NBA News Blog – Page 415 – NBA Blog

Jazz exercise contract option on Donovan Mitchell

In a 100 percent expected move, the Utah Jazz have exercised their third-year team option on guard Donovan Mitchell for the 2019-20 season.

Mitchell (6-3, 215, Louisville) led all rookies last season in scoring at 20.5 points per game and total points (1,616), joining David Robinson (1989-90), Larry Bird (1979-80), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1969-70) and Wilt Chamberlain (1959-60) as one of the last five rookies, and only guard, to lead their team in scoring while their squad won 45-or-more games. During the 2017-18 season, Mitchell was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month four times (December, January, February and March/April), also setting an NBA rookie record for three-pointers made in a single season (187). Following last year’s campaign, Mitchell was unanimously named to the 2017-18 NBA All-Rookie First Team and was dubbed the Breakthrough Athlete of the Year at the 2018 ESPY Awards.

The 2018 NBA Slam Dunk Contest winner averaged 24.4 points over 11 postseason games, becoming the first rookie to average over 20 points in the postseason since Tim Duncan in 1998. He set a Jazz playoff rookie scoring record with 33 points against Oklahoma City on April 23, passing Karl Malone who had 31 points on April 20, 1986 against Dallas and then broke his own rookie record with a 38-point performance against the Thunder on April 27 in Game 6, helping Utah advance to the Western Conference Semifinals.

Thunder sign Dez Wells, Donte Grantham and Scotty Hopson

The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed forwards Dez Wells and Donte Grantham, and guard Scotty Hopson.

These signings probably won’t carry into the regular season. NBA preseason wraps up Friday, then teams must trim down their rosters.

Grantham (6-8, 205) was a four-year starter at Clemson University. In 114 career games (113 starts), he averaged 9.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 30.2 minutes per game.

The West Virginia native is one of six players in Clemson history to amass 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 200 assists in a career.

Hopson (6-7, 204) played with Galatasaray in Turkey during the 2017-18 season, appearing in 27 games (13 starts) and averaging 11.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 20.9 minutes per game.

The Tennessee product played in 43 games (35 starts) during the 2014-15 season with the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA G League and averaged 19.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 32.2 minutes per game.

Wells (6-5, 215) spent the 2017-18 season with Sidigas Avellino in Italy, appearing in 52 games (28 starts) and averaging 11.3 points on 54.2 percent shooting from the field, 2.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 22.4 minutes per game.

Wells has previously appeared in 47 games (22 starts) over two seasons with the Oklahoma City Blue and averaged 12.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.06 steals in 27.5 minutes per game.

Rockets sign guard Angel Rodriguez

The Houston Rockets have signed free agent guard Ángel Rodríguez.

Rodríguez (5-11, 181) was eligible for the 2016 NBA Draft following his senior season at the University of Miami. Over his final three seasons with the Hurricanes, Rodríguez averaged 12.0 points, 4.6 assists, and 1.7 steals. He has since played professionally in France, Israel, and his home country, Puerto Rico.

Jazz center Isaac Haas undergoes knee surgery

Utah Jazz center Isaac Haas underwent right knee arthroscopic surgery and debridement. The procedure was performed by Jazz head orthopaedic team physician Dr. Travis Maak in Salt Lake City this morning. Haas will continue to rehab in Salt Lake City.

Signed by the Jazz on August 16, 7-foot-2, 290-pound Haas was a four year collegiate player at Purdue and averaged 14.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks as a senior, earning 2018 All-Big Ten Third Team honors.

Sixers sign Matt Farrell and DJ Hogg, waive Anthony Brown and Norvel Pelle

The Philadelphia 76ers have signed guard Matt Farrell and forward DJ Hogg. And in related moves, the team has waived guard-forward Anthony Brown and center Norvel Pelle.

It’s likely that these signings be very short term, as preseason wraps up tomorrow.

A 6-foot-1 guard, Farrell spent four years playing collegiately at the University of Notre Dame, finishing as one of the more decorated players in the program’s history. Named 2018 All-ACC Third Team, the team captain improved his averages across the board each year, culminating in a senior season in which he averaged 16.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 35.8 minutes per game. His 98 made three-point field goals were the second-most in the ACC during the 2017-18 season.

Farrell, a native of Bridgewater, New Jersey, was part of Irish squads that went a combined 103-43 over his four years in South Bend and made three straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament from 2015-17.

Playing for Texas A&M University for three seasons from 2015-18, Hogg finished with career averages of 9.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 25.4 minutes per game. In his three seasons with the Aggies, the 6-foot-8 forward totaled a team-best 155 three-pointers.

Hogg, a member of two A&M teams that reached the Sweet Sixteen (2016, 2018), helped the Aggies to their highest Associated Press ranking in school history at No. 5 in both 2016 and 2018.

Farrell (Miami) and Hogg (New Orleans) most recently appeared in MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2018, where in four games Farrell averaged 3.3 points, 1.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 16.5 minutes per game, while Hogg held averages of 7.5 points, 0.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 13.5 minutes per game across four contests. Farrell also averaged 1.7 points, 0.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists in 9.3 minutes for the Heat in three games at the California Classic Summer League.

Jazz guard Raul Neto out with hamstring injury

Utah Jazz guard Raul Neto, currently out with a right hamstring injury, was reevaluated on Tuesday by Jazz medical staff. The team says he is showing progress, and will be reevaluated in two weeks.

Entering his fourth season with Utah, Neto played in 41 games last season, and averaged 4.5 points, 1.8 assists and 1.2 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per outing.

Mavs waive Ding Yanyuhang

The Dallas Mavericks have waived guard-forward Ding Yanyuhang (pronounced yin-you-hong).

Ding (6-7, 205) was originally signed by the Mavericks on July 23 and played in one preseason game for Dallas. His only action of the exhibition season was on Monday in Shenzhen, China where Ding scored 1 point in 9 minutes.

Ding has spent the last seven seasons playing professionally for China’s Shandong Golden Stars. In 45 games for Shandong in 2017-18, he averaged 26.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game en route to winning his second consecutive Chinese Basketball Association Domestic MVP award.

Ding also played on the Mavericks’ Orlando and Las Vegas summer league teams in 2017.

The Xinjiang, China native has represented the Chinese national team in international competition, including the 2016 Olympic Games.

Magic sign John Petrucelli, waive B.J. Johnson

The Orlando Magic have signed free agent guard John Petrucelli and have waived B.J. Johnson.

Petrucelli (#12, 6’4”, 190, 10/27/92) appeared in 43 games (seven starts) last season (2017-18) with the Lakeland Magic of the NBA G League, averaging 8.3 ppg., 4.1 rpg., 1.2 apg. and 1.28 stlpg. in 20.9 minpg. He has played in 75 career NBA G League games with Erie and Lakeland, averaging 7.1 ppg., 3.6 rpg., 1.3 apg. and 1.09 stlpg. in 21.0 minpg. Petrucelli spent two seasons (2014-16) in Slovakia after playing collegiately at Molloy College (NY).

Cavs waive Levi Randolph

The Cleveland Cavaliers waived guard Levi Randolph today.

Randolph (6-5, 205) participated in two preseason games with the Cavs.

Cleveland’s roster now stands at 19.

Preseason for the league ends Friday. Teams must then trim their rosters down to 15 players, plus they’re allowed to have two additional players signed to “two-way” contracts. Those two-way players will spend the majority of the season playing in the G League.

Thunder waive Richard Solomon, Bryce Alford and K.J. McDaniels

The OKC Thunder waived center Richard Solomon, guard Bryce Alford and forward K.J. McDaniels today.

Solomon did not play at all in preseason.

Alford played in three preseason games, averaging 2.3 points and 0.7 rebounds in 3.0 minutes per outing.

McDaniels participated in two preseason games and averaged of 3.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in 8.2 minutes.

According to the Oklahoman, “the Thunder has until the NBA’s opening day (Oct. 16) to get its roster to 15 or fewer guaranteed contracts, not including two-way players. The Thunder is currently carrying 14 guaranteed contracts. Two-way contracts do not count against the NBA salary cap.”