Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Trail Blazers sign Kris Dunn and Drew Eubanks for remainder of season

The Trail Blazers have signed guard Kris Dunn and center Drew Eubanks for the remainder of the 2021-22 season, the team announced today. Both contracts are via the NBA’s hardship exception.

Dunn previously signed 10-day contracts with the Trail Blazers on March 14 and March 24. In 11 games (one start) for Portland, he has averaged 8.6 points (49.4% FG, 100% FT), 3.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.82 steals.

Eubanks has played in 18 games (all starts) for Portland since signing the first of four 10-day contracts on February 22. He is averaging 14.1 points (64.9% FG, 78.0% FT), 8.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists for the Trail Blazers. His season averages of 7.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 67 games (27 starts) with Portland and San Antonio are all career highs.

Detroit Pistons sign guard Carsen Edwards

The Detroit Pistons have signed guard Carsen Edwards to a contract.

Edwards, 5-11, 200, was the 33rd overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers and traded to the Boston Celtics as part of a draft-day deal. In 68 career NBA games, he’s averaged 3.6 points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.5 assists, all with the Celtics.

In 31 games this season with the Salt Lake City Stars, the NBA G League affiliate of the Utah Jazz, Edwards averaged 26.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.5 steals in 35.9 minutes per game.

A two-time All-American at Purdue University, Edwards was named to the First Team All-Big Ten team after leading the Boilermakers to a school-record 30 wins as a sophomore. He also won the Jerry West Award as the top shooting guard in the nation, that season.

Edwards will wear jersey #20 for the Pistons.

Hornets forward Gordon Hayward returning to action

The Charlotte Hornets are about to get deeper. Via the Charlotte Observer:

As the Charlotte Hornets hit the final week of the regular season and prepare for the play-in tournament, they are set to welcome Gordon Hayward back. Hayward is officially listed as probable for Saturday’s matinee against Philadelphia at the Wells Fargo Center and will be available after missing the last 22 games with a sprained left ankle.

Hayward practiced with the team over the past two weeks, ramping up his activity over the last few days. He was on the floor again Friday during their session at Temple University and he’s ready to go just in time to help the Hornets (40-37) during the stretch run. They are in a three-way tie with Brooklyn and Atlanta for ninth place.

Three of the Hornets’ final five games are on the road and there’s at least one day in between each except for one, which should assist in easing Hayward in and gradually increasing his minutes. The veteran swingman hasn’t played since getting injured Feb. 7 against Toronto when his leg got rolled up on by Gary Trent Jr. while chasing a rebound.

Thunder sign forward Jaylen Hoard to 10-day contract

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed forward Jaylen Hoard to a 10-day contract, via the NBA’s Hardship Allowance.

Hoard (6-8, 215) has played in 20 games with the Thunder over the 2020-22 seasons and averaged 5.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 16.1 minutes per game. He previously spent the 2019-20 season with the Portland Trail Blazers where he averaged 2.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 13 appearances.

A native of France, Hoard played in 39 games (25 starts) with the Oklahoma City Blue this year, averaging 10.1 points on 52.9 percent shooting from the field, 6.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 23.9 minutes per game.

Health update on Warriors guard Stephen Curry

Per the Golden State Warriors, guard Stephen Curry, who has missed the team’s last seven games after suffering a sprained ligament in his left foot on March 16 against the Boston Celtics, is making good progress in his recovery process.

He has spent the last two weeks performing various rehabilitation exercises in the training and weight rooms under the guidance of the team’s performance staff.

He will gradually begin individual on-court activities next week, and his eventual return to practice will be based on his continued progress.

The next update on his status will be provided on April 11.

Per the Bay Area News Group, “Curry could still be cleared to start as early as Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs, which begin on April 16. The 34-year-old is “progressing” in his rehab and could start individual on-court workouts next week. “We’ve known that was going to be the case,” coach Steve Kerr said. “We were hoping maybe he could play one, two games at the end of the regular season but that was a long shot. This is how it’s turned out. His rehab is going fine.””

Magic sign guard Devin Cannady to 10-day contract

The Orlando Magic have signed free agent guard Devin Cannady to a 10-day contract, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today.

Cannady (6’1”, 190, 5/21/96) has appeared in 16 games (11 starts) this season with Lakeland of the NBA G League, averaging 15.8 ppg., 2.8 rpg. and 1.9 apg. in 26.5 minpg., while shooting .468 (59-126) from three-point range and .957 (22-23) from the free throw line.

Last season, Cannady played in three games with Orlando, averaging 4.7 ppg. in 4.5 minpg. He originally was signed to a 10-day contract by Orlando on Apr. 6, then released on Apr. 13, before signing a two-way contract on Apr. 16. Cannady suffered an open fracture of his right ankle during the first quarter on Apr. 25 vs. Indiana. He was later waived on May 4.

Prior to his time in Orlando last season, Cannady played in 13 games (nine starts) with Lakeland of the NBA G League, averaging 11.7 ppg., 2.8 rpg. and 2.7 apg. in 25.8 minpg., while shooting .400 (28-70) from three-point range. He played and started in all three playoff outings, averaging 15.7 ppg., 4.7 rpg. and 3.3 apg. in 29.7 minpg., while shooting .450 (9-20) from three-point range. During the 2021 NBA G League Final on Mar. 11 vs. Delaware, Cannady tallied 22 points, six rebounds and four assists and was named G League Final MVP, helping Lakeland capture the 2020-21 NBA G League championship.

Cannady has played in 69 career NBA G League games (50 starts) with Long Island and Lakeland, averaging 14.2 ppg., 3.4 rpg. and 2.6 apg. in 29.0 minpg., while shooting .390 (203-520) from three-point range and .933 (84-90) from the free throw line.

Cannady played in 104 career games (67 starts) during four seasons at Princeton University (2015-19), averaging 14.6 ppg., 4.1 rpg., 1.6 apg. and 1.09 stlpg. in 31.1 minpg., while shooting .403 (268-665) from three-point range and a school-record .896 (285-318) from the free throw line. He was named Second Team All-Ivy League as a junior in 2017-18 and Honorable Mention All-Ivy League as a sophomore in 2016-17.

Cannady will wear #30 with the Orlando Magic.

Cavaliers convert RJ Nembhard’s contract, and sign Moses Brown

The Cleveland Cavaliers have converted the contract of guard RJ Nembhard to a standard NBA contract.

And in a related move, the team signed center Moses Brown to a two-way contract.

Nembhard (6-5, 200) has appeared in 13 games this season for the Cavaliers as well as 13 games (12 starts) with the Cleveland Charge, the Cavaliers’ exclusively-owned and operated NBA G League team. With the Charge, Nembhard averaged 22.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 37.7 minutes. Nembhard went undrafted in 2021 after playing four seasons at Texas Christian University where he averaged 9.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 26 minutes per game.

Brown (7-2, 245), who signed his first 10-day contract with Cleveland on March 10 and his second 10-day contract on March 21, has appeared in eight games for the Cavaliers. In his first start with Cleveland last night, Brown had a near double-double with 12 points on a perfect 5-5 shooting from the field and nine rebounds in 21 minutes of action against Dallas. Prior to joining the Cavaliers, Brown appeared in 26 games with the Mavericks this season.

In 86 career NBA games (34 starts) with Portland, Oklahoma City, Dallas and Cleveland, Brown holds career averages of 5.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 0.72 blocks in 13.7 minutes. Additionally, Brown has also played in 45 games (15 starts) over three seasons in the NBA G League and was named to the 2021 All-NBA G League First Team and NBA G League All-Defensive Team, posting averages of 18.5 points, 13.9 rebounds and 1.71 blocks in 26.4 minutes during the 2020-21 NBA G League season. Brown went undrafted in 2019 after playing one season at UCLA.

Pistons forward Chris Smith undergoes ACL reconstruction procedure

Detroit Pistons forward Chris Smith has undergone an ACL reconstruction procedure on his left knee. The procedure was performed yesterday in Chicago with consultation from team doctors.

The injury occurred during the Motor City Cruise’s March 8 G League game against the Canton Charge.

Smith is set begin rehab immediately and will be out indefinitely.

The Pistons are 20-56 this season, which ties them with the Orlando Magic for the worst record in the Eastern conference.

Their leading scorers so far in 2021-22 are Jerami Grant at 19.2 ppg, Cade Cunningham at 17.4 ppg, and Saddiq Bey at 16.3 ppg.

The team recently announced that Grant is done for the season.

Washington Wizards will host Hall of Fame Night on April 1, 2022

In a celebration honoring DMV NBA Hall of Fame members, the Washington Wizards will host Hall of Fame Night on Friday, April 1 when the team hosts the Dallas Mavericks at 7:00 p.m.

The first 7,800 fans attending Friday’s game will receive a Wes Unseld bobblehead featuring the classic white with red stripes Bullets jersey that launched in 1974. The championship trophy will be on the base to represent winning the 1978 NBA Championship.

This celebration caps off the September induction of former Bullets/Wizards players Bob Dandridge, Paul Pierce, Chris Webber and Ben Wallace and locally affiliated members of the NBA into the Naismith Hall of Fame. Select members of the NBA Hall of Fame from the DMV and their families will be present for a special halftime ceremony including Dave Bing, Bernard King, Spencer Haywood and Rod Thorn.

In addition, numerous Bullets/Wizards alums will be in attendance, including Phil Chenier, Drew Gooden, Harvey Grant, Jason Smith, and many more.

Celtics center Robert Williams undergoes knee surgery

Celtics center Robert Williams III this morning underwent a successful partial left knee meniscectomy. The surgery was performed at New England Baptist Hospital by Celtics Team Physician Dr. Tony Schena, assisted by Dr. Glen Ross.

Williams III is expected to be able to return to play in approximately 4-6 weeks.

Per Boston.com, “the Celtics have six games remaining in the regular season, and currently sit third in the conference with a 47-29 record. Williams has been a vital part of the Celtics’ in-season turnaround, especially on the defensive end. With him in the lineup, Boston has the best starting five in the league.”