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Hawks exercise contract options on Onyeka Okongwu and Jalen Johnson

The Atlanta Hawks have exercised the fourth-year (2023-24) contract option on Onyeka Okongwu along with the third-year (2023-24) option on Jalen Johnson.

Entering his third season with the Hawks, Okongwu averaged 8.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.1 assists in 20.7 minutes in 2021-22 (.690 FG%, .727 FT%), appearing in 48 games (six starts). He scored in double figures 17 times, pulled down 10-or-more rebounds twice and led the team in rebounding five times.

Okongwu’s 1.3 blocks per game marked the fourth-highest average by a second-year Hawks player since at least the 1973-74 season. He recorded at least one block in seven straight games three times, tying Clint Capela (twice) for the longest streak by a Hawk last season. In five games (one start) during the 2022 NBA Playoffs, he put in 5.2 points and 5.4 rebounds in 21.6 minutes (.563 FG%, .800 FT%).

As a rookie in 2020-21, Okongwu averaged 4.6 points and 3.3 rebounds in 12.0 minutes, appearing in 50 games (four starts). He scored in double digits seven times, compiled 10-or-more rebounds twice and recorded two double-doubles. In 18 games off the bench during Atlanta’s postseason run to the Eastern Conference Finals, he averaged 2.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 9.2 minutes (.548 FG%, .667 FT%).

Okongwu was selected by the Hawks sixth overall in the 2020 NBA Draft.

In his rookie campaign in 2021-22, Johnson played in 22 games off the bench for Atlanta, averaging 2.4 points and 1.2 rebounds in 5.5 minutes (.537 FG%, .714 FT%), scoring in double figures twice.

He also made 21 starts last season with the College Park Skyhawks of the NBA G League and averaged 21.0 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks in 36.2 minutes (.470 FG%, .368 3FG%). He registered 13 double-doubles for the Skyhawks, including a 21-point, 23-rebound performance on 11/21 vs. Delaware. Johnson scored 10-or-more points in 19 of his 21 games with College Park, including two 30-plus point performances.

Johnson was selected 20th overall by Atlanta in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Mavericks exercise contract option on Josh Green

The Dallas Mavericks have exercised the fourth-year team option on guard/forward Josh Green.

Green (6-5, 200) was a first-round selection (18th overall) by the Mavericks in 2020, and in his first two seasons with the club has averaged 4.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 14.0 minutes in 106 career games (8 starts) while shooting 49.4% from the field. He has also seen time in 17 career postseason games with averages of 1.4 points and 7.4 minutes.

In his second season in 2021-22, Green averaged 4.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 15.5 minutes, and his field goal percentage (.508, 130-256 FG) was the second-highest on the team among players with 100 or more field goals attempted. The Mavericks were 14-2 when Green scored at least eight points. Additionally, he became the third-youngest Maverick to dish at least 10 assists when he did so at Portland on Dec. 27, 2021, at 21 years, 41 days old.

The Sydney native competed with the Australian national team at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and won a bronze medal. He attended college at Arizona for one season (2019-20) and averaged 12.0 points 4.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.5 steals in 30 games (all starts).

In two preseason games this year (1 start), Green has averaged 5.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 18.7 minutes.

Pelicans sign Kelan Martin and Javonte Smart, waive John Butler and guard John Petty Jr.

The New Orleans Pelicans have signed forward Kelan Martin and guard Javonte Smart.

And in a related move, the Pelicans have waived two-way forward John Butler and guard John Petty Jr.

Martin, 6-5, 230, has appeared in 96 NBA games since 2019 with Minnesota, Indiana and Boston, holding averages of 5.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.6 assists. Martin appeared in 30 games (one start) last season with Boston and Indiana, averaging 5.7 points, 0.7 assists and 1.8 rebounds in 15.0 minutes per contest. Martin played collegiately at Butler, where he averaged 15.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists across four seasons.

Smart, 6-4, 205, appeared in 17 games with Milwaukee and Miami during the 2021-22 season, averaging 3.0 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.9 assists. Undrafted in 2021, the Baton Rouge native played three seasons at LSU where he averaged 13.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.2 steals in 93 games.

Butler, 7-2, 174, played one collegiate season at Florida State (2021-22), where he averaged 5.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 31 games. In the 2022 NBA 2K Summer League, Butler appeared in four games (two starts) for the Pelicans, averaging 8.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 blocks while shooting 12-of-16 (.750) from the floor and 6-of-9 (.667) from three-point range. Butler appeared in one game with the Pelicans in the 2022 preseason, tallying one rebound, one assist and three blocks.

Petty Jr., 6-5, 184, appeared in 31 games for the Pelicans’ G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, in 2021-22 in which he averaged 8.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 26.2 minutes per game. Petty appeared in two games with the Pelicans in the 2022 preseason, averaging 1.0 rebound, 0.5 assists and 0.5 steals.

New Orleans’ roster now stands at 20 players, including one two-way player.

Magic sign Drake Jeffries, waive Alex Morales

The Orlando Magic have signed free agent guard Drake Jeffries.

Also, Orlando has waived guard Alex Morales.

Jeffries (6’5”, 185, 1/22/99) played and started in 17 games last season with the University of Wyoming, averaging 11.4 ppg. and 4.8 rpg. in 33.4 minpg., while shooting .491 (57-116) from three-point range.

Jeffries appeared in 42 career games (21 starts) during two seasons at the University of Wyoming (2020-22), averaging 9.0 ppg. and 3.6 rpg. in 26.9 minpg., while shooting .424 (109-257) from three-point range. He also played one season (2018-19) at Minot State University in North Dakota and one season (2019-20) at Indian Hills Community College in Iowa.

Jeffries will wear #55 with the Orlando Magic.

Morales did not appear in any preseason games with the Magic.

Orlando’s roster stands at 20 players

Spurs exercise contract options on Devin Vassell and Josh Primo

The San Antonio Spurs have exercised their fourth-year team option on guard Devin Vassell, as well as their third-year option on guard Josh Primo for the 2023-24 season.

Vassell is entering his third year with the Spurs after appearing in 71 games last season and averaging 12.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 27.3 minutes. In 2021-22, Vassell became the first Spur in franchise history to make more than 100 three-pointers in his sophomore season and is now one of three Spurs to record 1,000 points, 125 threes and 100 steals in their first two seasons. Vassell has appeared in 133 total games for the Silver and Black since being selected by the Spurs in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft (11th overall).

Primo begins his sophomore season after appearing in 50 games for San Antonio last year and averaging 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 19.3 minutes. The Alabama alum made his NBA debut vs. Orlando on 10/20/21 and his first start at Philadelphia on 1/7/22. His 18 total starts are the most by a Spurs rookie since 2011-12. Primo also spent time with the Austin Spurs and averaged 16.6 points, a team-high 5.6 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 19 games after being selected by San Antonio with 12th overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft.

Nuggets sign Chasson Randle, waive Adonis Arms

The Denver Nuggets have signed guard Chasson Randle to an Exhibit 10 contract and have requested waivers on guard Adonis Arms, General Manager Calvin Booth announced today.

Randle, 6-3, 185, has appeared in 119 games (seven starts) over four seasons with Philadelphia, New York, Golden State and Orlando. He holds career averages of 5.7 points, 1.8 assists and 1.4 rebounds in 16.1 minutes per game while shooting 40.1% from the field and 36.1% from three. Randle went undrafted in the 2015 NBA draft after spending four seasons at Stanford University.

Arms, 6-5, 200, signed a contract with the Nuggets on July 9th and appeared in five games for their Summer League team in Las Vegas, holding averages of 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 54.8% from the field. Arms went undrafted in the 2022 NBA draft after spending his senior season at Texas Tech.

Randle will wear #7 for the Nuggets and is available for tonight’s game vs. Phoenix.

Grizzlies sign Matthew Hurt and Sean McDermott, waive Justin Bean and Jacob Gilyard

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed forward Matthew Hurt and wing Sean McDermott.

In addition, the Grizzlies waived forward Justin Bean and guard Jacob Gilyard.

Hurt (6-9, 235) was named to the All-ACC First Team and was recognized as the ACC Most Improved Player after averaging 18.3 points while shooting 55.6 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from 3-point range during his sophomore year (2020-21) at Duke University. Unselected in the 2021 NBA Draft, the 22-year-old Minnesota native was a member of the NBA G League’s Memphis Hustle last season but did not appear in a regular season game due to injury.

McDermott (6-6, 195) has appeared in 18 games for the Grizzlies (2020-21) and 17 games for the Hustle (2020-22) since he went unselected in the 2020 NBA Draft. The 25-year-old Indiana native played four seasons at Butler University (2016-20), where he averaged 7.8 points and shot 40.3 percent from 3-point range.

Bean (6-7, 210) recorded three points and two rebounds in six minutes in one preseason appearance after he was signed by the Grizzlies on Sept. 23. The 25-year-old Oklahoma native went unselected in the 2022 NBA Draft after playing four seasons at Utah State University, where he was named to the All-Mountain West Second Team unanimously twice (2021, 2022) and to the Mountain West All-Defensive Team twice (2020, 2022).

Gilyard (5-9, 160) registered two rebounds and one assist in 18 minutes in one preseason game after he was signed by Memphis on Sept. 23. The 24-year-old Missouri native went unselected in the 2022 NBA Draft following a five-year collegiate career at Richmond University, where he set an NCAA Division I record with 466 total steals and was named the 2019-20 Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year.

Utah Jazz sign Darryl Morsell, waive Saben Lee

The Utah Jazz have signed guard Darryl Morsell.

And in a related move, the team has waived guard Saben Lee.

Morsell (6-5, 205, Marquette) was a five-year collegiate player with Maryland (2017-21) and Marquette (2021-22). During his final season, he owned averages of 13.4 points on 44.6 percent shooting, along with 3.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.2 steals in 31 games (all starts). In his final season at Maryland, he was named the 2020-21 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and garnered All-Big Ten Defensive Team honors.

For his career, the Baltimore, Md., native appeared in 157 games (138 starts), averaging 9.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 28.4 minutes per contest.

Lee (6-2, 183, Vanderbilt) was originally acquired via trade on Sept. 26, 2022 from Detroit.

Heat convert Jamal Cain’s contract, sign Mychal Mulder, and waive Darius Days

The Miami Heat have converted Jamal Cain to a two-way contract, and have signed guard Mychal Mulder.

In addition, the team waived Darius Days.

Cain, who was signed by the HEAT on July 15, has appeared in three preseason games with Miami averaging 12.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.33 steals, 1.7 assists and 23.0 minutes while shooting 53.8 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from three-point range. As a graduate transfer at Oakland, Cain started in all 30 games in which he appeared and averaged 19.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.83 steals and 34.9 minutes while shooting 49.9 percent from the field and 84.1 percent from the line. He was named the Horizon League Co-Player of the Year and was selected to the Horizon All-League and NABC All-District 12 first teams. He earned Conference Player of the Week on four different occasions and was the only Horizon League player to average a double-double. Cain led the team in points, rebounds and field goals made while finishing second in blocks, steals and free throws made.

Mulder, who was previously signed to a two-way contract by the HEAT on March 24, 2022, appeared in two games with Miami last season totaling 14 points, three rebounds, two assists and a block while shooting 40 percent (4-of-10) from the field, 50 percent (4-of-8) from three-point range and a perfect 2-of-2 from the foul line. He also appeared in 13 games (12 starts) with Miami’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, last season averaging 16.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 35.1 minutes while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from three-point range. Mulder will wear number 15.

Days, who was signed to a two-way contract by the HEAT on July 16, appeared in two games with Miami this preseason totaling two points, four rebounds, an assist and a block. Additionally, Days was signed to a Summer Contract prior to being waived.