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Suns sign Anthony Bennett and Peter Jok

The Phoenix Suns have signed forward Anthony Bennett and forward/guard Peter Jok (pronounced JOCK).

Until we hear otherwise, we will assume the deals are non-guaranteed training camp contracts.

Bennett, a 6-8, 235-pound forward, is a four-year NBA veteran who was the first overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft. Bennett has played in 151 games with Cleveland, Minnesota, Toronto and Brooklyn over his career, averaging 4.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 12.6 minutes. Bennett began the 2016-17 season with the Nets and averaged 5.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 11.5 minutes over 23 games, then completed the season with Fenerbahce of the Turkish Basketball Super League where he was a member of the first Turkish team to win the EuroLeague championship. A native of Toronto, Ontario, the 24-year-old has played for the Canadian Senior Men’s National Team, helping Canada to a silver medal finish at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto and a bronze medal finish at the 2015 FIBA Americas Tournament in Mexico City.

Jok, a 6-6, 205-pound wing, joins the Suns following a successful four-year career at the University of Iowa. As a senior in 2016-17, Jok led the Big Ten in scoring with 19.9 points per game and earned All-Big Ten First Team honors while setting a Hawkeyes single-season record by shooting 91.1 percent from the free throw line. Against Memphis in his senior season, Jok scored a career-high 42 points, the most scored by an Iowa player in 40 years as he made a career-high eight three-pointers in the contest. A native of Sudan, he left Iowa as the Hawkeyes’ career free throw percentage leader (88.1 percent), fourth in career three-point makes (216) and 15th in career scoring (1,508). The 23-year-old played with the New Orleans Pelicans at NBA Summer League 2017 in Las Vegas, averaging 9.0 points and 1.0 steals in three appearances.

Hornets promote Stephen Silas, hire Eddie Jordan

The Charlotte Hornets have promoted Stephen Silas to associate head coach and have hired Eddie Jordan as an assistant coach.

The team also made the following announcements regarding basketball operations personnel: Rick Higgins has been promoted to coaching assistant/video coordinator, Cam Twiss has been promoted to General Manager of the team’s G League affiliate the Greensboro Swarm, David Kaplan has been promoted to manager of basketball analytics, Adam Filippi has transitioned to collegiate scouting and Jakub Kudlacek has been hired as an international scout.

Silas is in his eighth season on the Charlotte bench and 17th in the NBA, coming to Charlotte after spending the previous four and a half seasons as an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors. Prior to joining the Warriors, Silas served as an advance scout for the Washington Wizards during the 2005-06 season.

Silas also spent five seasons as an assistant coach under his father, Paul Silas, with the original Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets (2000-03) and Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-05). Silas, who joined the original Hornets in the summer of 1999 as an advance and college scout, was promoted to assistant coach on June 5, 2000, making him the youngest assistant in the NBA at that time at 27 years old.

The Boston-native graduated from Brown University in 1996, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in sociology and management and played four seasons for the Bears basketball team. Upon graduation, Silas spent three years as the assistant executive director of the National Basketball Retired Players Association in Providence, Rhode Island.

Jordan played seven seasons in the NBA from 1977-84 with four different teams, helping the Lakers to an NBA Championship during the 1981-82 season. He began his coaching career as an assistant in the college ranks with Boston College (1986-88) and Rutgers University (1988-91), before returning to the NBA as an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings from 1992-97. Jordan has been a head coach with three NBA teams: the Kings (1997-98), the Washington Wizards (2003-08) and Philadelphia 76ers (2009-10). Most recently, he was the head coach at his alma mater, Rutgers University (2013-16).

The Washington, D.C. native has additional coaching experience as the lead assistant with the New Jersey Nets (1999-03) and Los Angeles Lakers (2012-13), where he coached alongside current Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford. While with the Nets, Jordan helped guide the team to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003.

Higgins’ promotion to coaching assistant/video coordinator comes after serving as the team’s video scout for the past four seasons. In his expanded role, Higgins will assist with game planning, scouting reports and player workouts in addition to his role in the video department.

Twiss has been promoted to General Manager of the Greensboro Swarm after serving as the Swarm’s Director of Basketball Operations for the G League affiliate’s inaugural season. Twiss will manage the Swarm’s roster, advise on G League and college personnel and assist with the integration between the Hornets and its G-League team.

Filippi, who previously scouted internationally, is now focused on collegiate scouting. Entering his seventh season in Charlotte, Filippi has more than 20 years of scouting experience. He previously worked for the Los Angeles Lakers before joining the Hornets.

Kudlacek, a native of the Czech Republic, played professionally in Europe for seven seasons and was a member of the Czech national team. Last season, he served as an international scout for the Los Angeles Clippers.

In his new role, Kaplan will provide basketball analytics to the coaching staff and front office. Previously, he served as a quantitative analyst for the Hornets.

Rockets hire Sachin Gupta as Special Advisor

Sachin Gupta has re-joined the Houston Rockets, in the role as Special Advisor. In this role, Gupta will work closely with Morey and his executive staff of Gersson Rosas, Monte McNair, Eli Witus, and Jimmy Paulis.

“Sachin’s fingerprints are all over this team, from his first six seasons with the Rockets to contributions he’s made this past year,” said Morey. “Given what he brings to the table and how seamlessly he fits in with our group, we’re excited to have him back into the fold.”

“I am so proud to once again be part of the Rockets family,” said Gupta. “This is truly one of the elite organizations in sports, both on and off the court, from top to bottom. What they’ve built over the past several years is incredible and I’m excited to be back helping them in their pursuit of a championship.”

Gupta originally joined the Rockets in 2006 as Morey’s first hire and remained with the team for six seasons before leaving in 2012 to pursue his MBA from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. During that time, Gupta served as a consultant for Philadelphia 76ers General Manager Sam Hinkie, and after completing his degree joined the Sixers full-time as Vice President of Basketball Operations in 2014.

This past season Gupta aided the Rockets during the trade deadline, draft, and free agency periods, playing an important role in the acquisition of nine-time All-Star Chris Paul.

Prior to working in the NBA, Gupta spent two years at ESPN, where he developed the widely popular NBA Trade Machine. Originally from the Boston area, Gupta holds a degree in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering from MIT.

Bucks waive JeQuan Lewis

The Milwaukee Bucks have requested waivers on guard JeQuan Lewis. The undrafted rookie from Virginia Commonwealth University originally signed a contract on July 6.

In four games during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Lewis averaged 2.0 points and 1.5 assists per contest.

Sixers sign guard Jacob Pullen

Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo announced today that the team has agreed to terms with guard Jacob Pullen.

Pullen most recently played for BC Khimki of the VTB United League in Russia. Across VTB and Eurocup play, Pullen appeared in 40 games and averaged 10 points and two assists per contest. Since 2011, he has played professionally in Italy, Israel, Spain and Croatia in addition to his most recent season in Russia.

A 6-foot-1 guard, Pullen starred at Kansas State from 2007-11, averaging 16 points, two rebounds, three assists and two steals across 135 games (67 starts). As a senior in 2010-11, he posted 20 points and four assists per game as he was named First Team All-Big 12; an honor he also earned as a junior. The Wildcats reached the NCAA Tournament in three of Pullen’s four seasons at the school, including an appearance in the 2010 Elite Eight.

Timberwolves sign Aaron Brooks

The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed guard Aaron Brooks.

With the signing, the Wolves have finalized the team’s training camp roster at 17 players.

Brooks, 32, appeared in 65 games last season with Indiana averaging 5.0 points and 1.9 assists in 13.8 minutes per contest. The 6-0 point guard shot 37.5% from long distance in 2016-17, making 48 of his 128 attempts from beyond the arc.

Brooks has played in 613 career NBA contests over nine seasons with Houston, Phoenix, Sacramento, Denver, Chicago and Indiana. The Seattle, Washington native owns career averages of 10.1 points on 41.3% shooting and 3.1 assists in 21.6 minutes per game. Brooks has appeared in 38 playoff games, including 13 starts, averaging 8.7 points and 1.8 assists in 18.4 minutes per game. Originally drafted by the Houston Rockets with the 26th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, Brooks played under Tom Thibodeau in Chicago during the 2014-15 season averaging 11.6 points and 3.2 assists over 82 contests, 21 starts.

Sixers free scrimmage info

The Philadelphia 76ers will hold their “Blue x White Scrimmage” on Sunday, Oct. 1 from 1 – 3:30 p.m. at The Palestra. The event is the fans’ first chance to see the 2017-18 76ers team.

“The Blue x White Scrimmage presents an opportunity for us to connect with our fans in a unique and personal manner,” Coach Brett Brown said. “I’m looking forward to introducing this year’s team at the iconic Palestra on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus. The building strongly represents the toughness and perseverance of the city of Philadelphia and of the 76ers organization.”

Tickets to the Blue x White Scrimmage will be free to the general public starting Tuesday, Sept. 26 via 76ers social media platforms.

“Our city and fans have a deep connection to the game of basketball at all levels,” said Philadelphia 76ers Senior Vice President of Business Development and Marketing Katie O’Reilly. “By hosting the Blue x White Scrimmage at an iconic venue like The Palestra, we are celebrating the storied tradition of Philadelphia basketball while harnessing the incredible energy, excitement and anticipation from 76ers fans as we prepare to tip off our season. We’re looking forward to seeing our players take the floor on Oct. 1 for what should be a special atmosphere at The Palestra.”

Timberwolves add to coaching staff

The Minnesota Timberwolves have added to the team’s coaching staff for the 2017-18 season, naming Larry Greer as Advance Scout, John Lucas III as Player Development Coach, Steve Molina as Video Assistant and promoting Sam Newman-Beck to Coaching Associate/Video Scouting Director.

Greer joins Minnesota’s staff as Advance Scout after spending two seasons as the Advance Scout for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He began his NBA career in Houston, serving as an Advance Scout for two seasons under Jeff Van Gundy (2005-07). Greer worked for Portland from 2007-12, serving as an advance scout for five seasons before working as an assistant coach on Nate McMillan’s staff during the 2011-12 season. His coaching background also involves 17 seasons as an Assistant Coach in the college ranks with stops at Arizona State University (2012-15), Boston University (1994-2003), Brandeis University (1989-92) and Wright State University (2003-05).

Lucas III begins his first season as Player Development Coach after an NBA career that featured stops in Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Toronto and Utah. He appeared in 242 games over his nine-year career and averaged 4.7 points and 1.5 assists in 12.1 minutes per game. Lucas played under Coach Thibodeau for two seasons in both Chicago (2010-12) and Houston (2005-07).

Molina joins the Timberwolves after spending two seasons as a Video/Basketball Operations Intern with the Detroit Pistons. Prior to joining the Pistons, Molina interned with the Philadelphia 76ers. A graduate from Marquette University, Molina was a student manager during his four years in Milwaukee.

Newman-Beck is entering his eighth season with the Timberwolves, ninth in the NBA and his first as Coaching Associate/Video Scouting Director. Most recently, Newman-Beck served as Head Video Coordinator for the past two seasons. Before joining the Timberwolves in 2010-11, Newman-Beck worked alongside Coach Thibodeau with the Boston Celtics, serving as a video intern during the team’s 2009-10 run to the NBA Finals.

Warriors training camp info

Golden State Warriors training camp begins Saturday, September 23.

The Warriors also announced the signing of free agent guards Antonius Cleveland, Michael Gbinije (ben-ih-jhay) and Alex Hamilton and free agent forward Georges Niang (George KNEE-yang).

Cleveland, 22, went undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft after a four-year career at Southeast Missouri State, where he averaged 12.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.31 steals and 28.8 minutes in 121 career games. As a senior in 2016-17, he averaged a career-high 16.6 points while hitting career bests of 54.3 percent from the field and 38.4 percent from three-point range.

Gbinije, 25, appeared in nine games with the Detroit Pistons last season, scoring four points in 32 minutes. Originally selected by the Pistons with the 49th overall pick in the second round of the 2016 NBA Draft, Gbinije averaged 12.0 points, and 4.3 rebounds in 35.0 minutes over 16 games with the Grand Rapids Drive of the NBA G League. Gbinije, who spent his freshman season at Duke before playing three seasons at Syracuse University, helped the Orange to a Final Four appearance as a senior in 2015-16 after averaging career marks of 17.5 points and 4.3 assists in 37.9 minutes over 37 games.

Hamilton, 23, spent the 2016-17 season with Golden State’s G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, where he averaged 11.4 points, 4.5 assists and 3.4 rebounds in 23.4 minutes over 43 games. Prior to joining Santa Cruz, Hamilton played collegiately for four seasons at Louisiana Tech, where he averaged 19.9 points, 6.2 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.97 steals in 33 games as a senior in 2015-16, earning Conference USA Player of the Year honors.

Niang, 24, appeared in 23 games for the Indiana Pacers in 2016-17, totaling 21 points and 17 rebounds in 93 minutes of action. Originally selected by the Pacers with the 50th overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft, Niang averaged 19.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 33.0 minutes over six games with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the NBA G League last season. Niang played collegiately for four seasons at Iowa State University, where he earned the 2016 Karl Malone Award, given to the nation’s best power forward, after averaging 20.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists as a senior in 2015-16.

Following seven days of practice, the Warriors will open their preseason schedule at Oracle Arena on Saturday, September 30, against the Denver Nuggets before traveling to China for a pair of preseason games against the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of the NBA Global Games.