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Nets sign Yuta Watanabe

The Brooklyn Nets have signed free agent forward Yuta Watanabe.

Watanabe (6’8”, 214) has appeared in 121 games (eight starts) across four seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies (2018-20) and Toronto Raptors (2020-22), recording averages of 3.8 points on 40.9 percent shooting from the field, 35.2 percent shooting from 3-point range and 66.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line and 2.5 rebounds in 12.0 minutes per game. Most recently, the 27-year-old saw action in 38 games (four starts) with the Raptors during the 2021-22 season, posting averages of 4.3 points and 2.4 rebounds in 11.7 minutes per contest. In addition to his NBA experience, Watanabe has also played in 56 NBA G League games (55 starts) split between the Memphis Hustle and Raptors 905, averaging 15.5 points on 47.8 percent shooting from the field, 34.8 percent shooting from distance and 82.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line, 6.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 blocks in 33.5 minutes per game. The native of Kagawa, Japan, has competed on the international stage for his home country, including in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, where he led Japan in scoring.

Watanabe went undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft and then played in the Las Vegas NBA Summer League with the Nets. Prior to beginning his professional career, Watanabe spent four years (2014-18) at George Washington University, becoming the first Japanese-born student athlete to earn a NCAA Division I basketball scholarship. As a senior, Watanabe garnered Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year honors and was named to the All-Atlantic 10 Third Team.

2022 OKC Thunder preseason game schedule

The Oklahoma City Thunder will play six 2022-23 NBA preseason games, with three games in the state of Oklahoma.

The Thunder opens the preseason with a trip to play the Denver Nuggets on Oct. 3 before returning home to Oklahoma beginning on Oct. 5 versus the Dallas Mavericks at the BOK Center. Oklahoma City will play two international opponents at home, hosting the Adelaide 36ers on Oct. 6 and the Maccabi Ra’anana on Oct. 9 at Paycom Center. The Thunder’s preseason schedule wraps with two road games, playing the Detroit Pistons on Oct. 11 before the preseason finale at the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 13.

The Oct. 13 game at San Antonio will be carried live on Bally Sports Oklahoma. The remainder of the preseason games will be streamed live via the Thunder Mobile App and at okcthunder.com. All games will air live on the Thunder Radio Network, led by flagship station WWLS, The Sports Animal (98.1 FM).

2022 Detroit Pistons preseason game schedule

The Detroit Pistons 2022-23 preseason schedule will feature two home and two away games.

The Pistons will first travel to New York (10/4) to take on the Knicks and then to New Orleans (10/7) to face the Pelicans before returning to Detroit for the home slate. The Knicks game will be televised nationally on TNT and locally on Bally Sports Detroit.

Detroit will then host the Oklahoma City Thunder (10/11) and the Memphis Grizzlies (10/13).

2022 Dallas Mavericks preseason game schedule

The Dallas Mavericks 2022 preseason schedule will tip off against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Wednesday, Oct. 5, at 7 p.m. CT.

Following their matchup with the Thunder, the Mavericks will host No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic at American Airlines Center on Friday, Oct. 7, at 7:30 p.m. CT. Dallas will then conclude its exhibition season with a playoff rematch against the Jazz in Utah on Friday, Oct. 14, at 8 p.m. CT.

Bally Sports Southwest will carry Dallas’ final two preseason games, while the opener against the Thunder will be streamed live on mavs.com.

All three preseason games will be broadcast on 97.1 The Eagle (KEGL). The games can also be heard in Spanish on Univision 99.1 FM (KFZO).

The Mavericks will open the 2022-23 regular season with a playoff rematch against the Suns in Phoenix on Wednesday, Oct. 19, at 9 p.m. CT on ESPN.

Toronto Raptors sign Christian Koloko

The Toronto Raptors have signed center Christian Koloko to a multi-year contract.

Koloko, 7-foot-1, 230 pounds, was picked 33rd overall by the Raptors in the 2022 NBA Draft. He started in all five games at the NBA 2022 2K23 Summer League averaging 7.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, a team-high 2.2 blocks, 1.8 steals and 22.0 minutes.

During three seasons at the University of Arizona, he averaged 7.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 17.9 minutes in 91 career games (56 starts) with the Wildcats. He shot 59 percent (262-439) from the field and left Arizona ranked fifth in school history with 162 career blocks.

As a junior last season, Koloko posted averages of 12.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.8 blocks (led the Pac-12) and 25.4 minutes in 37 games (all starts). He shot .635 (193-288) from the floor, scored 20+ points six times and recorded 10 double-doubles. Koloko was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player and was an All-Pac-12 First Team selection. He became the first player in conference history to be named Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player in the same season. Koloko also tied Arizona’s single-season record with 102 total blocks.

A native of Douala, Cameroon, the same hometown as Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, Koloko participated in the 2017 Basketball Without Borders Africa and the 2018 Basketball Without Borders Global Camp.

San Antonio Spurs sign Tommy Kuhse

The San Antonio Spurs have signed guard Tommy Kuhse.

Kuhse, 6-2/185, recently completed his collegiate career at St. Mary’s, where he spent five seasons. In his final year with the Gaels, Kuhse earned All-WCC First Team honors and was named the WCC Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 12.2 points, 3.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds in 30.0 minutes per game while shooting 49.4% from the floor and 45.0% from three-point range. A native of Mesa, Arizona, Kuhse is the Gaels all-time leader in games played, ranks fifth all time in assists (477) and ninth in steals (118). In 149 career games, Kuhse averaged 7.6 points, 3.2 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 24.9 minutes per game.

Playing with the Orlando Magic at the 2022 Las Vegas Summer League, in three games Kuhse averaged 17.3 points, 3.3 assists, 3.00 steals and 2.0 rebounds in 23.2 minutes.

San Antonio Spurs sign Alize Johnson

The San Antonio Spurs have signed forward Alize Johnson.

Johnson, 6-7/210, appeared in 23 games with Chicago, Washington and New Orleans last year, averaging 1.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in 7.3 minutes. The 26-year-old also played two seasons with the Indiana Pacers before stints with the Nets, Bulls, Wizards, and Pelicans. He holds career averages 2.5 points, 3.0 rebounds in 7.5 minutes across 72 games.

Originally drafted by Indiana with the 50th overall selection in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft, Johnson has spent time in the G League with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and Raptors 905, averaging 18.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.14 steals in 35.6 minutes in 65 games. Prior to the NBA, the forward played two seasons at Missouri State University, where he averaged 14.9 points and 11.1 rebounds and was named to the All-MVC First Team, after beginning his college career at NJCAA institution Frank Phillips College.

Jazz trade Patrick Beverley to Lakers for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson

The Los Angeles Lakers yesterday acquired guard Patrick Beverley in a trade with the Utah Jazz for guard Talen Horton-Tucker and forward Stanley Johnson, it was announced by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.

“We are thrilled to add Patrick Beverley’s toughness and competitive spirit to our team,” Pelinka said. “We’re confident that Patrick’s ‘3-and-D’ style will fit in nicely with the other pieces of our roster and align perfectly with Coach Ham’s philosophy of hard work and smart play.”

Beverley (6’1”, 180) averaged 9.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 58 games (54 starts) for the Minnesota Timberwolves last season. In 526 career NBA games (438 starts) across 10 seasons with Minnesota (2021-22), LA Clippers (2017-21) and Houston (2012-17), he has averaged 8.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 27.4 minutes per game, shooting 37.8 percent from 3-point range.

Across 65 career playoff games (54 starts) with the Timberwolves, Clippers and Rockets, Beverley has averaged 8.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 26.7 minutes per game, while shooting 36.1 percent from beyond the arc. The Chicago native received All-Defensive First Team honors in 2017 and Second Team honors in 2014 and 2020.

Horton-Tucker (6-4, 233, Iowa State) is entering his fourth NBA season and in 2021-22 with the Lakers, averaged 10.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.0 steals in 60 games (19 starts). Originally drafted in the second round (46th overall pick) in the 2019 NBA Draft, the Chicago native has spent his entire professional career with the Lakers, appearing in 131 games (34 starts), owning career averages of 9.3 points, 2.8 boards, 2.6 assists, and 1.0 steals in 22.1 minutes per contest.

Johnson (6-6, 242, Arizona) has seven years of NBA experience with the Pistons, Pelicans, Raptors, and Lakers, appearing in 419 career contests (104 starts), averaging 6.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 20.1 minutes per game. Originally drafted with the eighth overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft by the Pistons, the Fullerton, Calif., native saw action in 48 games (27 starts) in 2021-22, averaging 6.7 points on 46.6 percent from the field, 3.2 boards, and 1.7 assists.

Horton-Tucker will wear no. 0, and Johnson will wear no. 2 for the Jazz.

Atlanta Hawks sign Chris Silva

The Atlanta Hawks have signed forward Chris Silva.

Silva has appeared in 69 regular season games over three seasons with Miami, Sacramento and Minnesota, and has logged NBA G League time with Sioux Falls and Iowa. He has NBA career averages of 2.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in 7.7 minutes (.606 FG%, .707 FT%). In 10 games last season (nine with Miami, one with Minnesota), the 6-8 forward put in 2.6 points and 3.6 rebounds in 9.1 minutes (.533 FG%, .833 FT%).

A native of Gabon, Silva played four seasons at University of South Carolina, where he averaged 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds in 21.7 minutes, appearing in 134 games (108 starts). In 2018, he was named First Team All-Southeastern Conference, was the SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Defensive. In 2017, he helped the Gamecocks advance to the Final Four for the first time in school history.