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Lakers exercise contract options on D`Angelo Russell, Julius Randle and Larry Nance Jr

The Los Angeles Lakers have exercised their team options for the 2017-18 season on forwards Larry Nance Jr. and Julius Randle, and guard D’Angelo Russell, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

Nance Jr., selected with the 27th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, appeared in 63 games (22 starts) in his rookie season, tallying three double-doubles. He finished third among all rookies in field goal percentage (52.7%) and 10th in rebounds per game (5.0). On January 14 at Golden State, Nance Jr. recorded a career-high six steals, becoming the first Laker rookie since Eddie Jones to have at least six takeaways in a game.

Randle, the seventh overall selection in the 2014 NBA Draft, was one of only nine players in the NBA last season to average a double-double, and did so in the fewest minutes per game of anyone in that group (11.3 points and 10.2 rebounds in 28.2 minutes per game). He appeared in 81 games (60 starts) in 2015-16, registering 34 double-doubles and one triple-double, finishing the season ranked sixth in the NBA in total rebounds. Randle was chosen by USA Basketball to compete with the USA Men’s Select Team that trained with the Men’s National Team in Las Vegas this summer in preparation for the Olympics.

The second overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft, Russell garnered All-Rookie Second Team honors after finishing last season ranked fourth among rookies in assists (3.3) and steals (1.16) per game and fifth in points (13.2) and three-point field goal percentage (35.1%). He was one of 10 American rookie and sophomore players selected to participate in the Rising Stars Challenge at NBA All-Star 2016, and became the youngest player in NBA history to make 120+ three-pointers in a season. Russell was chosen by USA Basketball to compete with the USA Men’s Select Team that trained with the Men’s National Team in Las Vegas this summer in preparation for the Olympics.

Nerlens Noel undergoes knee surgery

Nerlens Noel undergoes knee surgery

Philadelphia 76ers power forward Nerlens Noel underwent what the team calls “a minor elective arthroscopic procedure to address localized soreness associated with inflamed plica in his left knee.”

The surgery was performed by Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Riley J. Williams at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City and attended by Sixers Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Jonathan Glashow of Mt. Sinai Hospital.

Noel began his post-operative care at the Hospital for Special Surgery and will then travel to Birmingham, AL to continue his rehabilitation under the direction of Associate Clinical Director Kevin Wilk at Champion Sports Medicine.

It’s not known yet how long Noel will be out of action.

Suns exercise contract options on Devin Booker and T.J. Warren

The Phoenix Suns have exercised their 2017-18 options on guard Devin Booker and forward T.J. Warren.

Booker ranked fifth in the NBA in scoring this preseason, averaging 19.6 points in five appearances, including a 34-point performance at Portland on October 7. An NBA All-Rookie First Team selection in 2015-16, Booker ranked fourth among rookies with a scoring average of 13.8 points in 76 games, averaging 18.5 points over the season’s final 44 games after permanently joining the starting lineup on Jan. 8. By eclipsing 1,000 career points at an age of 19 years, 162 days old on April 9 of last season, he became the fourth-youngest player in NBA history to score 1,000 points with only LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant doing so younger.

Warren started all six of the Suns’ preseason games, averaging 12.5 points on 46.6 percent shooting from the field and 4.2 rebounds. In his second season with the Suns in 2015-16, Warren averaged career bests of 11.0 points and 3.1 rebounds through 47 games before a right foot fracture caused him to miss the season’s final 34 contests. By shooting 50.1 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from behind the three-point arc last season, he was one of only three players in the league, along with Stephen Curry and Kawhi Leonard, to shoot at least 50 percent on field goals and 40 percent on three-pointers among those who made at least 25 threes.

Suns waive Archie Goodwin

Suns waive Archie Goodwin

The Phoenix Suns have waived guard Archie Goodwin.

Goodwin averaged 7.3 points and 1.8 rebounds in four appearances this preseason and 8.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 57 games in 2015-16. The 29th overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft, Goodwin played each of his first three professional seasons with the Suns, averaging 6.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in 150 total games.

The Suns’ roster now stands at 15 players.

Kings waive Jordan Farmar and Isaiah Cousins

Kings waive Jordan Farmar and Isaiah Cousins

The Sacramento Kings today waived guards Jordan Farmar and Isaiah Cousins, according to Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Vlade Divac.

Farmar averaged 6.5 points (.471 FG%, 5-11 3pt, .833 FT%), 1.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists in four preseason contests with Sacramento, including 14 points (5-8 FG, 4-5 3pt), one rebound and five assists against the L.A. Lakers on Oct. 13. A 10-year NBA veteran, Farmar has tallied career averages of 7.7 points (.423 FG%, .374 3pt%, .739 FT%), 1.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 19.5 minutes per game in 502 contests.

Selected by Sacramento out of Oklahoma in the second round (59th overall) of the 2016 NBA Draft, Cousins appeared in two exhibition contests for the Kings, totaling 12 minutes. The 6-5 guard averaged 9.7 points (.408 FG%, .407 3pt%, .711 FT%), 3.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 27.7 minutes per game over 137 career contests in four seasons with the Sooners (2012-13 – 2015-16).

Cavaliers waive Dahntay Jones

Cavaliers waive Dahntay Jones

The Cleveland Cavaliers have waived guard/forward Dahntay Jones, Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Jones appeared in two preseason games for the Cavs, averaging 4.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in 20.4 minutes. Jones also appeared in 15 postseason games for the Cavs last season.

The Cavaliers roster now stands at 15.

Grizzlies waive Jordan Adams and Matt Costello

Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace today announced the team has waived guard Jordan Adams and center Matt Costello to finalize its 15-man 2016-17 regular season roster.

Adams (6-5, 209) appeared in 32 games (zero starts) over two seasons with the Grizzlies and averaged 3.2 points and 0.9 rebounds in 8.2 minutes. The 22-year-old Atlanta native was selected by Memphis in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2014 NBA Draft following a two-year collegiate career at UCLA.

Costello (6-9, 245), recently signed on Oct. 20, did not appear in a preseason game with the Grizzlies but averaged 4.0 points and 3.5 rebounds in 9.0 minutes in two preseason contests with the Atlanta Hawks. The 23-year-old Linwood, Mich. native went undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft following a four-year collegiate career at Michigan State University.

The Grizzlies’ roster now stands at 15 players

Sixers waive Anthony Barber, Dionte Christmas, Shawn Long, Brandon Paul and James Webb III

The Philadelphia 76ers today announced the team has waived Anthony “Cat” Barber, Dionte Christmas, Shawn Long, Brandon Paul and James Webb III.

Barber appeared in two preseason games for the Sixers and posted averages of six points, two rebounds and two assists in six minutes per game. Prior to joining the Sixers, Barber appeared in four games for the New Orleans Pelicans in the Utah Summer League this summer, averaging six points and one assist in 12 minutes per game.

Christmas appeared in 31 games for the Phoenix Suns during the 2013-14 season, where he posted averages of two points and one rebound in seven minutes per game. He also has seven seasons of experience internationally, most recently with Torku Konyaspor Basket of the Turkish Basketball Super League.

Long saw action in all seven of the Sixers preseason games, where he averaged four points and two rebounds in 10 minutes per game. Long played for the Sixers during the Samsung NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, where he averaged nine points, three rebounds and one block in 12 minutes per game.

Paul played in four preseason games for the Sixers, where he averaged seven points and two rebounds on 50% shooting from the field in 10 minutes per game. He also appeared in all six games during this summer’s Samsung NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, where he averaged 11 points, three rebounds and two steals in 20 minutes per game.

Webb, who appeared in six preseason games, posted averages of four points and four rebounds in 15 minutes per game, while shooting 40% from three-point range. Webb also played for the Sixers in the Samsung NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, appearing in four games and averaging five points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal in 13 minutes per game.

The Sixers roster currently stands at 15 players.