Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Pelicans sign Wenyen Gabriel to 10-day contract

The New Orleans Pelicans have signed forward Wenyen Gabriel to a 10-day contract via the COVID hardship exception.

Gabriel, 6’9”, 205, has appeared in 58 career games (one start) across three seasons with the LA Clippers, Brooklyn, New Orleans, Portland, and Sacramento, recording averages of 2.6 points and 2.1 rebounds in 9.0 minutes per contest while shooting .413 from the field. Gabriel has appeared in seven games this season with the Clippers and Nets, averaging 2.0 points and 2.1 rebounds in 6.7 minutes per game.

Most recently, Gabriel has appeared in 14 games (12 starts) for the Wisconsin Herd of the NBA G League this season, averaging 14.1 points on .464 percent shooting from the field and .350 percent shooting from three-point range, 8.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.7 steals and 2.1 blocks in 25.9 minutes per contest. He also spent two seasons (2018-20) with the Stockton Kings of the NBA G League.

A native of South Sudan, Gabriel went undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft after playing two collegiate seasons (2016-18) at the University of Kentucky. In his final season as a sophomore, Gabriel averaged 6.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 23.1 minutes per game while leading the Wildcats in total rejections (40).

Gabriel will wear #32 with the Pelicans.

New Orleans’s roster now stands at 18 players, including two two-way players.

Utah Jazz sign Danuel House Jr. to 10-day contract

The Utah Jazz have signed forward Danuel House Jr. to a 10-day contract.

House Jr. (6-6, 215, Texas A&M) is in his sixth NBA season and previously signed two 10-day contracts with Utah on Jan. 6 and Jan. 18 and has played in six games (one start) with the Jazz, averaging 6.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists. In his NBA career, he has also played with Washington (2016-17), Phoenix (2017-18), Houston (2018-22) and New York (2021-22) owning career averages of 8.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 24.8 minutes per game.

The Houston-native has additional NBA G League experience, competing for Delaware (2016-17), Northern Arizona (2017-18) and Rio Grande Valley (2017-19), playing in 60 total games (42 starts), averaging 18.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals in 32.0 minutes per contest.

Trail Blazers forward Nassir Little suffers shoulder injury

An MRI taken January 26 revealed Trail Blazers forward Nassir Little with a left shoulder labral tear.

The injury occurred with 8:11 remaining in the fourth quarter of Portland’s game against Minnesota on January 25.

An update on his status will be provided as available. This sort of injury can often be season-ending.

In 42 games this season (23 starts), Little is averaging career highs of 9.8 points (46.0% FG, 33.1% 3-PT, 73.4% FT), 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.86 blocks and 25.9 minutes.

Lakers sign Stanley Johnson

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed forward Stanley Johnson, it was announced today by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.

Johnson has averaged 6.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 21.2 minutes through 14 games (six starts) with Los Angeles this season.

Per the Los Angeles Times, “Johnson, who has played through three 10-day contracts with the Lakers, originally joined them as hardship a exemption during the Lakers’ coronavirus outbreak. He quickly earned two more 10-day deals because of his defensive versatility, starting six times. The Lakers won five of those games, including Tuesday against the Nets in Brooklyn.”

Initially called up from the South Bay Lakers on December 24, the Fullerton native is shooting a career-high 51.6 percent from the field and a career-best 34.4 percent from three-point range.

Rockets forward Usman Garuba undergoes wrist surgery

Houston Rockets forward Usman Garuba has undergone surgery to repair his fractured left wrist.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Matthew Koepplinger, Assistant Professor, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth and affiliated Memorial Hermann orthopedic surgeon.

The injury occurred while Garuba was on assignment with the Rockets NBA G League affiliate, Rio Grande Valley.

He is expected to miss 6-8 weeks for rehabilitation.

Kings guard Terence Davis out with wrist injury

Sacramento Kings guard Terence Davis underwent an MRI in Atlanta this morning that confirmed a right wrist ECU tendon injury, which will require Davis to miss an indefinite period of time.

The injury was sustained at the 6:28 mark of the second quarter during Tuesday’s game at Boston.

Additionally, an X-ray conducted in Boston was negative for a right wrist fracture.

Davis also received five stitches to repair a laceration above his right eye.

Will the Pistons trade Jerami Grant?

Will the Pistons trade forward Jerami Grant? Here’s the Detroit Free Press on it:

The NBA trade deadline is nearly two weeks away and the rumor mill ahead of Feb. 10 is heating up. (Ah, if only it could thaw the winter freeze here in Michigan…)

The prevailing theory is the Pistons might accept a young player and first-round pick for Grant, but will anyone meet that requirement? How flexible are the Pistons with their price? And how flexible is Grant in taking a lesser role on a better team? So far, reports are that’s not what he wants, which would dwindle his market and hurt the Pistons’ leverage…

In a bold move, Grant and his representatives have reportedly shown the Pistons a list of teams he would prefer to be traded to if dealt. He will be eligible for a contract extension this summer and can get up to $112 million over four years — $28 million per year. He signed a three-year deal worth $60 million with the Pistons in 2020.

The Pistons are 11-35 this season and in a rebuilding situation. Whatever moves they make are with the future, not present, in mind.

Anthony Davis set to return for Lakers

The Lakers are about to receive a big boost. Via the Orange County Register:

After the week the Lakers had, they need good news.

It came on Monday afternoon, when Anthony Davis was upgraded to probable for Tuesday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets. It now appears likely that the 28-year-old All-Star big man will return from a 17-game absence from a sprained MCL in his left knee, which could help lift the eighth-place Lakers (23-24) back into the upper half of the Western Conference standings.

The Lakers are cautiously optimistic, waiting to see how Davis feels on Tuesday before tip-off, but having him back would be a huge lift…

The Lakers have struggled to a 7-10 record without Davis, who was averaging 23.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2 blocked shots per game when he was hurt in Minnesota back on Dec. 17. His return is going to significantly change the Lakers’ style and rotations.

Pacers sign Lance Stephenson to second 10-day contract

The Indiana Pacers today announced that they have signed guard Lance Stephenson to a second 10-day contract.

The Pacers previously signed Stephenson to a 10-day contract on January 14.

The Pacers are 17-30 this season, which is the 13th best record in the Eastern conference.

Their leading scorers so far in 2021-22 are Domantas Sabonis at 19.0 ppg, Malcolm Brogdon at 18.5 ppg, and Caris LeVert at 18.4 ppg.

Bucks’ Grayson Allen suspended for flagrant foul on Bulls’ Alex Caruso

Milwaukee Bucks guard Grayson Allen has been suspended one game without pay for having made unnecessary and excessive contact against Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso, resulting in substantial injury to Caruso, it was announced today by Byron Spruell, President, League Operations.

The incident, for which Allen was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected, occurred with 5:45 remaining in the third quarter of the Bucks’ 94-90 win over the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 21 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.

Allen will serve his suspension on Wednesday, Jan. 26 when the Bucks face the Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, OH.