Inside Hoops – Page 158 – NBA Blog

Trail Blazers waive Isaiah Miller and Jared Rhoden

The Portland Trail Blazers have waived guards Isaiah Miller and Jared Rhoden, it was announced today by General Manager Joe Cronin.

Miller appeared in three preseason games for the Trail Blazers and totaled six points, five rebounds and three steals.

Rhoden tallied 10 points, four rebounds and one steal in two preseason appearances for the Trail Blazers.

Per the Oregonian, this “leaves the Blazers with a maximum 15 players on their roster, which includes center Olivier Sarr, the only remaining player signed by the team to a training camp contract. The 7-foot Sarr, who played last season with Oklahoma City, appears to have a strong chance to make the Blazers’ final roster.”

Mavericks waive Marcus Bingham Jr., Mouhamadou Gueye, Tyler Hall and D.J. Stewart Jr.

The Dallas Mavericks have requested waivers on Marcus Bingham Jr., Mouhamadou Gueye, Tyler Hall and D.J. Stewart Jr.

All four players were originally signed prior to training camp on September 21. Hall and Gueye saw action in two preseason games, while Bingham and Hall played in one game.

The Mavericks training camp roster now stands at 16 players.

Pacers exercise contract options on Tyrese Haliburton, Aaron Nesmith, Chris Duarte and Isaiah Jackson

The Indiana Pacers have picked up the fourth-year option on guards Tyrese Haliburton and Aaron Nesmith, and the third-year option on guard Chris Duarte and forward Isaiah Jackson.

Per the Indianapolis Star, “the moves keep all four under contract through 2023-24, the fourth years of Haliburton and Nesmith’s respective careers and the third for Duarte and Jackson.”

More from the Star: “The Pacers acquired Haliburton from the Sacramento Kings last season in a trade involving Domantas Sabonis. He averaged 17 points and 10 assists per game in 26 games after the deal. At 22 years old and entering his third season, he’s now among the Pacers most experienced players as they rebuild.”

Jazz sign Micah Potter, waive Jeenathan Williams

The Utah Jazz have signed center Micah Potter to a two-way contract.

The team has also waived guard/forward Jeenathan Williams.

Potter (6-10, 248, Wisconsin) appeared in 33 games (all starts) for the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA G League in 2021-22, owning averages of 17.0 points on 53.6 percent from the field and 44.1 percent from three, 9.9 boards, 1.7 assists, and 1.1 blocks in 28.8 minutes per game. Following his first professional season, he garnered 2021-22 All-G League Rookie Team honors.

A four-year collegiate player, the Mentor, Ohio native competed for Ohio State (2016-18) and Wisconsin (2019-21), owning career averages of 7.6 points and 4.3 rebounds in 15.9 minutes per contest. As a Badger, he owned averages of 11.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 20.3 minutes per game.

Williams (6-5, 205, Buffalo) was signed by the Jazz on Oct. 11, 2022.

G League: Salt Lake City Stars name Scott Morrison as head coach, Marquis Newman as GM

The Salt Lake City Stars announced today the new appointments of Scott Morrison as the team’s head coach and Marquis Newman as the general manager of the official NBA G League affiliate of the Utah Jazz among its basketball operations staff for the 2022-23 season.

Morrison, a former Boston Celtics assistant coach, served as the head coach of the Perth Wildcats of Australia’s National Basketball League last season. Morrison becomes the Stars’ fourth head coach since the team relocated to Salt Lake City in 2016.

Morrison served as an assistant coach with the Celtics from 2017-21 under Brad Stevens. Previously, he was head coach of the Celtics’ NBA G League affiliate the Maine Red Claws from 2014-17, leading Maine to a 35-15 record and winning the Dennis Johnson Coach of the Year Award in his first season. A native of Prince Edward Island, Canada, Morrison originally joined the Celtics organization as a player development coach for the Red Claws in 2013.

“This is an exciting time for the Stars and our organization as a whole,” Zanik said. “Scott is a terrific basketball mind with an outstanding track record of player development and someone who understands the importance of establishing culture. He is a perfect fit for what we are trying to accomplish with our G League program.”

Newman served as the Stars’ assistant general manager last season. He enters his ninth season as part of the Jazz organization and also holds the role of Jazz director of scouting. A native of New Orleans, La., Newman locally attended Cyprus High School as a two-sport athlete in football and basketball, and then graduated from the University of Utah. As Stars GM, Newman succeeds Bart Taylor who is now Jazz vice president of player personnel.

“Marquis is someone who has been with our club for several years and has grown immensely in every role due to his work ethic, basketball acumen and commitment to the team. It’s a testament to the importance of internal growth within our organization,” said Jazz general manager Justin Zanik. “He has a tremendous eye for talent, and we have the utmost confidence in his ability to locate the kind of players the Jazz want to bring in and develop. We are thrilled to have Marquis take on this new role.”

Pistons’ Marvin Bagley III out 3-4 weeks with knee injury

An MRI performed earlier today on Detroit Pistons forward/center Marvin Bagley III revealed a bone bruise and sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL) in the right knee that was injured during last night’s game vs. Oklahoma City. The injury took place at the 11:04 mark of the first quarter.

The injury will require rest and rehabilitation and Bagley III is expected to miss the next three to four weeks.

Pistons forward Marvin Bagley hurts knee

A Pistons update, via the Detroit News:

Searching for their first victory of the preseason, the Pistons hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday and not only lost their third consecutive game, but they lost their starting power forward in the process.

Marvin Bagley III suffered a right knee injury less than one minute into the game and did not return, leaving the team with two healthy active big men in Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren.

Despite the injury, the Pistons remained competitive against the Thunder until they fell into an offensive drought in the third quarter. The dry spell ultimately led to a 115-99 loss, dropping them to an 0-3 record.

Hopefully Bagley’s injury is minor.

Rockets add Darius Days and Trhae Mitchell, waive Maurice Harkless and Theo Maledon

The Houston Rockets have claimed forward Darius Days off waivers from Miami in addition to signing free agent forward Trhae Mitchell.

And in related moves, the Rockets have waived forward Maurice Harkless and guard Théo Maledon.

Per the Houston Chronicle, “neither Maledon nor Harkless was in the team’s plans after the eight-player trade with the Thunder the Rockets made to acquire a second-round pick. The Rockets had previously waived guard Ty Jerome.”

Days (6-7, 240) was eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft following his senior season at LSU, during which he was teammates with Rockets forward Tari Eason. He was one of two Division I players to have averaged at least 13.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.50 steals and 2.0 3-pointers made in 2021-22. Days averaged 13.7 ppg and 10.0 rpg while shooting 55.6% from the floor and 37.5% from 3-point range for San Antonio at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Mitchell (6-6, 195) was eligible for the 2020 NBA Draft following his senior season at South Alabama. He spent the past two seasons with the Rockets G League affiliate, Rio Grande Valley, and played for Houston at the 2022 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. From 2018-19 through 2019-20, Mitchell was the only Division I player to have recorded at least 800 points, 400 rebounds, 160 assists, 70 steals and 100 blocks.

Heat guard Marcus Garrett out with wrist injury

Miami Heat guard Marcus Garrett suffered a fractured scaphoid bone in his right wrist.

He will be casted for four weeks and re-evaluated at that time.

Garrett signed a two-way contract with the Heat on July 16.

Per the Miami Herald, “Garrett, who was named the Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year as a junior at Kansas before going undrafted in 2021, averaged 3.3 points while shooting 6 of 23 (26.1 percent) from the field and missing each of his eight attempts from three-point range in four appearances this preseason. He played 10 minutes in Monday’s preseason win over the Houston Rockets, finishing scoreless but with two rebounds, two assists and one steal.”

Jazz sign Jeenathan Williams, waive Darryl Morsell

The Utah Jazz have signed guard/forward Jeenathan Williams.

And in a related move, the team has waived guard Darryl Morsell.

Williams (6-5, 205, Buffalo) was a four-year collegiate player at Buffalo, appearing in 122 career games (84 starts), owning averages of 12.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 23.5 minutes per contest. As a senior in 2021-22, he averaged 19.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.4 steals in 29 games (all starts), earning 2021-22 All-MAC First Team honors.

The Rochester, N.Y. native played with the Utah Jazz entries at the Salt Lake City Summer League and NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. In Salt Lake City, he averaged 6.0 points and 5.5 boards in two appearances and in three games (one start) in Las Vegas, posted averages of 5.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 10.6 minutes per contest.

Morsell (6-5, 205, Marquette) was signed by the Jazz on Oct. 9, 2022.