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Miami Heat sign Dru Smith

The Miami Heat have signed guard Dru Smith.

Smith recently appeared in three Summer League games with the HEAT and averaged 12.0 points, 3.00 steals 1.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists while shooting 46.4 percent from the field and a perfect 6-of-6 from the foul line. He appeared in 10 games (five starts) with Miami’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, last season and averaged 8.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.20 steals and 27.5 minutes.

Smith started all 25 games he appeared in as a senior at Missouri in 2020-21, averaging 14.1 points, 3.9 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 2.04 steals and 33.9 minutes while shooting 44.4 percent from the field, 39.8 percent from three-point range and 83 percent from the foul line. He was named to the All-SEC First Team and became the first player in school history to be named to the SEC All-Defensive Team after leading the conference in steals for the second consecutive season. He also led the team in points, assists, steals, field goals made, free throws made and minutes and earned Conference Player of the Week three times, the most by any player that season.

The HEAT’s roster now stands at 20.

Some 2022-23 Clippers games will be shown on KTLA 5 TV

KTLA-TV (KTLA 5) and the LA Clippers today announced a broadcast television partnership that will return live Clippers games to over-the-air TV in Southern California.

Eleven regular season and all four pre-season games will be exclusively accessible to all TV viewers in Southern California, bringing the Clippers back to KTLA 5 for the first time since 2009.

The station’s regular season schedule is highlighted by games against the Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder and Portland Trail Blazers.

KTLA 5 broadcasts of LA Clippers basketball games also will be carried by a number of Nexstar Media Inc.’s local television stations across Southern California, including KSWB-TV in San Diego, KGET-TV in Bakerfield, and KSEE-TV in Fresno.

“A critical way fans engage with the Clippers is by watching games on TV, and there is no better broadcast partner than KTLA, Los Angeles’ #1 TV station,” said LA Clippers President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker. “The segmentation of the television market has become difficult for consumers. We believe it’s incredibly important for Clippers basketball to be accessible to as many people as possible, and the return of the NBA to KTLA is a critical step.”

As an “official broadcast television home of the LA Clippers,” KTLA 5 will produce live pre-game, halftime, and post-game programming for games broadcast by the station and carry special programming related to the team including a “Countdown Clock to Gameday-Buzzer,” game-day weather forecasts, and frequent features on “LA Unscripted,” “Off the Clock,” and “California Cooking.” KTLA 5 will carry Clippers news across all of its broadcast, digital, and mobile platforms, and be anchored by its veteran team of news and sports personalities.

“Starting with the opening of Clippers training camp, L.A.’s Very Own KTLA 5 will be there every exciting step of the way,” said KTLA-TV’s Vice President and General Manager Janene Drafs. “Clippers fans across Southern California can count on KTLA for exciting pre- and post-game shows, insightful analysis, up-to-the-moment Clippers news, special features on the players and coaches, and one-of-a-kind related programming throughout the 2022-2023 basketball season.”

KTLA 5 previously aired live Clippers games from 1985 to 1991 and from 2002 to 2009 and is Southern California’s #1 source for local news coverage. KTLA achieves superior audience levels locally for AM News, Daytime News, Early News, Weekend AM News and Sports Final. The first commercial TV station licensed west of the Mississippi River, KTLA 5 has been keeping Southern Californians informed since 1947.

Injury update on Trail Blazers guard Gary Payton II

Portland Trail Blazers guard Gary Payton II underwent an off-season procedure in July to address a core muscle injury, the team announced.

The procedure was performed by Dr. William C. Meyers and Dr. Alexander E. Poor at The Vincera Institute in Philadelphia.

The team says Payton’s rehab is progressing well, and that he is expected to make a full recovery by the start of the regular season.

Lakers sign Dennis Schroder

Dennis Schroder is back on the Los Angeles Lakers. The team signed the free agent guard today.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Dennis Schröder back to the Lakers,” said Pelinka. “Not only do Dennis and Coach Ham share a player-coach history together, but they also reflect one another’s mentality of toughness with an extremely competitive edge. Dennis will add both depth and an on-ball defensive presence to our core at the guard position. He is also a proven scorer and playmaker. We are really excited for Dennis to get to camp and get back to work in L.A. after his highly successful run with his national team this offseason.”

Per the Los Angeles Times, “Schroder’s one-year contract with the team is for the veteran’s minimum, a person with knowledge of the deal not authorized to speak publicly told The Times. Schroder, 28, turned down a lucrative contract extension with the Lakers during the 2020-21 season before leaving the organization the following summer in free agency.”

Schröder appeared in 64 games (29 starts) for the Celtics and Rockets last season, averaging 13.5 points (.344 3FG%), 3.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 28.7 minutes. Schröder returns to Los Angeles after averaging 15.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.1 steals in 61 games (all starts) for the Lakers during the 2020-21 season.

A nine-year NBA veteran, Schröder has appeared in 621 career games (267 starts) for Atlanta, Oklahoma City, Los Angeles, Boston and Houston, holding career averages of 14.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 26.5 minutes. In 52 career playoff games (12 starts) with the Hawks, Thunder and Lakers, he has averaged 13.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists.

Minnesota Timberwolves will hold open practice for fans on October 1, 2022

The Minnesota Timberwolves will host an open practice, dubbed Fan Fest, on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 2:00 p.m. at Target Center.

Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch and his staff will lead an open practice and scrimmage. It will be the first chance that fans can watch players including Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards together on the court. It will be the first time the team will take the Target Center court together ahead of the 2022-23 season.

“We are thrilled to welcome our community to Target Center for Fan Fest,” said Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx CEO Ethan Casson. “After an exciting play-off experience, we are eager for another inspiring season of Timberwolves basketball.”

Doors open at 2:00 p.m. and fans will see on-court contests and can shop new merchandise including the latest Statement Edition Collection at the Timberwolves Team Store in Target Center. The team will take the court at 3:00 p.m. for open practice.

Fan Fest tickets are required for entry. All tickets are complimentary with a $1 per ticket processing fee. Get tickets at: www.Timberwolves.com/fan-fest.

Brooklyn Nets sign Chris Chiozza

The Brooklyn Nets have signed free agent guard Chris Chiozza.

Chiozza (5’11”, 179) has seen action in 91 career NBA games (four starts) across four seasons with Golden State (2021-22), Brooklyn (2020, 2020-21), Washington (2019) and Houston (2019), averaging 3.3 points, 1.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 11.4 minutes per game. The Memphis, Tenn., native returns to the Nets after spending the 2021-22 season with the Warriors, appearing in 34 games (one start) with the 2022 NBA champions and averaging 2.0 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 10.9 minutes per contest. In 40 games (three starts) over his two seasons in Brooklyn, Chiozza posted averages of 5.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 12.8 minutes per game while shooting 39.2 percent from the field, 44.8 percent from 3-point range and 81.8 percent from the free-throw line. He also appeared in and started 10 games with the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate, during the 2019-20 season and has appeared in 70 career NBA G League games (68 starts) across three seasons with Santa Cruz, Long Island, Capital City and Rio Grande Valley, registering averages of 13.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 2.0 steals in 33.1 minutes per contest.

The 26-year-old went undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft after spending four years (2014-18) at the University of Florida. Following his senior season, the Gators’ all-time assists leader (571) was named to the All-SEC First Team.

Nets re-sign David Duke Jr. to two-way contract

The Brooklyn Nets have re-signed guard David Duke Jr. to a two-way contract.

Duke Jr. originally signed with Brooklyn on Aug. 8, 2021, and had his deal converted to a two-way contract on Oct. 16, 2021. In 22 games (seven starts) for Brooklyn during the 2021-22 season, he averaged 4.7 points and 3.0 rebounds in 15.5 minutes per game. The 22-year-old also appeared in and started 13 regular season games for the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate, during the 2021-22 campaign, recording averages of 16.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.5 steals in 29.5 minutes per contest. Duke Jr. most recently competed for Brooklyn’s summer league team in Las Vegas, registering averages of 19.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals in 28.6 minutes per game across five games.

Prior to joining the Nets, the Providence, R.I., native went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft after a three-year collegiate career (2018-21) at Providence College. Starting all 91 career games, he averaged 11.5 points on 39.4 percent shooting from the field and 37.7 percent shooting from distance, 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 30.8 minutes per game. In his final season as a junior in 2020-21, Duke Jr. averaged career highs with 16.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 37.1 minutes per game on his way to being named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team and an Associated Press All-American Honorable Mention selection. Duke Jr. also represented the United States at the 2019 Pan American Games in Peru, where he helped lead Team USA to a bronze medal.

Utah Jazz waive Paris Bass and Xavier Sneed

The Utah Jazz have waived forwards Paris Bass and Xavier Sneed.

Bass (6-8, 200, Detroit-Mercy) spent the 2021-22 season with the Phoenix Suns and the South Bay Lakers of the NBA G League. With the Suns, he appeared in two games, averaging 3.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in 3.5 minutes per contest and with South Bay posted averages of 17.4 points, 7.0 boards, 1.7 assists, and 1.4 steals in 26 games (one start).

Sneed (6-5, 215, Kansas State) appeared in seven games during the 2021-22 season with the Jazz on a two-way contract. He averaged 15.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.3 steals in 15 games last season with the Salt Lake City Stars.

Atlanta Hawks sign Malik Ellison

The Atlanta Hawks have signed guard Malik Ellison.

It’s likely a non-guaranteed deal that merely brings Ellison to Hawks training camp.

Ellison, the son of Savannah native and former No. 1 overall pick Pervis Ellison, appeared in 40 total games (14 starts) with the College Park Skyhawks during the 2021-22 NBA G League season, averaging 8.4 points and 5.0 rebounds in 24.9 minutes (.471 FG%, .383 3FG%, .754 FT%). He signed a 10-day contract with Atlanta on Dec. 25, 2021, becoming one of six Skyhawks to earn an NBA Call-Up last season.

The 6-6 guard saw action in four NBA 2K23 Summer League contests and two Salt Lake City Summer League matches, suiting up for the Philadelphia 76ers. In total, he appeared in six games (three starts), notching 7.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 19.1 minutes (.625 FG%, 1.000 FT%).

Ellison played collegiately at St. John’s (2015-17), Pittsburgh (2018-19) and Hartford (2019-20). As a senior at Hartford, he appeared in 23 games (all starts), registering 18.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 34.8 minutes, garnering America East First Team honors (.514 FG%, .630 FT%). Throughout his collegiate career, he saw action in 112 contests (74 starts), notching 9.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 24.8 minutes (.455 FG%, .304 3FG%, .612 FT%).