NBA News Blog – Page 451 – NBA Blog

Lakers sign Malik Newman to two-way contract

The Lakers signed rookie guard Malik Newman to a two-way contract today.

Newman appeared in 39 games (33 starts) for Kansas last season, averaging 14.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals in 31.6 minutes. The 2018 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year averaged a team-high 21.6 points in the NCAA Tournament, leading Kansas to the Final Four and earning NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional Most Outstanding Player honors.

Per NBA rules, teams are permitted to have up to two players under two-way contracts on their roster at any given time, in addition to their 15-man regular season roster.

Lakers sign rookie Moritz Wagner

The Los Angeles Lakers signed rookie center Moritz Wagner today, General Manager Rob Pelinka announced.

Wagner, the 25th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, appeared in 107 career games (77 starts) for the Michigan Wolverines from 2015-18, with career averages of 10.4 points (.547 FG%) and 4.5 rebounds per game. In 2017-18, Wagner helped lead the Wolverines to a berth in the NCAA Championship game, earning All-Tournament Team honors with 15.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.2 steals in six NCAA Tournament games.

The 2018 Big Ten Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, Wagner helped Michigan to the team’s second consecutive Big Ten Tournament championship with four straight double-digit scoring outings. Wagner started every game of his sophomore and junior seasons, averaging career bests of 14.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.0 steals last season.

Miami Heat sign Derrick Jones Jr

The Miami Heat signed forward/guard Derrick Jones Jr. today.

Jones Jr., who was originally signed to a two-way contract by the HEAT on December 31, 2017, appeared in 14 games (eight starts) with Miami last season and averaged 3.7 points and 2.4 rebounds in 15.2 minutes of action. He spent 13 games with the HEAT’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, averaging 19.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.69 blocks, 1.46 steals and 29.1 minutes while shooting 51.2 percent from the field.

Prior to signing a two-way contract with Miami, Jones Jr. spent time with the Phoenix Suns and their G League affiliate, the Northern Arizona Suns, earlier in the season where he totaled nine points, four rebounds, four blocks, three assists, a steal in 33 minutes of action during six games with Phoenix and averaged 15.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.81 blocks, 1.8 assists, 1.13 steals and 28.9 minutes in 16 games with Northern Arizona.

Hawks sign Trae Young, Kevin Huerter, Omari Spellman

The Atlanta Hawks have signed rookies Trae Young, Kevin Huerter and Omari Spellman.

Drafted 19th overall by the Hawks in the 2018 NBA Draft, Huerter averaged 14.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 34.4 minutes (.503 FG%, .417 3FG%, .758 FT%) as a sophomore at Maryland while starting 32 games, garnering All-Big 10 Honorable Mention and All-Academic Big 10 honors. He ranked fourth in the conference in minutes per game and ninth in 3FG%. For his career, the 6’7 Huerter posted 12.0 points, 5.0 rebound and 3.0 assists in 31.9 minutes (.466 FG%, .394 3FG%, .748 FT%) in 65 games (all starts).

Spellman, the 30th overall pick by Atlanta in the 2018 NBA Draft, entered the draft after a redshirt freshman season at Villanova that saw him named the Big East Freshman of the Year while helping the Wildcats to the 2018 National Championship. He averaged 10.9 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 28.1 minutes (.476 FG%, .433 3FG%, .700 FT%) in 40 games (39 starting assignments). He ranked second in the Big East in blocks and fourth in both rebounding and 3FG% in 2017-18.

An early-entry candidate, the 6’2 Young was a consensus First Team All-American as a freshman at Oklahoma after becoming the first player in NCAA Division I history to lead the nation in scoring (27.4 ppg) and assists (8.7 apg), while also averaging 3.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 35.4 minutes (.422 FG%, .360 3FG%, .861 FT%) in 32 games (all starts). His scoring average was the highest in Big 12 history and his assists per game rank second on the all-time list. The Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Year award winner, Young was also a unanimous All-Big 12 First Team selection and named the conference’s Freshman and Newcomer of the Year. He was selected fifth overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2018 NBA Draft before the Hawks acquired his rights, along with a 2019 first-round draft pick, in exchange for the third overall selection, Luka Doncic.

The three Hawks rookies join second-year players John Collins, Tyler Dorsey, Antonius Cleveland and Jaylen Morris on Atlanta’s summer league team, which will begin competition on Monday in Utah vs. Memphis (7 p.m. ET, NBA TV).

Hawks sign Jaylen Adams to two-way contract

The Atlanta Hawks have signed rookie Jaylen Adams to a two-way contract.

Adams, a 6’2” guard, played four years at St. Bonaventure, and as a senior in 2017-18, averaged 19.1 points, 5.2 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 37.0 minutes (.438 FG%, .436 3FG%, .851 FT%). He was the Atlantic 10 Conference Co-Player of the Year and an AP Honorable Mention All-American last season. He was First Team All-Conference in each of his final three collegiate seasons.

Adams attended Mount St. Joseph HS in Baltimore, MD, where he scored over 1,200 career points and led the Gaels to the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference and Baltimore Catholic League championships as a senior in 2013-14.

Only players with three-or-fewer years of NBA experience are permitted to sign two-way contracts. Per league rules, teams are allowed to have up to two two-way players on their roster at any given time, in addition to their 15-man regular season roster. A two-way player for the Hawks will primarily play for the team’s NBA G League Affiliate, the Erie BayHawks, but can spend up to 45 days with Atlanta, not including any time prior to the start of Erie’s training camp and at the conclusion of their season.

Timberwolves waive Cole Aldrich

The Minnesota Timberwolves waived little-used center Cole Aldrich today.

Aldrich played in 21 games for the Timberwolves in the 2017-18 season, and averaged 0.6 points and 0.7 rebounds in 2.3 minutes per outing.

In 2016-17, Aldrich appeared in 62 games for the Wolves, averaging 1.7 points and 2.5 rebounds in 8.6 minutes per outing.

He joined the team as a free agent on July 13, 2016.

Pistons add Sidney Lowe, Sean Sweeney and DJ Bakker to coaching staff

The Detroit Pistons yesterday hired Sidney Lowe and Sean Sweeney as assistant coaches.

Additionally, DJ Bakker has been added to the basketball operations staff as a player development coach.

Lowe returns to the Detroit Pistons for the third time during his basketball coaching and playing career. He spent the 2005-06 season as lead assistant to head coach Flip Saunders and played six games for the Pistons as a point guard on the 1984-85 squad. The Washington, DC, native and former NBA point guard has spent eight years as a head coach and 12 years as an assistant coach in the NBA and NCAA, most recently serving as an assistant coach with the Washington Wizards the last two seasons. Lowe began his coaching career in 1992, when he became an assistant coach under then-head coach Jimmy Rodgers, eventually being promoted to head coach midway through the 1992-93 season and remaining in the position through the 1993-94 season. In addition, Lowe served three seasons (2011-14) as an assistant with the Utah Jazz after previously serving as head coach at his alma mater, North Carolina State (2006-11). In his first season at NC State, he became the third coach in school history to win 20 games and defeat the three other ACC North Carolina institutions (North Carolina, Duke and Wake Forest).

As a player, Lowe was originally selected by the Chicago Bulls with the first pick of the second round (25th overall) in the 1983 NBA Draft and spent time with Indiana, Detroit and Atlanta. He also spent time in the Continental Basketball Association, leading the Albany Patroons and Tampa Bay Thrillers to CBA titles. Lowe played college basketball under the late Jim Valvano at North Carolina State, earning Final Four All-Tournament honors while helping lead the Wolfpack to the 1983 NCAA Championship.

Sweeney enters his first season with the Pistons after spending the last four seasons as an assistant coach with Jason Kidd’s Milwaukee Bucks squads from 2014-18. The St. Paul native entered the NBA assistant coaching ranks with Kidd as part of this 2013-14 Brooklyn Nets team after serving two season as the Nets’ assistant video coordinator. Before joining the Nets, Sweeney served as video coordinator for the University of Northern Iowa, and previously held the position of director of basketball operations for the University of Evansville. Sweeney played one season at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay before transferring to the University of St. Thomas where he was a three-year starter and earned all-conference honors as a senior in 2005-06.

Bakker served as a member of Dwane Casey’s basketball staff in Toronto the last two seasons as assistant video coordinator and will join the Pistons as a player development coach.

Hawks waive Isaiah Taylor

The Atlanta Hawks requested waivers on guard Isaiah Taylor today.

Taylor appeared in 67 games last season for the Hawks, starting nine, and averaged 6.6 points, 3.1 assists and 1.4 rebounds in 17.4 minutes (.418 FG%, .702 FT%). He was signed by Atlanta on October 17, 2017.

The Hawks are in rebuild mode, and are currently led by Dennis Schroder. Almost everybody else on the roster is a supporting cast-level player. The team has to hope that rookies Trae Young and Kevin Huerter bring some serious game. But even if they do, the Hawks probably have years of rebuilding ahead of them.

Magic promote Charles Freeman to President of Business Operations

The Orlando Magic have promoted Charles Freeman to President of Business Operations.

Freeman is entering his 23rd season with the team.

Freeman, who in mid 2015 received promotion to Chief Operating Officer, is responsible for oversight and management of tickets sales, premium sales, client services, ticket operations, corporate partnerships, marketing, arena operations, retail, philanthropy and social responsibility.

“Charlie has provided tremendous leadership in growing our business and is incredibly deserving of this promotion,” said Magic Chief Executive Officer Alex Martins. “On a daily basis, he lives our core values of community, innovation, legendary service and teamwork.”

Freeman started with the Magic in 1996 as a market research analyst for corporate sponsorship and broadcast sales. He was responsible for all research and strategic planning for the department.

This past year, Orlando posted its highest attendance average (17,915 per game) in the last seven years, while ranking No. 1 in in the NBA in group ticket sales and No. 3 in single-game ticket sales. The Magic also was named the 2018 NBA’s Retailer of the Year.

Additionally, the Magic renewed major ‘Champion of the Community’ corporate partners Walt Disney World, Florida Hospital and Harris, while adding RP Funding to the family. Under Freeman’s watch, the Magic became the first NBA team to launch VenueNext technology, a fully mobile platform to enhance the fan experience at the Amway Center.

Pistons hire Malik Rose as assistant GM

The Detroit Pistons announced today that Malik Rose has been named assistant general manager.

“We are pleased to welcome Malik Rose to the Detroit Pistons organization,” said Ed Stefanski, Special Advisor to owner Tom Gores. “Malik has been around successful teams throughout his NBA playing career and now, as a young executive, he brings great basketball knowledge from both a playing and administrative perspective. His engaging and collaborative spirit fits perfectly with the basketball operations staff we are looking to construct.”

Rose has spent the last three seasons with the Atlanta Hawks as their manager of basketball operations. He also served as general manager for the club’s NBA G-League affiliate – the Erie BayHawks.

The 13-year NBA veteran appeared in 813 regular season games with the Charlotte Hornets, San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder where he averaged 6.2 points and 4.1 rebounds in 16.5 minutes per game. The Philadelphia native was drafted by Charlotte in the second round (44th overall) of the 1996 NBA Draft. He signed as a free agent with San Antonio in 1997 and was traded to New York in 2005. Rose finished his career with Oklahoma City in 2009. He appeared in 82 playoff games, recording averages of 6.2 points and 4.3 rebounds in 17.5 minutes per game and won NBA Championships with the Spurs in 1999 and 2003.

After retiring from the NBA, Rose worked as a television analyst for the Philadelphia 76ers, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks, Austin Toros of the NBA G-League, NBA TV and NBA Radio from 2010-2015.

Rose played collegiately at Drexel University from 1992-96 where he earned degrees in computer information systems and education with a mathematics certification. He also owns a Master’s degree in sports management.