Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Magic guard Michael Carter-Williams undergoes ankle surgery

Orlando Magic guard Michael Carter-Williams underwent surgery yesterday (August 23) to remove a bone fragment and to repair a ligament in his left ankle.

He will miss the start of the 2021-22 regular season and his return to basketball activities will depend on how he responds to treatment and rehabilitation. Carter-Williams is expected to make a full recovery.

Carter-Williams (6’6”, 195, 10/10/91) played in 31 games (25 starts) last season with Orlando, averaging 8.8 ppg., 4.5 rpg. and 4.2 apg. in 25.8 minpg. He has appeared in 391 career NBA regular season games (217 starts) with Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Chicago, Charlotte, Houston and Orlando, averaging 10.3 ppg., 4.4 rpg., 4.4 apg. and 1.27 stlpg. in 25.3 minpg. Carter-Williams has also played in 16 career playoff games (six starts), averaging 7.5 ppg., 3.2 rpg. and 2.9 apg. in 21.0 minpg. He was named NBA Rookie of the Year in 2013-14 and selected to the 2013-14 NBA All-Rookie First team.

Carter-Williams was originally signed as a free agent by the Magic to a 10-day contract on March 15, 2019. He has played in 88 games (25 starts) with Orlando, averaging 7.5 ppg., 3.9 rpg. and 3.3 apg. in 21.1 minpg.

Orlando Magic re-sign Moritz Wagner

The Orlando Magic have re-signed free agent forward/center Moritz Wagner.

Wagner (6’11, 245, 4/26/97) played in 45 total games (24 starts) last season with Washington, Boston, and Orlando, averaging 6.9 ppg., 3.2 rpg. and 1.1 apg. in 16.0 minpg. He was signed as a free agent by the Magic on Apr. 27. Wagner played in 11 games (10 starts) with Orlando, averaging 11.0 ppg., 4.9 rpg. and 1.1 apg. in 26.0 minpg. He scored in double figures 14 times (six times with Orlando) and 20+ points three times (twice with Orlando), including a season-high 24 points on May 1 vs. Memphis.

Originally selected in the first round (25th overall) of the 2018 NBA Draft by the L.A. Lakers, Wagner has appeared in 133 career NBA regular season games (34 starts) with the Lakers, Washington, Boston and Orlando, averaging 6.8 ppg. and 3.4 rpg. in 15.1 minpg.

Wagner played in 107 career games (77 starts) during three seasons at the University of Michigan (2015-18), averaging 10.4 ppg. and 4.5 rpg. in 21.0 minpg. As a junior (2017-18), he played and started in 39 games, averaging 14.6 ppg. and 7.1 rpg. in 27.6 minpg., while shooting .528 (216-409) from the floor and .394 (63-160) from three-point range. Wagner was named to the 2017-18 All-Big Ten Second Team and was later named the Most Outstanding Player at the 2018 Big Ten Tournament, leading the Wolverines to the Big Ten Conference Tournament championship. He also earned 2018 NCAA West Region All-Tournament Team honors and the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team, helping Michigan reach the NCAA Championship game.

Wagner recently played for Germany during the Olympics in Tokyo. His younger brother, Franz, was selected by Orlando with the eighth overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Wagner will wear #21 with the Magic. His brother, Franz, who had originally selected #21 after he signed with Orlando, will now wear #22.

In G League, Stockton Kings make multiple hirings

The Stockton Kings, NBA G League affiliate of the Sacramento Kings, announce the completion of Bobby Jackson’s coaching staff and multiple hirings within the Basketball Operations group.

Will Scott is tabbed as the Associate Head Coach after spending the past two seasons as the Head Video Coordinator and Player Development Coach under Kings Head Coach Luke Walton. Prior to joining the Kings, Scott served as the Head Video Coordinator with Coach Walton and the Los Angeles Lakers (2016-19). The Indiana University alum began his NBA career with the Lakers in 2011-12, starting in the video room with the L.A. and South Bay Lakers, going on to serve eight seasons with the organization in several capacities.

Jimmy Alapag is named an Assistant Coach after most recently serving as the head coach for Alab Pilipinas of the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) in the Philippines. Alapag, a Filipino-American native of San Bernadino, Calif., played 14 seasons in the Philippines and enjoyed a storied career as a six-time Philippines Basketball Association (PBA) champion, two-time PBA Finals MVP, PBA MVP in 2011 and an 11-time PBA All-Star. As a head coach, Alapag won the ABL championship in 2018.

Akachi Okugo joins the Stockton Kings as an Assistant Coach after spending the past four seasons in the player development department with the Sacramento Kings and was most recently named the Player Development Manager during the 2020-21 season. Okugo is a graduate of California State University, San Marcos where he was a basketball standout, ranking second in school history for threes made. He garnered Honorable Mention All-Conference as a senior.

Sydney Haydel will serve as Director of Basketball Operations for the Stockton Kings and Player Development Coordinator for Sacramento. Haydel will assist Paul Johnson, Kings Vice President of Player Development and General Manager of the Stockton Kings, and joins the Kings after spending the past five years at the NBA league office in the Basketball Strategy and Analytics department where she played a key role in the completion of the NBA restart bubble. Haydel, a former Division 1 athlete at the University of Hawaii, also taught basketball at the grassroots level around the globe working with the Jr. NBA teaching in India, China and Leading Youth Sports and Development (LYSD) while in West Africa.

Kaiti Jones will serve as the Performance Coach and Sport Scientist for the Kings. Jones arrives in Stockton after spending the previous five seasons at the University of Louisville and four of the five seasons as the women’s basketball strength and conditioning coach. At Louisville, Jones led the development, implementation and analysis of sport-specific preparation, training, assessment, testing, screening and monitoring for athletes. Jones will join Katie Babcock, who is returning to the Stockton Kings for her fourth season as the Head Athletic Trainer.

Nuggets hire Popeye Jones as an assistant coach

The Denver Nuggets have hired Popeye Jones as an assistant coach on head coach Michael Malone’s staff.

Jones served as an assistant coach under Doc Rivers with the Philadelphia 76ers last season and spent the prior seven seasons with the Indiana Pacers as an assistant coach.

Jones had a three-year tenure with the Brooklyn/New Jersey Nets front office, starting in player development before transitioning to an assistant coach role. He began his coaching career with the Dallas Mavericks where he worked in player development.

Jones played collegiately at Murray State, where he is fourth on the Racers’ all-time scoring list. In 1992, the school retired his No. 54. A second-round pick in the 1992 NBA Draft, Jones played one season in Italy before joining the Mavericks in 1993. Jones also appeared in 40 games during the 1999-2000 with the Nuggets, averaging 2.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 8.3 minutes per game.

Jones career spanned 11 seasons, appearing in 535 games (304 starts) for Dallas, Toronto, Boston, Denver, Washington and Golden State, holding career averages of 7.0 points and 7.4 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per game.

Celtics sign Marcus Smart to contract extension

The Boston Celtics have signed seven-year NBA veteran Marcus Smart to a contract extension, the team announced today.

Per the Boston Globe, Smart’s contract extension with the Celtics is a four-year, $77 million deal.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to extend Marcus, and thankful that he has chosen to remain a Celtic,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens. “In his seven years in Boston, he has made a big impact, on and off the court. It is not a coincidence that every team he’s played on has been in the playoffs, with several series wins throughout the years. He adds to winning on both ends of the floor, and competes with a grit and toughness that few match.”

Per the Boston Globe, “Stevens feels good about this year’s team — returning gold medalist Jayson Tatum, a healthy Jaylen Brown, a re-signed Marcus Smart, and acquisitions Al Horford, Josh Richardson, Dennis Schroder and Enes Kanter along with three first-round picks in the past two years who are expected to help. Stevens believes the Celtics were able to improve the roster with astute moves and maintain cap flexibility for the future. They ridded themselves of Walker’s contract — two years and $74 million remaining — garnered a $17.1 million trade exception for Fournier and then scored by getting Schroder perhaps $10 million per season less than his original asking price.”

Originally drafted by the Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Smart has played all seven of his NBA seasons with Boston and stands as the organization’s longest currently-tenured player. He has produced 10.2 points (37.6% FG, 32.0% 3-PT, 77.7% FT), 3.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.6 steals, and 29.4 minutes across 449 career games (228 starts), and is one of three Celtics players to ever average 7.0 points, 3.0 assists, and 1.0 steal through each of their first seven NBA seasons (Larry Bird, Antoine Walker).

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather play and no other fans I’d rather play in front of. I love Boston, and Boston loves me,” said Smart. “We’ve had some great moments and success in my time here, but there’s more to accomplish. I’m ready to put that Celtics jersey back on and get to work out on the Parquet with my teammates.”

Smart, 27, has been selected to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team twice in his NBA career (2018-19, 2019-20), making him the first Celtics player to earn All-Defensive First Team honors in consecutive seasons since Kevin Garnett in 2007-08 and 2008-09.

In 48 games (45 starts) in 2020-21, Smart averaged career highs in points (13.1 ppg), assists (5.7 apg), and minutes played (32.9 mpg). It was the second straight year in which he recorded at least 12.0 points, 4.0 assists, and 1.5 steals.

A native of Lancaster, TX, Smart currently ranks fourth on the franchise ledger for three-point field goals (677) and sixth all time with 702 steals.

Mavericks sign Feron Hunt, Carlik Jones and EJ Onu

The Dallas Mavericks have signed rookie free agents Feron Hunt, Carlik Jones and EJ Onu.

The contracts are likely all non-guaranteed deals that merely bring the players to Mavs training camp.

Hunt (F, 6-8, 195) spent four seasons at SMU. In 78 games (41 starts), Hunt averaged 9.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 0.86 blocks and 26.3 minutes while shooting 55.7% (300-539 FG) from the field. Among SMU leaders, he finished his career ranked fourth in field goal percentage, 32nd in rebounds (533) and T-17th in blocks (67).

Hunt attended DeSoto High School in suburban DFW and averaged 11.2 points and 7.1 rebounds as a senior.

Jones (G, 6-1, 185) finished his collegiate career at Louisville, where he was an All-ACC First Team selection and the 2020-21 AP ACC Rookie of the Year. Jones became the first person in Louisville history to reach double figures in his first 17 games as a Cardinal.

Prior to joining Louisville, the Cincinnati native played three seasons at Radford and was named the 2019-20 Big South Player of the Year after being the only NCAA Division I player to average at least 20.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists that year.

Onu (C, 6-11, 240) played 125 career games (64 starts) over four years at Shawnee State in Portsmouth, Ohio. Onu averaged 12.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.2 blocks last season en route to helping Shawnee State to the NAIA championship.

The Richmond Heights, Ohio, native finished his 2020-21 campaign as a First Team NAIA All-American, the Mid-South Conference Player of the Year and a First Team All-Mid-South Conference selection. He also garnered his third consecutive Mid-South Conference Defensive Player of the Year award. Onu finished his career as Shawnee State’s all-time leader in blocks (529).

The Mavericks training camp roster stands at 20 players.

Pacers sign forward Torrey Craig

The Indiana Pacers have signed free agent forward Torrey Craig.

“Torrey is known for toughness, defense and being a great team guy,” said Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard. “As a player who went undrafted, Torrey got to where he is through hard work and perseverance. He will be a great addition to our depth and our emphasis on defense.”

After he originally went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft out of the University of South Carolina Upstate, Craig played three seasons professionally in Australia and New Zealand before he earned a spot on the Denver Nuggets’ roster for the 2017-18 season. Craig played three seasons for the Nuggets (2017-20) before splitting the 2020-21 regular season with the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns.

Craig has played in the postseason in each of the last three seasons, including the 2021 playoffs in which he helped the Suns reach the NBA Finals.

Knicks sign guard M.J. Walker

The New York Knicks have signed guard M.J. Walker to a contract.

It’s likely a non-guaranteed deal that brings Walker to training camp.

Walker, 6-5, 213-pounds, played four seasons at Florida State University (2017-21), averaging nine points, two rebounds and 1.6 assists over 24.3 minutes in 120 games (82 starts). As a senior, he was named to the 2020-21 All-ACC Second Team after producing a career best 12.2 points to go along with 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists over 29.0 minutes in 24 games (23 starts).

The Jonesboro, GA-native, recently appeared in three games for the Knicks Summer League entry in Las Vegas, NV. He averaged 4.7 points and 2.7 rebounds over 16.1 minutes.

Utah Jazz add Erdem Can to coaching staff

The Utah Jazz have added Erdem Can to their coaching staff.

Can joins the Jazz having most recently served as an assistant coach for Fenerbahce in the Turkish first division from 2012-21. Under legendary international head coach Željko Obradović, Can helped the team to four Turkish League Championships, three Turkish Cups, five EuroLeague Final Fours, three EuroLeague Finals and one EuroLeague Championship. He has also assisted the Utah Jazz’s summer league coaching staff five times in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas.

The Ankara, Turkey native comes to Utah with a vast career in coaching and as a player. He began his playing career with Sumerbank Basketball Team in Turkey from 1993-96 and finished his career with Mulkiyespor Basketball Team, also in Turkey (1996-98). He also has coaching stops in the Turkish first division with Turk Telekom (2008-10), Olin Edirne (2010-12), serving as head coach for Olin Edirne for two seasons.

Can received a master’s degree in political science and public administration at the Ankara University Faculty of Political Science in 2003.

Nuggets re-sign JaMychal Green

The Denver Nuggets have signed forward JaMychal Green to a multiyear contract, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Per the Denver Post, “Green agreed to a 2-year, $17 million deal, according to league sources. Green has a player option on the second year of his deal, a source said, and the deal is fully guaranteed.”

Green, 6-8, 227, appeared in 58 games (five starts) for the Nuggets last season, averaging 8.1 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 46.3% from the field and 39.9% from three in 19.3 minutes. He also played in 10 playoff games, averaging 5.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 19.0 minutes.

The seven-year NBA veteran has appeared in 420 career games (157 starts) for San Antonio, Memphis, Los Angeles and Denver, holding career averages of 8.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 0.9 assists, shooting 47.0% from the field and 38.0% from three-point range.

The 31-year-old native of Montgomery, Alabama originally went undrafted in 2013 NBA Draft after spending four seasons at the University of Alabama. He signed a multiyear contract with the San Antonio Spurs in August of 2014.