Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Sacramento Kings exercise contract option on Tyrese Haliburton

The Sacramento Kings have exercised their 2022-23 option on guard Tyrese Haliburton.

Selected by the Kings with the 12th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft out of Iowa State, Haliburton garnered 2020-21 NBA All-Rookie First Team honors as he accrued averages of 13.0 points (.472 FG%, .409 3pt%, .857 FT%), 3.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 30.1 minutes per game in 58 games (20 starts) during his rookie campaign.

Haliburton ranked third amongst all rookies in scoring (13.0 ppg), second in assists (5.3), sixth in field goal percentage (.472), third in three-point field goal percentage (.409), second in steals (1.3) and third in minutes (30.1) per game. The Oshkosh, Wisc. native was named back-to-back Western Conference Rookie of the Month for the months of December/January as well as for the month of February.

Dallas Mavericks sign Justin Jackson and E.J. Onu

The Dallas Mavericks have signed forwards Justin Jackson and E.J. Onu.

Jackson (6-8, 220) was the 15th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings and holds career averages of 6.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists with Sacramento, Dallas, Oklahoma City and Milwaukee. The Houston native was previously traded to the Mavericks on Feb. 6, 2019 in a deal that sent Harrison Barnes to the Kings and finished that season with the Dallas in the NBA bubble. Last season, Jackson won an NBA championship as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Onu (6-11, 230) went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft after four years at Shawnee State where he was named First Team NAIA All American while leading the Bears to an NAIA championship. Onu played in four games for the Mavericks at the MGM Resorts Summer League in Las Vegas averaging 1.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per contest.

Dallas Mavericks waive Carlik Jones, Feron Hunt and Tyrell Terry

The Dallas Mavericks have waived forward Feron Hunt, guard Carlik Jones and guard Tyrell Terry.

Hunt (6-8, 195) went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft after three seasons at Southern Methodist University. He played in all four preseason games for the Mavericks averaging 5.3 points and 1.8 rebounds.

Jones (6-1, 185) went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft after a college career at Radford and Louisville. The Cincinnati native played in all four preseason games and averaged 6.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists.

Terry (6-2, 170) was the 31st overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Mavericks. Terry appeared in 11 games as a rookie last season.

Miami Heat waive DJ Stewart, Javonte Smart, Micah Potter and Dru Smith

The Miami Heat have waived Micah Potter, Javonte Smart, Dru Smith and DJ Stewart.

Potter, who was originally signed by the HEAT on September 10, appeared in three preseason games with Miami and averaged 10.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 24.0 minutes.

Smart, who was originally signed by the HEAT on September 10, appeared in five preseason games with Miami and averaged 8.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 18.1 minutes.

Smith, who was originally signed by the HEAT on September 10, appeared in three preseason games with Miami and averaged 5.0 points, 2.0 assists, 1.7 rebounds, 1.00 steals and 12.7 minutes.

Stewart, who was originally signed by the HEAT on August 16, appeared in four preseason games with Miami and averaged 4.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 17.1 minutes.

Rockets sign Daishen Nix, waive Marcus Foster

The Houston Rockets have signed guard Daishen Nix to a two-way contract.

Also today, the team waived guard Marcus Foster.

Nix (6-5, 224) was eligible for the 2021 NBA Draft and originally signed with Houston on Aug. 25. He spent last season with the G League Ignite, where he was teammates with fellow Rockets rookie Jalen Green. Nix, who turns 20 years old in February, joined Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. and Kobi Simmons as the only G League players to have averaged at least 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 2020-21.

Atlanta Hawks exercise contract options on De’Andre Hunter, Cam Reddish and Onyeka Okongwu

The Atlanta Hawks have exercised the fourth-year (2022-23) contract options on De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish along with the third-year (2022-23) option on Onyeka Okongwu.

Also today, the team requested waivers on center Johnny Hamilton and guards DaQuan Jeffries and Ibi Watson.

Entering his third season with the Hawks, Hunter averaged 15.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 29.5 minutes last season (.484 FG%, .326 3FG%, .859 FT%), appearing in 23 games (19 starts). He put in 10-19 points 11 times, 20-29 six times and 30-39 once, leading the club in scoring four times. He was selected to the 2021 NBA Rising Stars roster, comprised of 10 first- and second-year premier young players selected by the league’s assistant coaches. During the Hawks’ first round NBA Playoffs series win over New York, he compiled 10.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in 30.4 minutes, playing in and starting five games (.400 FG%, .375 3FG%, .750 FT%). In 86 career regular season games (81 starting assignments), the 6’7 forward is averaging 13.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 31.3 minutes (.430 FG%, .348 3FG%, .799 FT%). He was selected fourth overall in the 2019 NBA Draft.

Also going into his third season, Reddish played in 26 games (21 starts) for Atlanta in 2020-21. He averaged 11.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 steals in 28.8 minutes. The 6’8 forward put in 10-19 points 11 times and 20-29 points four times. After missing the final 42 games of the regular season and the first two rounds of the NBA Playoffs due to injury, he returned during the Eastern Conference Finals against Milwaukee, when he tallied 12.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 steals in 23.0 minutes (.528 FG%, .643 3FG%, .800 FT%) in four contests. In 84 career regular season games, including 55 starts, Reddish is averaging 10.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 27.4 minutes. He was selected 10th overall in the 2019 NBA Draft.

As a rookie in 2020-21, Okongwu averaged 4.6 points and 3.3 rebounds in 12.0 minutes, appearing in 50 games (four starts). The 6’9 big man scored 10-19 points six times and 20-29 once, pulling down 10-or-more rebounds twice and recording two double-doubles. In 18 games off the bench during Atlanta’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals, he averaged 2.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 9.2 minutes (.548 FG%, .667 FT%). He was selected sixth overall in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Timberwolves waive Brian Bowen II, Chris Silva, Matt Lewis and Isaiah Miller

The Minnesota Timberwolves have waived forward Brian Bowen II, guard Matt Lewis, guard Isaiah Miller and forward Chris Silva.

Bowen II, 22, appeared in two games this preseason, totaling five points and two rebounds. He started all five games for the Timberwolves in the 2021 MGM Resorts NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, averaging 8.4 points, 4.2 rebounds in 24.5 minutes per game. In two seasons with the Indiana Pacers, he saw action in 12 total games. He played in 44 games for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants over two seasons, averaging 14.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. After withdrawing from the 2018 NBA draft during the final entry deadline, Bowen made the decision to forgo college and pursue a professional contract. On August 7, 2018, Bowen signed with the Sydney Kings of the Australian NBL. During the 2018–19 NBL season, he played in 30 games while averaging 6.3 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.

Lewis, 22, wrapped up a four-year career at James Madison University where he ranked among the career leaders in several categories, including third in points (1,928) and eighth in assists (341). Last year during his senior season, he was named CAA Player of the Year after leading the Dukes in points, field goals, three pointers, free throws, defensive rebounds. assists, and minutes. Lewis became the first James Madison player ever to be named to the All-CAA team in three different seasons.

Miller, 22, played in two games this preseason for Minnesota where he totaled three points, two rebounds and one assist. He appeared in all five games for the 2021 Timberwolves Summer League team, averaging 7.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.6 steals in 16.2 minutes per game. Miller averaged 14.9 points on 47.4% shooting, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game during his four-year career at UNC Greensboro. In Miller’s final season with the Spartans, he was named SoCon Player of the Year and SoCon Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the only men’s basketball player in SoCon history to be named both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in consecutive seasons. The Covington, Ga. native ranks second in school history with 314 steals and third in scoring with 1,965 points.

Silva, 24, saw action in 15 total games last season for the Miami Heat and Sacramento Kings where he averaged 2.1 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. During the 2019-20 season, the 6-8 forward split time between the Heat and the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA G League where he saw action in 44 games in for Miami, averaging 3.0 points on 61.5% shooting and 2.9 rebounds. Silva played four seasons at South Carolina, appearing in 134 career games (108 starts) and averaged 11.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 21.7 minutes. He became the first player in school history to total at least 700 rebounds and 500 free throws made.

Grizzlies sign David Stockton, waive Ahmad Caver

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed guard David Stockton.

Also today, the team waived guard Ahmad Caver.

Stockton (5-11, 165) started 15 games for the NBA G League’s Memphis Hustle last season and averaged 14.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.00 steals in 29.5 minutes. A six-year veteran of the NBA G League, Stockton holds career averages of 17.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.59 steals in 29.9 minutes over 184 games (142 starts) for the Reno Bighorns, South Bay Lakers and Hustle. The 30-year-old Gonzaga product also has played six career NBA games with the Sacramento Kings (2014-15) and Utah Jazz (2017-18) and has competed professionally in Croatia, New Zealand, Germany and Puerto Rico since going unselected in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Caver (6-2, 174) has appeared in 54 games (two starts) in two seasons with the NBA G League’s Memphis Hustle following a four-year collegiate career at Old Dominion. Unselected in the 2019 NBA Draft, the 25-year-old competed in 15 games off the bench for the Hustle last season and averaged 16.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.93 steals in 29.4 minutes while shooting 52.5 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from 3-point range.