City in the 2021 NBA Draft before his rights were acquired by the Rockets. He is averaging 15.3 ppg and 10.3 rpg in four games played this season, up from 9.5 ppg and 5.4 rpg as a rookie in 2021-22. Dating back to 1976-77, Sengun is the first player to have recorded at least 60 points and 40 rebounds while playing fewer than 100 minutes through the first four games played in a season.

Garuba was the 23rd overall pick by the Rockets in the 2021 NBA Draft. In 28 career games, he is averaging 7.5 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.7 spg and 1.4 bpg per 36 minutes played. This past summer, Garuba helped Spain win the FIBA EuroBasket Championship.

Christopher was the 24th overall pick by Houston in the 2021 NBA Draft. Over the final 18 games of 2021-22, he averaged 11.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.6 apg and 1.1 spg in 22.6 mpg while shooting 47.8% from the floor. Christopher had the third-most games of recording multiple steals (21) by any rookie last season.

All four players are 20 years old.

Trail Blazers swingman Josh Hart enters Concussion Protocol

The Portland Trail Blazers today announced that guard/forward Josh Hart has entered the NBA’s Concussion Protocol following last night’s game.

Per the NBA’s Concussion Policy, Hart must go through the return-to-participation process, which can begin no earlier than 24 hours from the time of injury. The return-to-participation process includes a series of steps designed to ensure an athlete exhibits symptom free behavior before resuming full basketball activities. There is no timeframe to complete the process, as each injury and player is different and recovery time can vary in each case.

Lakers bring Russell Westbrook off bench in loss to Timberwolves

The 0-5 Lakers are still trying to find out the best way to utilize Russell Westbrook’s skill-set. Via ESPN.com:

Russell Westbrook came off the bench in a regular-season game for the first time since his rookie year in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 111-102 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves and impressed his team by taking to the role.

“He was great,” said LeBron James, who said Westbrook’s energy “catapulted” L.A.’s overall effort. “He was great all game.”

Westbrook played 33 minutes, more than he had in any of the three games he started this season, and finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and three assists. However, he shot 6-for-17 overall and 5-for-10 from the free throw line and was responsible for five of the Lakers’ 22 team turnovers.

Anthony Davis didn’t play, so LeBron started alongside a very limited supporting cast.

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Magic exercise contract options on Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner and Chuma Okeke

The Orlando Magic have exercised their third-year team options on guard Jalen Suggs and forward Franz Wagner, as well as their fourth-year team options on guard Cole Anthony and forward Chuma Okeke.

All four players are now signed through the 2023-24 season.

Anthony (6’3”, 195, 5/15/00) was originally selected in the first round (15th overall) of the 2020 NBA Draft by Orlando. He has played in 116 career NBA regular season games (102 starts), all with the Magic, averaging 14.9 ppg., 5.1 rpg. and 5.0 apg. in 29.8 minpg., while shooting .842 (336-399) from the free throw line. Anthony participated in the Rising Stars event during 2022 NBA All-Star in Cleveland.

Okeke (6’8”, 230, 8/18/98) was originally selected in the first round (16th overall) of the 2019 NBA Draft by Orlando. He has appeared in 120 career NBA regular season games (39 starts), all with the Magic, averaging 8.1 ppg., 4.5 rpg., 1.9 apg. and 1.21 stlpg. in 24.6 minpg., while shooting .813 (87-107) from the free throw line.

Suggs (6’5”, 210, 6/3/01) was originally selected in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2021 NBA Draft by Orlando. He has played in 50 career NBA regular season games (47 starts), all with the Magic, averaging 11.8 ppg., 4.3 apg., 3.5 rpg. and 1.28 stlpg. in 27.0 minpg. Suggs participated in the Rising Stars event during 2022 NBA All-Star in Cleveland.

Wagner (6’10”, 225, 8/27/01) was originally selected in the first round (eighth overall) of the 2021 NBA Draft by Orlando. He has appeared and started in 84 career NBA regular season games, all with the Magic, averaging 15.2 ppg., 4.6 rpg. and 3.0 apg. in 31.0 minpg., while shooting .860 (196-228) from the free throw line. Wagner was named to the 2021-22 NBA All-Rookie First Team, was named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for December 2021 and participated in the Rising Stars event during 2022 NBA All-Star in Cleveland.

Pelicans exercise contract options on Kira Lewis Jr. and Trey Murphy III

The New Orleans Pelicans have exercised the team’s fourth-year option on guard Kira Lewis Jr. and their third-year option on guard/forward Trey Murphy III.

Selected 13th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, Lewis Jr. has appeared in 78 games off the bench for New Orleans, averaging 6.2 points, 2.2 assists and 1.4 rebounds in 16.0 minutes per contest while shooting.391 from the floor, .298 from three-point range and .841 from the line.

Murphy III, selected 17th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, has appeared in 66 games (two starts) for New Orleans, averaging 6.0 points and 2.6 rebounds in 14.9 minutes per contest while shooting .420 from the floor, .410 from three-point range and .877 from the line.

Pelicans transfer two-way player Dereon Seabron to G League

The New Orleans Pelicans have transferred two-way guard Dereon Seabron to the team’s G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron.

Seabron, 6-7, 180, played two collegiate seasons at North Carolina State, where he averaged 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 56 games. Seabron is coming off of a redshirt sophomore season in which he started 32 games, averaging 17.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists en route to being named the ACC’s Most Improved Player and earning All-ACC Second Team honors.

Seabron appeared in five preseason games for the Pelicans this season, averaging 4.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 7.3 minutes per contest.

The Squadron will host the Lakeland Magic at Legacy Arena in their season opener on Sunday, November 6 at 5:00 p.m. CST.

Babacar Sane signs with NBA G League Ignite team

NBA Academy graduate Babacar Sane of Senegal has signed with NBA G League Ignite, General Manager Anthony McClish announced today.

The 19-year-old guard becomes the fifth NBA Academy graduate to sign with Ignite, joining fellow 2022-23 Ignite players Efe Abogidi of Nigeria and Mojave King of Australia and Ignite alums Dyson Daniels of Australia and Princepal Singh of India.

Sane also joins Abogidi as the two players to sign with Ignite after participating in NBA Academy Africa, an elite basketball training center in Saly, Senegal, for top high school-age prospects from across Africa. A native of Bignona, Senegal, Sane started with NBA Academy Africa in 2019.

Sane was one of the 12 prospects from NBA Academy Africa selected to play in the 2022 Basketball Africa League (BAL) season through the BAL Elevate program, competing for Dakar Université Club.

In international competition, Sane has played with the Senegalese National Team at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 African Qualifiers. He has appeared in five games as the youngest member of the team. Sane also represented Senegal at the 2020 FIBA U18 African Championship, where he averaged 14.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in five games and helped the team reach the final.

Sane becomes the seventh player on the 2022-23 Ignite roster who has not gone through the NBA Draft process yet, joining Abogidi, King, Sidy Cissoko, Scoot Henderson, London Johnson and Leonard Miller. Both Sane and Johnson will be eligible for the 2024 NBA Draft and have signed with Ignite for two seasons.

Ignite tips off its 2022-23 NBA G League season against the Oklahoma City Blue on Friday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET at The Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, Nev.

Wizards 2022 ‘Throwback Night’ will include Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison

The Washington Wizards will reunite the “Big Three” of Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison to celebrate “Throwback Night” in recognition of the team’s 25th anniversary since rebranding to the Wizards. The game will take place on Friday, November 18, when the Miami Heat come to Capital One Arena. Tipoff will be at 7:00 p.m.

As part of “Throwback Night,” the team will recognize Arenas, Butler and Jamison in a halftime celebration for their contributions to the franchise. The trio played together from 2005-06 to 2009-10 and led Washington to three consecutive playoff appearances (2006-2008).

“Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Wizards brand wouldn’t be complete without honoring the contributions of ‘The Big Three’ and having them all together on the same night makes it even more special,” said Wizards President & General Manager Tommy Sheppard. “Gilbert, Caron and Antawn represent a definitive era for the franchise and they deserve to be recognized for the excitement they generated on the court and the impact they had in our community, both of which led to a new generation of Wizards fans.”

The trio recently recorded an interview with Wizards legend and former broadcaster Phil Chenier, which will be featured during pre and postgame coverage of Friday’s game against the Indiana Pacers on NBC Sports Washington (the pregame show will begin at 7:00 with the game set to tip off at 7:30).

The first 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a hat designed by Antawn Jamison.

Following the game, those in attendance can enjoy a postgame concert with R&B artist and producer Teddy Riley. He will be joined by Dave Hollister and Joe. They will entertain fans with classics such as “Stutter,” “I Wanna Know,” “One Woman Man” and “Don’t Leave Me.”