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The Dallas Mavericks on Saturday requested waivers on forward/center Josh McRoberts.
McRoberts (6-10, 240) was acquired by the Mavericks on July 7, 2017, along with a second round pick and cash considerations, from the Miami Heat in exchange for center A.J. Hammons.
The 10-year career veteran saw action in two games for the Mavericks this season after spending the first 37 games of the season on the inactive list while rehabbing a left foot injury.
The Memphis Grizzlies waived forward/center Brandan Wright today.
According to a report from Yahoo Sports, if he clears waivers Wright intends to sign with the Rockets. That’s a great addition to the bench of an already potent team.
Wright (6-10, 235) appeared in 67 games (eight starts) over three seasons (2015-18) with the Grizzlies and averaged 6.1 points and 3.2 rebounds in 15.3 minutes. Selected with the eighth overall pick of the 2007 NBA Draft following his collegiate career at the University of North Carolina, the 30-year-old has appeared in 427 regular season games (62 starts) over 10 NBA seasons and has averaged 7.0 points and 3.6 rebounds in 16.2 minutes for the Golden State Warriors, New Jersey Nets, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies’ roster now stands at 16 players.
The New Orleans Pelicans have waived guards Mike James and Rashad Vaughn.
James, 6-1, 189, who was originally signed to a two-way contract by the Pelicans on January 14, appeared in four games with New Orleans, totaling four points and six assists in 18 minutes.
Vaughn, 6-6, 202, who was acquired from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for forward Dante Cunningham on February 8, did not appear in any games for New Orleans.
New Orleans’ roster currently stands at 15, including one two-way player (Charles Cooke).
The Sacramento Kings are 17-36 this season through Thursday’s games, which is the third worst record in the NBA. They’re all about the future, not the present. As for recent trades involving the Kings and their larger meaning, here’s the Sacramento Bee reporting:
The two most important assets the Kings acquired at Thursday’s trade deadline were Miami’s second-round draft pick in 2020 and the little more than $3 million cash.
That’s because the deals weren’t about immediate improvement. Instead, the Kings are keeping the focus on the future, and they believe trading George Hill, Malachi Richardson and waiving Georgios Papagiannis makes that possible…
Of the three players received in the deal, only guard Iman Shumpert figures to be around after this season, because he has an $11 million player option for 2018-19. Bruno Caboclo is in the last year of his deal and Joe Johnson is seeking a buyout, a request the Kings are likely to fulfill.
The Atlanta Hawks waived guard/forward Marco Belinelli today.
Belinelli, in 52 games with the Hawks (one start) this season, averaged 11.4 points, 2.0 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 23.3 minutes (.410 FG%, .372 3FG%, .927 FT%), ranking fourth in the NBA in free throw percentage. He scored in double-figures 30 times (five 20-point outings).
According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, “the Hawks held Belinelli, the veteran reserve shooting guard, out of Tuesday’s game against the Grizzlies and he did not travel with the team for Thursday’s game at the Magic as the team considered several trade options ahead of the NBA trade deadline.”
In 696 career contests (217 starts), he’s put up 9.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 23.1 minutes (.423 FG%, .377 3FG%, .840 FT%).
Belinelli was originally acquired from Charlotte on June 20, 2017 along with Miles Plumlee and a 2017 second round draft pick in exchange for Dwight Howard and a 2017 second round draft pick.
The Chicago Bulls waived veteran guard/forward Tony Allen today.
Allen was acquired on February 1 in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans. The Bulls are undergoing a youth movement, building for the future, so they apparently didn’t see a need for Allen’s services.
A defensive-minded player, Allen was playing just 12.4 minutes per game for the Pelicans this season prior to being traded to the Bulls.
Chicago’s roster now stands at 16.
The Sacramento Kings today traded guard Malachi Richardson to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for forward Bruno Caboclo.
Originally selected 20th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft, Caboclo has appeared in 34 games this season for Toronto’s G-League affiliate 905 Raptors, averaging 14.4 points (.396 FG%, .335 3pt%, .831 FT%), 6.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.33 steals, 1.65 blocks and 30.7 minutes per contest.
Richardson, 6-foot-6, 205 pounds, is averaging 3.5 points, 1.3 rebounds and 12.8 minutes in 25 games (four starts) this season.
Richardson owns career averages of 3.5 points, 1.2 rebounds and 11.0 minutes in 47 games. He has scored in double figures four times, including a career-high 12 points Jan. 25, 2017 at Cleveland. Richardson was selected 22nd overall in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets. His draft rights were acquired by the Kings in exchange for forward Marco Belinelli.
Richardson played one season at Syracuse (2015-16), averaging 13.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 34.4 minutes in 37 games. He shot .353 (79-for-225) from three-point range and was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team.
The Phoenix Suns today waived guard Isaiah Canaan, then completed a trade to acquire point guard Elfrid Payton from the Orlando Magic in exchange for a 2018 second-round pick via Memphis.
“We are excited to add a player of Elfrid’s caliber to our young core,” said Suns General Manager Ryan McDonough. “Elfrid is an athletic point guard who has good size, length and a feel for the game. We think he’ll be a great fit with our team and we look forward to seeing him in a Suns uniform.”
In his fourth NBA season, Payton is averaging a career-high 13.0 points shooting career bests of 52.0 percent from the field (23rd in the NBA) and 37.3 percent from three-point range. In addition, he is averaging 6.3 assists (14th in the NBA), 4.0 rebounds and 1.45 steals (24th in the NBA) in 44 games. Payton is one of just three players in the NBA this season averaging at least six assists while shooting over 50 percent from the field along with LeBron James and Ben Simmons, and also joins James and Simmons as the only three players to rank in the top 25 in assists, steals and field goal percentage.
Payton holds career averages of 11.1 points, 6.4 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.36 steals in 281 games, starting 234. The Magic’s all-time franchise leader with eight career triple-doubles, he scored a career-high 30 points earlier this season on December 23 at Washington. Currently exceeding six assists per game for the fourth straight season, Payton is the first NBA player since Chris Paul from 2005-2009 to average at least six assists in each of his first four NBA seasons.
The 6-4, 185-pound floor general was originally the 10th overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers before being traded to the Magic on draft night. Named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2015, Payton twice participated in the Rising Stars Challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend.
A native of Gretna, Louisiana, Payton starred collegiately at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette for three seasons from 2011-2014. He won the 2013-14 Lefty Driesell Award given annually to the nation’s top defensive player and represented USA Basketball at the 2013 FIBA Under-19 World Championship in Czech Republic, starting all nine games to help lead the U.S. to a 9-0, gold-medal finish.
The second-round pick heading to Orlando was originally secured by the Suns along with guard Troy Daniels in a deal with the Grizzlies on September 22, 2017. The pick to be conveyed will be the second most favorable selection of Memphis, Charlotte or Miami’s 2018 second-round picks.
Payton will wear uniform No. 2.
“We still consider Isaiah to be a member of the Phoenix Suns family,” said Suns General Manager Ryan McDonough. “In speaking with Isaiah and his agent, we are fully committed to doing everything we can to help him with his rehab and recovery from his injury. This move is being made strictly to create a roster spot with Isaiah being out for the remainder of the season.”
In his fifth NBA season, Canaan initially signed with the Suns on December 13 and averaged 9.1 points and 4.0 assists in 19 games with the team. He recorded 10 games scoring in double digits with the Suns, including a season-high 17 points in a win at Dallas on December 18. On January 31, Canaan sustained a fractured left ankle in the first quarter against the Mavericks then underwent successful surgery in Phoenix on February 1.
The Suns’ roster stands at 17 players
The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired guard George Hill from the Sacramento Kings and guard Rodney Hood from the Utah Jazz as part of a three-team trade, Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts. Cleveland has also received the draft rights to Arturas Gudaitis from the Kings. In exchange, the Cavaliers will send guard Iman Shumpert, a 2020 second-round draft pick via Miami and the draft rights to Dimitrios Agravanis to Sacramento, and forward Jae Crowder, guard Derrick Rose and the right to swap second round picks in 2024 to Utah. The Kings will also receive forward Joe Johnson from the Jazz.
“Rodney and George bring passion and strength every game with a strong mix of toughness and ability to play all aspects of the game. George is a great veteran fit with our group as he can play well on and off the ball and is a true two way player. Rodney is a talented, young competitor with great size at his position that can score in many ways and defend,” said Altman.
“We thank Iman, Derrick and Jae for their effort and time here. Especially Iman, who also leaves as a champion and was another part of a special group that earned success at the highest level here. We thank Shump greatly for his contributions and wish he and his family all the best as their basketball and life journey continue.”
Hill (6-3, 188) has appeared in 43 games (36 starts) for the Kings this season, averaging 10.3 points on .469 shooting from the field, including a .453 mark from three-point range, 2.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 26.6 minutes per game. He ranks first in the NBA in three-point percentage and has scored in double figures 24 times in 2017-18. Playing in his 10th season, Hill holds career averages of 11.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 28.8 minutes over 642 games (410 starts) with San Antonio, Indiana, Utah and Sacramento. He has competed in the postseason eight times, appearing in 83 games (72 starts) and averaging 13.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.05 steals in 34.3 minutes. The 6-3 guard from IUPUI was the 26th overall pick by the Spurs in the 2008 NBA Draft.
Hood (6-8, 206) has played in 39 games (12 starts) with Utah in 2017-18, averaging a career-high 16.8 points on .424 shooting and 2.8 rebounds in 27.8 minutes. He is also shooting career highs of .389 from beyond the arc and .876 from the free throw line and has scored in double figures 33 times, including 11 games with 20 points or more and three games with 30 points or more. The 6-8 guard out of Duke was selected by the Jazz with the 23rd overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Shumpert (6-5, 220) has appeared in 182 contests (43 starts) for Cleveland since being acquired by the Cavaliers on Jan. 5, 2016, averaging 6.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in 24.4 minutes. He was also a member of the Cavaliers’ 2016 NBA Championship team. Crowder (6-6, 235), who was acquired by Cleveland on Aug. 22, 2017, played in 53 games (47 starts) with the Cavaliers this season, averaging 8.6 points and 3.3 rebounds in 25.4 minutes. Rose (6-3, 190), who signed with the Cavaliers as a free agent on Aug. 8, 2017, has appeared in 16 contests (7 starts) this season, averaging 9.8 points in 19.3 minutes.
In his sixth NBA season, Crowder (6-6, 235, Marquette) has appeared in 436 career games (233 starts) with Dallas, Boston and Cleveland, owning averages of 8.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 23.5 minutes per contest. On the year with Cleveland, the Villa Rica, Ga., native has averaged 8.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 25.4 minutes per game. Since Crowder entered the NBA in 2012-13, he is one of only 12 forwards in that span to knock down over 500 three-pointers with an effective field goal percentage over 50 percent (515 3FG, .516 eFG%).
Originally selected in the second round (34th overall pick) by Dallas, Crowder played two seasons at Marquette (2010-12), averaging 17.5 points, 8.4 boards, 2.5 steals and 2.1 assists as a senior, earning 2012 Big East Player of the Year and 2012 Associated Press All-America Second Team honors in that season. Crowder’s father, Corey, appeared in 51 games with the Jazz during the 1991-92 season, totaling 120 points, 44 rebounds and 18 assists.
Rose (6-3, 190, Memphis) has seen action in 16 games (seven starts) this year for the Cavaliers, with averages of 9.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 19.3 minutes per contest. Over his nine-year NBA career, the 29-year-old Chicago native has averaged 19.2 points, 5.8 assists and 3.6 rebounds in 34.2 minutes through 486 games (476 starts) with the Bulls, Knicks and Cavaliers.
A seven-time NBA All-Star and veteran of 17 seasons, Johnson has registered 16.2 points (.442 FG%, .372 3pt%, .802 FT%), 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 34.9 minutes per contest in 1,253 career games (started 1,090). He averaged 20 or more points for five consecutive campaigns with the Atlanta Hawks (2005-06 – 2009-10), earning four All-Star nods in that span.
The Detroit Pistons today acquired forward James Ennis III from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for forward Brice Johnson and a 2022 second-round draft pick.
Ennis, 6-7, 210, is in his fourth NBA season and has averaged 6.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 20.4 minutes in 193 career games with Miami, New Orleans and Memphis. The 50th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks, Ennis is averaging 6.9 points, career-high 3.5 rebounds, career-high 1.1 assists and 23.4 minutes per game this season. Ennis has also averaged 8.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists in six career postseason games.
A 27-year-old native of Ventura, CA, Ennis played his junior and senior collegiate years at Long Beach State University after playing his freshman year at Oxnard Junior College and his sophomore season at Ventura College. As a senior, he averaged 16.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.8 steals, 1.3 blocks and 33.1 minutes in 33 games (32 starts). He shot .491 from the field and .834 from the free-throw line and led the team in scoring and rebounding. Ennis was named the Big West Conference Player of the Year, an Associated Press Honorable Mention All American and earned All-Big West First Team honors while leading the team to the Big West Conference regular season title.
Johnson (6-10, 230) has appeared in 12 regular season games during his two-year NBA career and has averaged 1.7 points and 1.3 rebounds in 3.8 minutes for the Los Angeles Clippers. The 23-year-old was traded by Los Angeles on Jan. 29 as part of a package that sent Blake Griffin to Detroit but was assigned to the NBA G League’s Grand Rapids Drive and did not appear in a game for the Pistons. A native of Orangeburg, South Carolina, Johnson was selected in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft following a four-year collegiate career at the University of North Carolina, where he was named a consensus First Team All-American as a senior.