Inside Hoops – Page 176 – NBA Blog

Timberwolves sign rookie Josh Minott

The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed rookie forward Josh Minott.

Minott, 6-8, was acquired by the Wolves during the 2022 NBA Draft, and recently appeared in all five games (four starts) for Minnesota during the 2022 NBA Summer League where he averaged 12.2 points and a team-high 8.6 rebounds. He appeared in all 33 games (five starts) for the University of Memphis as a freshman last season where he averaged 6.6 points on 52.2% shooting, 3.8 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game last season. The 20-year-old recorded two double-doubles last season on his way to earning 2021-22 AAC All-Freshman Team honors and was named AAC Freshman of the Week twice throughout the season.

Lakers sign Javante McCoy and Fabian White Jr.

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed Javante McCoy and Fabian White Jr.

McCoy appeared in five games for the Lakers at 2022 Summer League in Las Vegas, averaging 10.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 20.4 minutes per game. The 2021-22 All-Patriot First Team selection appeared in 147 career games (138 starts) across five seasons at Boston University, where he averaged 13.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 37.7 percent from three-point range.

White Jr. played three games for Los Angeles at Summer League, averaging 2.3 points and 2.7 rebounds in 10.1 minutes. In five seasons at Houston, White Jr. appeared in 149 games (90 starts), averaging 8.3 points (.364 3P%) and 4.7 rebounds and was named to the 2021-22 All-ACC First Team.

Mavericks sign Tyler Dorsey to a two-way contract

The Dallas Mavericks have signed guard Tyler Dorsey to a two-way contract.

Per the Dallas Morning News, “Dorsey joins Christian Wood, JaVale McGee and second-round draft pick Jaden Hardy as Mavericks’ 2022 offseason roster additions.”

Dorsey (6-5, 183) joins Dallas after spending last season with the Greek club Olympiacos Piraeus. In 32 Greek League games for Olympiacos in 2021-22, he averaged 10.7 points (.477 FG%, .404 3FG%, .833 FT%), 2.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while helping the club to the Greek League title and garnering Greek Cup MVP honors. In EuroLeague action, Dorsey averaged 12.8 points (.517 FG%, .374 3FG%, .781 FT%), 2.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 38 games for an Olympiacos team that reached the EuroLeague Final Four.

The Pasadena, California, native was selected by Atlanta in the second round (41st overall pick) of the 2017 NBA Draft. After spending his rookie season with the Hawks, Dorsey was traded to Memphis in exchange for Shelvin Mack on Feb. 7, 2019. In 104 career NBA games (16 starts) with the Hawks and Grizzlies, he has averaged 6.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 16.1 minutes.

Following his stints with Atlanta and Memphis, Dorsey joined Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2019-20 and won two Israeli League championships with the club (2020, 2021).

Dorsey spent two seasons at the University of Oregon, where he was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team in 2016 and helped the school reach the NCAA Final Four in 2017. He totaled 1,055 points in his two seasons for the Ducks, joining Dillon Brooks as the only players in school history to reach 1,000 career points as a sophomore.

The former Gatorade California Player of the Year holds dual citizenship and has represented the Greek national team in international competition.

Orlando Magic re-sign Admiral Schofield to a two-way contract

The Orlando Magic have re-signed free agent forward Admiral Schofield to a two-way contract, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced yesterday.

Schofield (6’5”, 240, 3/30/97) played in 38 games (one start) last season with Orlando, averaging 3.8 ppg. and 2.3 rpg. in 12.3 minpg. He also played and started in six games with Lakeland of the NBA G League, averaging 19.2 ppg., 7.5 rpg. and 3.0 apg. in 29.4 minpg. Schofield originally signed a 10-day contract with Orlando via hardship exception by the NBA on December 17, then to a second 10-day contract on December 27, before signing a two-way contract on January 6.

Originally selected in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2019 NBA Draft by Philadelphia, Schofield has played in 71 career NBA regular season games (three starts) with Washington and Orlando, averaging 2.8 ppg. and 1.9 rpg. in 11.8 minpg. He has also appeared in 53 career NBA G League regular season games (50 starts) with Capital City, Greensboro and Lakeland, averaging 14.8 ppg., 5.8 rpg. and 2.3 apg. in 29.5 minpg.

Schofield played in 132 career games (94 starts) during four seasons at the University of Tennessee (2015-19), averaging 11.9 ppg., 5.3 rpg. and 1.3 apg. in 24.9 minpg., while shooting .387 (184-476) from three-point range. As a senior (2018-19), he played and started in 37 games, averaging 16.5 ppg., 6.1 rpg. and 2.0 apg. in 31.7 minpg., while shooting .418 (74-177) from three-point range. He was named to the All-SEC First Team by the conference coaches, earned All-SEC Tournament Team honors and was also an honorable mention All-American by Associated Press. As a junior (2017-18), Schofield was named to the All-SEC Second Team by the conference coaches and earned All-SEC Tournament Team honors.

Schofield wears #25 for the Orlando Magic.

Per NBA rules, teams are permitted to have a maximum of two players under two-way contracts in addition to the players under standard NBA contracts. A two-way player is also eligible to provide services to Orlando’s G League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic.

Indiana Pacers sign rookie Andrew Nembhard

The Indiana Pacers have signed rookie guard Andrew Nembhard.

The Pacers selected Nembhard with the 31st overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

“I’m excited to get my career and rookie season started with the Pacers,” said Nembhard. “I’m thankful for the opportunity to be a part of such a first-class organization and I can’t wait to play in front of the league’s best fans at Gainbridge Fieldhouse this year.”

Per the Indianapolis Star, Nembhard “signed a four-year deal worth $8.6 million, league sources told IndyStar on Wednesday.”

NBA website and app to stream select Drew League games

Starting Saturday, July 23, select 2022 Drew League games will be streamed globally on the NBA App and NBA.com.

This marks the first time NBA platforms will feature a pro-am league, building upon the NBA’s goal to engage with fans throughout the offseason and widen its scope of basketball content.

The Drew League made its debut on NBA digital platforms on July 16 with an exciting matchup featuring LeBron James and DeMar DeRozan.

As part of the collaboration, premier Drew League summer games will stream on NBA platforms on select weekends from Saturday, July 23 through the championship game on Sunday, August 21, with priority for games featuring NBA players and top competition.

“This is an extremely exciting year for the Drew League, and we are thrilled to collaborate with the NBA to bring the league to more fans across the globe,” said Chaniel Smiley, Drew League Commissioner. “I’m very proud of the work we have done this year for The Drew and look forward to all the new fans experiencing first-hand the talent of the players in the Drew League as well as its cultural impact.”

Through the years, dozens of NBA players have participated in Drew League including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, DeMar DeRozan, James Harden, Baron Davis, Kevin Durant, Paul Pierce and many more.

Timberwolves sign Austin Rivers

The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed guard Austin Rivers.

Rivers, 6-4, spent last season with the Denver Nuggets where he averaged 6.0 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game in 67 games (18 starts). He registered his best season in 2017-18 with the LA Clippers, where he saw action in 61 games (a career-high 59 starts) and averaged a career-high 15.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and a career-best 4.0 assists. In 10 seasons in the NBA with the New Orleans Pelicans organization, Clippers, Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks and Nuggets, Rivers has tallied 5,741 points, 1,359 rebounds and 1,438 assists throughout 655 games (174 starts).

The Santa Monica, Calif. native, has seen action in 60 postseason matchups (15 starts) during seven trips to the NBA playoffs, including four straight seasons. He holds playoff career averages of 7.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 22.1 minutes per game. Rivers was originally selected by the New Orleans Hornets with the 10th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Injury update on Trail Blazers rookie Shaedon Sharpe

Portland Trail Blazers rookie guard Shaedon Sharpe underwent further evaluation of a small labral tear in his left shoulder, and it has been determined that surgery will not be required, the team announced today.

Sharpe will continue rehabilitation and is expected to be available for Fall training camp.

The injury occurred during Portland’s Summer League game against Detroit on Thursday, July 7.

Oklahoma City Thunder sign Kenrich Williams to contract extension

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed guard/forward Kenrich Williams to a multi-year contract extension.

The extension is reportedly for four years, $27.2 million.

During the 2021-22 season, Williams saw time in 49 games and averaged 7.4 points on 46.1 percent shooting, 4.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 21.9 minutes per game. The TCU product led all Thunder reserves with 108 total assists last season and scored in double figures in 14 games, third most among Thunder reserves.

Per the Oklahoman, “aside from Williams’ on-court value, he’s perhaps the most respected player in the Thunder’s locker room. His leadership and work ethic has been compared to Nick Collison — a Thunder lifer whose jersey hangs in the rafters at Paycom Center.”

In four NBA seasons with Oklahoma City and New Orleans, Williams has appeared in 200 games (60 starts) and averaged 6.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 22.0 minutes per game.

Atlanta Hawks hire Kyle Korver as director of player affairs and development

The Atlanta Hawks have hired Kyle Korver as the organization’s director of player affairs & development.

In this newly-formed position, Korver will assist in creating and overseeing a development plan for each Hawks player in partnership with the coaches, athletic performance team and front office.

“We are excited to bring Kyle back to the Hawks,” said Hawks General Manager Landry Fields. “He is a tremendous person and someone whose presence will benefit all of our players, both on and off the court, drawing from his unique experiences over his 17-year playing career, as a late-second round pick who later became an All-Star in Atlanta and one of the league’s all-time best shooters.”

Korver, who spent the 2021-22 season as a player development assistant with the Brooklyn Nets, returns to the Hawks, where he played in 332 regular season games over four-and-a-half seasons (2012-17), including an All-Star appearance in 2015. He was also the NBA’s Sportsmanship Award recipient in 2014-15.

Korver appeared in 1,232 career regular season games (and 145 playoff contests) in 17 seasons with Philadelphia, Utah, Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland and Milwaukee. He ranks fifth in NBA history in three-pointers made (2,450) and seventh in career three-point percentage (.429), including the best single-season mark in league history (.536 in 2009-10 with the Jazz). Korver is the only player to ever lead the league in three-point percentage four times.

Selected 51st overall in the 2003 NBA Draft, Korver was the two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year as a collegian at Creighton. Korver, 41, was born in Paramount, Calif. before his family relocated to Pella, Iowa.