Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

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.”

Trail Blazers sign forward/center Reggie Perry to 10-day contract

The Trail Blazers have signed forward/center Reggie Perry to a 10-day contract via the NBA’s hardship exception, the team announced today.

Perry, 22, previously signed a 10-day contract with the Trail Blazers on December 28. In three games this season with Portland and Indiana, Perry has averaged 4.3 points (50.0% FG, 50.0% 3-PT, 100% FT), 2.7 rebounds and 0.7 assists. He has played in 22 games (18 starts) for the Raptors 905 of the NBA G League in 2021-22, averaging 20.3 points (45.5% FG, 28.9% 3-PT, 77.2% FT), 11.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.45 steals and 1.05 blocks.

Selected with the 57th pick of the 2020 NBA Draft by the LA Clippers and subsequently traded to Brooklyn, Perry (6-8, 250) holds NBA career averages of 3.1 points (42.0% FG, 21.7% 3-PT, 80.0% FT) and 2.8 rebounds in 29 games with Brooklyn, Portland and Indiana.

Dallas Mavericks sign guard Brandon Knight to second 10-day contract

The Dallas Mavericks have signed guard Brandon Knight to a second 10-day contract under the COVID-related hardship allowance.

Knight, 6-foot-2, 182 pounds, signed a 10-day contract on Dec. 23 and played in three games for the Mavericks in December before entering health and safety protocols. He averaged 10.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 18.2 minutes per game, including an 18-point performance that helped lead Dallas to a 132-117 victory over Portland on Dec. 27.

The eight-year veteran holds career averages of 14.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 29.4 minutes in 449 games (349 starts) with Detroit, Milwaukee, Phoenix, Cleveland, Houston and Dallas. He played for Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd as a member of the Bucks in 2014-15.

The Miami native was taken eighth overall by Detroit in the 2011 NBA Draft and went on to earn NBA All-Rookie First Team honors for the Pistons in 2011-12. He became the first Pistons player named to the All-Rookie First Team since Grant Hill in 1994-95 (Hill shared NBA Rookie of the Year honors with Kidd that year).

Knight will wear No. 20 for the Mavericks.