Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Sixers sign Charlie Brown Jr. to two-way contract

The Philadelphia 76ers have signed Charlie Brown Jr. to a two-way contract.

In a related move, Philadelphia has waived Aaron Henry.

After signing a 10-day contract with the 76ers on Jan. 3, Brown appeared in two games for Philadelphia, swiping a pair of steals in each of his appearances against San Antonio and Houston.

Prior to joining the 76ers, Brown played for Dallas on a 10-day contract, playing 15 total minutes across three games. Brown also saw action in 11 NBA G League games this season with the 76ers’ affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats. He averaged 16.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.8 steals per contest for Delaware, and earned NBA G League Player of the Week honors for games played from Nov. 15-21.

For his career, Brown has seen action in 24 NBA games with Philadelphia, Dallas, Oklahoma City and Atlanta after going undrafted in 2019.

A Philadelphia native, Brown played his college basketball at Saint Joseph’s, where he averaged 19.0 points and 6.2 rebounds in his final season with the Hawks. Following the season, he was named to the 2018-19 All-Atlantic 10 Second Team.

Per NBA rules, teams are permitted to have a maximum of two players under two-way contracts in addition to the players under standard NBA contracts. A two-way player for the 76ers will also be eligible to provide services to the team’s G League affiliate – the Delaware Blue Coats.

Mavericks re-sign Marquese Chriss to another 10-day contract

The Dallas Mavericks have signed forward Marquese Chriss to a third 10-day contract under the COVID-related hardship allowance.

Chriss (6-9, 240) signed his first 10-day with the Mavericks on Dec. 21 and a second 10-day contract on Dec. 31. He has averaged 6.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 11.9 minutes in 10 games with Dallas, and posted a season-high 15 points (6-9 FG, 3-3 3FG) and 7 rebounds at Oklahoma City on Jan. 2

Chriss was selected by Sacramento with the eighth overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft and subsequently traded to Phoenix, where he earned NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors in his first season. Chriss played collegiately for one season at Washington.

Utah Jazz sign Denzel Valentine to 10-day contract

The Utah Jazz have signed guard/forward Denzel Valentine a 10-day contract under the NBA’s COVID-related hardship exception.

Valentine (6-4, 220, Michigan State) joins Utah after most recently spending the 2021-22 season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he appeared in 22 games, averaging 2.9 points and 1.7 rebounds in 9.3 minutes per contest.

The Lansing, Mich. native spent four seasons with Chicago (2016-21), owning averages of 7.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 232 games (45 starts).

Heat re-sign Kyle Guy and Chris Silva to 10-day contracts

The Miami Heat have re-signed guard Kyle Guy and forward Chris Silva to 10-day contracts using the COVID-Related Hardship Allowance.

Guy, who was originally signed to a 10-day contract by the HEAT on December 30, appeared in five games with Miami averaging 9.8 points, 2.6 assists, 1.6 rebounds and 20.3 minutes while shooting 51.4 percent from the field, 45 percent from three-point range and 80 percent from the foul line. In his first game with the HEAT on 12/30 at HOU, he helped Miami to a, 120-110, win after scoring a career-tying 17 points, all off the bench, while also adding four rebounds, four assists and a career-high three steals on 6-of-8 from the field and 4-of-6 from three-point range, tying both his career highs for field goals made and three-point field goals made. Prior to joining Miami, Guy appeared in 11 G League games (10 starts) this season with the Cleveland Charge and averaged 21.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.00 steals and 35.0 minutes.

Silva, who was recently signed to a 10-day contract by the HEAT on December 31, appeared in five games with Miami averaging 4.8 points and 5.2 rebounds in 12.3 minutes of action while shooting 61.5 percent from the field and 88.9 percent from the foul line. Earlier this season he appeared in one game with the Minnesota Timberwolves and 12 G League games with the Iowa Wolves where he averaged 15.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.00 steals and 26.1 minutes while shooting 57.3 percent from the field, leading the team in blocks and free throws made while finishing second in rebounds and field goals made.

Nuggets trade Bol Bol to Pistons for Rodney McGruder. UPDATE: TRADE NULLIFIED

UPDATE: The Detroit Pistons/Denver Nuggets trade of Rodney McGruder and draft consideration in exchange for Bol Bol has been rescinded because medical clearance was not received for all players involved.

ORIGINAL POST

The Detroit Pistons have acquired Bol Bol in a trade with the Denver Nuggets for Rodney McGruder and draft considerations.

Bol, 7-2, 220, has seen action in 53 career NBA games (two starts) with the Nuggets and averaged 2.7 points and 1.2 rebounds in 6.2 minutes per game. Drafted 44th overall in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Miami HEAT, Bol was traded to the Nuggets on draft night and signed a two-way contract on Sept. 4, 2019. He signed a regular NBA contract on Nov. 24, 2020.

Bol played one collegiate season at the University of Oregon where he averaged 21.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 2.7 blocks per game in 29.8 minutes.

A native of Sudan, Bol is the son of former NBA player, the late Manute Bol.

McGruder, 6-4, 205, played in 17 games for the Detroit Pistons this season, averaging 2.5 points and 1.6 rebounds while shooting 38.6% from the field in 9.5 minutes. Over six seasons, McGruder has appeared in 251 games (118 starts) for Miami, Los Angeles Clippers and Detroit, holding averages of 5.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists, shooting 41.7% from the field and 33.7% from three in 20.1 minutes per game.

The 30-year-old went undrafted in the 2013 NBA draft after playing four seasons at Kansas State University. McGruder played internationally in Hungary during the 2013-14 season and then in the G League from 2014-16 before signing with the Miami Heat.

Mavericks waive JaQuori McLaughlin

The Dallas Mavericks have waived guard JaQuori McLaughlin.

McLaughlin (6-4, 190) signed a two-way contract with Dallas on Sept. 3 after going undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft. The rookie guard saw action in four games this season.

The Port Angeles, Washington, native finished his collegiate career at UC Santa Barbara, where he helped the Gauchos win the Big West regular season and tournament titles in his senior year. He averaged 16.0 points (.488 FG%, .408 3FG%), 3.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game en route to being named the Big West Player of the Year and an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American in his final collegiate season.

Nuggets sign James Ennis III to 10-day contract

The Denver Nuggets have signed forward James Ennis III to a 10-day contract, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Ennis III, 6-6, 215, has appeared in four games this season for the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers, averaging 6.3 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 50.0% from the field in 10.5 minutes per game.

The 31-year-old has appeared in 392 career games (140 starts) in eight seasons, averaging 6.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 20.4 minutes with Miami, Memphis, New Orleans, Detroit, Philadelphia, Houston, Orlando, Brooklyn and Los Angeles Clippers.

The Ventura, CA native was drafted with the 50th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks and was traded to the Miami Heat in a draft night deal. Ennis III played two seasons at Long Beach State where he averaged 13.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 31.1 minutes.

Mavericks sign Theo Pinson to two-way contract

The Dallas Mavericks have signed guard/forward Theo Pinson to a two-way contract. This after having previously signed him to consecutive 10-day contracts under the COVID-related hardship allowance.

Pinson (6-5, 212) signed his first 10-day on Dec. 20 and has averaged 2.5 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 9.3 minutes in 10 games. He recorded seven points, four rebounds, three assists, a career-high four steals and one block in his Mavericks debut against Minnesota on Dec. 21. His four steals, which came in a 114-102 Mavericks win, were the most ever by a Dallas player in his debut with the team. He also had nine points in consecutive games vs. Milwaukee on Dec. 23 and at Utah on Dec. 25.

Pinson spent the beginning of this season with the Maine Celtics of the NBA G League, where he was averaging 16.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.3 steals across 12 appearances (all starts).

Pinson played the last two seasons with the New York Knicks after signing with the Brooklyn Nets as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2018.

The Greensboro, North Carolina, native played four years at the University of North Carolina and helped the Tar Heels win the 2017 NCAA Championship.

Nuggets sign Davon Reed to two-way contract, and waive Petr Cornelie

The Denver Nuggets have signed guard Davon Reed to a two-way contract, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

And in a related move, Denver waived two-way center Petr Cornelie.

Reed, 6-5, 208, signed a total of three 10-day contracts with Denver (12/4, 12/9 and 12/30) before being signed to a two-way contract. He has appeared in 12 games (two starts) for the Nuggets this season, averaging 4.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.2 steals in 17.6 minutes per game.

He has also appeared in eight games (all starts) this season with the Nuggets’ G-League affiliate Grand Rapids Gold, averaging 15.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.90 steals in 35.8 minutes per game. He played for the Nuggets in both this year’s preseason and Las Vegas Summer League entry as well.

Reed, 26, previously appeared in 31 career NBA games for the Phoenix Suns (21 games in 2017-18) and Indiana Pacers (10 games in 2018-19). He has appeared in 94 career G-League games (89 starts) for Northern Arizona, Fort Worth, Sioux Falls and Grand Rapids, averaging 13.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game.

The New Jersey Native was drafted with the 32nd overall pick in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft. He spent four years at the University of Miami where he was named to the ACC All-Defensive Team and ACC All-Third Team in 2017.

Cornelie, 26, appeared in 13 games for Denver this season, averaging 1.1 points and 1.1 rebounds in 2.9 minutes per game. Cornelie was signed to a two-way contract prior to this season after being drafted by the Nuggets with the 53rd overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

Thunder sign Olivier Sarr to second 10-day contract

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed center Olivier Sarr to a second 10-day contract, via the NBA’s COVID-Related Hardship Allowance.

Sarr (7-0, 240) has played in two games with the Thunder this season and totaled four points, five rebounds and two blocks in 14 minutes of game action.

In 14 games with the Oklahoma City Blue, Sarr averaged 7.1 points on 52.2 percent shooting, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists in 14.1 minutes per game leading up to the Showcase Cup. A native from France, Sarr played three seasons at Wake Forest before transferring to Kentucky and collected Third Team All-ACC honors and was named a runner-up for ACC Most Improved Player.