Inside Hoops – Page 177 – NBA Blog

Nuggets sign Jack White to two-way contract

The Denver Nuggets have signed forward Jack White to a two-way contract, General Manager Calvin Booth announced today.

White, 6-7, 222, appeared in five games (one start) for the Nuggets 2022 Las Vegas Summer League entry, averaging 7.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks om 69.6% shooting in 17.1 minutes per game.

The Canberra, Australia native went undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft after spending four years at Duke University where he appeared in 103 games (10 starts) and averaged 2.7 points and 3.0 rebounds in 13.6 minutes per game.

The 24-year-old has also played three seasons professionally in the Australian NBL league, appearing in two games for Cairns in 2015-16 and playing for the Melbourne United from 2020-22 following his time at Duke.

Most recently White appeared in 26 games (23 starts) for Melbourne, averaging 9.4 points and 6.9 rebounds in 23.4 minutes per game.

White will wear #41 for the Nuggets.

OKC Thunder sign rookie Jaylin Williams

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed rookie forward Jaylin Williams, it was announced today by Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Williams was selected 34th overall in this year’s draft after spending two seasons at the University of Arkansas. In his sophomore season, he appeared in 37 games (35 starts) and averaged 10.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.29 steals in 31.6 minutes per game en route to being named to the 2021-22 SEC All-Defensive Team and the All-SEC First Team by coaches.

Raptors sign Jeff Dowtin Jr. to two-way contract

The Toronto Raptors have signed guard Jeff Dowtin Jr. to a two-way contract.

Dowtin, 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, joined the Raptors for the NBA 2K23 Summer League where he averaged 16.0 points, 4.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 28.1 minutes in four games (all starts). He shot .571 (24-42) from the field, including .364 (4-11) from three-point range.

A native of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, Dowtin played in nine NBA games last season for Golden State, Milwaukee and Orlando, averaging 2.1 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists. He appeared in 37 regular season games over two years in the NBA G League for the Lakeland Magic and Wisconsin Herd, averaging 15.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.1 steals in 27.8 minutes played. He helped the Lakeland Magic win the 2021 NBA G League Championship.

Prior to going undrafted in the 2020 NBA draft, Dowtin spent his entire college career at the University of Rhode Island where he averaged 13.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 35.6 minutes starting in all 29 games played in his final season.

Wizards sign Taj Gibson

The Washington Wizards have signed 13-year NBA veteran forward/center Taj Gibson to a contract.

“Taj comes to us as a veteran big who will add toughness, experience and physicality to our team,” said Wizards President and General Manager Tommy Sheppard. “We know he will always be prepared and ready when we need him, giving us valuable depth in our frontcourt.”

It’s reportedly a one-year contract.

Gibson (6-9, 232) holds career averages of 9.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game in 896 games (447 starts) with the Chicago Bulls, Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, and New York Knicks. Gibson has shot .518 from the field for his career and has shot at least 50 percent from the field in each of the past eight seasons, including a career-best .627 in 2020-21. In 52 games (four starts) with the Knicks last season, Gibson averaged 4.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game while shooting .518 from the field.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, the 37-year-old made his NBA debut in 2009 with Chicago and was named to the 2009-10 All-Rookie Team after averaging 9.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in 82 games. Gibson was the 26th overall selection of the 2009 NBA Draft out of USC, where he was the school’s all-time leader in blocks. During his career Gibson has been active in the community, such as co-hosting a rally with NYC to promote Black Lives Matter and gun control efforts in Bedford-Stuyvesant, leading a procession of hundreds of marchers down Fulton Street. He also hosted several host-a-family events and provided school supplies to at-need families in the Chicago area during his tenure with the Bulls.

Sidy Cissoko signs with G League Ignite team

Guard Sidy Cissoko, a standout international prospect from France, has signed with NBA G League Ignite, NBA G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim announced today. A member of the French U18 National Team, Cissoko becomes the first European-born prospect to join Ignite.

Cissoko played the 2021-22 season with Iraurgi Saski Baloia in the second division of the Spanish Basketball League while on loan from Saski Baskonia, also in Spain. He was selected to play for the World Select Team in the 2022 Nike Hoop Summit, a matchup between top U.S. high school seniors and elite 19-and-under players from around the world. Cissoko recorded three points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals in the game, which took place in April in Portland, Ore.

Last August, Cissoko competed with France at the 2021 FIBA U18 European Challengers. He averaged 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.4 steals in five games.

Cissoko will represent France at the 2022 FIBA U18 European Championship in Turkey (July 30 to Aug. 7) before joining Ignite in August. He will be part of a roster that includes 2023 NBA Draft prospects Scoot Henderson, a guard who is returning for his second season with Ignite, and Efe Abogidi, an NBA Academy graduate and former Washington State forward.

Sacramento Kings sign Chima Moneke

The Sacramento Kings have signed forward Chima Moneke, according to General Manager Monte McNair.

During the 2021-22 campaign, Moneke competed in 52 games for BAXI Manresa, averaging 14.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 23.5 minutes per game. The 6-6 forward earned Basketball Champions League MVP honors averaging 13.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 22.2 minutes per contest over 15 games, helping his team advance to the Basketball Champions League semifinals.

Moneke, who played collegiately at UC Davis, averaged 16.0 points and 9.5 rebounds in 28.3 minutes per game through 57 games with the Aggies from 2015-18.

Per the Sacramento Bee, “Kings coach Mike Brown coached the Nigerian national team at the Tokyo Olympics last summer. Kings forwards Chimezie Metu and KZ Okpala were part of that team. Moneke didn’t play in the Olympic Games but was part of the preliminary squad that took down Team USA in an exhibition prior to the Olympics.”

Kings rookie forward Keegan Murray named 2022 NBA Summer League MVP

Sacramento Kings rookie forward Keegan Murray has been named Summer League 2022 Most Valuable Player, as selected by a panel of media. Along with earning MVP honors, the NBA announced Murray as an All-Summer League First Team selection.

Murray started all four games he appeared in at Summer League, averaging 23.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals in 31.9 minutes per game. Selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Murray converted 50.0% of his field goal attempts while also shooting 40.0% from 3-point range. He finished with the highest scoring average by a top-10 pick at Summer League in Las Vegas since 2012.

An Iowa native, Murray also made three appearances during the 2022 California Classic Summer League, accruing averages of 19.7 points and 8.0 rebounds in 30.1 minutes per game. Across seven Summer League contests, the 6-8 forward posted 21.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 31.2 minutes per outing.

2022-23 Brooklyn Nets preseason game schedule

The Brooklyn Nets will open the 2022-23 season with a four-game preseason schedule, highlighted by two home contests versus Eastern Conference opponents on Monday, Oct. 3, versus the Philadelphia 76ers and Thursday, Oct. 6, against the Miami Heat.

The Nets will then travel to Milwaukee on Wednesday, Oct. 12, to take on the Bucks at Fiserv Forum before concluding their preseason slate on Friday, Oct. 14, at the Minnesota Timberwolves inside Target Center.

Brooklyn Nets season ticket memberships and mini plans are on sale now. To learn more and view options, visit brooklynnets.com. Single game tickets for home games at Barclays Center will go on sale at a later date.

YES Network will have preseason coverage as it begins its 21st season as the home for Nets basketball.

DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME (ET)

Monday, Oct. 3: Philadelphia 76ers, Barclays Center, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 6: Miami Heat, Barclays Center, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 12: @Milwaukee Bucks, Fiserv Forum, 8 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 14: @Minnesota Timberwolves, Target Center, 8 p.m.

Nuggets sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to contract extension

The Denver Nuggets have signed guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a multi-year contract extension, General Manager Calvin Booth announced today.

Caldwell-Pope’s extension is reportedly for two years, $30 million.

Caldwell-Pope, 29, was recently acquired by Denver via trade from Washington. He appeared in 77 games (all starts) for the Wizards last season, averaging 13.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.10 steals per game on 39.0% shooting from three and 89.0% from the charity stripe in 30.2 minutes per game. In four of the past five seasons the sharpshooting guard has shot 38%-or-better from beyond the arc while ranking in the top 10 in catch and shoot three-point percentage over the past two seasons (41.0%) and in the top 10 on open three-pointers last season (44.8%).

Caldwell-Pope has appeared in 683 career games (541 starts) for Detroit, L.A. Lakers and Washington, owning career averages of 11.6 points, 3.1 rebounds 1.7 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 42.1% from the field and 36.0% from three in 29.2 minutes per game. Caldwell-Pope was an integral part to the Lakers championship run in 2020, starting all 21 playoff games and averaging 10.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 29.0 minutes per game. The nine-year NBA veteran was originally selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by Detroit after spending two seasons at the University of Georgia.

Celtics sign Mfiondu Kabengele to two-way contract

The Boston Celtics yesterday signed forward/center Mfiondu Kabengele to a two-way contract.

Kabengele, 6’10”, has appeared in four games for the Celtics during their 2022 Summer League campaign where he has averaged 14.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.8 blocks in 25.2 minutes per game while shooting 55.9 percent from the field, 36.4 percent from three and 77.8 percent from the free throw line.

The former 2019 first round draft pick by Brooklyn has appeared in a total of 51 NBA games split between the LA Clippers and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Toronto, Ontario native played in 33 games for the NBA G-League Champion Rio Grande Valley Vipers last season where he averaged 17.5 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.94 blocks in 29.3 minutes per game while shooting 58.9 percent from the field and 39.6 percent from three.

Per Boston.com, “the Celtics still have three open roster spots, so there is a chance Kabengele could ultimately play his way into a regular NBA deal. For now, though, he’s thrilled to have this chance on a two-way contract. “I think my main goal is to work on my skill and my craft, and whatever manifests out of that I’ll be happy with,” he said.”