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Mavericks sign Grant Riller, convert McKinley Wright IV’s deal into a two-way contract

The Dallas Mavericks have converted guard McKinley Wright IV to a Two-Way contract and signed guard Grant Riller.

Wright IV (5-11, 192) originally signed with Dallas on Aug. 15 and appeared in all three games for the Mavericks during the 2022 exhibition season, averaging 3.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 13.8 minutes per game. In his preseason debut, Wright IV recorded eight points, a game-high 10 assists, zero turnovers and a game-high plus-11 rating in the Mavericks’ 98-96 victory over the Thunder in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Oct. 5.

Wright IV, who is set to turn 24 years old on Oct. 25, went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft after a four-year career at the University of Colorado, where he finished as the school’s all-time leader in assists (683) and double-figure scoring games (109). The three-time First Team All-Pac-12 selection (2019, 2020, 2021) also became the only men’s basketball player in Pac-12 history to produce at least 1,800 points, 600 assists and 600 rebounds.

Riller (6-1, 190) was selected by Charlotte in the second round (56th overall pick) of the 2020 NBA Draft and signed a Two-Way contract with the Hornets on Nov. 30, 2020. He appeared in seven games for Charlotte as a rookie and averaged 2.6 points in 3.9 minutes per contest. Riller also saw action in 13 games (all starts) for the Hornets’ G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, in 2020-21 and averaged 13.1 points, 3.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 25.7 minutes.

Riller signed a Two-Way deal with Philadelphia on Aug. 30, 2021, but was waived by the club on Dec. 19, 2021, after appearing in four Showcase Cup games for the franchise’s G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.

The Orlando, Florida, native was a four-year player at the College of Charleston, where he earned First Team All-CAA honors in each of his final three seasons for the Cougars (2018, 2019, 2020) and finished as the third player in program history to eclipse 2,000 career points.

Timberwolves convert Luka Garza’s deal to a two-way contract

The Minnesota Timberwolves have converted the contract of center Luka Garza to a two-way contract.

Garza, 6-10, appeared in four preseason games for the Wolves averaging 7.3 points on 61.1% (11-of-18) shooting, including 66.7% (4-of-6) from three and 2.3 rebounds per game. His top performance of the preseason came against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 15 when he scored all 15 of his points in the fourth quarter of the Timberwolves’ 118-113 win.

He spent last season with the Detroit Pistons where he averaged 5.8 points on 44.9% shooting and 3.1 rebounds per game in 32 games (five starts). He played in 16 games (all starts) last season for the Pistons’ G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise and averaged 20.6 points on 51.8% shooting and 9.5 rebounds per game.

The Washington D.C. native spent four seasons at the University of Iowa, where he ended his college career as Iowa’s all-time leading scorer (2,306 points), marking the seventh-highest scoring total in Big Ten history. Garza earned unanimous 2020-21 National Player of the Year honors after averaging 24.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.6 blocks and 31.6 minutes per game in 31 games during his final season. Additionally, he was named a two-time unanimous All-America First Team selection (2020-21 and 2019-20) and two-time Big Ten Player of the Year (2020-21 and 2019-20).

Garza was originally selected by the Pistons with the 52nd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Hawks add Jared Rhoden off waivers

The Atlanta Hawks claimed guard Jared Rhoden off waivers, it was announced today. He was waived by Portland on October 12, 2022.

Rhoden appeared in three preseason games with the Trail Blazers this past preseason, averaging 6.7 points and 1.7 rebounds in 13.2 minutes (.625 FG%, .667 3FG%, 1.000 FT%). He also saw action in five NBA 2K23 Summer League contests in Las Vegas (all starts) and three California Classic Summer League games in San Francisco (two starts) this past summer with the Sacramento Kings. In eight total games (seven starts), he averaged 10.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 23.2 minutes (.451 FG%, .308 3FG%, .867 FT%).

Undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft, the 6-6 guard played four years at Seton Hall (2018-22), appearing in 122 games (72 starts), owning collegiate career averages of 10.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.0 steal in 26.0 minutes (.407 FG%, .312 3FG%, .754 FT%). As a senior, he was named to the 2022 All-BIG EAST First Team, USBWA All-District Team and NABC All-District Second Team. Rhoden left Seton Hall as one of only 12 Pirates to record more than 1,200 points and 600 career rebounds.

Timberwolves waive PJ Dozier, CJ Elleby and A.J. Lawson

The Minnesota Timberwolves have waived guard PJ Dozier, forward CJ Elleby and guard A.J. Lawson.

Dozier, 6-6, was originally signed by the Wolves on Sept. 26. He spent the last three seasons with the Denver Nuggets where he averaged 6.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game in 97 games (six starts). In five seasons in the NBA with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics and Nuggets, Dozier has tallied 671 points, 318 rebounds and 189 assists throughout 105 career games (six starts).

Elleby, 6-6, totaled two points and five rebounds in two appearances for the Timberwolves during the 2022 preseason. The Federal Way, Wash. native spent last season with the Portland Trail Blazers where he averaged 5.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game in 58 games (28 starts, including starting 28 of the Trail Blazers’ final 30 games). In two seasons with Portland, he accumulated 407 points and 259 rebounds.

Lawson, 6-6, saw action in three preseason games for the Wolves where he scored eight points and handed out six assists. He most recently played for the Dallas Mavericks during the 2022 NBA Summer League where he averaged a team-high 15.6 points on 51.9% from the field including 50.0% from three and 6.0 rebounds per game. He played 10 games (all starts) this past summer for the Guelph Nighthawks of the Canadian Basketball League (CBL) and averaged 16.5 points on 44.3% shooting and 5.4 rebounds in 30.5 minutes per game.

The Timberwolves roster stands at 17 players.

Raptors waive Josh Jackson, D.J. Wilson and Gabe Brown

The Toronto Raptors have waived forwards Josh Jackson, D.J. Wilson and Gabe Brown.

Jackson, 6-foot-8, 194 pounds, appeared in four preseason games, averaging 6.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 13.1 minutes. He scored in double figures twice in preseason action, including 13 points at Boston on Oct. 5. Jackson holds career averages of 11.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 23.1 minutes in 291 games with Phoenix, Memphis, Detroit and Sacramento through five NBA seasons (2017-22).

Wilson, 6-foot-10, 228 pounds, posted averages of 6.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 10.2 minutes in four preseason contests. In five seasons (2017-22), Wilson is averaging 4.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 12.3 minutes in 146 games with Milwaukee, Houston, and Toronto.

Brown, 6-foot-8, 207 pounds, averaged 4.0 points, 1.0 rebounds and 9.6 minutes in four preseason games. He signed with the Raptors as an undrafted free agent in the summer after four seasons at Michigan State (2018-22), where he was selected to the All-Big Ten Third Team as a senior.

Toronto’s roster now stands at the league maximum 15 players, with two two-way players.

Raptors end preseason with OT win over Celtics

Preseason around the league ends tonight. As for the Raptors, here’s the Toronto Star:

There really wasn’t much any of the players fighting for the final Raptors roster spot could have done here Friday night.

It will be the overall body of work — a combination of practices and games and scrimmages — that will determine who’ll end up on the team and who’ll be seeking employment elsewhere, likely on Saturday.

“I think they’re all pretty well aware that they need to have good performances. This one’s probably not any different than any of them,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said before Toronto finished its pre-season with a 137-134 victory over the Boston Celtics in overtime at the Bell Centre.

With Pascal Siakam rested, O.G. Anunoby had a dominant offensive game and led the Raptors with 32 points in 29 minutes. Scottie Barnes was more aggressive than in the first four pre-season games and finished with 25 points.

And the Boston Herald:

On a strange night at a buzzing Bell Centre in Montreal, the Celtics coach got a good test but was probably glad it was just a tune-up. Jayson Tatum was given a rare preseason ejection, Malcolm Brogdon left the game hurt and the Celtics couldn’t overcome O.G. Anunoby’s 32 points and Scottie Barnes’ 25 in a 137-134 overtime loss to the Raptors, though Mazzulla has plenty to process before Tuesday’s opener…

With less than a minute to play in the third quarter, Tatum – who had already been assessed one technical foul earlier in the period – picked up a routine personal foul but picked up his second technical foul and was ejected after appearing to wave off an official sarcastically. That kicked off a confusing sequence in which Williams also got a technical and the Celtics were given another technical for a delay of game because Tatum didn’t leave the floor right away.

Jordan Poole up for a contract extension with Warriors

Will Jordan Poole soon sign a Golden State Warriors contract extension? Via the Bay Area News Group:

The dust is settling after Draymond Green’s scuffle with Jordan Poole and focus is shifting toward an important deadline for Poole before Opening Night next Tuesday.

The Warriors and Poole have until Oct. 17, this Monday, to come to terms on a contract extension. If the two sides don’t come to an agreement, Poole will become a restricted free agent after this season…

Extensions this offseason for Miami’s Tyler Herro and New York’s RJ Barrett — both of whom extended off their rookie deals — set the precedent for Poole’s price.

Herro, a fellow sixth man, signed a four-year, $130 million deal (a contract that’s actually worth $120 million, plus incentives). The Knicks signed Barrett to a four-year, $120 million deal. Expect Poole’s contract to be in that range, closer to Herro’s deal.

It’s anyone’s guess how the recent Dray punch to Poole might affect Poole’s feelings on sticking around. But chances are, long-term contract money from a team that just won the championship and isn’t quite over the hill just yet matters a lot more than a solitary negative incident.

Kings sign Jeriah Horne and Alex O’Connell, waive Wes Iwundu and Jordan Ford

The Sacramento Kings have signed guards Jeriah Horne and Alex O’Connell.

Also today, the Kings waived guards Jordan Ford and Wes Iwundu.

Horne (6-7, 220), a Kansas City, Mo. native, was undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft before joining the Kings Summer League roster, where he averaged 6.7 points per game while shooting 47.1 percent from the field.

From Roswell, Ga., O’Connell (6-6, 185) spent three seasons at Duke (2017-20) before transferring to Creighton (2020-22). He was undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft before joining the Kings for NBA Summer League, averaging 5.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.

Ford (6-1, 175), a Folsom, Calif. native, spent four years at St. Mary’s from 2016-20. Ford spent the 2021-22 season with the Agua Caliente Clippers, averaging 9.7 points and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 40.8 percent from 3-point range.

Iwundu (6-6, 195) played in 14 games for the Cleveland Charge during the 2021-22 season. The Houston native averaged 7.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.