Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Cavaliers sign Mfiondu Kabengele to 10-day contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward/center Mfiondu Kabengele to a 10-day contract, Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Kabengele (6-9, 250) appeared in 23 games for the Los Angeles Clippers this season before being traded to the Sacramento Kings on March 22. Kabengele, who was waived by the Kings on March 25, owns career averages of 2.0 points in 4.5 minutes over 35 games during his two NBA seasons with the Clippers. The 23-year-old also played in 27 contests (all starts) for the Agua Caliente Clippers of the NBA G League in 2019-20, averaging 18.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.9 blocks in 31.2 minutes.

Selected with the 27th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by Brooklyn, Kabengele played two collegiate seasons at Florida State, earning the 2018-19 ACC Sixth Man of the Year award and 2019 All-ACC Tournament First Team honors. He is the nephew of NBA legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo.

Kabengele will wear jersey #27 for the Cavaliers.

Nuggets sign Shaquille Harrison, waive Gary Clark and Greg Whittington

The Denver Nuggets have signed guard Shaquille Harrison to a two-way contract while subsequently waiving guard Gary Clark and two-way forward Greg Whittington, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Harrison, 6-4, 190, played in 17 games for the Utah Jazz this season, averaging 1.0 points, 0.5 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 3.3 minutes per game. In four seasons, with Phoenix, Chicago, and Utah he holds career averages of 5.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 15.1 minutes. Harrison’s best season of his young career came in 2018-19 with Chicago where he played in 73 games (11 starts), averaging 6.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists, shooting 43.2% from the field in 19.6 minutes.

The 27-year-old went undrafted in the 2016 NBA draft and signed a contract with the Phoenix Suns in September 2016. He appeared in 133 games (all starts) in four years at The University of Tulsa, posting averages of 11.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.80 steals while shooting 44.4% from the field. He ranks second all-time at Tulsa with 461 career assists and third all time with 244 career steals.

Whittington, 6-8, 210, signed a two-way contract with the Nuggets on November 24th and appeared in four games totaling 12 minutes.

Clark, 6-6, 225, was acquired via trade by Denver from Orlando on March 25th, he appeared in a total of two games for the Nuggets.

Clippers sign forward Malik Fitts to 10-day contract

The LA Clippers have signed forward Malik Fitts to a 10-day contract.

Fitts, 23, appeared in 14 games for the Agua Caliente Clippers this season, averaging 11.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists. A training camp invitee this season, Fitts appeared in two preseason games for the Clippers.

Fitts played two collegiate seasons at Saint Mary’s, where he appeared in 68 games and averaged 15.9 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 47.3 percent from the field. Prior to transferring to Saint Mary’s, the 6-foot-8 forward played his first college season at South Florida, where he appeared in 27 games and averaged 7.4 points and 4.6 rebounds. A native of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Fitts was named to the 2019-20 All-WCC First Team and the 2018-19 All-WCC Second Team.

Raptors waive Patrick McCaw

The Toronto Raptors have waived forward Patrick McCaw.

In five games this season, McCaw totaled five points, three rebounds and four assists in 33 minutes.

McCaw signed as a free agent Jan. 10, 2019 and re-signed with Raptors the following offseason. In 68 games with Toronto, he averaged 3.6 points, 2.0 rebounds and 18.9 minutes and helped the Raptors capture their first NBA championship in 2019.

Trail Blazers sign forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to 10-day contract

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed free-agent forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to a 10-day contract.

Hollis-Jefferson, 26, spent the 2019-20 season with Toronto, posting averages of 7.0 points (47.1% FG, 73.4% FT), 4.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 18.7 minutes in 60 games (six starts). He signed a training camp contract with Minnesota on December 3, 2020 prior to being waived on December 19.

A five-year veteran, Hollis-Jefferson (6-6, 217) holds career averages of 9.3 points (44.8% FG, 21.3% 3-PT, 73.8% FT), 5.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.94 steals and 22.6 minutes in 294 games (153 starts) with the Nets and Toronto. After two seasons at Arizona, he was selected by the Trail Blazers with the 23rd overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft and then dealt to Brooklyn in a draft-night trade.

Hollis-Jefferson will wear No. 2 for the Trail Blazers.

Heat sign center Dewayne Dedmon

The Miami Heat have signed center Dewayne Dedmon.

Dedmon, a seven-year NBA veteran, appeared in 44 games (18 starts) last season between the Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks averaging 5.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 17.6 minutes while shooting 40 percent from the field and 83.3 percent from the foul line. He scored in double-figures 10 times, including a season-high 18 points at Philadelphia on November 27, 2019. He grabbed double-figure rebounds seven times while posting three double-doubles. Additionally, he posted 11 multi-block games and five multi-steal games.

Dedmon has appeared in 394 career NBA games (194 starts) and averaged 6.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 18.3 minutes while shooting 51.6 percent from the field. He holds single game career highs of 24 points (done twice), 17 rebounds (2/10/17), seven assists (1/11/19), four steals (done six times) and six blocks (done twice).

He will wear number 21.

Warriors sign guard Gary Payton II to 10-day contract

The Golden State Warriors have signed guard Gary Payton II to a 10-day contract.

Payton II, 28, appeared in 13 games (three starts) with Raptors 905 of the NBA G League this season, averaging 10.8 points on 55.5 percent shooting from the field, 5.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.54 steals in 21.9 minutes per game. Unselected in the 2016 NBA Draft, Payton II has played in 61 games (23 starts) over four seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Wizards. The Oregon State product owns career NBA averages of 3.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 12.6 minutes per game.

Payton II will wear #0 for the Warriors.

Raptors sign forward Freddie Gillespie to 10-day contract

The Toronto Raptors have signed forward Freddie Gillespie to a 10-day contract.

Gillespie, 6-foot-9, 245 pounds, averaged 10.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 27.8 minutes in 15 games (all starts) with the Memphis Hustle in the NBA G League bubble. He shot .570 (73-128) from the field and recorded six double-doubles. Gillespie went undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft but was picked second overall by the Hustle in the 2020-21 NBA G League Draft.

A native of Saint Paul, Minnesota, Gillespie played two seasons at Division lll Carleton College before transferring to Baylor (2018-20). He averaged 7.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 23.7 minutes in 56 career games (41 starts) with the Bears. As a senior, Gillespie was voted the Big 12 Most Improved Player and earned All-Big 12 Second Team and All-Defensive Team honours.

Magic waive center Khem Birch

The Orlando Magic have waived center Khem Birch, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today.

Birch (6’9”, 230, 9/28/92) has played in 48 games this season (five starts) with Orlando, averaging 5.3 ppg., 5.1 rpg. and 1.1 apg. in 19.8 minpg. He has appeared in 188 career NBA regular season games (30 starts) from 2017-21, all with the Magic, averaging 4.7 ppg. and 4.4 rpg. in 16.5 minpg., while shooting .518 (326-629) from the floor.

Limited fan attendance at Warriors home games will begin starting April 23

STATEMENT FROM THE WARRIORS

The Golden State Warriors announced today that Chase Center has been approved to host fans for the team’s remaining nine regular season home games, beginning April 23, when the Warriors face the Denver Nuggets.

Per California State Department of Public Health guidelines that were announced on April 2, Chase Center can accommodate up to 35% capacity based on the venue’s plan to require all fans and personnel to produce either proof of a full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. The 35% capacity allowance is subject to the State’s physical distancing requirements, and the actual percentage of fan capacity that will be permitted on a per game basis may vary based on local health approval and subsequent guidance issued by the State and the County.

Every person entering Chase Center must produce either proof of a full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test that was administered within 48 hours prior to the game. Fans who purchase their tickets more than seven days in advance of the game will be eligible to receive, at no cost to the fan, an at-home Lucira Health molecular COVID-19 test to be self-administered within 48 hours of the game, making the Warriors the first sports team to provide fans with an at-home testing solution. Fans will then enroll in CLEAR’s Health Pass where they can securely link their test result and complete a health survey to generate a Health Pass, which they will be required to show for entry to Chase Center.

Additionally, fans who can provide proof of vaccination do not need to produce a negative COVID-19 test, unless they are seated within 30 feet of the court. Fully-vaccinated fans will have the opportunity to purchase tickets in designated sections of the arena bowl.

Chase Center will enforce strict health and safety protocols that have been established in coordination with the California State Department of Health, San Francisco Department of Public Health, and the National Basketball Association (NBA).