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Thunder exercise contract options on five players

The Oklahoma City Thunder exercised their third-year contract option on forward Ousmane Dieng, forward/center Chet Holmgren, guard/forward Jalen Williams and its fourth-year contract option on guards Josh Giddey and Tre Mann.

Dieng appeared in 39 games (one start) during his rookie season with the Thunder and averaged 4.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 14.6 minutes. He was selected 11th overall in the 22 NBA Draft.

Holmgren is set to make his NBA debut during the 2023-24 season after missing last season with a Lisfranc injury in his right foot. He was selected second overall in the 2022 NBA Draft after one season with the Gonzaga Bulldogs where he received AP All-American Second Team honors.

Williams was selected to the 2022-23 NBA All-Rookie First Team and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting after he appeared in 75 games (62 starts) last season and averaged 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals in 30.3 minutes. He was selected 12th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Giddey was named to the 2023 Rising Stars team this past season after he averaged 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists in 31.1 minutes. The four-time Western Conference Rookie of the Month winner was selected sixth overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Mann has seen action in 127 games (31 starts) in two seasons with the Thunder and averaged 9.0 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 20.1 minutes. He was selected 18th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Mavericks convert Dexter Dennis and Greg Brown III deals to two-way contracts

The Dallas Mavericks have converted guard Dexter Dennis and forward Greg Brown III to Two-Way contracts.

Dennis (6-5, 210) appeared in all four of Dallas’ preseason games and averaged 3.5 points and 1.0 rebounds in 9.6 minutes per game.

Dennis went undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft after finishing his college career as a graduate transfer at Texas A&M. In 34 games (all starts) for the Aggies last season, he averaged 9.5 points, a team-high 5.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 28.7 minutes per game.

Dennis will wear No. 17 for the Mavericks.

Brown (6-8, 217) saw action in two of the Mavericks’ four exhibition games and averaged 2.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 9.8 minutes per contest.

The former Texas Gatorade Player of the Year and Texas Mr. Basketball honoree played one season at the University of Texas, where he was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team for the Longhorns in 2021. Brown was drafted in the second round (43rd overall pick) of the 2021 NBA Draft, spending two seasons with Portland and averaging 4.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 11.5 minutes in 64 games (6 starts).

Brown will wear No. 13 for Dallas.

The Mavericks’ roster stands at 18 players, including three Two-Way players (AJ Lawson, Dennis and Brown).

Timberwolves sign Brian Bowen II and Javonte Cooke

The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed forward Brian Bowen II and guard Javonte Cooke.

Bowen II, 25, most recently played in all five games for the Timberwolves entry in the NBA 2K24 Summer League 2023, averaging 4.8 points on 47.4% shooting and 1.6 rebounds in 13.9 minutes per game. The Saginaw, Mich. native played in 15 regular season games for the Iowa Wolves, the NBA G League affiliate of the Timberwolves, where he saw action in 15 games and averaged 13.8 points on 46.0% shooting, 7.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists. In two seasons with the Indiana Pacers from 2019-2021, he saw action in 12 total games.

Cooke, 24, appeared in 41 games (nine starts) last season with the Iowa Wolves where he averaged 7.5 points on 42.2% shooting, 2.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 19.5 minutes per game. The Columbia, S.C. native finished his collegiate career at Winston-Salem State in 2021-22 where he saw action in 23 games (17 starts), pulling down averages of 16.6 points on 46.6% from the field, including 39.2% from three, 3.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.5 steals in 29.2 minutes per game.

Raptors waive Justise Winslow, Mouhamadou Gueye and Jeff Dowtin Jr.

The Toronto Raptors yesterday waived guard Jeff Dowtin Jr., and forwards Mouhamadou Gueye and Justise Winslow.

Toronto finished the preseason with a 4-0 record. The Raptors will open the 2023-24 regular season Wednesday night when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves at Scotiabank Arena at 7:30 p.m. (Sportsnet / Sportsnet 590 The FAN).

Timberwolves waive Trevor Keels, Tyrese Martin, DJ Carton and Matt Ryan

The Minnesota Timberwolves have waived guards D.J. Carton, Trevor Keels, Tyrese Martin and forward Matt Ryan.

Carton spent the 2022-23 season with the Iowa Wolves, the NBA G League affiliate of the Timberwolves, where he saw action in 41 games (23 starts). He averaged 14.5 points on 55.9% shooting from the field, including 34.0% from deep, 4.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.0 steal in 32.5 minutes per contest. The Bettendorf, Iowa native was a member of the Timberwolves entry in the NBA 2K24 Summer League 2023 where he appeared in five games (two starts) and averaged 9.0 points on 45.5% shooting and a team-high 6.8 assists.

Keels, 6-4, saw action in three games last season with the New York Knicks. Prior to joining New York, Keels played in 24 games (all starts), with the Westchester Knicks of the NBA G League, posting averages of 14.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 31.4 minutes per contest. The Clinton, Md. native, was selected by the Knicks with the 12th pick in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2022 NBA Draft after one season at Duke.

Martin, 6-6, played in 16 games with the Atlanta Hawks during the 2022-23 season, averaging 1.3 points in 4.1 minutes per game. Additionally, the Allentown, Pa. native, saw action in 23 games (all starts) for the College Park Skyhawks of the NBA G League, where he averaged 18.0 points on 50.3% shooting from the field, 9.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 33.9 minutes per game, including a Skyhawks franchise-record 46-point performance against the Grand Rapid Gold on March 17, 2023. The 24-year-old was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the 21st pick in the second round (51st overall) in the 2022 NBA Draft after being named to the 2022 Big East All-Tournament Team as a member of the University of Connecticut Huskies.

Ryan, 6-7, wrapped up his second NBA season by making 34 appearances (22 with Minnesota and 12 with the L.A. Lakers) averaging 3.6 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 9.1 minutes per game. He set a career-high with 22:25 minutes of action off the bench on Feb. 7 at Denver and tallied a career-high-tying 11 points on a career-high-tying 4-of-8 from the field, including a career-best-tying 3-of-7 from deep. Ryan also dished out a career-high four assists, besting his previous high of two (2x; MR: vs. Toronto on Jan. 19). The White Plains, N.Y. native has seen action in 35 career games with the Boston Celtics, Lakers and Timberwolves. He owns career averages of 3.6 points, 0.7 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.

The Timberwolves roster stands at 17 players.

Pelicans exercise contract options on Dyson Daniels and Trey Murphy III

The New Orleans Pelicans yesterday exercised a third-year option on guard Dyson Daniels and a fourth-year option on guard/forward Trey Murphy III.

Selected 8th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, Daniels has appeared in 59 games (11 starts) for New Orleans, averaging 3.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 17.7 minutes per contest while shooting .418 from the floor, .314 from three-point range and .650 from the line.

Murphy III, selected 17th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, has appeared in 141 games (66 starts) over two seasons for New Orleans, averaging 10.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 23.5 minutes per contest while shooting .461 from the floor, .400 from three-point range and .900 from the line

Nets waive Darius Bazley

The Brooklyn Nets have waived forward Darius Bazley.

Bazley signed with Brooklyn as a free agent on July 16 and played in three preseason games, averaging 5.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals in 20.1 minutes per contest. Bazley has appeared in 228 regular season games (118 starts) over four seasons (2019-23) with Oklahoma City and Phoenix and holds career averages of 9.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 23.6 minutes per game.

Spurs waive Khem Birch

The San Antonio Spurs have waived center Khem Birch.

Birch was acquired on Feb. 9, along with a 2024 Toronto first round pick and second round picks in 2023 and 2025 in a trade with the Raptors last season. In 282 career games, he holds career averages of 5.0 points, 4.4 rebounds in 17.1 minutes while shooting 52.0% from the floor.

The Spurs roster now stands at 18 players.

Cavaliers exercise 4th-year contract option on Evan Mobley

The Cleveland Cavaliers have exercised the fourth-year (2024-25) contract option on Evan Mobley, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Mobley (7-0, 215), played in a team-best 79 games (all starts) last season and averaged career highs in points (16.2), rebounds (9.0), assists (2.8), minutes (34.4) and field goal percentage (.554, 17th-best in NBA), to go along with 1.51 blocks (ninth-best in NBA) and 0.76 steals. Mobley was also named to the 2022-23 NBA All-Defensive First Team, ranking first in the league in defensive win shares (4.8), tied for first in contested three-pointers per game (3.6) and fourth in the NBA in total contested shots per game (11.4). Additionally, he recorded at least one block in 59 games (fourth-most in NBA) and his 119 total blocks were the sixth-most in the NBA. Mobley also helped the Cavaliers rank No. 1 in defensive rating (109.9) and No. 1 in opponent points per game (106.9). He finished third in the NBA in Defensive Player of the Year voting and became the seventh player in Cavaliers history to earn Defensive Team honors joining Jim Brewer, Jim Cleamons, Larry Nance Sr., Bobby Phills, LeBron James and Anderson Varejao. Mobley also registered a career-high 24 double-doubles and was one of only three NBA players this past season averaging at least 15.0 points on .500 shooting or better, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 blocks (Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis). The No. 3 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Cavaliers and a unanimous NBA All-Rookie First Team selection following the 2021-22 season, Mobley owns career averages of 15.6 points on .533 shooting from the field, 8.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.58 blocks in 34.1 minutes over 148 games (all starts) in two NBA seasons with Cleveland.