Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Dallas Mavericks sign Moses Wright to two-way contract

The Dallas Mavericks have signed forward Moses Wright to a two-way contract.

Wright (6-8, 226) went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft and signed with the Agua Caliente Clippers of the NBA G League. Wright has averaged 17.6 points (.583 FG%, .407 3FG%), 8.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.9 blocks in 17 appearances (all starts) with Agua Caliente, helping them to a 12-5 record this season.

Wright signed a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Clippers under the COVID-related hardship allowance earlier this season and recorded 1 assist in 1 minute at SAC (12/22/21).

The Raleigh, North Carolina, native spent four years at Georgia Tech prior to entering the NBA and earned ACC Player of the Year honors in his final season with the Yellow Jackets. Wright averaged career highs across the board in 2020-21 with 17.4 points (.532 FG%, .414 3FG%), 8.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.5 steals per game in 25 games (all starts) and helped Georgia Tech to an ACC Tournament title. Wright was named First-Team All-ACC and was named to the ACC All-Defensive Team.

Wright will wear No. 5 for the Mavericks.

Nuggets sign DeMarcus Cousins for remainder of NBA season

The Denver Nuggets have signed center DeMarcus Cousins for the remainder of the season, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Cousins, 6-10, 270, has appeared in eight games with Denver this season, averaging 6.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 13.1 minutes per game while helping the Nuggets to a perfect 8-0 record in those games. He previously appeared in 17 games (five starts) for the Milwaukee Bucks this season, averaging 9.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists while shooting 46.6% from the field in 16.9 minutes per game. Cousins scored 10+ points in six games and posted two double-doubles in his stint with Milwaukee.

The 10-year NBA veteran has played in 631 career games (559 starts) with Sacramento, New Orleans, Golden State, Houston, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee and Denver, holding career averages of 19.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks in 30.4 minutes per game. Cousins has reached the playoffs twice, in 2019 and 2021, appearing in 15 games (five starts), averaging 7.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 12.7 minutes.

The fifth overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft, Cousins was selected to four all-star games as a member of the Sacramento Kings (2015-17) and New Orleans Pelicans (2018). He was also named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2015 and 2016 and he was a gold medal winner for the United States in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, as well as the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Heat forward Jimmy Butler fined by NBA

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler has been fined $25,000 for what the league says is “violating league rules governing media interview access and for his noncompliance with the resulting NBA investigation.”

This results from Butler’s failure to comply with his media availability obligations during NBA All-Star 2022, including following the game on Sunday night.

Cavs swingman Caris LeVert out 1-2 weeks with foot sprain

Cavaliers guard/forward Caris LeVert will be OUT approximately one to two weeks with a right foot sprain. An MRI administered yesterday at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health confirmed the injury. LeVert will undergo a period of treatment and rehabilitation and his return to play will be updated as appropriate.

Cavaliers guard Darius Garland will be OUT tonight at Detroit with low back soreness. Garland will undergo treatment and rehabilitation over the next couple of days and his return to basketball activities will be updated as appropriate.

Philadelphia 76ers sign Willie Cauley-Stein to 10-day contract

Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey announced today that the team has signed Willie Cauley-Stein to a 10-day contract.

After being picked with the No. 6 overall selection in the 2015 NBA Draft, Cauley-Stein has appeared in 420 career games (255 starts) for Sacramento, Golden State and Dallas. He holds career averages of 8.8 points and 5.9 rebounds in 22.1 minutes per outing while shooting .544 from the floor. Cauley-Stein has shot 50-percent-or-better from the field in each of his six professional seasons, including his rookie season where he was named to the All-Rookie Second Team.

Prior to being drafted, Cauley-Stein played three seasons at the University of Kentucky where he was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year as a junior. That season, he was also selected to the All-SEC First Team, the All-SEC Defensive Team and the USA Today first team All-American Team. During his time as a Wildcat, Cauley-Stein recorded 233 blocks which are the second-most in program history. Cauley-Stein also is the only player in school history to record at least 500 rebounds, 200 blocks and 100 steals.

The Spearville, Kansas native will wear No. 00 with the 76ers.

Update on mask mandates for Minnesota Timberwolves home games

The Minnesota Timberwolves released the below statement on the City of Minneapolis’ mask mandate:

Beginning with tonight’s game against Memphis, effective immediately, Timberwolves fans attending games at Target Center will not be required to wear a mask while inside the arena. This immediate action follows the City’s lifting of the mask mandate announced this morning.

Trail Blazers’ Joe Ingles undergoes ACL reconstruction surgery on left knee

Portland Trail Blazers forward Joe Ingles underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery on his left knee this morning.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Brian Cole at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush in Munster, Indiana. Ingles will begin rehabilitation this week and is expected to make a full recovery.

Portland acquired Ingles from Utah on February 9.

In his eighth NBA season, Ingles averaged 7.2 points (40.4% FG, 34.7% 3-PT, 77.3% FT), 2.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 45 games (15 starts) for the Jazz before suffering a torn ACL in his left knee at Minnesota on January 30.

Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic out at least four weeks with foot injury

Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic will be out at least four weeks with left foot plantar fasciitis, the team announced today.

Nurkic has played through symptoms of plantar fasciitis since September. He will continue his treatment and recovery program and will be reevaluated in four weeks.

In 56 games (all starts) this season, Nurkic has averaged 15.0 points (53.5% FG, 26.8% 3-PT, 69.0% FT), 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.11 steals. His field goal percentage and rebounding average are career highs. Nurkic has recorded 30 double-doubles this season, which ranks eighth in the NBA.

Boston Celtics sign Malik Fitts and Kelan Martin to 10-day contracts

The Boston Celtics have signed forwards Malik Fitts and Kelan Martin to 10-day contracts.

Fitts, 24, has competed in 10 NBA games over the past two seasons with the LA Clippers and Utah, averaging 0.9 points, and 1.3 rebounds in 4.6 minutes. The California native has played in seven games with the Jazz in 2021-22 and produced career highs of six points and seven rebounds in his most recent contest at Toronto on Jan. 7.

Martin, 26, has played in 93 games over parts of three NBA seasons with Minnesota and Indiana, averaging 5.6 points on 41.7% shooting (30.9% 3-PT, 88.9% FT), 2.4 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 13.6 minutes. The Kentucky native produced 6.3 points (41.7% FG), 2.0 rebounds, and 16.4 minutes in 27 games (one start) for the Pacers this season, reaching double figures in scoring on three occasions.