Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Raptors sign center Alex Len

The Toronto Raptors signed free agent center Alex Len.

According to the Toronto Star, Len is “on a minimum-value contract with no hefty guarantees.”

Len, 7-foot, 250 pounds, averaged 8.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 17.6 minutes while shooting .555 (177-319) from the field in 55 games (12 starts) with the Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings last season. He scored in double figures 21 times, including two 20-point performances, and had eight double-doubles.

Len owns career averages of 8.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and 19.6 minutes in 467 games (183 starts) with Phoenix, Atlanta and Sacramento. He was picked fifth overall by the Suns in the 2013 NBA Draft.

A native of Antratsit, Ukraine, Len played two seasons at Maryland (2011-13) where he earned honourable mention all-ACC and all-ACC defensive team honours as a sophomore. On the international stage, he represented Ukraine 2010 FIBA Europe U18 Championship and 2009 FIBA Europe U16 Championship.

Miami Heat re-sign Udonis Haslem for his 18th season

The Miami Heat have re-signed forward Udonis Haslem.

“It’s great to have UD back,” said HEAT President Pat Riley. “His role is so critical for our team. Besides being able to still play, UD keeps everyone together in the locker room and on the road, teaching and mentoring. I think it’s a role he really loves and we are glad he decided to come back for another season.”

Haslem, a three-time NBA Champion, has played his entire 17-year NBA career with the HEAT and currently holds the longest streak by any active player with only one team in the league. He has appeared in 858 career regular season games (500 starts) and averaged 7.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 25.1 minutes while shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 75.5 percent from the foul line. The Miami native is the franchise all-time leader in offensive, defensive and total rebounds and also ranks among the HEAT’s all-time leaders in games played (2nd), starts (2nd), minutes (2nd), double-doubles (4th), field goals made (5th), points (7th), field goal percentage (7th), free throws made (8th), double-figure scoring efforts (8th), blocks (9th), steals (10th), assists (16th) and free throw percentage (21st). Additionally, he is the only undrafted player in NBA history to lead a franchise in total rebounds and has served as captain of the HEAT in each of the past 13 seasons, the longest tenure in team history.

Haslem has also seen action in 147 postseason games (84 starts) as a member of the HEAT and averaged 5.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 21.7 minutes while shooting 48 percent from the floor and 71.3 percent from the foul line. In addition to being the HEAT’s all-time leader in offensive rebounds in postseason play he also ranks among Miami’s all-time postseason leaders in games played (2nd), total rebounds (2nd), games started (3rd), minutes (3rd), defensive rebounds (3rd), double-doubles (4th), field goals made (5th), free throws made (5th), steals (5th), dunks (5th), points (6th), double-figure scoring efforts (tied-6th), blocked shots (7th) and assists (10th).

Timberwolves sign guard Ashton Hagans to a two-way contract

The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed guard Ashton Hagans to a two-way contract.

Hagans, 21, appeared in 30 games as a sophomore for the University of Kentucky in 2019-20, averaging 11.5 points, a team-high 6.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and a team-high 1.93 steals. He led the SEC and finished 16th in the nation in assists, with his 6.4 apg ranking fourth in UK history for a season as a sophomore. One of four finalists for 2019-20 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, Hagan’s 1.78 career steals per game is third in Kentucky history, trailing only Rajon Rondo and Derek Anderson.

The Cartersville (GA) native led Newton High School to two regional championships and was named both Gatorade Georgia Player of the Year and Mr. Georgia Basketball. Hagans averaged 20.2 points, 10.7 assists, 7.6 rebounds and 3.6 steals his final year in high school while leading Newton to the 7A state semifinals.

Wizards sign Cassius Winston, Caleb Homesley, Yoeli Childs and Marlon Taylor

The Washington Wizards have signed guard Cassius Winston to a Two-Way Contract.

The team also signed Yoeli Childs, Caleb Homesley, and Marlon Taylor to Exhibit 10 contracts.

The Wizards acquired the rights to Cassius Winston from Michigan State (53rd overall pick) after trading the rights to Vit Krejci (37th overall pick) and Admiral Schofield to Oklahoma City in exchange for the 53rd pick and Memphis’ 2024 second round pick (which was owned by Oklahoma City) on November 19.

Winston averaged 18.6 points and 5.9 assists per game as a senior and 18.8 points and 7.5 assists per game as a junior at Michigan State to earn All-America Second Team honors in both seasons, All-Big Ten honors as a senior and Big Ten Player of the Year honors as a junior while leading the Spartans to the 2019 Final Four. He is one of four players in NCAA D-I history to record at least 1,900 points and 850 assists and finished his career with 894 assists, the most in Big Ten and Michigan State history.

Childs, (6-8, 225) went undrafted out of BYU, where he averaged 22.2 points and 9.0 rebounds while shooting .574 from the field in 19 games during his senior season (2019-20). A native of South Jordan, Utah, Childs became the first player in school history to score at least 2,000 points and grab at least 1,000 rebounds in their career.

Homesley, (6-6, 205) averaged 15.3 points and 5.7 rebounds while shooting .474 from the field during his senior season (2019-20) at Liberty University. Originally from Indian Trail, North Carolina, Homesley was named the 2020 Atlantic Sun Player of the Year.

Taylor, (6-5, 209) went undrafted out of LSU during his senior season (2019-20), where he averaged 5.9 points and 4.1 rebounds in 23.2 minutes per game. He scored a career-high 30 points versus Georgia (3/7) in his final collegiate game at LSU.

Grizzlies sign rookie forward Xavier Tillman

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed 2020 second round draft pick Xavier Tillman Sr. to a multi-year contract.

Tillman Sr. (6-8, 245) was selected with the 35th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and acquired by the Grizzlies from the Sacramento Kings.

A native of Grand Rapids, Mich., Tillman Sr. was named the 2019-20 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and selected to the 2019-20 All-Big Ten Second Team last season as a junior at Michigan State University. The 21-year-old started all 31 games for the Spartans last season and averaged 13.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.19 steals and 2.10 blocks in 32.1 minutes.

Tillman Sr., who teamed with Grizzlies forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr. when both were freshman at Michigan State (2017-18), finished his collegiate career as Michigan State’s all-time leader in blocks (153).

Kings sign center Hassan Whiteside

The Sacramento Kings have signed free agent center Hassan Whiteside.

According to the Sacramento Bee, “the Kings signed Whiteside to a one-year minimum deal, which is worth $2.32 million for a player with eight years of NBA service, sources said. Whiteside made $27 million with the Portland Trail Blazers last season in the final year of the four-year, $98.4 million deal he signed with the Miami Heat in 2016.”

Whiteside returns to Sacramento after being selected by the Kings with the 33rd overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.

An eight-year NBA veteran, Whiteside has averaged 13.7 points (.582 FG%, .320 3pt%, .608 FT%), 11.7 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.6 steals and 26.7 minutes per game in 410 career contests (320 starts) with the Kings (2010-11 – 2011-12), Miami Heat (2014-15 – 2018-19) and Portland Trail Blazers (2019-20).

Last season for the Blazers, Whiteside tallied 15.5 points (.621 FG%, .571 3pt%, .686 FT%), 13.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.4 steals and 30.0 minutes per game in 67 games (61 starts). The 7-foot-0, 265-pound player out of Marshall led the NBA in blocks (196), blocks per game (2.9) and offensive rebounds (258), while ranking second in total rebounds (905) and double-doubles (51) in 2019-20.

More from the Bee: “Whiteside will add significant size, rebounding and shot-blocking ability to a team that has lacked rebounding and rim protection in recent years.”

Entering the 2020-21 season, Whiteside ranks first among active NBA players in career blocks per game (2.4) and stands at third in rebounds per game (11.7). As a member of the Heat, he led the NBA in rebounds per game (14.1) in 2016-17. Following the 2015-16 season, Whiteside was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team after leading the league in blocks (269) and blocks per game (3.7). In the postseason, Whiteside has garnered averages of 9.0 points (.611 FG%, 1-1 3pt, .577 FT%), 8.7 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.5 steals and 23.7 minutes per game in 20 playoff games (18 starts) with Miami and Portland.

Born in Gastonia, North Carolina, Whiteside was the 2010 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year after averaging 13.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, and a Division I-leading 5.4 blocks per game in 34 contests for Marshall University. Whiteside also earned the following collegiate honors: AP Honorable Mention All-American, Sporting News Second Team freshman All-American, Second Team All-Conference USA, Conference USA All-Freshman Team and All-Defensive Team, plus Second Team NABC All-District 11.

Whiteside will wear No. 20 for the Kings.

Kings sign rookie guard Tyrese Haliburton

The Sacramento Kings have signed rookie guard Tyrese Haliburton to a contract, according to General Manager Monte McNair.

“We are thrilled to have drafted Tyrese and excited to welcome him to the Kings family,” said McNair. “He is an incredibly talented athlete whose shooting, creative passing and ball handling skills combined with his ability to defend either guard position will be a valuable addition to our backcourt. Tyrese also has an engaging personality and is just the type of high character individual who fits the future of what we are building in Sacramento.”

The 12th overall selection in the 2020 NBA Draft garnered averages of 15.2 points (.504 FG%, .419 3pt%, .822 FT%), 5.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 36.7 minutes per game in 22 games (all starts) during his sophomore campaign at Iowa State playing for the Cyclones in 2019-20. Upon season’s end, Haliburton finished sixth in the Big 12 in scoring per game (15.2), second in FG percentage (50.4), first in assists (6.5), first in steals (2.5), and third in three-point field goal percentage (.419).

A native of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Haliburton earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors, was named NABC All-District 8 Second Team and garnered Big 12 Player of the Week honors in back-to-back seasons (2019, 2020). He was named as a Cousy Award Finalist and to the Wooden Award Midseason Top-25 list. During the summer of 2019, Haliburton was selected to the 2019 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Cup Team where he helped lead the squad to a Gold Medal finish and was named to the All-Star Five for the tournament.

Haliburton will wear No. 0 for the Kings.

Spurs sign rookie guard Devin Vassell

The San Antonio Spurs have signed rookie guard Devin Vassell (Vuh-SELL).

Vassell, 6-foot-7, 195 lbs., was selected by San Antonio in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft (11th overall), becoming the first Spurs lottery pick since 1997.

In his sophomore season at Florida State last year, Vassell averaged 12.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 28.7 minutes while shooting 41.5 percent from three-point range on his way to being named to the All-ACC Second Team. The 20-year-old led Florida State, which also featured the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft (Patrick Williams), in scoring and rebounding to help the Seminoles claim their first ACC regular season championship in school history.

One of just three players in the ACC last season to average 12-plus points and 5-plus rebounds while shooting better than 40 percent from beyond the arc, Vassell helped Florida State to a school-record 29 wins last year, giving him a total of 55 wins in his two seasons in Tallahassee.

Vassell will wear No. 24 for the Silver and Black.

Timberwolves re-sign forward Juancho Hernangomez

The Minnesota Timberwolves have re-signed forward Juancho Hernangómez.

Hernangómez appeared in 14 contests for the Timberwolves during the 2019-20 season, averaging 12.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in a career-high 29.4 minutes per game.

Hernangómez, 25, joined the Timberwolves after averaging 3.1 points and 2.8 rebounds in 34 contests for Denver during the 2019-20 season In 2018-19, Hernangomez posted a then career-best average of 5.8 points on 43.9% shooting and 36.5% from deep, to go along with 3.8 rebounds in 70 games (25 starts).

The Madrid, Spain native has represented the Spanish National Team throughout his career since 2013 and most recently helped lead Spain to a Gold Medal at the 2019 FIBA World Cup with now-current teammate Ricky Rubio.

Hernangómez was originally drafted by Denver with the 15th overall selection in the 2015 NBA Draft.

Hawks sign former Bulls guard Kris Dunn

The Atlanta Hawks have signed free agent guard Kris Dunn.

“Kris is an elite defender and an intense competitor who will bring real value to our group,” said Hawks President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Travis Schlenk. “We are happy to add him and believe his presence will improve our club.”

In 51 games (32 starts) with the Chicago Bulls last season, the Providence College graduate swiped 1.98 steals per game (second-best in the NBA), adding 7.3 points, 3.6 boards and 3.4 assists in 24.9 minutes. Dunn shot a career-best .444 FG% in 2019-20, including .630 FG% (29-46) over his final eight games played.

Originally selected by Minnesota with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Dunn holds career averages of 8.3 points, 4.2 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.55 steals in 24.3 minutes through 227 contests (126 starts) with the Timberwolves and Bulls. Among players from his draft class, Dunn ranks second in career steals (351) and fourth in assists (948). Since the beginning of the 2016-17 season, Dunn’s 1.55 steals per game rank 15th among all qualifying players and his 351 total steals rank 25th.

The New London, Conn. native will wear jersey No. 32.