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The Oklahoma City Thunder has waived forward Justin Jackson, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.
Jackson has appeared in 33 games (three starts) with the Thunder this season and registered averages of 7.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 16.5 minutes.
Oklahoma City Thunder forwards Josh Hall and Isaiah Roby each sustained a concussion during last night’s game at the Portland Trail Blazers and both players have been placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol.
Per the NBA’s Concussion Policy, Hall and Roby will each begin the NBA-mandated Return-to-Participation Protocol. This process includes a series of steps designed to ensure an athlete exhibits symptom-free behavior before resuming basketball activities. There is no predetermined timetable to complete the protocol, as each injury and player is different and recovery time can vary in each case.
The Houston Rockets have signed free agent guard Armoni Brooks to a two-way contract.
In related moves, the Rockets waived guard Ben McLemore and center Justin Patton.
Brooks (6-3, 195) was eligible for the 2019 NBA Draft following his junior season at the University of Houston. He spent 2019-20 with the College Park Skyhawks in the G League before being acquired this season by the Rockets affiliate, Rio Grande Valley.
In 15 games for the Vipers, Brooks averaged 16.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.07 steals. He led the G League in 3-pointers made (57) while averaging 3.8 on 37.5% shooting. Over his final two collegiate seasons with the Cougars, Brooks averaged 2.8 3-pointers made on 40.2% shooting.
McLemore was in his second season with Houston. In 103 games with 27 starts as a Rocket, he averaged 9.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.3 3-pointers made on 38.2% shooting.
Patton signed a two-way contract with Houston on Feb. 19 and appeared in 13 games with six starts, averaging 5.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.08 blocks.
STATEMENT FROM THE LAKERS
We are incredibly excited that the State of California announced guidelines [yesterday] that will allow Lakers fans to return to STAPLES Center.
Now that we have the guidance, we will work with LA County Public Health and STAPLES Center to finalize our plans to have fans safely attend our games starting with the Lakers vs. Celtics game on April 15.
We look forward to welcoming Lakers fans back to STAPLES Center to continue the journey with us to defend our NBA title.
STATEMENT FROM THE CLIPPERS
With the State of California announcing that Los Angeles County has moved into the orange tier, we will continue working closely with the L.A. County Department of Public Health and STAPLES Center to determine the guidelines for safely hosting fans at Clippers home games this season.
With the new guidelines in place, we are planning for a certain number of fans to attend our game against Minnesota on April 18.
Olympic gold medalist and 19-year NBA standout Grant Hill has been approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors as the next managing director of the USA Men’s National Team. Hill will succeed current managing director Jerry Colangelo after the Tokyo Olympics.
“It is a tremendous honor to serve as managing director of USA Basketball’s Men’s National Team. I am looking forward to working with the USA Basketball staff and Board of Directors to lead this program so uniquely positioned for continued growth and for developing and promoting our top talent in events around the world,” said Hill. “As a member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team, I know the thrill and responsibility it is to represent our country. I am confident USA Basketball will continue to showcase the top talent and highest character players in our country.”
“We are very excited that Grant Hill will join USA Basketball as our USA Men’s National Team managing director. Grant is a proven leader of consequence and character who will continue to help us achieve on our twin goals of winning international competitions and representing our country with honor” said USA Basketball Board of Directors chair and retired General Martin Dempsey. “In making this announcement, I also want to emphasize how much everyone associated with USA Basketball appreciates Jerry Colangelo for everything he did for USA Basketball over the past 15 years.”
Charlotte Hornets forward Gordon Hayward has suffered a right foot sprain, the team announced today.
The injury was sustained during the second quarter of last night’s win over the Indiana Pacers.
The initial diagnosis was confirmed via a physician’s exam and studies today in Indianapolis.
Hayward will be reevaluated in approximately four weeks and further updates on his status will be provided as appropriate.
Hayward is averaging 19.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 34.0 minutes per game over the course of 44 appearances (all starts) this season with the Hornets. The eleventh-year forward is shooting 41.4% from the three-point line. The veteran wing set a career-high in scoring this season on Jan. 6, 2021 vs. Atlanta with 44 points and has totaled 20 or more points in 20 outings this season. The Butler product was originally acquired by Charlotte in a sign-and-trade with the Boston Celtics on Nov. 29, 2020.
The New Orleans Pelicans have signed guard Isaiah Thomas to a 10-day contract.
Thomas, 5-9, 185, holds career averages of 18.1 points, 5.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game in 525 career regular season games (361 starts) over nine NBA seasons with Sacramento, Phoenix, Boston, Cleveland, L.A. Lakers, Denver and Washington.
Thomas, a two-time NBA All-Star, was selected with the 60th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team following the 2016-17 season after averaging a career-best 28.9 points per game while shooting .463 from the field and leading the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Most recently, Thomas played for the February 2021 USA Basketball Men’s AmeriCup Qualifying Team. He started both games in the AmeriCup Qualifying February 2021 window, leading the USA to wins over Bahamas and Mexico. In the two games, the University of Washington product averaged 21.0 minutes, a team-high 14.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists a game, while shooting .435 from the field.
Thomas will wear #24 for the Pelicans. New Orleans’ roster now stands at 16 players.
The Sacramento Kings have waived guard/forward DaQuan Jeffries, per General Manager Monte McNair.
Jeffries appeared in 31 career games (two starts) over two seasons (2019-21) with the Kings.
The Kings are 22-27 this season, which is the 11th best record in the Western conference.
Their leading scorers so far in 2020-21 are De’Aaron Fox at 24.4 points per game, Buddy Hield at 16.4 ppg, Harrison Barnes at 15.7 ppg, Richaun Holmes at 14.3 ppg, Marvin Bagley at 13.9 ppg, and rookie Tyrese Haliburton at 13.2 ppg.
Sacramento’s roster now stands at 16 players.
The New York Knicks on Friday signed center Norvel Pelle to a 10-day contract.
Pelle, 6-10, 231-pounds, holds career averages of 2.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.21 blocks over 9.4 minutes in 28 games with the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings. Pelle registered two or more blocks in 12 of his 28 appearances, including a season-high four blocks on Nov. 29, 2019 at New York. He appeared in one playoff game for Philadelphia during the 2019-20 season.
In addition to the NBA, the Antigua and Barbuda-native has also played professionally in Italy, Lebanon, Taiwan and in the NBA G League with the Delaware Blue Coats and Canton Charge. In 86 career NBA G League games (38 starts), Pelle averaged 8.8 points on 63.6-percent shooting, 6.2 rebounds and 2.27 blocks in 18.3 minutes and earned NBA G League All-Defensive Team honors for the 2018-19 season.
The roster now stands at 16 with two two-way players.