Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Nets sign Jordan Bowden and Nate Sestina

The Brooklyn Nets announced their training camp roster of 20 players today with the signings of guard Jordan Bowden and forward Nate Sestina.

Bowden (6’5”, 193) joins the Nets after a four-year collegiate career (2016-20) at the University of Tennessee. In 132 games (99 starts) for the Volunteers, Bowden recorded averages of 10.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals in 28.3 minutes per contest. As a senior last season, Bowden averaged 13.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 34.4 minutes per game, which all marked career highs. The Tennessee native finished his career tied for fifth in school history in games played and ranked seventh in 3-pointers made (186). He also became one of just four Vols all-time to total 1,000 points, 450 rebounds and 250 assists.

Sestina (6’9”, 234) joins Brooklyn from the University of Kentucky, where he spent the 2019-20 season as a graduate student-athlete. In 28 games (seven starts) for the Wildcats last season, Sestina recorded averages of 5.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per contest. He previously played four collegiate seasons (2015-19) at Bucknell, recording averages of 8.8 points and 5.2 rebounds in 17.7 minutes per contest while shooting .537 from the field in 100 games (31 starts). As a senior in the 2018-19 season, the Emporium, Pa., native averaged career highs across the board with 15.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.1 blocks in 27.7 minutes per game en route to Second Team All-Patriot League honors.

Mavericks sign forward Wes Iwundu

The Dallas Mavericks have signed free agent forward Wes Iwundu.

Iwundu (6-6, 195) was selected by Orlando with the 33rd pick of the 2017 NBA Draft. In three seasons with the Magic, he averaged 4.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 17.6 minutes in 182 games (46 starts). Iwundu also made nine starts with the G League Lakeland Magic as a rookie, contributing 15.2 points and 8.4 rebounds in 35.3 minutes.

Iwundu, a Houston native, played four seasons with Kansas State (2013-17) and averaged 9.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists while setting a program record for games started (124). His 185 defensive rebounds in 2016-17 are the second most in program history. Iwundu was named Third Team All-Big 12 following his junior and senior seasons.

Iwundu would become the second K-State alumni to appear in a game for the Mavericks. Mavs legend Rolando Blackman, who currently serves as the organization’s VP of corporate relations, enjoyed a four-year career with the Wildcats (1977-81) before playing 11 of his 13 NBA seasons in Dallas.

Iwundu will wear No. 25.

Rockets sign KJ Martin, Jerian Grant, Trevelin Queen and Brodric Thomas

The Houston Rockets today signed rookie forward KJ Martin along with free agent guards Jerian Grant (JARE-in), Trevelin Queen (TREH-vill-in), and Brodric Thomas.

Martin (6-6, 215) was the 52nd overall pick by Sacramento in the 2020 NBA Draft. The Rockets acquired his rights on November 25. Martin spent last season with IMG Academy’s post-graduate team and averaged 19.6 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 69.1% from inside-the-arc. The 19-year-old is the son of Kenyon Martin, who was the first overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft

Grant (6-4, 198) was originally the 19th overall pick by Washington in the 2015 NBA Draft before his rights were traded to New York. In 279 career games with 61 starts he has averaged 6.1 points, 2.9 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in 17.9 minutes per game with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.94. Grant played for the Capital City Go-Go of the NBA G League last season and ranked sixth in 3-point percentage (44.1%) prior to signing with the Wizards for the NBA restart in Orlando.

Queen (6-6, 190) spent the past two collegiate seasons at New Mexico State. As a senior, he earned All-WAC Second Team honors while averaging 13.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.7 steals, and 2.0 3-pointers made on 38.7% shooting. The Aggies won their final 19 games to finish with a 25-6 mark.

Thomas (6-5, 185) was named Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year in 2019-20 after averaging 21.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals. He also picked up all-GLVC First Team and All-Defensive Team honors for the third straight season. Thomas averaged 2.7 3-pointers made on 41.7% shooting in his final season with the Bulldogs.

Raptors sign multiple players, finalize training camp roster

The Toronto Raptors have finalized their 2020-21 training camp roster after making the following signings:

Restricted free agent forward Oshae Brissett and free agent centre Henry Ellenson have signed multi-year contracts.

2020 first round draft pick Malachi Flynn (29th overall) has signed a rookie scale contract.

2020 second round draft pick Jalen Harris (59th overall) has signed a two-way contract.

Free agent forwards Alize Johnson (AL-uh-zay) and Yuta Watanabe (YOU-tuh wah-tuh-NAH-bay) have signed one-year Exhibit-10 contracts.

The roster currently stands at the maximum of 20 players.

Mavericks sign rookie forwards Freddie Gillespie and Devonte Patterson

The Dallas Mavericks have signed rookie free agent forwards Freddie Gillespie and Devonte Patterson.

The signings are likely non-guarantee deals that merely bring the two players to training camp.

Gillespie (6-9, 245) went undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft after finishing his college career at Baylor. Last season, as a senior, he was named the Big 12 Most Improved Player while garnering Second Team All-Big 12 and Big-12 All-Defensive Team accolades. Gillespie also became the first Baylor men’s basketball player to earn Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors.

The former walk-on transfer led the Bears to a 26-4 record last season, including five weeks ranked as the nation’s No. 1 team, the longest streak by any program since 2015. He averaged 9.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 2.2 blocks and 28.4 minutes per game in 30 games (all starts) and ranked third in the Big 12 in both redounding and blocked shots.

Prior to playing at Baylor, Gillespie earned All-MIAC and All-MIAC Defensive Team honors for Division III Carleton College. The Saint Paul, Minnesota, native did not begin playing basketball until eighth grade and stood at 5-11 entering high school.

Gillespie will wear No. 32 for Dallas.

Patterson (6-7, 205) also went undrafted in 2020 after finishing his college career at Prairie View A&M, where he helped the Panthers to back-to-back regular season titles and undefeated record at home in his two seasons with the program (2019, 2020). Last season, as a senior, he averaged 15.8 points (.465 FG%), 6.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 28.8 minutes in 24 games (19 starts) en route to garnering SWAC Player of the Year honors.

The Bridgeport, Texas, native played his first two collegiate seasons at Ranger College (NJCAA) before transferring to Prairie View A&M. He led Bridgeport High School to the UIL Class 4A state championship in 2015.

Patterson will wear No. 23 for the Mavericks.

The Mavericks’ 20-man training camp roster is now complete.

Wizards sign forward Anthony Gill

The Washington Wizards have signed free agent forward Anthony Gill.

“We’re excited to welcome Anthony home and to add his versatile skill set to our roster,” said Wizards General Manager Tommy Sheppard. “He has proven himself playing at a high level overseas for the last three seasons and we look forward to helping him continue to develop his blend of inside physicality and outside shooting touch.”

Gill (6-8, 230) has played the last three seasons for BC Khimki in Russia, compiling overall averages of 10.5 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting .572 from the field and .406 from three-point range. The 28-year-old forward averaged 8.3 points and 4.5 rebounds this past season while shooting .567 from the field and .440 from three-point range.

Gill was undrafted out of the University of Virginia, where he played from 2013-16 after transferring from the University of South Carolina. He finished his career as the Cavaliers’ all-time leader in field goal percentage at .582 and averaged 13.8 points and 6.1 rebounds while shooting .580 from the floor as a senior. Gill was named All-ACC Third Team as both a junior and a senior and was named to the All-ACC Tournament Team as a senior.

Nets re-sign guard Chris Chiozza

The Brooklyn Nets re-signed guard Chris Chiozza today.

Chiozza (5’11”, 176) returns to the Nets after originally signing a two-way contract with the team on Jan. 4. He appeared in 28 games last season split between Brooklyn and Washington, recording averages of 5.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 14.3 minutes per game. In 18 games with the Nets, Chiozza posted averages of 6.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 15.5 minutes per contest. The Memphis, Tenn., native has seen action in 35 games across two NBA seasons with Brooklyn (2020), Washington (2019) and Houston (2019), averaging 4.2 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 12.4 minutes per game. Chiozza also appeared in and started 10 games last season with Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, registering averages of 13.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.8 steals in 31.8 minutes per game.

The 25-year-old went undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft after spending four years (2014-18) at the University of Florida. Following his senior season, the Gators’ all-time assists leader (571) was named to the All-SEC First Team.

Sacramento Kings sign rookie forward Robert Woodard II

The Sacramento Kings have signed rookie forward Robert Woodard II.

During the 2020 NBA Draft, Sacramento acquired the draft rights to Woodard II with the 40th selection from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for the draft rights to forward Xavier Tillman Sr. with the 35th selection.

As a sophomore at Mississippi State, the Columbus, Miss. native averaged 11.4 points (.495 FG%, .429 3pt%, .641 FT%), 6.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 33.1 minutes per game in 31 games (all starts) during the 2019-20 season. Woodard II led the Bulldogs in steals (35) and was one of three Power 5 players to accrue averages of more than 10.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks.

He also registered double figures in scoring for 19 games, ranking third on the team.

In high school, the four-star recruit and two-time Gatorade Player of the Year was the state of Mississippi’s top prospect for the Class of 2018.

Woodard will wear No. 13 for the Kings.

Mavericks re-sign guard Trey Burke

The Dallas Mavericks have re-signed guard Trey Burke.

Per multiple reports, Burke’s contract with the Mavs is a three-year, $10 million deal.

Burke (6-0, 185) returned for his second stint with the Mavs in 2019-20 after signing as a substitute player on July 1, 2020, prior to the league’s restart at the Disney bubble in Orlando. Burke stepped up in the bubble, playing in all eight (one start) of the team’s seeding games, averaging 12.0 points, 3.8 assists and 1.1 steals in 23.9 minutes per game.

Burke also appeared in all six (three starts) of Dallas’ first round playoff games against the L.A. Clippers, averaging 12.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals in 26.0 minutes.

Per the Dallas Morning News, “Burke was late to join the Mavericks in the bubble because he tested positive for COVID-19 just after signing his temporary contract this summer and had to quarantine for 25 days in a Dallas hotel.”

The seven-year veteran holds career averages of 10.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 23.0 minutes in 394 games (129 starts) with Utah, Washington, New York, Dallas and Philadelphia. He has compiled averages of 10.3 points, 2.9 assists and 19.0 minutes in 33 regular season games (two starts) with the Mavericks.

Burke was originally acquired by the Mavericks in the seven-player trade that brought Kristaps Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee to Dallas on Jan. 31, 2019. After playing in 25 games for Dallas over the second half of the 2018-19 season, Burke signed with Philadelphia as a free agent on July 30, 2019. He appeared in 25 games for the Sixers in 2019-20, before being waived on Feb. 6 and subsequently signing with Dallas.

Burke was an early entry candidate for the 2013 NBA Draft after his sophomore season at Michigan. He was selected ninth overall by Minnesota before having his draft rights traded to Utah for the 14th and 21st picks.

The Columbus, Ohio, native was named the National College Player of the Year, a consensus First Team All-American and the Bob Cousy Award winner as a sophomore while helping the Wolverines reach the national championship game in 2013.

After wearing No. 23 with Dallas in 2018-19 and No. 32 for the Mavericks in the bubble, Burke will don No. 3 for the club in 2020-21.

Mavericks re-sign Jose Juan Barea

Once again, Jose Juan Barea is back on the Dallas Mavericks.

The Mavs re-signed 5-foot-10, 180-pound Barea today. The guard has now spent 11 of his 14 NBA seasons with Dallas.

Barea’s NBA career average is 8.9 points, 3.9 assists and 19.6 minutes in 831 games (107 starts) with Dallas and Minnesota.

In 50 playoff games (11 starts) for Dallas, Barea averages 7.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 19.7 minutes. The point guard helped the Mavericks to their first NBA title in 2011, appearing in 21 games throughout the run.

Among Mavs franchise leaders, Barea ranks fifth in games (637), seventh in 3-pointers made (596) and eighth in assists (2,441).

A native of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Barea went undrafted in 2006, and was signed by Dallas as a rookie free agent on Aug. 17, 2006.

Barea attended Northeastern University where, as a senior, he averaged 21.0 points, 8.4 assists and 4.4 rebounds for the Huskies.