Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Lakers guard Russell Westbrook speaks on opening night injury

Lakers guard Russell Westbrook had something to say last night as the NBA season tipped off. Via the Los Angeles Times:

If deciding whether to start Russell Westbrook was Darvin Ham’s first big test as Lakers head coach, picking up the pieces after wild postgame comments is certainly the second.

With the Clippers up next in a 10-game gauntlet to start the season, Westbrook and LeBron James put some of the Lakers’ uncomfortable truths squarely in the spotlight.

First, following the team’s 123-109 loss to the Warriors in the opener, Westbrook said his hamstring injury was “absolutely” related to coming off the bench in the team’s preseason finale.

“I’ve been doing the same thing for 14 years straight. Honestly, I didn’t even know what to do pregame,” Westbrook said. “Being honest, I was trying to figure out how to stay warm and loose. For me, obviously the way I play the game, it’s fast-paced, quick, stop-and-go. And I just happened to, when I subbed in, felt something.

“Didn’t know what it was, but I wasn’t going to risk it in a preseason game. But definitely wasn’t something I was used to. Wasn’t warm enough.”

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Timberwolves waive Eric Paschall

The Minnesota Timberwolves have waived forward Eric Paschall.

Paschall, 6-6, originally signed a two-way contract with the Wolves on July 30. He spent last season with the Utah Jazz where he averaged 5.8 points on 48.5% shooting and 1.8 rebounds per game in 58 games (three starts). During his rookie campaign with the Golden State Warriors in 2019-20, he saw action in 60 games (26 starts) and averaged a career-best 14.0 points on 49.7% shooting, a career-high 4.6 rebounds and a career-best 2.1 assists. He was named to the 2019-20 NBA All-Rookie team following his play during his first season. In three seasons with the Jazz and Warriors, Paschall has tallied 1,552 points and 509 rebounds.

The Timberwolves roster stands at 16 players.

Raptors exercise contract options on Precious Achiuwa, Scottie Barnes and Malachi Flynn

The Toronto Raptors have exercised the third-year team option on the rookie scale contract of Scottie Barnes and the fourth-year team option on the rookie scale contracts of Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn.

All three players are now signed through the 2023-24 season.

Trail Blazers hire BJ Domingo as Director of Player Personnel

The Portland Trail Blazers have hired BJ Domingo as Director of Player Personnel.

“We are excited to welcome BJ to the front office here in Portland to help bolster our global scouting efforts,” said Blazers GM Joe Cronin. “BJ has evaluated talent at the pro level, collegiate and amateur ranks while developing great relationships across the world.”

Domingo joins the Trail Blazers after serving as the Assistant Director of the USA Men’s National Team since 2021 after previously working for the Milwaukee Bucks as a Scout since 2017. The Bay Area native also served as a basketball operations associate from 2015-17 and as a player relations intern in 2014-2015 for the Bucks.

A graduate of San Jose State in 2013, Domingo first entered the NBA as a video intern for the Golden State Warriors in 2013-14.

Mavericks sign Facundo Campazzo

The Dallas Mavericks have signed free agent guard Facundo Campazzo.

Campazzo (5-11, 165) holds career averages of 5.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 20.1 minutes per game in 130 games (23 starts) across the last two seasons with Denver.

The 31-year-old spent most of his career playing in Argentina and Spain, where he played alongside current Mavericks guard Luka Dončić at Real Madrid. In his native Argentina, Campazzo started his professional career at the age of 17 with Peñarol de Mar del Plata, where he helped the club win four Argentine League Championships in five years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014), winning the Argentine League Finals MVP in 2012 and 2014. Campazzo was also named the Argentine League Revelation of the Year and won the Argentine Cup MVP in 2010.

He then enjoyed a decorated career overseas, where he helped Real Madrid to two EuroLeague championships (2015, 2018) and three titles in the top Spanish league (2015, 2018, 2019). In 113 EuroLeague games with Real Madrid, Campazzo held averages of 8.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game in 113 games.

Campazzo, the current captain of the Argentine National Team, averaged 12.3 points in the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup as he helped guide the team to a Gold Medal in early September. Campazzo has also represented Argentina in the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Campazzo will wear No. 2 for the Mavericks. The roster is now set at 17 players, including two Two-Way players.

Jazz sign GM Justin Zanik to a contract extension

The Utah Jazz have signed General Manager Justin Zanik to a multi-year contract extension.

“My family and I have fallen in love with this great city and the state of Utah, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to continue this journey with the Utah Jazz,” said Zanik. “I have a deep appreciation for my partnership with Ryan and Danny and am excited about our path forward with Coach Hardy. We look forward to building towards winning the championship our fans deserve.”

“Justin’s basketball acumen, ability to create meaningful relationships throughout the league, and management of our front office are invaluable assets,” said Jazz CEO of Basketball Danny Ainge. “We’re thrilled that he’ll continue to lead the team.”

Zanik is entering his fourth season as general manager of the Utah Jazz, overseeing the day-to-day management of basketball operations. Zanik originally joined the Jazz as assistant general manager in September 2013 and held the role for three seasons, before moving to take on the role of assistant general manager for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2016-17. He returned to Utah in the same role from 2017-19.

He was a certified agent for the National Basketball Players Association from 2003-13 and served as vice president at ASM Sports for more than a decade, overseeing all aspects of management for ASM’s basketball clients.

Zanik graduated from Northwestern University in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in economics.

Hawks sign De’Andre Hunter to contract extension

The Atlanta Hawks have signed forward De’Andre Hunter to a contract extension, which begins with the 2023-24 season.

Hunter’s Hawks extension is reportedly a four-year, $95 million deal.

In 53 games (52 starts) last season, the 6’7 forward averaged 13.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 29.8 minutes (.442 FG%, .379 3FG%, .765 FT%). He scored 10-or-more points in 41 of his 53 games, including 11 outings of 20-or-more. Hunter hit double digits in 14 straight games from 3/3-3/20, the second-longest such streak of his career.

In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Miami, Hunter poured in a career-best 35 points on 11-21 FGs, adding 11 rebounds, three steals and two assists in 43 minutes. He became the sixth Hawk in playoff history to finish with at least 35 points and 11 rebounds in a postseason contest.

On 11/3 vs. Brooklyn, he recorded 26 points on 10-11 FGs (6-6 3FGs) in 33 minutes, becoming one of seven players in the NBA last season to shoot perfect from deep while connecting on six-or-more triples and one of only five players in franchise history to do so.

During the 2020-21 campaign, Hunter posted 15.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 29.5 minutes (.484 FG%, .326 3FG%, .859 FT%) in 23 games (19 starts) and was selected to the NBA Rising Stars roster. He scored in double digits 18 times, including seven games with 20-or-more points.

In 63 appearances (62 starts) as a rookie in 2019-20, he posted 12.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 32.0 minutes (.410 FG%, .355 3FG%, .764 FT%). Among qualifying NBA rookies, Hunter ranked first in mpg and total minutes (2,018), fifth in FT%, t5th in 3FG%, 6th in rpg, 7th in FG%, t7th in ppg and 12th in apg.

Acquired by the Hawks on July 7, 2019 from the New Orleans Pelicans, Hunter was originally selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round (fourth overall) of the 2019 NBA Draft.

Cavs sign Mamadi Diakite to a two-way contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward Mamadi Diakite to a Two-Way contract, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Diakite (6-9, 224) appeared in all four preseason games for the Cavaliers, averaging 9.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.25 steals and 1.25 blocks in 16.8 minutes. On Oct. 12 versus Atlanta, Diakite posted a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double in the Cavs preseason win over the Hawks. Last season, Diakite appeared in 13 games (three starts) with the Oklahoma City Thunder, averaging 4.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in 14.5 minutes.

The third-year forward went undrafted in 2020 after a four-year collegiate career at the University of Virginia (2016-2020), where he was part of the Cavaliers National Championship team in 2019. Diakite signed a two-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks prior to the 2020-21 season and later signed an multi-year deal with the team. In his rookie season, Diakite was part of the Bucks NBA Championship team, appearing in 14 regular season games (one start) and seven playoff games. The Guinea native also saw action in 12 G League games (three starts) that season as a member of the Lakeland Magic, where he recorded averages of 18.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.08 blocks in 27.7 minutes per game, winning a G League Championship with Lakeland.

Pistons waive Kemba Walker

The Detroit Pistons announced today that the team has requested waivers on guard Kemba Walker.

Per the Detroit News, “Walker, a 6-foot guard, was acquired by the Pistons in a trade on July 6 that brought No. 13 overall pick Jalen Duren to Detroit in exchange for a 2025 first-round draft pick (via the Milwaukee Bucks). The team revealed that Walker would not be with the team on September 26, the day before the start of training camp.”