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The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed forward Eugene Omoruyi to a multi-year contract.
During the 2022-23 season, Omoruyi has appeared in 21 games with the Thunder and averaged 5.0 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.2 minutes of action. In six games this season with the Oklahoma City Blue, Omoruyi has posted averages of 18.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 steal in 28.3 minutes per game.
Omoruyi was originally signed to a Two-Way Contract by the Thunder on July 2, 2022.
The San Antonio Spurs have signed center Gorgui Dieng.
Dieng, 6-10/265, has appeared in 17 games with the Silver and Black this season, averaging 3.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 9.8 minutes. He started the season with the Spurs before being waived on Jan. 5. Dieng re-joined the Spurs signing two 10-day contracts on Jan. 8 and Jan. 20. The 10-year NBA veteran has played in 614 total games and holds career averages of 7.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 20.2 minutes with Minnesota, Memphis, Atlanta and San Antonio. The native of Senegal was originally selected in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft (21st overall) by the Utah Jazz and before being dealt to the Timberwolves on draft night.
The Spurs roster now stands at 17 players.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox and Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam have been named by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver as injury replacements for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game, which will be played on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 8:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. MT at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City (TNT/ESPN Radio).
The three players will replace Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (left superior tib/fib sprain), Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (right knee MCL sprain) and New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (strained right hamstring).
In addition, Curry, Durant and Williamson will be replaced as starters in the NBA All-Star Game by three players who were previously selected as All-Star reserves: Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen and Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant.
This is the first NBA All-Star selection for both Edwards and Fox and the second for Siakam.
Edwards, the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, is posting career highs in points (24.7 ppg), rebounds (6.0 rpg), assists (4.6 apg), steals (1.66 spg), field goal percentage (46.4%) and three-point field goal percentage (36.7%) in his third NBA season. He leads the NBA in total steals (96) and minutes (2,099).
Fox is averaging 24.2 points, 6.3 assists and a career-high 4.3 rebounds while shooting a career-high 50.4% from the field in his sixth NBA season. He leads the NBA with 128 points in clutch situations, which occur when the scoring margin of a game is within five points in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime.
Siakam is an NBA All-Star for the first time since the 2019-20 season, when he became the first NBA G League alum to start an NBA All-Star Game. A seven-year NBA veteran from Cameroon, he is averaging a career-high 25.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and a career-high 6.2 assists in an NBA-high 37.5 minutes this season.
When an All-Star starter is unable to participate in the NBA All-Star Game before the NBA All-Star Draft takes place, he is replaced in the starter pool for the Draft by the All-Star reserve from the same conference and of the same position group who had the highest weighted ranking in the voting for All-Star starters. The starter replacements are Embiid for Durant (who was in the Eastern Conference frontcourt group at the time of the voting), Markkanen for Williamson and Morant for Curry.
Embiid, Markkanen and Morant will be selected with the starters and Edwards, Fox and Siakam will be selected with the reserves in the NBA All-Star Draft, which will take place on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. MT at Vivint Arena right before the NBA All-Star Game. TNT will air the NBA All-Star Draft live during its pregame show and then present the 72nd NBA All-Star Game, a matchup between Team LeBron and Team Giannis.
The Washington Wizards have signed Capital City Go-Go guard Quenton Jackson to a two-way contract.
Jackson, a 6-5, 173-pound rookie from Texas A&M, has appeared in 32 games this season for the Go-Go, averaging 12.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game on .489 shooting from the field. Jackson has scored 20-or-more points in five games this season, including a season-high 24 on two occasions. Four of Jackson’s five 20-point outings have come during the Go-Go’s last 17 regular season contests, where he has averaged 14.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game on .506 shooting from the field.
The Los Angeles native went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft before competing in Summer League, training camp and preseason with the Wizards.
The Detroit Pistons have signed guard Stanley Umude to a 10-day contract.
Umude, 6-6, 210, has averaged 15.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.7 steals while shooting 42% from the field and 35% from 3-point range in 18 games (14 starts) for the Motor City Cruise, the NBA G League affiliate of the Detroit Pistons, this season.
A native of San Antonio, Umude began his collegiate career at the University of South Dakota where he played four seasons and was named to the 2018 and 2020 All-Summit First Team. He played his final season at the University of Arkansas where he helped the 2021 Razorbacks to the Elite Eight. In 138 career games, he averaged 14.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 26.5 minutes per game.
Umude will wear #14 for the Pistons.
The LA Clippers this past Thursday acquired Mason Plumlee in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets for Reggie Jackson and a second-round draft pick, announced Lawrence Frank, Clippers president of basketball operations.
“Mason will help fortify our center position with his energy and playmaking ability,” said Frank. “He is an impressive passer with great vision. Our team will enjoy playing with him.”
Plumlee, 32, appeared in 56 games for the Hornets this season, averaging 12.2 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Originally selected with the 22nd overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Plumlee has appeared in 717 games with the Brooklyn Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons and Hornets, averaging 8.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 59.2% from the field. The 7-foot-0 center has also appeared in 60 career playoff games and was named to the 2013-14 All-Rookie First Team.
“Reggie has played a vital role in many of our finest moments,” said Frank. “Two years ago, he helped lead us to our first conference finals, and last season, he helped carry us when we were hampered by injuries. He made a lot of fans here, and a lot of friends. His name and his smile will always hold a special place in this organization’s heart.”
Jackson, 32, appeared in 52 games (38 starts) for the Clippers this season, averaging 10.9 points, 3.5 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 25.7 minutes. The 6-foot-2 guard holds career averages of 12.9 points, 4.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 755 appearances across 12 NBA seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Detroit Pistons and Clippers. In his four seasons with the Clippers, Jackson ranks seventh in franchise history in total made three-pointers (392). Born in Pordenone, Italy, Jackson also appeared in 31 playoff games with the Clippers, averaging 12.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 43.1% from three.
The Oklahoma City Thunder this past Thursday acquired forward Justin Jackson, a 2023 second-round draft pick and a 2029 second-round draft pick in a trade with the Boston Celtics for forward/center Mike Muscala, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.
Jackson (6-8, 220) appeared in 23 games with the Celtics this season and over his six-season NBA career has seen time in 278 career games (61 starts), holding career averages of 6.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 17.6 minutes per game.
Muscala spent four seasons with the Thunder and appeared in 168 games (seven starts) and averaged 7.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in 14.5 minutes per game. This season, he saw time in 43 games (five starts) and contributed 6.2 points and 3.1 rebounds in 14.5 minutes per game.
The Portland Trail Blazers have acquired forward Cam Reddish, guard Ryan Arcidiacono and a 2023 first round pick from the New York Knicks in exchange for forward Josh Hart, it was announced today by General Manager Joe Cronin.
Additionally, Portland acquires guard Matisse Thybulle from the Philadelphia 76ers for a 2029 second round pick and sends a 2027 second round pick to the Charlotte Hornets.
Charlotte sends Jalen McDaniels and a 2024 second round pick to Philadelphia and receives a 2023 second round pick from the 76ers and guard/forward Svi Mykhailiuk from the Knicks.
RE-STATING SOME OF THE ABOVE: To complete the trade, Philadelphia dealt Thybulle to Portland and a 2023 second-round pick (most favorable of Atlanta, Brooklyn or Charlotte) to Charlotte. Portland traded its 2029 second-round selection to Philadelphia, a 2027 second-round pick (more favorable of New Orleans or Portland) to Charlotte, and Josh Hart and the draft rights to Bojan Dublijevic and Daniel Diez to New York. In addition to McDaniels, the Hornets traded New York’s 2024 second-round pick to the 76ers.
Reddish is averaging 8.4 points (44.9% FG, 30.4% 3-PT, 87.9% FT), 1.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 21.9 minutes per game in 20 games (eight starts) this season with New York. The former Duke University standout holds career averages of 10.2 points (39.3% FG, 32.3% 3-PT, 84.4% FT), 3.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 24.5 minutes in 153 games (70 starts) in three seasons for Atlanta and New York. Reddish was originally selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the 10th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
In 228 career games, Arcidiacono (aar-chee-dee-ACK-uh-no) has averaged 4.4 points, 2.0 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 16.4 minutes per game for Chicago and New York. After going undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft, Arcidiacono spent the 2016-17 season playing for the Austin Spurs, the NBA G League affiliate of the San Antonio Spurs, before signing a two-way contract with Chicago in 2017.
Originally selected by the Boston Celtics with the 20th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Thybulle (thigh-bull) is averaging 2.7 points (43.1% FG, 33.3% 3-PT, 75.0% FT) and 1.3 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per game in 49 games (six starts) this season with the 76ers. In 245 career games (78 starts) with Philadelphia over four seasons, he has accrued career averages of 4.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.0 assists in 19.8 minutes per game. The Australian guard was a two-time All-NBA Defensive Second Team selection in 2021 and 2022 and is the only NBA player to record at least 250 steals and 150 blocks since the 2020-21 season.
In a subsequent move, the Trail Blazers have waived Greg Brown III.
The Memphis Grizzlies today announced that the team acquired wing Luke Kennard (ken-ARD) and a future second round draft pick swap from the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team trade also involving the Houston Rockets. The Grizzlies traded wing Danny Green to the Rockets and three second round draft picks to the Clippers; the Clippers traded guard John Wall and protected draft considerations to the Rockets for guard Eric Gordon.
Kennard (6-5, 206) has appeared in 332 games (85 starts) and has averaged 9.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 23.2 minutes for the Clippers and Detroit Pistons since he was selected 12th overall in the 2017 NBA Draft out of Duke. The Ohio native has averaged 7.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 20.7 minutes with the Clippers this season.
The 26-year-old led the NBA in 3-point field goal percentage (.449) last season, while Grizzlies wing Desmond Bane finished second (.436). Kennard and Bane rank fifth and sixth in the league, respectively, this season (Kennard .447, Bane .435) and are the only teammates this season currently ranked inside the NBA top 10 in 3-point percentage.
Kennard, who has shot at least 44 percent from 3-point range in each of his last three seasons, ranks fifth among active players and 13th in NBA history in 3-point percentage (.427).
Green (6-6, 215) has appeared in 882 games (709 starts) and has averaged 8.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 25.3 minutes during his 14-year NBA career with the Grizzlies, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors and San Antonio Spurs. The 35-year-old competed in three games for the Grizzlies after he was acquired from Philadelphia this offseason.
The Indiana Pacers announced today the team acquired forward Jordan Nwora, guard George Hill, center Serge Ibaka and three future second-round picks from the Milwaukee Bucks – as well as cash considerations from the Brooklyn Nets – as part of a four-team trade that included Milwaukee, Brooklyn and the Phoenix Suns. As part of the trade, the Pacers sent the draft rights to Juan Pablo Vaulet to Brooklyn.
In related moves, the team waived center Goga Bitadze, and forwards James Johnson and Terry Taylor.